NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
42 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Sep 7, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
I'VE ADDRESSED THIS SAME PROBLEM NOW THREE TIMES WITH TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND AGAIN THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT CORRECT. I INITIALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO WHERE I PURCHASED IT AFTER ONLY OWNING IT FOR ABOUT 6 WEEKS. THEY SUPPOSEDLY DID $700 WORTH OF BRAKE REPAIR WORK PER THE MANAGER THERE AT AERO FORD (STEVE CORBISH). …
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I'VE ADDRESSED THIS SAME PROBLEM NOW THREE TIMES WITH TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND AGAIN THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT CORRECT. I INITIALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO WHERE I PURCHASED IT AFTER ONLY OWNING IT FOR ABOUT 6 WEEKS. THEY SUPPOSEDLY DID $700 WORTH OF BRAKE REPAIR WORK PER THE MANAGER THERE AT AERO FORD (STEVE CORBISH). I CALLED THEM AGAIN IN JANUARY OF 2001 WITH THE SAME BRAKING PROBLEMS AND WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T HELP ME SO I WENT TO ROYAL CHRYSLER IN ONEONTA, NEW YORK. THEY DID $220.00 WORTH OF BRAKE WORK TO THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. AGAIN IN JUNE OF 2001 I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO ROYAL CHRYSLER WITH THE SAME BRAKING PROBLEMS, THEY REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS AGAIN, BRAKE PADS, BUFFED THE BRAKE SHOES ON THE BACK AND REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS. NOT EVEN A MONTH DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR IS HAVING BRAKING PROBLEMS AGAIN AND I'M JUST SO FRUSTRATED I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN. I'VE SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND IT IS STILL UNSAFE I FEEL. THE BRAKES CONSTANTLY SQUEEL, THE WHEEL SHAKES WHEN I BRAKE COMING DOWN AN INCLINE, AND AT TIMES AN ODOR IS GIVEN OFF, LIKE ASBESTOS? PLEASE HELP ME IN RESOLVING THIS BRAKE ISSUE OR DIRECT ME WHERE TO TURN NEXT. THANK YOU CINDY HOTALING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #751854
Mileage unknown · Jun 6, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
CONSUMER HAS TO TURN ROTORS AND REPLACE BRAKE PADS EVERY 6 MONTHS. PADS ARE WEARING UNEVEN. BRAKING DISTANCE IS NORMAL.*AK
NHTSA ODI #889895
Mileage unknown · Apr 18, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
BRAKE ROTORS HAVE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES DUE TO BAD MIXTURE OF MANUFACTURING OF BRAKE ROTORS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #886166
Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic
I TOOK MY CAR IN BECAUSE I NEEDED TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPAIRED AS A REGULAR ITEM OF REPAIR, SECONDARY TO WEAR AND TEAR. THIS WAS EARLY IN DECEMBER 2000. THE MECHANIC ALSO CHECKED OVER THE CAR AND REPORTED THAT AS WITH MANY 1998 DODGE STRATUS' I WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET. THE MECHANIC ALSO INFORMED ME TH…
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I TOOK MY CAR IN BECAUSE I NEEDED TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPAIRED AS A REGULAR ITEM OF REPAIR, SECONDARY TO WEAR AND TEAR. THIS WAS EARLY IN DECEMBER 2000. THE MECHANIC ALSO CHECKED OVER THE CAR AND REPORTED THAT AS WITH MANY 1998 DODGE STRATUS' I WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET. THE MECHANIC ALSO INFORMED ME THAT I SHOULD CHECK WITH THE DEALER AND SEE IF THIS ITEM HAS YET BEEN RECALLED. I THEN HAD NO PROBLEMS FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WHEN I WAS TURNING AROUND A CORNER SLOWLY AND AN AWFUL NOISE OCCURRED. I THEN PARKED THE CAR AND WHEN I RETURNED I HAD A LARGE OIL LEAK ON THE GROUND. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY TRUSTED MECHANIC AND THEY CHECKED IT OVER WHEN THEY NOTICED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACING, THE ENTIRE PULLEY SYSTEM WAS SEIZING UP AND NEEDED REPLACING AND MY MANIFOLD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE COST OF THIS WAS $1,000 AND THAT WAS WITHOUT REPLACING THE MANIFOLD, AS I COULD NOT AFFORD IT AT THAT TIME. