RoadVitals

2004 Dodge Stratus Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Jul 30, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 144 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
5
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Dodge Stratus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistancePowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Jul 30, 2017

CAR HAS SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND ON CITY STREET. SOMETIMES THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP AND BE HARD TO TURN. SOMETIMES SPEEDOMETER WILL STOP WORKING CORRECTLY. CAR WILL SHUT DOWN.

NHTSA ID
11011533
Incident
Jul 30, 2017
Mileage
118,000 mi
Driver assistanceSteering
Filed Jul 9, 2017

LATELY WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THEN A COUPLE MINUTES AFTER IT COMES ON THE STEERING WILL LOCK UP. IT HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN BUT THEN THE SPEEDOMETER WOULDN'T WORK. AFTER THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS FIXED BUT NOW WHENEVER IT MALFUNCTIONS THE CAR SHUTS OFF ON ITS OWN AND WILL NOT START AGAIN UNTIL ITS BEEN SITTING UNTOUCHED FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN TOWN (25 MPH) AND ON ROADS UP TO 55 MPHS.

NHTSA ID
11003866
Incident
May 29, 2017
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 30, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS AS 2004 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE DRIVER SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING BUT THE ENGINE RPMS CONTINUED TO FLUCTUATE RAPIDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,252.

NHTSA ID
10557808
Incident
Dec 30, 2013
Mileage
158,252 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 22, 2013
Crash reported

VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE AT A STOP OR COMING TO A STOP, TOOK TO DEALER IN 2009 DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG BUT HAS DONE THIS EVER SINCE. TODAY IT ACTUALLY ACCELERATED HARDER WILE AT A COMPLETE STOP MAKING ME HIT A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME NO DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10499728
Incident
Feb 22, 2013
Mileage
154,625 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 8, 2011
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN TRAFFIC AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. AS A RESLUT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY SUFFERED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED REGARDING THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SUSTAINED FRONT END DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FROM THE SCENE TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. UPDATED10/13/11 *BF UPDATED 11/02/11

NHTSA ID
10418007
Incident
Jul 10, 2011
Mileage
103,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 11, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN WAITING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD. IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP SHE HAD TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES AS HARD AS SHE COULD. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE BRAKES, ROTORS, AND CALIPERS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000.

NHTSA ID
10411734
Incident
Jul 10, 2009
Mileage
42,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 25, 2010
Crash reported4 injuries reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND PLACED IT INTO DRIVE. THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED TO SPEEDS OF 40 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE CONSUMER HIT TWO PEDESTRIANS AS WELL AS ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED ACCELERATING AND THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. HE CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE OVER A CURB. THE CONTACT THEN ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE CURB AND THE VEHICLE THEN ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE AMBULANCE AND POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. TWO PEDESTRIANS, THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER IN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER EIGHT TIMES PRIOR TO THE FAILURE WITH CONCERNS OF HIGHER THAN NORMAL ENGINE RPMS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE EACH TIME AND ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 150,000. UPDATED 11/03/10. *LJ UPDATED 11/16/11*LJ UPDATED 11/18/11

NHTSA ID
10332128
Incident
Apr 24, 2010
Mileage
150,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed May 21, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE IDLING, THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD SPORADICALLY WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS THE RPM'S RAPIDLY INCREASE AND BRAKING CAPABILITY IS REDUCED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT THEY CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,500. UPDATED 6/8/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT, THE ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY START TO RACE JUST OVER 2000 RPM'S. UPDATED 06/11/09.*JB

NHTSA ID
10269614
Incident
May 21, 2006
Mileage
40,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 19, 2006

CAR AFTER RUNNING THE FIRST FEW MILES,WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT THE CAR ACCELERATE BY IT SELF. YOU CAN FEEL IT PULLING WHEN BRAKES ARE ON. HAVE TAKEN IT THEY DRIVE IT DOES NOT DO IT THEY SAY CAR IS OK. IT'S TRUE THIS HAPPENS MAY BE ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH. BUT I NEED TO KNOW IF THEIR HAS BEEN ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10157862
Incident
May 14, 2006
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 25, 2005
Crash reported

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE HAD A PROBLEM STOPPING. THE RPMS REVVED WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHILE TRYING TO STOP. THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE INTERMITTENT. THE CONTACT OWNED THE CAR SINCE JULY 205, AND THIS HAPPENED FIVE TIMES. SHE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEALER TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM COULD BE RESOLVED. THE DEALER HAS DONE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND FOUND NO SOLUTION. CHRYSLER OFFERED HER NO SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OR ANY FREE REMEDY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN TO THE DEALER TWICE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED A CAR AS A RESULT OF THE SURGING.*AK

NHTSA ID
10140767
Incident
Jul 19, 2005
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Sep 29, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLED. *AK AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLS IT CUTS OFF EVEN WHEN THE CONSUMERS FOOT IS ON THE ACCELERATOR. SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THE GAS PEDAL HAS BEEN KICKED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD. *TC

NHTSA ID
10089875
Incident
Aug 12, 2004
Mileage
12,200 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 27, 2004

WHILE COMING TO A STOP VEHICLE REVVED AT A HIGH RATE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10071663
Incident
Apr 7, 2004
Mileage
70,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 23, 2004
Crash reported

WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE IT SURGED BACKWARDS. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND HIT A BRICK WALL. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID
10071408
Incident
Apr 12, 2004

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .