2002 Dodge Stratus

DT: 2002 DODGE STRATUS. THE PROBLEM WAS A BROKEN UPPER REAR RIGHT BALL JOINT. WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AT 5 MPH HEARD A NOISE , AND THE BACK END OF THE CAR SETTLED DOWN, UPON INSPECTION THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL WAS LEANING TOWARDS THE CAR. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE, AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. IT HAS BEEN FIXED AT THE COST OF $200. THERE WERE NO RECALLS. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NO ACCIDENTS. *AK *JB

WHILE USING THE AIR CONDITIONING, THE BLOWER MOTOR WILL ONLY WORK ON HIGH. HAD THE CAR SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP IN CLARKSTON, MI AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RESISTER ON THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS DEFECTIVE. PART WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY IN 2004. ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN IN JULY OF 2005. WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND MY HUSBAND REPLACED THE RESISTOR IN JULY OF 2005. IS THIS A HIGH FAILURE UNIT ON THE 2002 DODGE STRATUS? *NM

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I BEGAN NOTICING THAT THE TRANSMISSION ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SHIFTING DOWN IN A SMOOTH MANNER. I WENT TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP AND TALKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, EXPLAINED THE PROBLEMS I WAS EXPERIENCING AND ASKED FOR ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT WITH THE COMPUTER OPERATED TRANSMISSION, THAT THE COMPUTER IS A LITTLE SLOW AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. RECENTLY HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN INCREASING IN BOTH FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY. TO THE POINT WHEN I AM COMMING TO A STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD AS I COME TO A STOP AND IT SHIFTS TO THE LOWEST GEAR. IF THE TREND CONTINUES I CAN SEE THIS EITHER DESTROYING THE TRANSMISSION OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AS THE SURGE PUSHES THE VEHICLE FORWARD. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND CONTENDS THAT IT IS JUST A SLOW COMPUTER AND WILL NOT CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS.

IN OR AROUND OCTOBER 2004 I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR IT'S 30,000 CHECKUP. I HAVE A 2002 DODGE STRATUS. I TOLD THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT I HAD A "THUD" IN THE FRONT IN OF MY CAR. HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY "FRONT SUSPENSSION". IT WAS FIXED, BUT WAS NOT NOTED ON MY INVOICE. A WHILE LATER I FELT THE SAME "THUD" EVERYTIME I TURNED THE CORNER OR TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT. SOMETIME IN JANUARY MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WELL, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH MY 2002 VEHICLE. NOW, MIND YOU, I PAID MY CAR OFF 10 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED IT FROM DODGE. ANYWAY, NOT ONLY DID I FEEL THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT CAR IS TOO NEW FOR THE "RACK & PENION" AND MY "EVAP SYSTEM" TO GO OUT. THEY TALKED ME INTO BUYING ANOTHER CAR THIS PAST WEEKEND,APRIL 9, 2005 BUT DECIDED TO RETURN THE CAR ON APRIL 11, 2005. THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO COMPENSATE ME FOR MY CAR BEING A "LEMON" AS THE SALESPERSON DEEMED MY CAR TO BE EXCEPT FOR TRADE MY CAR FOR $6,000.00 AND HAVE PAYMENTS, AGAIN, OF $275.74 FOR 71 MONTHS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR. FOR ONE, MY CAR IS PAID OFF AND TWO MY CAR IS TOO NEW FOR IT TO HAVE THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS. I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN ANY RECALLS OR PROBLEMS ON THE 2002 DODGE STRATUS'. *AK

I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH WHEN I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND LOOKED OVER MY RIGHT SHOULDER AND SAW NOTHING. I PAUSED APPROX. 5 SECONDS BEFORE DECIDING TO PULL FORWARD AND TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND AS THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, SHATTERING MY WINDSHIELD. I HAVE ASTHMA AND HAVE BEEN HAVING SIGNIFICANT BREATHING PROBLEMS SINCE THE OCCURRENCE.*AK

TRANSMISSION SOLENOID LEAKING ALONG WITH TRANSMISSION HOSE LINES. SOLONOID WAS COVERED IN WARRANTY. HOSE LINES AND CLAMPS WERE NOT. CAR HAD ONLY 60K. BOOK SPECIFIES TRANSMISSION SERVICE AT 100K. I CONTEND THAT THE CLAMPS USED ON THE LINES ARE NOT ABLE TO ADJUST TO THE AGING HOSE AND CANNOT LAST THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE TIME. ADJUSTABLE CLAMPS WERE EMPLOYED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE.*AK