2001 Dodge Stratus

UPON A SLOW TURN TO STREET, I HEARD A CLICK AND GRIND SOUND IN STEERING WHEEL.. AIRBAG LIGHT AND BELL CAME ON . TWO DAYS LATER, HORN STOPPED WORKING. LOOKED UP ONLINE, AND THIS SEEMS TO BE WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE DODGE LINE OF VEHICLES. THE SYMPTOMS FIT EXACTLY TO WHAT I FOUND ONLINE TO BE A FAULTY CLOCKSPRING IN THE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY. I WATCHED SOMEONE DISASSEMBLE A CLOCKSPRING AND FOUND THE (TAPE-TYPE) WIRES HAD BEEN BENT BACKWARDS BY THE MANUFACTURER BEFORE BEING BENT THE OTHER WAY.( WITHIN TWO INCHES OF THE CONNECTION POINT OF THE TAPE WIRE) UPON DISASSEMBLY , HE FOUND THE WIRES TO BE SEPARATED WHERE THE BEND IN THE TAPE WAS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS AIR-BORNE AND THEN FLIPPED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS KILLED. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE-YARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

I HAVE A DODGE STRATUS SE SEDAN, 2001 MODEL.. WHILE TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING LOT THE STEERING WHEEL ALMOST LOCKED UP, THEN SOMETHING SNAPPED AND BROKE INSIDE. I REGAIN STEERING BUT MY AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON AND REMAINS ON. THE OTHER CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL SUCH AS CRUISE CONTROL AND THE HORN DO NOT WORK.. I FEEL THE CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING, THE WHEEL FREEZING UP MOMENTARILY UNTIL YOU BREAK THE RIBBON WIRE INSIDE THE CLOCKSPRING BOTH ARE SAFETY HAZARDS. THE PART THAT IS DEFECTIVE IS THE CLOCKSPRING.. IT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE DEALER ONLY AT A COST OVER $129.00.. IT IS VERY CHEAPLY MADE AND IS ESSENTIALLY A RIBBON WIRE WRAPPED AROUND A PLASTIC SPOOL. IT IS CAPABLE OF BINDING UP AND PREVENTING THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN. ONE SHOULD BE INSPECTED AND ANY ENGINEER WILL AGREE IT IS VERY POORLY DESIGNED. AS MUCH AS AIRBAG COSTS AND AS MUCH IS IT IS ENGINEERED, TO HAVE A CHEAPLY MADE PART PREVENT IT'S FUNCTIONING MAKE NO SENSE AT ALL. DODGE AND JEEP CHRYSLER IM SURE.. NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REPLACE THIS PART WITH A MUCH BETTER ENGINEERED REPLACEMENT. I ALMOST CRASHED AND NOW IF I DO CRASH I HAVE NO AIRBAG AND I HAVE NO HORN TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS IF THEY'RE ABOUT TO CRASH INTO ME. *TR

I HAD PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY TO RETURN TO WORK AND WHEN I TURNED THE CORNER TO LEAVE MY STREET I HEARD A CRACKING SOUND FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IMMEDIATELY. THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON, THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK AND THE HORN DOES NOT WORK EITHER THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE VEHICLE HAD JUST OVER 35,500 MILES ON IT. *NM

I TURNED A CORNER AND HEARD A CLICKING SOUND. MY AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON AND MY HORN WOULD NOT SOUND. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT MY CRUISE CONTROL WAS ALSO NOT WORKING. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT IT IS DUE TO A BROKEN CLOCK SPRING. TWO DODGE DEALERSHIPS TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR IT AT NO COST, THAT IN FACT IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $200.00 . I NOW SEE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUAL PROBLEM WITH DODGE VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR. TO THIS DAY, IT HAS NOT YET BEEN FIXED, AS I AM WAITING TO GET AN AGREEABLE DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AT THEIR EXPENSE. SINCE THIS PROBLEM RENDERS THE AIRBAG INOPERABLE, I WOULD CONSIDER THIS A MAJOR SAFETY DEFECT/PROBLEM. *NM

2002 HAD TO REPLACE POWER STEERING PIPE, MANUFACTURED TO LEAN ON THE INTERIOR AUTO BODY, IN WHICH ENGINE VIBRATION RUBBED HOLE IN IT. 2002 FRONT RIGHT WHEEL MAKES CONTINUOUS LOUD HIGH PITCHED WHISTLE NOISE, STILL DOES. DEALERSHIP DISCOUNTED IT AND DIDN'T KNOW WHY IT SOUNDED LIKE THAT. 2002-2006 ENGINE DIES WHILE DRIVING, ODOMETER GOES CRAZY UP AND DOWN 2006 CLOCK SPRING KEEPS BREAKING, NO POWER TO AIR BAG OR HORN. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERABLE AND THERE WAS A CLICKING IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN THE WHEEL IS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED A SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE IN THE FRONT UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER.

DT: THE CONTACT STATED IN DECEMBER 2005 THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTERWARDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT, AND A THERE WAS A CRACKLING NOISE IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE STEERING COLUMN. ALSO, THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WERE INOPERATIVE. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 0801001 ON THE CLOCK SPRING. *AK