2002 Dodge Stratus

IN THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS THE CHECK ENGINE STAYS ON. I HAD THE COMPUTER CODE READ AND RESET TWICE. AFTER BEING RESET THE LIGHT RETURNED WITHIN 1-2 DAYS. THE THIRD TIME IT CAME ON THE DEALER SAID THE CAR HAD A VACUUM LEAK AND REPLACED A CRACKED HOSE. ON THE SECOND DAY AFTER GETTING THE CAT BACK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT POPPED BACK ON AND STAYED ON AGAIN. THEY SAY THAT THERE IS NO SHORT TO THE SENSOR OR LIGHT ON THE DASH YET THE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. A YEAR AGO THE MAIN COMPUTER DIED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR IS A 2002 DODGE STRATUS WITH ONLY 37,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER IS STUMPED, I AM OUT SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS , AND THE PROBLEM REMAINS. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. *TR

REAR FRAME TO SUSPENSION MOUNT HAS BROKE. THE SHOCK INSIDE THE COIL THEN WAS ABLE TO GET LODGED INTO THE SPRING. THIS MADE THE SUSPENSION STUCK/IMMOBILE. THE VEHICLE WAS 3-WHEELING AROUND CORNERS ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP. WE WERE TOLD THE PART WAS BACK-ORDERED TO THE FACTORY AND WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT ANY OTHER DEALERSHIP ACROSS THE US. WAIT TIME FOR THE NEW PART IS MORE THAN A MONTH. I WORK FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIER. IF ITS THIS HARD TO GET A PART, SOMETHING MORE IS WRONG. HOW MANY OTHERS ARE SUFFERING OUR FATE. *TR

TOOK MY DODGE STRATUS 2002 IN AND MECHANIC DEEMED REAR STRUTS BAD. ORDERED REPLACEMENTS. WHEN ARRIVED THEY HAD SENT REAR UPPER STRUT HOUSING MR31114 INSTEAD OF #4879072AD. WHEN LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER CALLED IT WAS STATED THAT THERE WAS A BACKORDER OF OVER 8000 OF THESE. I THEN CALLED THE 800 NUMBER AND AFTER 4 HRS OF CLIMBING THE LADDER WAS INFORMED THAT THIS PART WAS IN FACT BACKORDERED WITH CURRENTLY THAT MANY CARS AWAITING THIS PART AND THAT IT WAS BEING RETOOLED AND WOULD BE UNAVAILABLE TILL LATE AUGUST. THE ISSUE IS SAFETY IN THAT THE REAR UPPER STRUT HOUSING IF BROKEN PRESENTS AN ISSUE FOR DRIVER AND VEHICLE SAFETY AND THE NUMBER OF CARS NEEDING WHAT IS NOT AVAILABLE IS GROWING AND THE COMPANY HAS NEITHER A RECALL OR SAFETY NOTICE OUT NOR IN MY CONVERSATIONS AT LEAST HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR CARE ABOUT THIS. FOR MANY IF THIS IS YOUR ONLY VEHICLE YOU HAVE LIMITED OPTIONS AND MANY OF THESE VEHICLES WILL BE ON THE ROAD IN THIS CONDITION OF BROKEN REAR UPPER STRUT HOUSINGS. WHAT AM I TO DO AND WHAT RECOURSE IS THERE? *TR 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'

MOPAR AGREES RECALL SHOULD BE DONE ON THIS PART FAILURE. 02 DODGE STRATUS REAR STRUT MOUNTS. STRUT MOUNTING PLATES ON VEHICLE ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM OR SOME TYPE OF WHITE METAL AND THEY HAVE DISINTEGRATED INTO A POWDER LIKE DUST AND THE STRUT WAS DETACHED. MOPAR CONFIRMED ABOUT 8553 BACKORDERS ON 7/8/08 DEALERS AND 8607 BACKORDERS AS OF 7/9/08 - I REPLACED PART FROM A JUNKYARD CAR, AS THIS IS THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET A CAR BACK ON THE ROAD UNTIL SUPPLY IS ADEQUATE ON NEW PARTS WITH NEW DESIGN. VEHICLES CAN BE EXPECTED TO BE OUT OF COMMISSION AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. POSSIBLY FOR MONTHS WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION. *TR

2002 DODGE STRATUS REAR STRUT MOUNTS. THE TOP, REAR, STRUT MOUNTING PLATES ON THIS VEHICLE ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM OR SOME TYPE OF POT METAL AND THEY HAVE COMPLETELY CORRODED TO THE POINT OF THE STRUTS NOT BEING ATTACHED TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND SHE PROCEEDED HOME AT A VERY SLOW SPEED. UPON INSPECTION THE LEFT REAR STRUT MOUNTING PLATE HAD COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED AND THE STRUT WAS NOT ATTACHED AT ALL TO THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE SWERVE. UPON CHECKING WITH DEALERS AND PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET I'VE FOUND THAT THIS PART HAS FAILED ON THOUSANDS OF CARS. NO PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AND WE WERE TOLD BY A DEALER THAT, ON AVERAGE, THERE ARE 1800 REQUESTS PER WEEK FOR THIS PART AND A TOTAL OF ALMOST 8,000 ON BACKORDER THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SAFETY DEFECT AND IT IS MADE WORSE BY THE FACT THAT NO PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. I WOULD THINK THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL ON THESE AS THEY COULD EASILY CAUSE A WRECK WHEN THEY BREAK FREE. *TR

WHILE ON 495 LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY THE CAR MADE A LOAD KNOCKING SOUND AND DIED. WHEN TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC HE SAID IT WAS ENGINE FAILURE. THIS HAPPENED IN NOV. 2007(THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN AUGUST 2002), AND THERE WERE NO FUNDS TO FIX IT WHICH HAS CAUSED TRANSPORTATION/FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES IN REGARD TO WORK FROM NOV. 2007 UNTIL THE PRESENT,JUNE 2008. THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER REP. SAID THEY WEREN'T RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T BRING THE CAR TO THEM FOR OUR OIL CHANGES. I JUST RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A JASPAR ENGINE FOR 4,500 TO 5,000 DOLLARS. *TR