2002 Dodge Stratus

I BOUGHT MY 2002 DODGE STRATUS IN OCTOBER OF 2004. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THERE WAS STILL THE FACTORY WARRANTY ON IT BUT FAILED TO TELL ME IT EXPIRED IN ONE WEEK. IT WAS AT THIS ONE WEEK MARK I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A TICKING NOISE TO THREE DIFFERENT PLACES, TWO OF THEM DODGE DEALERS AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. AS THE NOISE GOT WORSE, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME MY TIMING CHAIN WAS GOING OUT AND COULD RUIN MY WHOLE ENGINE AT ANY TIME. THE COST OF REPAIR WAS $800. I HAD TO FIGHT WITH CHRYSLER THAT A CAR THIS NEW SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THEY AGREED TO PAY HALF. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO RECENTLY REPLACE MY STARTER OCTOBER 2006 AFTER THE FUSE BLOWING THREE TIMES OF WHICH I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC IN ADDITION TO PAYING FOR REPAIRS. I HATE THIS CAR!!!!!! *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED FOUR TIMES SINCE PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE REVVED OUT OF CONTROL WHILE STOPPED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE A PROBLEM. UPDATED 10/18/2006 - THE IRS TIME THIS HAPPENED THE DEALER NOTICED THAT THE INTAKE WAS VERY BLACK AND THAT THE THROTTLE WAS POSSIBLY STICKING, CAUSING THE IAC MOTOR TO OVERCOMPENSATE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL SLUDGING PROBLEM, INTERNAL OIL LEAKING AND AN INCREASE OF ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION BY THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP DID NOT PROPERLY IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT HONOR ANY WARRANTY CLAIMS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE DAMAGE WAS TOO EXTENSIVE TO FIX. THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERATIVE SINCE THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT.

I DROVE TO KNOXVILLE, TN. I WENT TO A BASKET BALL GAME. ON THE INTERSTATE THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING REAL TERRIBLY. I CALLED MY MOM AND SHE SAID TO CHECK THE OIL IN THE MORNING. I DID IT WAS AT A PERFECT LEVEL.(I HAD GOT THE OIL CHANGED ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THIS TRIP.) I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MAINTENANCE SHOP. THEY SAID THE OIL HOLES ARE TO SMALL TO LET SUFFICIENT OIL THROUGH TO THE ENGINE AND THAT THE OIL WAS LIKE GUMMY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE(HOW WOULD ANY ONE KNOW THAT) AND IT RUINS YOUR ENGINE. I HAD ANOTHER MAINTENANCE SHOP CHECK MY CAR AT HOME IN WI. THEY SAID THE SAME THING THE MECHANIC SAID IN TN. THE CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. THE CAR IS IN MY DRIVE WAY BECAUSE I HAVE NO MONEY TO PUT A NEW ENGINE IN THE CAR. MY MOM WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO DRIVE TO TN AND RENT A UHAUL WITH A TRAILER AND BRING MY CAR BACK. I DON'T ONLY NEED AT LEAST $3000 FOR ENGINE I ALSO OWE MY MOM $700 FOR THE TOWING. *NM

MY CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. IT HAS ~42000 MILES. THE MECHANICS ONE FROM KNOXVILLE,TN WHERE THE ENGINE DIED AND THE ONE IN KENOSHA,WI WHERE I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR BROUGHT HOME, SAID THE OIL HOLES ARE TO SMALL TO LET SUFFICIENT OIL THRU THE ENGINE. THE CAR IS STILL SITTING AT THE MECHANICS SHOP BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE $3000.00 TO HAVE IT FIXED. *NM

DODGE STRATUS 2002 2.7 MOTOR FAILURE AT 80,000 DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP CAUSED BY WATER LEAKING INTO MOTOR, POOR ENGINE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURER SHOULD OF ADVISED THAT THIS CAR NEEDED AGGRESSIVE OIL CHANGES WITH SYNTHETIC OIL NOT FOSSIL FUEL BASED OIL. STRANDED WIFE ON HIGHWAY ON CHRISTMAS EVE. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPAIR DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE. CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SAID THAT I DID NOT DO ENOUGH OIL CHANGES. CAR WAS MAINTAIN TO COMPANY SPECS. *NM