CarComplaints.com Notes: The Dodge Stratus, Intrepid & other Chrysler sedans are infamous for oil sludge problems with the 2.7L V6 engine. If someone offers to sell you a 2.7L V6 model, it's only worth the price of the scrap metal it's going to shortly turn into.
NOTE: Only the 2.7L V6 has the oil sludge problem. Our "Avoid like the Plague" designation is ONLY for models with the 2.7L V6 engine. All other available engines are very reliable with no major problems.
Even with regular maintenance, the oil sludge defect eventually destroys the 2.7L engine typically around 80,000-100,000 miles. The only true fix we know about is to put in the larger 3.2L engine, which has a great reputation. Also the 2.4L engine doesn't have the oil sludge problem.
This issue was never deemed a safety defect by the Feds, so there was no recall. In the end, Chrysler got away with FOUR YEARS worth of defective 2.7L V6 engines in their sedans.
2.5
hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
61,390 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.
Stopped at stop sign. Started to make right hand turn, heard pop in the steering column, warning bell went off, airbag light came on and stayed on. Horn stopped working and no cruise control. Took vehicle in for replacement of clockspring today, 7/18/2015, at a cost of $167.99 for the part and $119.23 for labor. No airbags is a safety issue. Clockspring failure is known to Dodge/Chrysler and recently Jeep and any vehicle made by Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep that has this failure should have all parts and labor covered by the vehicle manufacturer. We did nothing to cause this and could have done nothing to prevent it. Recalls were done but not for all vehicles. Maybe that needs to change. Bad part for sure!!
While driving at highway speeds the passenger side rear control arm ball joint broke, causing my right rear wheel to collapse within the wheel well of my 2001 Dodge Stratus ES. The consequence of this is that control could have been lost causing an accident harming myself or others on the road. I maintained control of the vehicle and had the vehicle towed off the highway. I then had to again paid for the vehicle to be towed to the dealership for repair.
Dodge Stratus engine die out due to crankshaft position sensor that came in contact w/ a protective shield, which consequently caused a grouted circuit. Thereby causing my engine to die out. My vehicle is a lease, and the warranty is up, and I never received any recall information. Recall info on this call, and the prior year are numerous deadly one. Those which can possibly cause injury, or death. I was almost a statistic today when my vehicle died out completely in an exit ramp off the highway. Please help me find out how responsible the dealership is because I never received any!!!! recall letters. I received their bill, but yet no recall info. This vehicle is only three years old. I have prior to this vehicle purchased three other vehicles from yonkers avenue Dodge, and have traded them in for new ones, but they too had problems, and the dealer never gave me any breaks in price. They just saw a female walk in, and read the "sucker" sign on my forehead. Anyhow my car is now stuck in a shell gas station, which was consequently off the ramp I was stuck on. I was pushed there to get me out of harms way. I will not allow this dealer to continue to stick people, or Chrysler to stick people with the bill to a car that dies out before the lease is up!! if you can help please email me. As well as let other Dodge Stratus SE owners know that the numerous problems these cars suffer from before these owners get killed, or kill others. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Respectfully, [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Haines City, FL, USA