2002 Dodge Stratus Electrical Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE DASHBOARD AS THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000. UPDATED 09/02/14*LJ

NHTSA ID

10611212

Incident

Nov 4, 2013

Mileage

65,000 mi

I HAD SMELLED A BURNING SMELL IN MY CAR WHILE I DRIVE IT. MY HUSBAND HAD TRIED HIS BEST TO FIND WHERE THE SMELL IS COMING FROM. WE COULD NOT FIND IT AND NOW MY RADIO DOESN'T WORK, THE DOME LIGHT DON'T WORK AND THE LOCKS DON'T WORK. IN ORDER TO LOCK MY CAR I HAVE TO PUSH THE LOCKS DOWN. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME WITH WHAT COULD BE THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY CAR? I HAVEN'T BEEN DRIVING IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10561397

Incident

Jan 15, 2014

NOTICED SLIGHT GEAR SLIPPAGE TRAVELLING 35-45MPH. ALL FLUIDS CHECKED, AT PROPER LEVELS. A WEEK LATER, ENGINE 'JERKED' WHEN COMING TO COMPLETE STOP, CHECK ENG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED. ONCE ENGINE WARMED UP, STARTED HEARING A 'WHIRRING' NOISE FROM LOWER-MIDDLE AREA OF ENGINE. STOPPED @ LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, THEY CHECKED FLUIDS AND VAC HOSES, NOISE STOPPED, BUT NOTICED COOLANT IN RESERVOIR SIDE 3/4 FULL & BOILING, TEMP GAUGE ON DASH 'NORMAL'. NEXT DAY, WHILE COLD, I CHECKED COOLANT LEVEL IN RESERVOIR (LEFT SIDE) STILL FULL, (HADN'T FLOWED BACK THRU SYSTEM ONCE COOL). I ADDED WATER TO 'FILL LINE', CHECKED CONDITION OF PRESSURE CAP (LOOKED FINE), PLACED & TIGHTENED, STARTED ENGINE, LET RUN A FEW MINUTES, LOOSENED 'AIR BLEEDER' ON TOP OF COOLANT BLEEDER HSNG. THEN I SLOWLY SHIFTED THRU ALL GEARS, W/FOOT ON BRAKE, LET AIR BLEED TIL SOLID STREAM OF LIQUID AND SHUT CAR OFF. WAITED AN HOUR, STARTED UP AND DROVE. CK ENG LT= OFF. FINE FOR A FEW DAYS, SAME ISSUES STARTED UP AGAIN. LOUDER 'WHIRRING', LIKE A BELT OR BAND SLIPPED. IRRATIC SHIFTING, TRANS NEVER FAILED. RAN BOTH CODE TESTS ON DASHCLUSTER=NO DTCS. JAN 2014-DROVE TO DODGE DEALERSHIP: DISPOSITION: REPLACE MOPAR 41TE TRANS. MY LOST WAGES / LOSS OF VEH USE(DEC/JAN) + BURDEN OF A LOAN TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION = MORE THAN I PAID IN FULL TO BUY THE CAR BARELY 6 MONTHS AGO. UNFAIR TO CUSTOMERS: ONGOING COMPUTER AND PCM/TRANSMISSION FAILURE SINCE 1999. THE 'OOPS' TECH SPEC-CORRECT TRANS FLUID ATF+4 HOW MANY DAMAGED & FAILED TRANSMISSIONS? REFUSED TO HONOR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY!! AND CONTINUED PLACING. SHAME ON ALL OF THE CORPORATE EXECUTIVES & ENGINEERS THAT GOT RICH FROM ROBBING THE CONSUMERS. YOU WERE 'SUCCESSFUL FAILURES' MOPAR, CHRYSLER-DODGE-DAIMER-IACOCCA, ETC. 90+ TSBS, NO RECALLS. CLASS ACTIONS DISMISSED! TIME FOR THE CONSUMERS TO PREVAIL. TIME FOR A CALIFORNIA CLASS ACTION!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10560126

Incident

Aug 8, 2013

Mileage

108,700 mi

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE STRATUS SE AND WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN IT WILL NOT START. IT WILL NOT EVEN TURN OVER. ALL THE LIGHTS WORK, AND THE RADIO WORKS, THE LIGHTS DON'T DIM WHEN TRYING TO START IT, AND WHEN JUMP STARTED IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. THE SECURITY LIGHT IS STAYING ON WHILE KEY IS TURNED ON. A DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER WAS HOOKED UP TO IT AND IT SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. SUGGESTIONS SAY THE SECURITY SYSTEM HAS MY CAR LOCKED DOWN. HOW CAN YOU DISABLE THE SECURITY SYSTEM TO GET THE CAR STARTED. WE HAVE LOOKED AT FUSES AND WE HAVE DISCONNECTED AND RECONNECTED THE BATTERY CABLES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS CAR AND THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD IT TO ME. A WHILE AGO I HAD A DIFFERENT DODGE STRATUS AND NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT... IS IT JUST THE 2002 EDITION OR ???? IT IS VERY DISAPPOINTING AND AGGRAVATING. ALSO I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR 2 MONTHS AGO.... *TR

NHTSA ID

10328606

Incident

Apr 30, 2010

Mileage

113,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10238808

Incident

Aug 16, 2008

Mileage

37,000 mi

I HAVE HAD THE CONTROL ARM REPLACED ON THIS CAR TWICE ON THE SAME SIDE WITHIN A TWO YEAR PERIOD. NOW I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR IT JERKS WHEN IT GETS UP TO 50 MPH. *JB

NHTSA ID

10206659

Incident

Mar 3, 2007

Mileage

77,601 mi

THE HEADLIGHT CONTINOUSLY BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALERSHP REPLACED THE LIGHT BULB, BUT COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE HEAD LIGHT ASSMEMBLY APART AND NOTICED THAT THE WIRING SYSTEM HAD MELTED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10103407

Incident

Apr 20, 2003

Mileage

52,886 mi

I WENT TO START THE CAR, IT MADE A HORRIBLE TICKING NOISE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS IT FINALLY STARTED. IT DID THIS TWO TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10056610

Incident

Jan 31, 2004

Mileage

17,541 mi

WITHIN ONE WEEK OF PURCHASE THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. NOW THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE MADE TURNS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL NOT LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW WHAT SHE CAN DO. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10018006

Incident

May 1, 2003