1996 Dodge Stratus Powertrain (other) Problems

I PURCHASED MY 1996 DODGE STRATUS IN THE SUMMER OF 1996 AND SO FAR I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH THIS VEHICLE, ONE HEAD GASKET REPAIR THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP AT A COST OF $1600, ONE TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $600 AND NOW AGAIN ANOTHER HEAD GASKET LEAK. IN THE YEAR 2000 THIS CAR SAT IN THE GARAGE FOR A TOTAL OF 11 MONTHS DUE TO NOT HAVING THE MONEY TO FIX THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WHICH CAUSED A SEVERE FINANCIAL AND A MENTALLY FRUSTRATING TIME DURING THOSE MONTHS WITHOUT A CAR. I WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST CHRYSLER SO PLEASE FORWARD ME ANY INFORMATION NEEDED IN GOING FORWARD WITH THIS LAWSUIT.

NHTSA ID

10070551

Incident

Sep 15, 2001

Mileage

58,000 mi

2ND REQUEST FAX FWD EMAIL FM BEHALF OF [XXX] (TX) RE NUMEROUS DEFECTS ON A 1996 DODGE STRATUS (VIN#[XXX]). *MR THE A/C LEAKED, ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS MALFUNCTIONED, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR, HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS, AND POOR DRIVEABILITY. THERE WAS STEERING OSCILLATION WHEN DRIVEN ABOVE 50 MPH, ROUGH RIDE WHEN THERE WAS AN IRREGULAR SURFACE, ERRATIC IDLE, PERFORMANCE LOSS, OVERHEATING IN TRAFFIC AND OR THE A/C WOULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, WARM-UP SAG, HESITATION/DIE OUT, REAR GRID DEFOGGER INDICATOR LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED, INSIDE LIGHTS WORKED IMPROPERLY, ERRATIC LATE HARSH TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, FREQUENT RUMBLE OR GEAR NOISE FROM THE FRONT BETWEEN 50 AND 70 MPH, MUSTY ODOR AND DEFOGGER FAILED TO CLEAR THE GLASS. *SCC THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO IN NEED OF AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND STRUTS. *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10052043

Incident

Dec 29, 2003

THREE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. *MR THE CONSUMER HAD EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AFTER ONE YEAR OF PURCHASE. THE CONSUMER HAD BEEN WITHOUT THE VEHICLE EVERY OTHER MONTH. THE VEHICLE HAD A PERPETUAL OIL LEAK AND SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, SHE HAD TO SEEK HELP FROM AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE HAD SO MUCH OIL LEAKING OUT, THE CONSUMER PLACED OIL IN THE VEHICLE INSTEAD OF GAS. CHRYSLER WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE HAD STARTED TO LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID, ALSO THE FRONT SEAL BEGAN TO LEAK AS WELL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON, THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED MISSING OUT, SPUTTERED, AND THE STARTER WAS INTERMITTENT DUE TO A SHORT. THE CONSUMER HAD REQUESTED A REFUND OF REPAIRS. OTHER REPAIRS WERE AS FOLLOWED: THE AIR COMPRESSOR ON THE AIR CONDITIONER, STARTER, REPLACEMENT OF THE HEAD GASKET THREE TIMES, ONCE AT 11565K MILES AND SECOND AT 20495K MILES AND AGAIN AT 69000K MILES. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10037844

Mileage

11,565 mi

CONSUMER HEARD NOISE FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE WHEN SLOWING DOWN. MECHANIC FOUND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES DIFFERENTIAL PIN BROKE, CHRYSLER AGREED TO PAY 2/3 OF COST. *SLC.

NHTSA ID

884584

Incident

Mar 24, 2001

HAVE REPLACED BEARINGS, BALL JOINTS, HEAD GASKETS AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION ON 1996 STRATUS.*AK

NHTSA ID

741679

WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROUTE 80 HEARD A LOUD BREAKING NOISE, CAR WAS SMOKING. PULLED OVER, WENT TO PUT VEHICLE IN PARK, AND VEHICLE WON'T HOLD IN PARK. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL BROKE. TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND IS FUNCTIONING, BUT DOES NOT "FEEL" THE WAY IT SHOULD. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

862289

Incident

May 4, 2000

I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE HEAD GASKET TO BE REPLACED 4 TIMES NOW. I AM TAKING IT IN AGAIN FOR THE 5TH TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. ALL THE DEALER KEEPS DOING IS PUTTING ANOTHER HEAD GASKET ON AND CHARGING ME MY $50 DEDUCTABLE. THIS IS GETTING VERY TIRING. MY BRAKES WENT OUT COMPLETELY IN 1997 AFTER THE FACTORY RE-CALL HAD BEEN PREFORMED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE MECHANIC HAD PUT THE SEAL IN WRONG. THE LAST TIME I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE HEAD GASKET, NUMBER 4, THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE CV BOOT NEEDED REPLACED. DURRING THE REPAIR THE AXEL JUST FELL APART. SAME TIME THE TRANSMISSION PUMP NEEDED REPLACED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT NEEDED REPLACED AND THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED. AND IT STILL LEAKS FROM THE SAME SPOT THE REAR LEFT OF THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ID

711943

Incident

Jun 12, 1997

AT 42000 MILES RIGHT WHEEL BEARING FAILED DEALER WOULD NOT COVER UNDER WARRENTY . AT 66500 MILES LEFT WHEEL BEARING GOING WILL HAVE TO COVER ALL COST AGAIN. MUST BE A PROBLEM FOR MANUFACTURER. DOEST SEEM AS I SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID

702715

Incident

Mar 1, 1998

TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY FAILED CAUSING LEAKS WITHIN SYSTEM AND ERRATIC IDLING.

NHTSA ID

528083

Incident

Nov 26, 1996

CONSUMER STATES THAT CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOLD OWNER THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR DOWN. THE OUTCOME OF THAT INVESTIGATION WAS THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE POWER TRAIN. MANUFACTURER. RAPLACED VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

813939

Incident

May 28, 1997