Engine Problems of Dodge Stratus - part 1

Our 2004 Dodge Stratus engine seized up completely and without warning in the middle of an intersection while my wife was driving home with our children. This car is equipped with the 2. 7l v6 engine which only now have we become aware of the long history of this catastrophic type of failure. We bought this car new and have taken meticulous care with maintenance as noted by the service manager at our dealership. None the less, now I am expected to spend $6,700 to replace a motor that was clearly defected in design.

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2000 Dodge Stratus engine fire. After parking the car in the driveway, I began to smell and see smoke coming from the engine of the car. Determining that it was on fire, I backed it out of the driveway (luckily the driveway was sloped) to get it a way from the house.

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I was driving my 2002 Dodge Stratus on the interstate when the engine dies. I coasted to the bottom of the exit ramp and attempted to start the car. All it would do is click. A call to aaa and the car was toed to the dealer. I call from the dealer later in the day revealed a seized engine. My husband confronted the dealer and asked to have the engine opened up for inspection. Sure enough large deposits of oil sludge. I asked the deal where we go from here and he said a replacement engine is $4900. 00 after all the years of taking the car to the dealer for repairs and scheduled oil changes I must know replace the engine. How can Chrysler not be aware of this problem with all the attention it is getting.

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2002 Dodge Stratus oil sludge issues - motor blown -.

I own a Dodge Stratus (2002) that has an oil sludge problem. I had a mechanic look at it thinking it was a head gasket and was told that only the gasket would be like a band aid on the problem. He told me that the Chrysler 2. 7l engine is having "oil sludge" problems and that there is a class action lawsuit for this. I cannot junk this vehicle as I still owe several thousands of dollars. Also, I have been unable to use this vehicle for the past year and still have to pay my monthly bill.

My 2006 Stratus has just 44,000 miles. I noticed a puddle of oil under my car and had to have it towed to a dealership. After having my car for a month, the dealership said the crankshaft had pushed into the engine and the entire engine now needed to be replaced. After looking on the internet, I have learned that there are many people with the same issue, and Dodge does not want to acknowledge the problem.

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The contact owns a 2006 Dodge Stratus. The contact noticed a puddle of oil in her driveway and observed the oil indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the main front seal of the crankshaft was blown out. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle will be taken back to the dealer. Through online research, the contact found complaints for similar failures she was experiencing. The failure and current mileages were 52,000.

1998 2. 7 v-6 engine in Dodge Stratus vehicle. Oil light came on and then the engine quit running. When attempting to obtain information on cost of repairs, I was told by many individuals that this engine has failed in this same manner for all of the vehicles. The oil was changed every 3000-5000 miles, more often that suggested by the owners manual. The owners manual states to change it every 7500 miles or 6 months which every comes first. Most of the repair places that I spoke to said that this engine should have been recalled due to this failure.

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During daily driving my Dodge Stratus 2. 7 motor failed. After taking to the mechanic, I was told it was cause by engine sludge and that the repair was going to cost me 4k.

The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Stratus. The contact stated that a vehicle two vehicle lengths before him, caused him to slam on the brakes. As a result, the contact rear ended the preceding vehicle. The front of his hood was jammed under the rear of the other vehicle. A passerby informed him that his vehicle was on fire. The fire spread to the other vehicle as well. Both vehicles became completely engulfed. The contact was injured. The fire and police departments arrived and filed reports. The manufacturer has not been notified and the vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The VIN and speed were unknown. The failure and current mileages were 74,000.

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Oil light started flickering most when I was applying the brake. The engine started knocking maybe 3 weeks after. I knew I was due for an oil change so I had one done yesterday that didn't stop the knocking. I take it to the dealer I brought the car to have it looked at and he told me it was the engine so last night as im driving the knocking got real loud and you could smell something burning. The oil light was flickering more. Before I knew it the car had completely shut down.

One day after we purchased a 2002 Dodge Stratus from a private seller, the car died and had to be towed to a mechanic. He had it for 3 days but car started for him. 2 days later car died again so we towed it to a Dodge dealer. He had it for 2 days and informed us the engine was shot due to oil sludge and a timing issue. It would need an engine replacement for $6100. We drove the car less than 20 miles, didn't make our first payment on a 3 year loan and have no car to drive. I still have a 10 year old Dodge caravan, but was not aware of the defective 2. 7l engine Dodge knowing sold to consumers. Never buy another Dodge.

