2001 Dodge Stratus Coupe Problems

THE TRUNK DOOR CAME SLAMMING DOWN ON MY HEAD AND I THOUGHT IT WAS BLEEDING AT THE TIME. THANKFULLY IT WAS NOT, AND I GOT HOME AND PUT ICE ON MY HEAD. I DID NOT GO TO THE DR. HOWEVER I DO WORRY ABOUT MY CHILDREN AND FORGETTING TO KEEP THEIR SMALL FINGERS AND HANDS OUT OF THE WAY OF THE TRUNK AREA. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

PURCHASED THIS 2001 DODGE STRATUS R/T COUPE IN JULY OF 2009. AUGUST 2ND THERE ARE HUGE CRACKS IN THE DASH AND THE DEFROST VENTS HAVE DISINTEGRATED. ONCE THE DASH COMPLETELY CRACKS IT EXPOSES WIRING TO THE ELEMENTS, WHICH COULD CAUSE ARCING OR A FIRE..... *TR

FIRST OFF, I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM MY SISTER...THE BALL JOINT BROKE ON ME WITHIN A MONTH...PROBABLY NOT HER FAULT. HOWEVER THE CAR WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISES AND CLANKS AND CREAKS, I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE BUSHINGS, GUESS I FOUND OUT IT WASN'T THE HARD WAY. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED THE REAR STRUT BROKE AND WAS RUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. AFTER THAT WAS FIXED, ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND HEARD AN ODD GRINDING SOUND STARTED TO SOUND LIKE A FLAT, PULLED OVER TO DISCOVER THAT ALL OF MY LUGNUTS HAD BEEN PUSHED OFF SOMEHOW AND THE RIM HAD GRINDED DOWN THE POSTS. IT WAS ONLY HOLDING ON BY 1 LUGNUT AND IT WAS ALMOST OFF TOO. MOST RECENTLY THE CAR KEEPS OVERHEATING, REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, AND CHECKED ALL FLUIDS NONE OF WHICH WERE LEAKING. STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT ONE OUT...ALL THE FANS ARE RUNNING ALSO. AND TODAY THE CALIPER BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IT CAUGHT ON THE RIM AND MADE ME COME TO A FORCEFUL STOP. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS JUST BAD LUCK OR A PIECE OF CRAP CAR, HOPEFULLY THESE SITUATIONS RE OCCURRING ONE AFTER ANOTHER ISN'T HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE. I REGRET THE DAY I EVER BOUGHT THIS CAR, CONSTANTLY SINKING MONEY INTO IT JUST TO KEEP IT RUNNING, I SWEAR IM GONNA SCRAP IT AS SOON AS I GET MY TAXES, I COULDN'T LET ANY ONE ELSE OWN THIS GODFORSAKEN CAR. *TR

WHILE PARKED AND TURNED OFF, MY '01 DODGE STRATUS R/T ENCOUNTERED AN ENGINE FIRE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS ALMOST BEYOND RECOGNITION. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING OF THE KIND WAS WRONG; THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING AS USUAL. A SIMPLE GOOGLE OF "STRATUS ENGINE FIRE" TURNED UP AN OVERWHELMING OCCURRENCE OF STRATUS OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED NEAR THE FUSEBOX, WHICH WAS ALSO THE LOCATION OF THE FIRE IN THE COUNTLESS SEARCH RESULTS. THE CAR HAD IDLED TOO HIGH FROM A FEW DAYS AFTER I PURCHASED IT. WE HAD THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE CHANGED AND THE IDLE SPEED ADJUSTED BY THE SHOP FOUR OR FIVE TIMES, YET NOTHING WOULD STOP THE HIGH IDLE. THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD DECREASE IT WAS TO TURN THE AIR CONDITIONER ON--WHICH BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER PROBLEM. THE DRAIN HOLES FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR DRAINAGE. THUS, RUNNING THE AC LEADS TO WATER POOLING IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOORBOARD. ALL WE COULD GET THE SHOP TO DO WAS BLOW OUT THE DRAIN HOLES AND CHECK FOR CLOGS. SO, IF WE WANTED THE CAR TO IDLE AT A LOWER SPEED, WE WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH A COUPLE INCHES OF WATER ON THE FLOORBOARD. *TR