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPORTED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO LOOK AT THE CAR, SUBMIT A CLAIM TO THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND THEY HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO HELP OUT WITH APPROX. $200. OF THE REPAIRS. WELL SINCE I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING TO GA FROM CA AND HAD TO STAY ON SCHEDULE I WAS UNABLE TO STAY BACK FOR THE APPOINTMENT WHICH WASN'T UNTIL A WEEK LATER. UPONE MY REQUEST FOR THE NAME AND NUMBER OF THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF DAIMLER CHRYSLER, THEY SAID , I CANNOT GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU. WE ARE THE ONLY ONES WITH THIS INFORMATION AND YOU MUST BRING TO CAR IN FOR US TO INSPECT. WHEN I ASKED THEM IF THIS INPECTION WOULD COST, THEY REPORTED, DEPENDING UPON THE TESTS NEEDED. I KNEW THAT FINANCIALLY, EVEN IF I WAS APPROVED FOR $200 ASSISTANCE I WAS BETTER OFF GETTING THIS FIXED BY A TRUSTED LESS EXPENSIVE MECHANIC AND FIGHT THE BATTLE LATER. CLEARLY A VEHICLE WITH 70,000 HWY MILES, WITH OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,500 MILES SHOULD NOT NEED A NEW MANIFOLD, A NEW PULLEY SYSTEM AND ALL NEW GASKETS
NHTSA ODI #740750
Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
BOLTS TO BRAKES CAME COMPLETELY OFF IN MIDDLE OF STREET. DEALER HAD A TOW COMPANY TO COME PICK UP VEHICLE. TOW COMPANY FOR WHATEVER REASON STILL HAS CAR. A LOANER WAS SUPPOSE TO BE GIVEN CONSUMER UNTIL VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #879902
Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
BRAKES FELL IN MIDDLE OF STREET. *AK
NHTSA ODI #879901
Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS EVERY 6 MONTHS, SO FAR 7 TIMES. ALSO, PROBLEMS WITH ROTORS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #877620
Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
BRAKE REPAIRS EVERY 3000 MILES. DEALER CANNOT CORRECT PROBLEM. 1. REPAIRED: BRAKE PADS/TURNED ROTORS/BRAKE SHOES AND DRUMS; 2. BRAKE SHOES AND DRUMS; 3. LEFT AND RIGHT DRUMS; REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS, AND BRAKE SHOES. WAS TOLD POSSIBLE ABS PROBLEM. 4. BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING /PROPORTIONAL VALVE. 5. BRAKE RECALL, WAS TOLD D…
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BRAKE REPAIRS EVERY 3000 MILES. DEALER CANNOT CORRECT PROBLEM. 1. REPAIRED: BRAKE PADS/TURNED ROTORS/BRAKE SHOES AND DRUMS; 2. BRAKE SHOES AND DRUMS; 3. LEFT AND RIGHT DRUMS; REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS, AND BRAKE SHOES. WAS TOLD POSSIBLE ABS PROBLEM. 4. BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING /PROPORTIONAL VALVE. 5. BRAKE RECALL, WAS TOLD DID NOT NEED DONE, 6. RODS AND MASTER CYLINDER AND LEFT FRONT CALIPER. AS SOON AS VEHICLE GETS CLOSE TO 3000 MILES BRAKES START GRINDING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #877427
Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
BRAKE SYSTEM DOES NOT LAST MORE THAN 20,000 MILES DUE TO ENGINEERING DEFECT. MANUFACTURER HAS INCREASED SIZE OF ROTORS AND PADS ON NEWER MODELS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ODI #876703
Mileage unknown · Dec 4, 2000
Electrical SystemService Brakes, HydraulicVisibility
THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FOR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS (3) ALTERNATORS, (2) BATTERIES, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IS WAS DUE TO THE AFTERMARKET ALARM SYSTEM, CONSUMER HAD THE ALARM SYSTEM TAKEN OUT AND THE PROBLEMS CONTINUED. *MJS
NHTSA ODI #785093
NHTSA investigations
2EA03011 · Auto Trans IGNITION-PARK Interlock
Opened Jul 17, 2003 · Closed Jan 30, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
PE02082 · Safety Belt Cinching Latch Plate
Opened Nov 6, 2002 · Closed Apr 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
THERE ARE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.WHILE CONDUCTING THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI FOUND THAT THE SUBJECT CINCHES MEET THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 208, AND THAT MANY OF THE REPORTED FAILURES WERE DUE TO INCORRECT CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSTALLATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE REPORT RATE IS LOW (1.60/100K).THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FAILS TO ESTABLISH THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT TREND AT THIS TIME.FURTHER ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES TO THIS ISSUE IS UNWARRANTED AND THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS BEING CLOSED.
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