1995 Dodge Stratus Brakes Problems

I HAD THE REAR BRAKES FOR THE 1995 DODGE STRATUS REPLACED ON 3/01/2007 BECOUSE BRAKES WERE WORN OUT, AND HAVE SINCE THEN HAD THEM REPLACE 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. MECHANIC SHOP COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY. THEY REPLACED EVERYTHING AND BACK BRAKES WERE STILL LOCKING. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED TO DO MY MAIL ROUTE ON 8/03/2006 FROM A USED CAR DEALER, AND DID NOT KNOW OF ANY RECALLS. ALSO, THE CAR SWERVED WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES. REPLACED BRAKE LINES, BRAKE SHOES, CYLENDERS, DRUMS AND SPRINGS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10196632

Incident

Mar 1, 2007

MY WIFE COMPLAINED OF BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL FURTHER THAN NORMAL. UPON INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF THE BOLT STUDS THAT HOLDS THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER WAS BROKEN OFF AND MISSING. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS PUSHED OUT OF THE BOOSTER TO ABOUT A 30 DEGEREE ANGLE. THE REMAINING STUD WAS STILL IN PLACE BUT BENT BADLY TO ONE SIDE. IF THERE HAD BEEN A PANIC STOP REQUIRED, I FEEL THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE BOOSTER, WITH THE EFFECT OF HAVING NO BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR FATALITY.*JB

NHTSA ID

10010310

Incident

Mar 11, 2003

Mileage

52,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT BRAKES DO NOT STOP VEHICLE EFFECTIVELY. CONSUMER ADVISED THAT WHILE DRIVING BRAKES PEDAL BECOMES LOOSER AND LOOSER. IF CONSUMER BRAKES, PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, BUT VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLETELY STOP.*JB

NHTSA ID

8018025

Incident

Sep 1, 2002

THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED COMPUTER PROBLEMS WHICH HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP WHILE BEING DRIVEN. NLM

NHTSA ID

567054

WHILE DRIVING ABS BRAKE COMPUTER FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HAVE NO BRAKES.*AK

NHTSA ID

8010467

Incident

Oct 24, 2001

THE CAR WAS STOPPING NORMALLY ON CLEAN DRY PAVEMENT FROM 35 MPH AND WHEN SLOWED TO ABOUT 25 MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPPED APPROXIMATLY .25 INCHES A WHIRRING NOISE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE BRAKES SEEMED TO TOTALLY FREE WHEEL. I PUMPED THE BRAKES TO NO AVAIL AND STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL WITH NO APPARENT BRAKING. I LOOKED AT THE DASH AND NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE LIT . AFTER I CAREFULLY LIMPED HOME WITH ONE HAND ON THE PARKING BRAKE I CHECKED THE FLUID AND IT WAS NORMAL.*AK

NHTSA ID

755429

Incident

Dec 5, 2001

WITH STEADY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AT STOP LIGHT,THE PEDAL WILL SLOWLY SINK TO THE FLOORBOARD AND BRAKES WILL GO AWAY AND CAR WILL ROLL AS IF THERE WERE NO BRAKES APPLIED. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED DEALER SERVICE CENTER YET. *AK

NHTSA ID

753738

BRAKES LOCKED ON LEFT SIDE OF CAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID

745428

1. A/C PAST 3 TEARS HAS FAILED. CONTROL MODE FAILURE. A/C REPAIRED 2X IN WARRENTY. 2. ABS SENSOR FAILED AT 42000. 3.DISTRIBUTOR FAILED AT 90000 3. TRANSMISSION-FRONT PUMP SEAL STARTED LEAKING AT 90000. 4. SPARK PLUG RING SEALS(6) FAILED AT 90000.