I AM WRITING ON BEHALF OF THE ISSUE CONCERNING SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF MITSUBISHI/DODGE VEHICLES CONTAINING THE F4A51 AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (2000-05 ECLIPSE, 2001-05 STRATUS RT, 1997-2003 V6 GALANT) THE MAIN ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE WAVE/CUSHION SPRING LOCATED IN THE TRANSMISSION. MITSUBISHI HAS DESIGNED THE WAVE SPRING AS A FRAGILE TWO COIL PIECE WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO REPEATEDLY BREAK CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IN TURN POSES A THREAT ON THE DRIVER/PASSENGERS AS WHEN THIS WAVE SPRING BREAKS, ACTUAL PIECES OF THE SPRING MAKE IT THROUGH MITSUBISHI'S ALSO FAULTY TRANSMISSION FILTER AND LODGE THEMSELVES IN THE PUMP GEAR, CAUSING THE GEAR TO BREAK. WHEN BROKEN, ALL FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS IMMEDIATELY STOP FUNCTIONING AND IN MOST INSTANCES THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. THIS COULD RESULT IN POTENTIAL HARM OR EVEN DEATH OF THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER AS THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL MOVING POWER WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WITH OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. MITSUBISHI HAS RECENTLY CREATED AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE WAVE SPRING WITHOUT ISSUING A RECALL, A NOW ONE PIECE DESIGN INSTEAD OF A COIL SETUP WHICH IS PRONE TO BREAKING. TO MANY MITSUBISHI/DODGE OWNERS THIS UPDATE WAS DISCOVERED AFTER THEY HAVE HAD THEIR VEHICLE IN A TRANSMISSION SHOP WITH A HEFTY BILL TO PAY EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MITSUBISHI'S FAULT FOR ENGINEERING A FAULTY PART. ALL ONE PERSON WOULD NEED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS SEARCH THE INTERNET WITH THE TRANSMISSION CODE F4A51 AND THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED, EVEN RESEARCHED BY TRANSMISSION DIGEST. NOT ONLY IS THIS A LARGE INCONVENIENCE TO MOST, IT IS ALSO A HAZARD TO ONES LIFE. MITSUBISHI SHOULD RECALL ALL VEHICLES CONTAINING THE F4A51 TRANSMISSION TO PERFORM THE WAVE SPRING AND FILTER UPDATE OR REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD IT DONE AT THEIR COST. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS IF YOU OWN A VEHICLE WITH THE F4A51 YOUR VEHICLE WILL EVENTUALLY NEED THIS REPAIR, IF YOU ARE STILL AROUND TO DO IT. *TR

MANUAL 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION ON MY 2001 DODGE STRATUS R/T HAS LOST REVERSE. IT HAS ONLY 56000 MILES AND I HAVE FOUND, THROUGH RESEARCH, THAT TIS TRANSMISSION PRODUCED BY MITSUBISHI HAS A VERY HIGH FAILURE RATE. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH 2ND GEAR GRINDING SINCE NEW. *AK