Oil light came on and the engine seized. Nothing has been done, the car is currently sitting untouched.

The contact owns a 2000 Dodge Stratus. While driving 2 mph, the contact heard a noise coming from the engine. She parked the vehicle and noticed flames coming from the engine. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a mechanic. The mechanic stated that the engine backfired and was the cause of the fire. The current and failure mileages were 123,243.

Normal driving then the engine started clanking and quit. Service station said the 2. 7 v6 is a terrible engine and need to be totally replaced. Called Chrysler and they said they would not help me. It cost about $4000 to fix. Not sure what to do. . Read more...

One of the oil galley plugs on the 2. 4l engine of our daughter's 1996 Dodge Stratus came out, and the car spewed most of its oil out into the engine compartment. Chrysler had a recall (#671) on these back in 1995 as several fires occurred. Our VIN fell within the range of vins affected, but we were told it was not part of the recall. The recall ended with cars manufactured oct. 13, 1995 and our car (we were told) was manufactured oct. 14th. The fix as of that date was a change to the cylinder head machining and the plug thickness. Obviously, either our engine is one from before the change was fully implemented, or the change was not a cure all, as the plug on ours came out. Their solution for affected engines was a bracket that bolts on to retain the plugs, but no one at the 1-800 number nor at the dealership could tell me if it would fit or work on our engine with the supposed machining changes. Parts and labor will likely be only around $100, but they will not cover the repair even with the proximity of recall date to our manufacture date, the fact that our car had the same problem as cars that were recalled, and this being a safety issue. Hope they are 100% correct that our car should not have been included in the recall, seems like a risk on their part to not cover this.

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I own a 2004 Dodge Stratus that I changed the oil in every 3500 - 4000 miles even though the manufacturer recommends changes at 7500 mile intervals. The car had roughly 37000 miles on it back in 2006 when the 2. 7l v6 engine seized due to excessive oil sludging causing an oil flow failure. At the time I just thought it was bad luck, but now after two years I read of countless thousands of cases where persons with the same 2. 7l engine in there Dodge or Chrysler vehicles had engines seize, and yet the company does nothing for us. I still have the vehicle in my driveway but frankly cannot afford to put a new motor in it as the price for those is sky high because there is such a demand to replace them. Something needs to be done about this as a consumer we deserve retribution for these expensive engineering failures.

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: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine revved and the tires spun. The vehicle accelerated the hit the consumer's garage. The vehicle and garage sustained damage. The vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection but they were unable to duplicate the problem. The manufacturer was alerted, however no repairs were made. Updated 3/20/2006 -.

: the contact stated without warning the vehicle stopped while driving 45 mph. The vehicle was towed to the dealership. The dealership determined there was sludge in the oil causing the engine to seize. The engine was replaced.

Oil sludge failure of a Dodge/Chrysler 2. 7l engine.

I don't know what happened the car caught on fire when I cut the car off. Nothing was done to correct the problem. Before the incident I had the car check for problem the computers at shop stated it was the 02 sensor.

I drove to knoxville, TN. I went to a basket ball game. On the interstate the engine started knocking real terribly. I called my mom and she said to check the oil in the morning. I did it was at a perfect level. (I had got the oil changed about a week before this trip. ) I had the car towed to a maintenance shop. They said the oil holes are to small to let sufficient oil through to the engine and that the oil was like gummy at the bottom of the engine(how would any one know that) and it ruins your engine. I had another maintenance shop check my car at home in WI. They said the same thing the mechanic said in TN. The car needs a new engine. The car is in my drive way because I have no money to put a new engine in the car. My mom was good enough to drive to TN and rent a uhaul with a trailer and bring my car back. I don't only need at least $3000 for engine I also owe my mom $700 for the towing.

My car needs a new engine. It has ~42000 miles. The mechanics one from knoxville,TN where the engine died and the one in kenosha,WI where I had to have the car brought home, said the oil holes are to small to let sufficient oil thru the engine. The car is still sitting at the mechanics shop because I do not have $3000. 00 to have it fixed.

Bought a car with a defect in the head gasket.

