10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 6
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
109,513 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Dodge Stratus electrical problems

electrical problem

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1997 Dodge Stratus Owner Comments

problem #10

Apr 092018

Stratus

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Takata recall, horn don`T work, millage don`T work, gas light comes on and neddle moves up and down alot

- Ontario, CA, USA

problem #9

Jul 182010

Stratus

  • 171,000 miles
Car was sitting front of my daughter's house and it caught fire under the hood on the driver's side. Car was totally destroyed.

- Naugatuck, CT, USA

problem #8

Jun 192008

Stratus

  • 670,000 miles
Power steering hoses developed holes through the whole hose massive fluid loss now power steering pump has froze and the car only has 67 thousand miles for 97 year 95 % of miles highway also A/C compressor and A/C dash switch both non working with fully charged compressor and all relays and fuses replaced.

- Abilene , TX, USA

problem #7

May 182003

Stratus 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 117,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

We had frequent electrical problem with the car and took it to the Liberty dealership in johnstown, oh to get them fixed until we got to the point that it was going to take more than the care was valued to guarantee the fix. These items were not covered under our warranty. One day after pulling into our driveway after work, I shut the car off, opened the drivers side door while pulling the emergency brake and the air bags deployed, giving me a pretty good shot in the face. The car was sitting still and not running. The keys weren't even in the ignition. I called Chrysler's customer service line and filed an incident. They assigned a.L. gilbert to work on the case. A investigator was deployed from a private company out of dayton, oh. He took the car to a dealership in mt. Vernon, oh and determined by looking at the car's computer that it had been wrecked. Obviously, this wasn't the case as there wasn't a dent or scratch on the car and I was sitting still in the driveway. However, Chrysler refused to change their determination. Even though it was requested multiple times, a copy of the report from the investigator from dayton, oh was never provided me. A.L. gilbert blatantly called me dishonest because he said the computer didn't lie. I convinced him to let me take it to the Liberty dealership and have the service manager look at the car while on the phone with him. The Liberty service manager told a.L. gilbert that there was no visible evidence of any accident on the car. A.L. gilbert said there absolutely had to be something because the computer said so. The libert service mechanic said, in fact the only scratch I see is on the undercarriage and looks like he's driven on a gravel road. Gilbert responded and said that was all the evidence he needed and that the decision stood. I still drive the car today but without air bags and with a dash that lights up like a christmas tree because of the electrical problems.

- Centerburg, OH, USA

problem #6

Aug 122005

Stratus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles
Contact's wife went into walmart and 15 minutes later 1997, Dodge, Stratus caught on fire in the parking lot. The originated from under the hood, possibly around the battery box or the master cylinder. The car was completely destroyed. This happened on June 5, 2005. The only problem the contact had with the car prior to tthe fire was the check engine light caming on sometimes. The car has cruise control, and electric windows.

- Walker, LA, USA

problem #5

Dec 241999

Stratus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 27,133 miles
The vehicle is a 1997 Dodge Stratus. At 27,000 the oil light came on while the consumer was driving and the vehicle cut off. When the consumer had it towed to the dealership they replaced the timing belt and pulleys. At 39,000 the engine would not start. When it was towed to the dealership again, they found that one coil was shorted, the PCM was bad, the timing belt had to be replaced again, they had to replace the module, the relay, and the plug wire. The whole electrical system had to be replaced. Later at 62,000 miles it was leaking oil and would not start. It was towed to the dealer were the timing belt had to be replaced a third time, the head gasket and package, the plug and plug wires, and the spark plugs were also replaced. Currently at 89,000 the timing belt and head gasket need replacing. The vehicle is over heating and will not start. This caused the heater core to go out. The cluster has gone out; the whole lighting system comes on and goes off without warning. These current problems have not been repaired as of now. There are other issues that are included in a recall for the lower ball joints and for the floor shifter. The vehicle was immobile so the consumer can not take it to the dealership to have the recalls repaired. The manufacturer told the consumer there was nothing they could do because the vehicle was out of warranty.

- Salisbury, MD, USA

problem #4

Apr 012005

Stratus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The consumer owns a 1997 Dodge Stratus. She says that her vehicle caught on fire. The fire department told her that the fire started by a short in the driver's side panel. She contacted Dodge and they said they wouldn't do anything about it because it was not their problem and it was not on recall.

- Olean, NY, USA

problem #3

Sep 202004

Stratus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While the vehicle was parked it caught on fire. The consumer called the fire department to extinguish the fire. No injuries reported. Prior to the fire, the consumer stated a mechanic worked on the vehicle and stated the vehicle had an electrical leaked.

- Miamisburg, OH, USA

problem #2

Mar 112000

Stratus

  • miles
While filling fuel tank a fire commenced from fuel filler neck. Local fire department arrived to extinguish fire. Cause of fire believed to be static electricity. Dealer/manufacturer were not contacted at this time.

- Belvidare, IL, USA

problem #1

Sep 161999

Stratus

  • miles
While car was parked in a parking lot, apprx 30 min's when someone noticed the car was on fire. The fire dept was called and a tech from the place I was at went out with a fire ext. And put out the fire. Fire dept arrived and determined that the fire was started in a door panel swith (pwr door lock or pwr mirror switch) car was towed to scully motor and I calle D Chrysler, they did a though investigation and found the fault to be in the pwr mirror switch. They have been great and have assummed responsibility for totaling my car and doing a complete buy back which is in the process. My concern is for the safty of others who may not have the good fotune I had of not being in the car since it burnt up at a fast pace. Hope this helps others, thanks karen.

- Windsor Locks, CT, USA

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