WHILE PARKED AND TURNED OFF, MY '01 DODGE STRATUS R/T ENCOUNTERED AN ENGINE FIRE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS ALMOST BEYOND RECOGNITION. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING OF THE KIND WAS WRONG; THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING AS USUAL. A SIMPLE GOOGLE OF "STRATUS ENGINE FIRE" TURNED UP AN OVERWHELMING OCCURRENCE OF STRATUS OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED NEAR THE FUSEBOX, WHICH WAS ALSO THE LOCATION OF THE FIRE IN THE COUNTLESS SEARCH RESULTS. THE CAR HAD IDLED TOO HIGH FROM A FEW DAYS AFTER I PURCHASED IT. WE HAD THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE CHANGED AND THE IDLE SPEED ADJUSTED BY THE SHOP FOUR OR FIVE TIMES, YET NOTHING WOULD STOP THE HIGH IDLE. THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD DECREASE IT WAS TO TURN THE AIR CONDITIONER ON--WHICH BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER PROBLEM. THE DRAIN HOLES FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR DRAINAGE. THUS, RUNNING THE AC LEADS TO WATER POOLING IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOORBOARD. ALL WE COULD GET THE SHOP TO DO WAS BLOW OUT THE DRAIN HOLES AND CHECK FOR CLOGS. SO, IF WE WANTED THE CAR TO IDLE AT A LOWER SPEED, WE WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH A COUPLE INCHES OF WATER ON THE FLOORBOARD. *TR

1. THE CAR BATTERY OF MY 2001 DODGE STRATUS RT WENT DEAD ON SUNDAY MORNING. I PURCHASED A CORRECT REPLACEMENT BATTERY AND INSTALLED IT ON THE VEHICLE. 2. UPON STARTING THE CAR AFTER INSTALLING THE NEW BATTERY, THE CAR WOULD NOT IDLE BUT WOULD ONLY SHUT DOWN. I TRIED THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND I COULD ONLY KEEP THE CAR RUNNING WHILE GIVING IT GAS. I TRIED DRIVING THE CAR AND IT DROVE OK UNTIL I RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN, STOP, OR MAKE A TURN AND EACH TIME THE CAR ENGINE SHUT DOWN. 3. I MANAGED TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DODGE DEALER, STALLING OUT AT STOP SIGNS, STOP LIGHTS, INTERSECTIONS, AND TURNS. THE CAR WOULD ALWAYS RESTART AND BY GIVING IT GAS AND THROWING IT BACK INTO DRIVE, I COULD CONTINUE. AFTER A DAY, THE DODGE DEALER ANALYSIS WAS THAT BECAUSE I HAD CHANGED THE CAR BATTERY, THE ENGINE COMPUTER LOST ALL OF ITS "LEARNING" PARAMETERS AND THE CAR WOULD HAVE TO BE DRIVEN FOR 2 WEEKS TO LEARN THE PARAMETERS. I WAS TOLD THAT CHRYSLER HAD NO "QUICKSTART" SOFTWARE THAT COULD BE LOADED ONTO THE AUTOMOBILE'S COMPUTER TO ALLOW IT TO RUN PROPERLY. SO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO OPERATE MY CAR IN TRAFFIC WHEN IT STALLED EVERY TIME MY FOOT CAME OFF THE GAS PEDAL, AND THAT WAS THEIR SOLUTION TO FIX THIS PROBLEM....TO OPERATE MY CAR IN AN UNSAFE MANNER BECAUSE THEY HAD NO MEANS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THERE IS NO WARNING IN THE VEHICLE OPERATORS MANUAL ABOUT THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION WHERE YOUR CAR STALLS IN TRAFFIC IF YOU CHANGE THE BATTERY AND I FIND THIS "SOLUTION" UNSAFE AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. *JB

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS COUPE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V338000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

I BOUGHT MY 2001 STRATUS R/T USED. NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER I HAD BOUGHT IT, I HAD TO PAY OVER $100 TO GET IT TO IDLE RIGHT. THEN I WAS IN A NOT-AT-FAULT ACCIDENT 6 MOS. LATER WITH OVER $8,000 IN DAMAGES TO THE FRONT END AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. AFTER THE WRECK I HAD TO PAY OVER $ 1,300 TO GET THE SHOCKS & STRUTS FIXED JUST TO HAVE IT MESS UP NOT EVEN 4 MOS. LATER. IT ALSO AS A ROTTEN ODOR COMING FROM IT OCCASIONALLY. I ALSO PAID ALMOST $200 FOR A NEW BATTERY TO HAVE IT START TO DRAIN NOT EVEN 6-7 MOS. LATER! AND WHEN THE BATTERY HAD TO BE CLEANED, I HAD TO GET IT RE-IDLED AGAIN! NOW IT WON'T STAY STARTED UNLESS YOU'RE GIVING IT GAS. I LOVE THE LOOK, BUT WORST CAR I EVER BOUGHT. AND IT'S NOT EVEN PAID OFF!!!! *E.G.* *TR

FIRST OFF, I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM MY SISTER...THE BALL JOINT BROKE ON ME WITHIN A MONTH...PROBABLY NOT HER FAULT. HOWEVER THE CAR WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISES AND CLANKS AND CREAKS, I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE BUSHINGS, GUESS I FOUND OUT IT WASN'T THE HARD WAY. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED THE REAR STRUT BROKE AND WAS RUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. AFTER THAT WAS FIXED, ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND HEARD AN ODD GRINDING SOUND STARTED TO SOUND LIKE A FLAT, PULLED OVER TO DISCOVER THAT ALL OF MY LUGNUTS HAD BEEN PUSHED OFF SOMEHOW AND THE RIM HAD GRINDED DOWN THE POSTS. IT WAS ONLY HOLDING ON BY 1 LUGNUT AND IT WAS ALMOST OFF TOO. MOST RECENTLY THE CAR KEEPS OVERHEATING, REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, AND CHECKED ALL FLUIDS NONE OF WHICH WERE LEAKING. STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT ONE OUT...ALL THE FANS ARE RUNNING ALSO. AND TODAY THE CALIPER BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IT CAUGHT ON THE RIM AND MADE ME COME TO A FORCEFUL STOP. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS JUST BAD LUCK OR A PIECE OF CRAP CAR, HOPEFULLY THESE SITUATIONS RE OCCURRING ONE AFTER ANOTHER ISN'T HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE. I REGRET THE DAY I EVER BOUGHT THIS CAR, CONSTANTLY SINKING MONEY INTO IT JUST TO KEEP IT RUNNING, I SWEAR IM GONNA SCRAP IT AS SOON AS I GET MY TAXES, I COULDN'T LET ANY ONE ELSE OWN THIS GODFORSAKEN CAR. *TR

I BOUGHT MY 2001 STRATUS R/T USED. NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER I HAD BOUGHT IT, I HAD TO PAY OVER $100 TO GET IT TO IDLE RIGHT. THEN I WAS IN A NOT-AT-FAULT ACCIDENT 6 MOS. LATER WITH OVER $8,000 IN DAMAGES TO THE FRONT END AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. AFTER THE WRECK I HAD TO PAY OVER $ 1,300 TO GET THE SHOCKS & STRUTS FIXED JUST TO HAVE IT MESS UP NOT EVEN 4 MOS. LATER. IT ALSO AS A ROTTEN ODOR COMING FROM IT OCCASIONALLY. I ALSO PAID ALMOST $200 FOR A NEW BATTERY TO HAVE IT START TO DRAIN NOT EVEN 6-7 MOS. LATER! AND WHEN THE BATTERY HAD TO BE CLEANED, I HAD TO GET IT RE-IDLED AGAIN! NOW IT WON'T STAY STARTED UNLESS YOU'RE GIVING IT GAS. I LOVE THE LOOK, BUT WORST CAR I EVER BOUGHT. AND IT'S NOT EVEN PAID OFF!!!! *E.G.* *TR

