1996 Dodge Stratus SE from North America - Comments

Head gasket - twice. First time just before the warranty expired, now again (not even 2 years later, same problem),

Needed a rebuilt transmission at 3 years, 48,000 miles.

Emission control module.

A sensor.

Anti-freeze coolant holder has a leak.

Will never buy another Dodge/Chrysler product and I love their designs.

This car has cost me a fortune in repairs, rentals, and lost time from work.

Minor repairs can be expected, two major engine repairs and a transmission re-build under 70,000 miles. It's junk and they know it.

My 1996 Dodge Stratus SE also sucks!!! We have had virtually identical problems! 13 days after I bought it, the transmission dropped. The head gasket has gone twice at 77,000 miles. The second one needed to be replaced only 18 months later!

The radio died, a cylinder was misfiring, the starter went, the AC died, and a rear brake light always burns out! I have had nothing but problems and Dodge has showed me nothing. I'm going to contact a lawyer. Have you tried this route? Thanks for the vent session!

I concur. The similarities in problems with this car and the Dodge dealerships are amazing. This car is worthless and I pity those who have them and do not know what it coming!

My Dodge Stratus also sucks. I have had it just five years. My left brake light goes out often, I just replaced the starter at 75,000 miles; My head gasket just blew; the spark plugs are no good, the catalytic converter has gone bad after only 75,000 miles. I am going to trade it in this week as a matter of fact and I will never buy another Chrysler product again.

I hate my Dodge Stratus! Bought it with 33,000 miles on it and now I understand why the original owner sold it. Just to name a few things off the top of my head...I've had to replace the water pump and radiator cap (at less than 40,000 miles), brakes and pads 3 times, radio/heat lights don't work, my mechanic just fixed my power steering belts (my car sounds terrible in the cold when I try to turn the wheel) and told me I needed to go to a transmission specialist because I had a leak. Went to him only to find out my head gasket is ready to blow (currently I'm at 75,000 miles). What a piece of junk. I don't understand why there was never a recall. I will NEVER buy another Dodge as long as I live... and I tell people this frequently.

Y D

St. Martinville, LA

I thought I was the only one with a fat juicy Dodge "LEMON". I've had problems with my 1996 Stratus every since I've had it. It wasn't as bad when it was still under warranty, but when that ran out, LORD help me! Problems include transmission overhaul, change starter, two head gasket repairs, I change brake pads about every 4 months, rear brake light barely works, a/c and heater control panel doesn't light up, odometer and rpm shuts off and on, change radiator cap, a/c went out two years ago. The list goes on and on. And don't expect help from Chrysler. I contacted them the second time my head gasket went out and they didn't want to hear it. And Chrysler should take fault to the head gasket problem just about everyone has been experiencing because I've studied a few cases and Chrysler is aware of a defect in the head gasket in the 1996 models because they changed it in the 97 models. I mailed numerous repair bills to show how many times my car has been in the shop, but they said the car had too much mileage. Why should consumers be punished for how much mileage they put on "their" car. Companies expect the average mileage put on a car to be 12,000 a year. To me that's unreal! I purchased the car to rely on and to use without monitoring how many miles each trip will put on the car. These cars are worthless. I advise anyone thinking of purchasing a Dodge Stratus, NOT to.

I was looking for replacement parts and ran across this survey sight. I have a 96 Plymouth Breeze. Yes it too is a LEMON. I am still making payments on it and I have paid more money in replacement parts and labor than I have toward paying off the car. Right off the bat at 64,000 mile the Head Gasket went. I have had this car less than 4 years. I have put in a new Solenoid pack for the transmission and now a new transmission, a gas pump, 2 sway bar links, both outer ti-rods twice, both rear brake cylinders and brake lines, the O2 sensor, the erg, rear brake lights too many times to remember. I have also put 7 sets of brakes pads on and 4 or 5 sets of tires. I love the body style of the car, but will never buy another and would never recommend one to anyone else.

I LOVE MY CAR, but I hate that little orange light that says CHECK ENGINE.

I have a 1997 Dodge Stratus. I have had it a little over a year, and so far I have put over $2,000 in repairs on it. A new manifold, steering pump, now the heat only comes on high and on a cold winter day when you get in the car that is freakin cold!!!. Same with the A/C I tried that and the same thing happens, nothing till its on high. It makes funny noises under the hood in the winter. I will never buy another dodge again. No wonder the other person got rid of it, but then again after getting insurance on it I think find out it had been in 3 major accidents. UGH.

To the last comment: you'll never buy another Dodge, but then you say this car was in 3 major accidents. The fact that it is still on the road suggests that it is a tank. Of course its going to be in rough shape, but that is not Dodge's fault,ITS BEEN IN 3 MAJOR ACCIDENTS.

1998 Dodge Stratus ES 2.5 Liter V-6...Another bunch of problems with this Stratus as well. I've had the car now for almost 5 years and it's been one problem after the other. I've replaced the oil sending unit, the a/c has gone out and had several A/C related things replaced multiple times, replaced the radiator fan about a month ago (and now it's giving me problems again), replaced the oil cover gaskets, oil pan is now leaking a lot of oil, I was told by a mechanic that the catalyst seems to be failing, replaced belts, hoses, radiator cap, alternator, and with in the 5-6 years of it's life, I've had to replace the spark plugs and wires 3 times (which is nothing fun, considering you have to take the top end of the engine, such as the upper intake, completely off to reach the back 3 spark plugs), I've had the radiator roded once, the bolts cam loose on the a/c compressor (which I lost all the freon and spent a year driving without a/c till I found the problem), Now my next big challenges are, all the power locks in the car have failed to work permanently now, the plastic overhead dome light buttons have both broken and the clear coat on my car is shot!!!

(and trust me I've always hand washed this car, and waxed it at least 4 times a year) Now I have a serious knock within the engine! Anyways, I don't' recommend buying one of these cars, the are definitely JUNK! All these problems started occurring at 50,000 miles!

I also own a 1998 Dodge Stratus 2.5L V6 and I have dealt with some of the problems that you were talking about. The AC compressor went out because someone added freon without checking the current levels. The oil sending unit kicked on my oil light. The engine knocks a little and I've been told that its the result of a single or a few bad lifters. The brakes Do wear fast. But overall I must say that I have only had 2 or 3 problems with the car that weren't a direct result of something I did or neglected to do and it happened as a chain reaction. of events. I would say that this IS in fact a good car, but everyone has all of their own experiences with automobiles for on reason or another. Just sharing some opinion. Please don't think I don't feel your pain about the cost of these repairs because they can be OUTRAGEOUS.

I just read all the problems everyone has had with Stratus' and I'm pissin my pants in fear now!

I have a 2002 stratus and already I've had the brakes worked on twice, the A/C and heater only had one setting HIGH and this was at 15,000mls. But this is the best part: I had to replace the CPU in August of last year when the car just died one day. Well last week I came out of an appointment and the car was dead and there was that reading on my dash from last summer "no Bus" and yup the CPU was gone again (luckily I only had to pay my deductible the first time). So now the mechanic tells me I have a leak in my transmission. So he tells me I need a power purge and then the coolant lines need to be replaced (estimate was over $500) Here's the deal: I'm still under original factory warranty still and it MIGHT be covered (but not the power purge @ 140-190 bucks). I only have 32,000 freakin miles on this car. I can't even dare imagine what the future holds. I think I need to TRADE fast. It's a shame; I like the car and love my last Dodge: Daytona Fastback (which I drove into the grave) Oh what to do : (