1997 Dodge Stratus review from North America

Tie rods failed without warning within 5000 miles of each other. I turned the wheel at an intersection and the car skid to one side with a resounding 'clunk.'

The entire left third of the instrument panel died each time the car was subjected to rain or a car wash. Power returned after a few minutes of run time (probably after the water had a chance to dry out.)

Oil leaks were numerous and difficult to trace to their cause.

Air bag light was never properly diagnosed, and never stopped illuminating.

Absolutely no feedback from the clutch; impossible to reliably locate the 'feather point.'

Due to lack of determinable 'feather point' it was very easy to stall the vehicle. After stalling, it refused to restart for at least four minutes -- almost as if "Windows was not properly shut down..." This was particularly joyful when it occurred in traffic.

Check Engine light came on repeatedly, incorrectly coding to indicate failed catalytic converter.

Check Engine light is brighter than the headlights.

Plastic headlight covers degrade rapidly and swallow most of the headlights' illumination. This is the first car I've ever experienced failing a state safety inspection due to inadequate headlights.

Seats are extremely uncomfortable, particularly over long drives. I was stuffing a travel pillow between my lower back and the seat -- it still wasn't enough.

No. 2 spark plug ERUPTED from the cylinder head, stripping threads and resulting in the scrapping of the vehicle.

The Stratus was large for a mid-sized car, but the little four cylinder engine wasn't really powerful enough to move it around acceptably. The car was unable to maintain speed uphill. Down-shifting was necessary regardless of which gear started the climb. Road noises were constant and the large cabin echoed like a cavern. Fuel economy was very impressive, but I'm certain every dime saved in fuel was spent on repairs. I wouldn't even have kept it as long as I did if I weren't able to do most of the repair work myself. This car would have been far too expensive to repair if a professional mechanic had to be enlisted for every problem. It would also have been in the repair bay as often as it was on the road.

I also found it ironic that this so-called 'cloud car' seemed to hate to be wet.

I've been very disappointed in this car. I used to buy Chrysler vehicles almost exclusively; I still own and drive a Le Baron convertible which recently exceeded 190,000 miles. I must admit that I'm afraid to buy a newer Chrysler product. In fact, I am much more impressed with my wife's Hyundai Elantra than I ever was with this Mexican Mopar.