LIGHT IN REARVIREW MIRROR STOPPED WORKING. NEXT DAY, WHILE CAR WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE, THE INTERIOR COMPONENTS OF REARVIEW MIRROR HEATED UP TO SUCH AN EXTREME TEMPERATURE THAT THE PLASTIC CASING ACTUALLY MELTED AND DRIPPED ONTO THE CONSOLE BELOW, MELTING THAT AS WELL. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE IT REEKED OF A BURNT SMELL AND WAS HAZY ON THE INTERIOR. THE MIRROR NO LONGER DIMS AND SEEMS TO HAVE MELTED ALSO, AS THE MIRROR NOW LOOKS AS IF I WERE LOOKING THROUGH ICE. I AM NOW WEARY ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE I AM AFRAID IT COULD CATCH FIRE. *JB

I DID EXPERIENCE MY CAR ACCELERATING. I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND WAS WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN WHEN MY CAR JUST STARTED REVVING UP. I COULD FEEL THE CAR PULLING BECAUSE IT WAS ACCELERATING. I HAD KEPT FEET ON THE BRAKES BUT IT KEPT GETTING LOUDER AND PULLING UNTIL I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I STARTED IT UP AGAIN WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN BUT IT WAS STILL ACCELERATING, SO I MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND PARK THE CAR. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT CUSHIONING HAS COLLAPSED. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED IN THIS VEHICLE, WITH THE FIRST INCIDENT IN JULY OF 2001 (3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR). IT WAS REPLACED THEN BY THE DEALERSHIP, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A ONE-TIME OCCURRENCE, HOWEVER THE SAME PROBLEM HAS SURFACED AGAIN ON JUNE 7TH OF THIS YEAR, AGAIN NEEDING TO HAVE THE SEAT BE REPLACED. THIS NOT ONLY MAKES IT HIGHLY PAINFUL TO DRIVE, IT LEAVES ME WITH BACK PAIN FOR HOURS AFTERWARDS BECAUSE THE RESULT IS SITTING ON STEEL BARS. *JB

FIRST OFF, I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM MY SISTER...THE BALL JOINT BROKE ON ME WITHIN A MONTH...PROBABLY NOT HER FAULT. HOWEVER THE CAR WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISES AND CLANKS AND CREAKS, I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE BUSHINGS, GUESS I FOUND OUT IT WASN'T THE HARD WAY. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED THE REAR STRUT BROKE AND WAS RUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. AFTER THAT WAS FIXED, ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND HEARD AN ODD GRINDING SOUND STARTED TO SOUND LIKE A FLAT, PULLED OVER TO DISCOVER THAT ALL OF MY LUGNUTS HAD BEEN PUSHED OFF SOMEHOW AND THE RIM HAD GRINDED DOWN THE POSTS. IT WAS ONLY HOLDING ON BY 1 LUGNUT AND IT WAS ALMOST OFF TOO. MOST RECENTLY THE CAR KEEPS OVERHEATING, REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, AND CHECKED ALL FLUIDS NONE OF WHICH WERE LEAKING. STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT ONE OUT...ALL THE FANS ARE RUNNING ALSO. AND TODAY THE CALIPER BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IT CAUGHT ON THE RIM AND MADE ME COME TO A FORCEFUL STOP. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS JUST BAD LUCK OR A PIECE OF CRAP CAR, HOPEFULLY THESE SITUATIONS RE OCCURRING ONE AFTER ANOTHER ISN'T HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE. I REGRET THE DAY I EVER BOUGHT THIS CAR, CONSTANTLY SINKING MONEY INTO IT JUST TO KEEP IT RUNNING, I SWEAR IM GONNA SCRAP IT AS SOON AS I GET MY TAXES, I COULDN'T LET ANY ONE ELSE OWN THIS GODFORSAKEN CAR. *TR

DEC. 2010 WE PURCHASED 4 BF GOODRICH TRACTION T/A TIRES FOR OUR DAUGHTERS CAR. WE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THE SIDEWALLS OF THESE TIRES WERE SPLITTING. THERE ACTUALLY WAS NO FAILURE OF THE TIRES BUT WE FELT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE. *TR