NHTSA ID

744170

Incident

Jun 15, 1997

POSSIBLE BRAKE LOSS, TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THIS CAR HAD THE RECALL COMPLETED. *AK

NHTSA ID

735042

FALSE DASH SIGNALS DISPLAYED THAT BRAKE SYSTEM WAS OUT OF ORDER. *SLC

NHTSA ID

554496

ENGINE HEAD GASKET WOULD LEAK & CAUSE ENGINE TO SMOKE. WOULD REFILL THE OIL AT LEAST 3-4 TIMES A WEEK. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED NOTHING WAS WRONG. ALSO, ABS LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. WAS INFORMED THAT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE SHUT OFF.*AK

NHTSA ID

868495

BRAKE SYSTEM HAS MANY PROBLEMS WITH POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW, WHICH CAUSES EXCESSIVE WEAR AND SYMPTOMS OF MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING AND THE CALIPERS STICKING.

NHTSA ID

553180

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY CAME TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON WET PAVEMENT, APPLIED BRAKES AND THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL WOULD EITHER GO STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR OR SLOW DOWN, WHICH MIGHT BE DUE TO A MASTER CYLINDER LEAK. *AK

NHTSA ID

862672

Incident

Feb 1, 2000

ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS CONTINUALLY, SEVERAL COMPONENT REPLACEMENTS (EXCESSIVE PREMATURE WEAR). *MJS

NHTSA ID

551190

Incident

Oct 1, 1997

VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. THE FIRST WAS FREEDOM DODGE OF LEXINGTON AND THE REPLACED THE ABS MODULAR. THE PROBLEM WE WERE HAVING WITH THE CAR IS THAT WE COULD BE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH OR 5 MPH AND THE CAR WOULD STOP RUNNING. RESULTING NO POWER. FREEDOM COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, SO WE TOOK IT TO SUPERIOR DODGE AND THE DID A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO THE COMPUTER AND STILL SAME PROBLEMS HAPPENED. INSTALLED A CO-PILOT AND FOUND THE DIST. CAP SENSOR WAS BAD. REPLACED, PICKED THE CAR UP AND WITHIN 24 HOURS THE CAR STALLED 5 TIMES. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NOW 9 TIMES, GOING ON 10. I NEED TO KNOW THE NEXT STEPS TO TAKE. THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE. I COULD KILL SOMEONE, OR BE KILLED IN THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

719037

IN OCTOBER OF 99' OUR CAR STOPPED RUNNING WHEN BRAKES APPLIED ON I75 DURING A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. IT THEN STOPPED RUNNING 5 MORE TIMES THAT DAY (10/02/99). WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO FIND THE PROBLEM. BUT WE INFORMED THAT NOTHING SHOWED ON THE DIGINOSTICS. THIS HAS BEEN A REPEATED PROBLEM FOR 4 MONTHS. 2 OF THOSE MONTHS OUR CAR SAT AT FREEDOM DODGE OF LEXINGTON WITH PEOPLE TELLING US THE COULD NOT GET IT TO DUPLICATE. I HAVE PAID FOR PARTS THAT NEED NOT BE REPLACED, BECAUSE I WOULD GET THE CAR BACK AND ONCE AGAIN I WOULD GET ABOUT 2 MILES FROM WHERE I PICKED IT UP, AND IT WOULD STOP RUNNING ON ME. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES. I LOSE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. *AK

NHTSA ID

717001

Incident

Oct 2, 1999

I HAD MORE TO REPORT, BUT I RAN OUT OF SPACE, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, ENGINE STARTER, AND EGR VALAVE HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. ALMOST FORGOT, THE AIR CONDITIONING HAD TO BE REPLACE AGAIN AT 51,000 MILLES/

