1998 Dodge Stratus Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN IT IGNITIED INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONCLUDED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V001000 (STEERING: HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST: HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS) DEALT WITH THE 1999-2002 DODGE STRATUS AND NOT THE 1998 EVEN THOUGHT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED FOR THE SAME REASON. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

NHTSA ID

10408692

Incident

May 14, 2011

Mileage

175,000 mi

POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE LEAKING ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD FIRE RISK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10280230

Incident

Aug 11, 2009

Mileage

120,000 mi

1998 DODGE STRATUS ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE ASSOCIATED WITH POWER STEERING LEAKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10230009

Incident

May 29, 2008

CAR WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID SO WE KEPT ON ADDING MORE UNTIL WE COULD SAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED(AROUND $350.00, NO SMALL FEE FOR A WORKING FAMILY!)THEN, THE SMOKING GOT WORSE UNTIL ONE DAY IT JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE! I COULDN'T PUT IT OUT WITH AN EXTINGUISHER, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO PUT IT OUT AND NOW THE CAR IS TOTALED! CAN WE STILL GET A RECALL? *TR

NHTSA ID

10211184

Incident

Dec 3, 2007

Mileage

112,000 mi

CAR STARTED SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE THE OWNER OF THE STORE HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AS EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD IS BURNT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147469

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

1998 DODGE STRATUS CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DAUGHTER TURNED A CORNER WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. SHE PULLED OVER AS THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. IT WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10143351

Incident

Jul 20, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING PROBLEMS. THE STEERING WHEEL FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS BINDING. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS KEPT AT CORRECT LEVELS. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STEERING DIFFICULTIES FOR THE PAST YEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE RAN INTO A HILL AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE SPEED WAS AROUND 55 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THE STEERING OR THE AIR BAGS. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN FROM THE CRASH.*AK UPDATED 1/5/2006 - THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED AND HAD TO BE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. *NM

NHTSA ID

10142056

Incident

Oct 31, 2005

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TIE ROD FELL OFF. *TC

NHTSA ID

10103205

Incident

Nov 2, 2004

Mileage

88,000 mi

BRAKES, OUTER TIE ROD, BRAKE CALIPERS, ENGINE OIL INNER SEAL. BRAKE PADS, SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS 20 TIMES EVERY 3 MONTHS AND THE BRAKE CALIBER ON THE RIGHT REAR THIS WILL MAKE THE 9TH TIME I AM RUNNING OUT OF MONEY ON THIS CAR THE FRONT BRAKES AND HUBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES HAVE ALL MY RECEIPTS AND CAN PROVE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE ON MY CAR COST OF OIL LEAK REPAIR WAS OVER $800.00 DOLLARS AND GUESS WHAT I WILL HAVE THE CAR PAID FOR THIS MONTH AND I AM STILL WORKING ON THE WHEELS AND BRAKES I NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS CAR AND THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM WILL NOT RESPOND TO MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BRAKES, AND THE ENGINE PROBLEMS I AM HAVING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10093468

Incident

Oct 2, 2004

Mileage

97,526 mi

WHILE TURNING A CORNER AT 10 MPH CONSUMER FELT THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED SEVERELY. CONSUMER MADE ANOTHER TURN, AND THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED AGAIN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT PROCEED ANY FURTHER, AND CONSUMER CALLED A TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE, WERE THE CONSUMER LEARNED THAT THE LEFT TIE ROD BROKE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10079594

Incident

Jun 14, 2004

Mileage

54,000 mi

SINCE JULY 2003, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE LEFT AND RIGHT TIE RODS AND RIGHT WHEEL BEARING. 7/2003-LEFT TIE ROD, 8/2003 RIGHT WHEEL BEARING, 1/2004 RIGHT TIE ROD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10056277

Incident

Jul 7, 2003

Mileage

75,628 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING STEERING BOLTS ARE LOOSE, AND IT IS CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO JUMP AROUND, MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO STEER VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

8018809

Incident

Aug 16, 2002

WHILE TURNING POWER STEERING MAKES NOISE, AND IS HARD TO TURN. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8001650

Incident

Dec 18, 2001

WE WERE TOLD BY DEALER SERVICE ASSOCIATES THAT TIE RODS WERE PART OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON VEHICLE. BOTH FRONT AND BACK, LEFT AND ROD TIE RODS NEED TO BE REPLACED, AND THERE IS A CLUNKING SOUND WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. *AK

NHTSA ID

755356

Incident

Dec 1, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE STARTED DRIFTING FROM LANE TO LANE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC CHECKED IT. HAD NOTICED RIGHT TIE ROD HAD CAME LOOSE. HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THE LEFT. LATER, WAS BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE & VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLED OUT. VEHICLE TOWED HOME. HUSBAND NOTICED LEFT TIE ROD HAD CAME APART, CAUSING WHEELS TO FACE ONE ANOTHER. BOTH TIE ROD ENDS WERE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

870393

Incident

Jul 11, 2000

BOLTS THAT HOLD THE STEERING RACK AND PINION GEAR TOGETHER BROKE OFF. *MJS

NHTSA ID

551805

Incident

Apr 1, 2000

WHILE DRIVING INTO A PARKING LOT THE RUBBER BOOT IS TOO SMALL THAT IT WON'T SLIDE OVER THE COUPLING MECHANISM TO KEEP SOMETHING FROM GETTING INTO IT. THE FACTORY ISSUED FLOOR MAT GOT CAUGHT IN THE TURN COUPLING, AND DRIVER COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL. AVOIDED A NEAR MISS. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

855182

Incident

Jan 20, 2000

FLOOR MAT STARTED MOVING WHILE MAKING A TURN. STEERING LOCKED BECAUSE FLOOR MAT WAS JAMMED AROUND THE COLUMN DUE TO STEERING COLUMN MECHANISM NOT BEING COVERED. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED IT WAS DESIGN OF VEHICLE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

834723

Incident

Feb 5, 1999

FLOOR SHIFT INDICATOR DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. INDICATOR IS LOCATED ON DASHBOARD & NOT SHOWING WHAT GEAR VEHICLE IS LOCATED IN. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL TILTS WHERE IT OBSTRUCTS THE VIEW OF THE INDICATOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

833765

Incident

Oct 31, 1998