I own a 96 Dodge Stratus, I purchased it year of 97. I received numerous recalls on this vechicle since the day of purchased. I followed up on each recall that I received. As time went on I had numerous problems with this vehicle. Over the years I aways believe in Chrysler products to be safe and sound. I feel that it's been truly unfair too loyal consumers such as myself many others. I don't understand why a company such as Chrysler and engineers would engineered a product like the Dodge Stratus with so many defects. On Saturday November 5, 2005 I went to pay a bill about five to ten miles away from home. Return home, park the car, lock the doors went into my apartment. About ten minutes later a neighborhood boy knock on my door and said your gold car is on fire. I ran outside to see, yes it was my car on fire! fire was coming from underneath the hood. I called the fire department, they arrive about ten minutes later to put the fire out. The fireman had to break the hood latch to get into the engine area to put out the fire. The fire destroy my motor and hood. Thank god myself or my kids wasn't in the car! I'm truly sadden that this have to happen to me and my family I'm single parent with no transportation. After the investigation of the cause of fire it was determine that the oil gallery plug was faulty. My insurance coverage wouldn't coverage it.

After driving my vehicle a short distance to the local store, I parked my vehicle and entered the store. Approximately. 15 minutes later the tag number of vehicle was announced over the intercom system, stating that the owner need to report to the parking lot immediately. I went to the parking lot to find that my vehicle was on fire under the hood. The fire department was called and was extinguishing the flames before I was able to get to my car. The fire department had broken the driver's door window to gain access to the hood release. The entire engine had appeared to be burned. The car was towed to rallye Dodge in ocala florida where it was determined by our insurance company that it was a total loss. Dominick, one of the mechanics at rallye Dodge said that there was no way of determining the cause of the fire and the car could be repaired at a cost of approx. $5000. Back on March 16, 2005, I had to replace the pcm at the same dealer at a cost of $999. 91. Now 7 months later I am out a $1000 computer and a $5000 car. What happens now? how and when will Chrysler be held accountable for the poor engineering of their vehicles?.

Engine starting knocking. Took to repair shop. Was told that the timing gear had gone causing metal to be distributed through engine. This was due to engine sludge a known problem with the 2. 7l engine. No warning lights just failure.

My car sometimes shuts off while in parking lots or at red lights. When I got out last time I let my car sit for about 30 minutes and underneath the hood was all hot! the dealer cannot find the problem because it only happens spontaneously and they would need to duplicate the problem. I read a website forum full of Stratus' that all have the same problem. They stop without warning, the radio stays on and everything! this could lead to a wreck!.

Water outlet erupted and caused vehicle to run hot. Also, the eruption knocked a slight dent in the hood. The part was ordered from the mfr and replaced the next day.

Defective engine design. Oil sludge build up in 2001 Dodge intrepid 2. 7l engine, leading to dealer diagnosis of engine replacement needed, when vehicle has been seerviced per vehicle manual.

On 12/18/1997 I purchased a 1996 Dodge Stratus at a buy here pay here lot that went out of business. Within 6 months of owning the vehicle I was backing out of a sloped driveway. I felt a bump and kept driving. Before I could reach the end of the street my oil lamp came on. I stopped at the gas station check the oil and discovered I needed oil. I put oil in the car and got on the interstate. My car all of a sudden stopped pulling. After the car was towed to the shop the dealership informed me that the oil pan had a hole in it and most likely got it during the bump. I had to get a new motor for the car which a $500 deductible had to be paid by me and the other $3600 was paid by allstate(my insurance company). Last year in late April the same thing happened again and the car hasn't been repaired since or of course driven. The second time the car started smoking and someone called the fire department. I then had the car towed home.

My son drove his 1999 Dodge Stratus back to his college dormitory when he saw smoke from under the hood. He pulled into a parking space just before fire erupted from under the hood. The fire totaled his sons vehicle as well as damaged an adjacent vehicle.

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1999 Dodge Stratus with malfunction/defective head gasket.

2. 7 engine timing chain failure, Chrysler mechanic says they have had many, and are waiting on a recall, have not driven car in a few years can not afford repair!.

I have a 2001 Dodge Stratus with a 2. 7 magnum engine. We have been told by the local Dodge dealership that the rod bearings are bad. We had purchased the extended warranty when we purchased the car which covers all engine components. The dealership told us that this is not covered under warranty as oil changes were not done every three thousand miles. However, the maintenance schedule in the owners guide states that oil changes are only required every seven thousand five hundred miles. This problem can only be fixed by a new engine, which is $7,000.