NHTSA ID

715334

Incident

Jul 10, 1996

KEEP BLOWING FUSES TO THE STARTER, CATALYST CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, HAD CAR LESS THAN 2 YEARS FAILED PA STATE INSPECTION TWICE IN 1998 ,6/98 & 7/98, AND 5/99. WHEN INSPECTED IN 98 TOOK TO MIDAS, WAS TOLD THAT CAR WOULD NEED TO HAVE $800 IN REPAIRS DONE TO THE BRAKE LINE, WAS GIVEN A LONG LIST OF THINGS NEEDED TO BE DONE, TOLD DEALER, THEY FIXED ONE PROBLEM REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS LEAKED WHICH MADE REAR BRAKES GO BAD, DEALER HAD ANOTHER NISSAN DEALER IN PA TO INSPECT WAS CHARGED $60 TO REPLACE WINSHIELD WIPERS AND INSPECT, CAR ALREADY HAD NEW WIPERS COULD NOT PASS WITHOUT THEM. WINSHIELD WASHER DOES NOT WORK DID NOT KNOW WHEN CAR WAS BROUGHT TOLD DEALER, DEALER SAID THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE TO FIX ONLY, HAD CAR FOR LESS THAN 2 WEEKS. CAR KEEPS CUTTING OFF WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. WHEN STOPPED CAR SEEMS LIKE IT WILL CUT OFF, HAD TUNE UP BY DEALER TO FIX PROBLEM, STILL KEEPS CUTTING OFF. DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MAT GETS STUCK BETWEEN WHERE THE FLOOR AND STEERING COLUMN MEETS, HAVE TO TURN CAR OFF IN TRAFFIC TO RELEASE MAT. NEEDED POWER STEERING PUMP AT 58,000 MILES WAS REPLACED BY DEALER. TAPE DECK MAKES IRRITATING NOISE AND KEEPS EATING TAPES. NEED TO KNOW CAN CAR BE A POSSIBLE LEMON? HAD CAR ONLY 18 MONTHS CAR HAS HAD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN AUTO WORK, BROUGHT CAR AT 37,326 MILES.

NHTSA ID

715208

UPON EXITING A MAJOR INTERSTEATE, HAD TO APPLY BRAKES IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN ON RAMP. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ROCK HARD AND COULD NOT BE PUSHED DOWN. HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SKID FOR ABOUT 300 FEET. LUCKILY WE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING BEFORE WE CAME TO A STOP. BRAKES WORKED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS, BUT WE WERE AFRAID TO DRIVE. HAD A TOW TRUCK BRING CAR TO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH CAR. TEST DROVE FOR THREE DAYS AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HE THEN TOOK THE CAR TO A CHRYSLER DEALER WHO PUT THE CAR ON THE DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER. CAR COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED DUE TO AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM IN THE CAR. BOTH THE ABS AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON.AND HAVE NOT TURNED OFF SINCE.

NHTSA ID

714142

Incident

Oct 24, 1999

BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE APRIL 99. ALSO VEHICLE WHEEL STUDS ARE CRACKING AND COMING OFF. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

848759

CONSUMER REPORTED A DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDER. IN 1996 DEALER REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER. HOWEVER, ON 12 AUG 1999, PROBLEM WITH MASTER CYLINDER REOCCURRED, AND NEEDED ANOTHER REPLACEMENT. CAN NHTSA LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND SEE IF THIS CONCERN DEFECTED PARTS. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

845483

Incident

Aug 12, 1999

WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES, PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES IN NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS. ALSO, THE ACCELERATOR VIBRATES AND PANEL CONTROL HAVE BEEN LOST A FEW TIMES. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *ML

NHTSA ID

842695

THE FRONT, RIGHT BRAKE LOCKS UP UNDER HARD BRAKING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL HARD TO THE RIGHT. I AVOIDED HITTING OTHER CARS ONLY BECAUSE THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS IN THE RIGHT LANE OF TRAFFIC. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER AND TO CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403 ON MAY 17, 1999. A MR. DANTE AMABILE WITH CHRYSLER CUSTOMER RELATIONS REVIEWED THIS PROBLEM (REFERENCE # 5797365), BUT REPORTED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON ABS BRAKES FOR 1995 DODGE STRATUS MODELS. I REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V074000, BUT WAS TOLD BY MR. AMABILE THAT THERE WAS NO SUCH RECALL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CAR THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

NHTSA ID

706568

Incident

May 7, 1999

THE LOWER BALL JOINT / LOWER CONTROL ARM / THE SHAFT AND THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE FAILED, PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE (97V201000). *YC

NHTSA ID

545232

Incident

Nov 24, 1998