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.
My wife owned a 2002 Dodge Stratus R/T when we met and have spent 5 years with her and the car was hardly new when we met. I know that most on here are complaining about this car, and yes our transmission has given up the ghost but this car has been a damn good one! This unfortunately is not a testimate to the US auto industry as it is built by Mitsubishi NOT Dodge!! It is very unfortunate that when you buy a car these days you are not necessarily getting what you are buying. Nevertheless this car has 180,000 miles of all kinds of driving and has not been perfect but has been a great car! The transmission is unfortunately worth more than the car is worth and we are not sure if we are going to fix or get a new car, I just hope that if we do get a new one that it holds up as good as this one.
I am a die hard Ford Fan and lately have had my fill of Bullshit that ford has done and would buy another Dodge or Chrysler product but hope that if it truly is a Dodge that it holds up as good as this car did that they were smart enough to try and rebadge as their own!!! US car companies are a JOKE!!!!!! They all are so overpriced and such a pile of sh*t that they ALL should be ashamed!!!!!!!! Thanks for listening and if you do have one of these cars I hope it turns out as good as ours has!
The end of 2009 I my car started making an awful noise, I took it to a few different shops and of course it would not make the noise when someone was listening. I finally figured out that it only made the noise when the car was in gear. I took it in and had the oil, transmission, and radiator all changed and flushed, within 2 weeks I was driving on the freeway and my car would no longer go into gear. The engine was still running and it would rev-up but I wasn't moving! I had to have it towed to a repair shop, where it was finally decided that the transmission was shot! My transmission pump had failed causing the entire transmission to be damaged.
Up until the day my car stopped working there was never a warning light or any codes that came up on diagnostic tests. This ended up costing me more then what the car is now worth. But I couldn't trade it in because no one wanted to give me any money for a car that didn't work! I hate my car!
WOW where do I begin with the list of problems I have had with this LEMON. First off, the black paint faded pre-maturely. The car looks like sh*t. I was driving to the mall last year when the transmission failed out of the blue. It was slipping a week before and I had the fluid changed but that still didn't stop the failure. I was without a car for 2 weeks as I had it replaced with a salvaged part. It seems to be holding up now but I feel it slipping again....time for a new car really soon. I've been a Dodge fan for as long as I could remember but NO MORE. Stay AWAY FROM THIS PRODUCT AND BRAND. Once the car hits 74-75K miles it is nothing but problems.
There are no words to express my frustration over this vehicle. I have always been an American car owner and do not intend to trash the whole line up, like I see others doing, over this foolishness. I had all used cars (from 10 to 2 years old) when I bought them - none ever gave me any trouble. But this one? This is my first brand-spanking new car, bought when it was just 1 month old back in '02. Back in '06 - just when I paid it off - the paint on this garaged car started wearing badly (see my comments/picture in the paint issue section). From since year 2 I have had to have my rotors replaced TWICE!! (that's more than all of my previous cars combined!) and I don't even brake much! But the real kicker?? The transmission has been giving me trouble for a year (engine light coming on and what I thought was the engine sounding rough were repeatedly misdiagnosed by independent shops). Finally, the thing just quit working a couple of weeks ago right on I-285 - the car quit shifting - I could not go backwards or forwards, no gear was usable.
Needless to say - I am THROUGH!! I expect cars to have maintenance - but high cost issues when well cared for are a no-no. I will not be buying anymore Chrysler/Dodge products. I only switched from GM 11 years ago because I could get more bang for my buck with equivalent Chrysler products. Well, on this one - it looks like I got more BANG!
- T W.,
Atlanta, GA, US
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It all started THREE days after I purchased the car from a certified Dodge dealer. My car, out of nowhere, started jerking when I accelerated. It then started jerking when I braked. It escalated to the point where I couldn't go over 20 mph without the car jerking ridiculously and then stalling. So, I put on my hazards forty minutes away from my house and went 15 mph. The whole way there. And Las Vegas doesn't exactly have the most sympathetic people. Anyway... I did some research and concluded that my car could be fixed with a simple balancing of my tires. I brought my car into Big O Tires and they balanced my tires. I drove away and made it to 40 mph and celebrated. Oh but lo and behold as soon as I started to break my f*#cking car started to shake again. I brought it back to the mechanics so they could do a diagnostic. They said the car couldn't even finish up the diagnostic so it had to be a transmission problem!!! Now I had no warranty on this car whatsoever but I had gotten the car three days ago. Fu#k that. They were taking it back. And.... the Dodge Dealer I got it from did just that! We had to cancel all the paperwork, etc. etc. They said the car was BEYOND repair. Which is so cute and comforting because if it's so bad then why didn't they notice that before they sold it to me? Hmm. Well I'm glad I got rid of that piece of sh*t vehicle. I had it for 3 days and good job for Dodge because that's all I needed to make a personal oath on never getting an American ESPECIALLY DODGE car again.
The transmission completely went at 60K miles. The car was well maintained and most of the miles were highway. The dodge dealership gave me a quote of $3600 to replace with a refurbished tranny. Yeah, you can get one cheaper at other shops but no warranty.
Besides the tranny I think the injectors were clogged also, or some fuel system problem. Occ'l & inexplicable loss of power. I never had it looked at but it would have caught up with me eventually.
I would suggest to all of you out there that own this vehicle get rid of it as soon a possible. If you're looking at buying one don't unless it is close to free. I knew this car had problems but thought I could get another 20K out of it.
Anyway, I sold it for $500 and just bought an '02 Toyota Camry with 60K. Beautiful car so far and very solid. I think it'll last me for awhile.
Car has been well taken care of all fluids change regularly....Started with a hard shift and just got worst.....This is really sorry for dodge....Very displeased.....
I am the second owner of this vehicle. So they tell me I am not covered under the 70,000 mile powertrain warrenty. Problem happend to my husbands car 5 months ago. Was covered, but I am not. Diamer Chrysler no help. Waiting to see what this is going to cost me. Will never by a Dodge / Chrysler vehicle again. Left stranded on the side of the road in cold rainy weather. Now have a repair of at least $1,000 during the holidays.
Check engine light came on. brought it to a shop and they said it was just a sensor. Months later, the car would not go into gear. clutches burnt up and had to replace transmission.
Interesting all these problems. I just want the car back so I can go buy a Toyota. Father was an employee of Chrysler for over 35 years. Car isn't even 4 years old and 80% of the mileage is highway. What a waste of money.
I bought my stratus in April 2005 and in November I had to replace the transmission. It only had 60k miles on it! If that's not enough, last week (march) my transmission blew again! I havn't even had the car a year yet!
Check engine light came on. Then the transmission failed. It took over a week to fix and I had to pay for my own rental car. I am not sure how long this repair will last.
Coming onto a 4 lane divided highway when the transmission just gave out. No forward or reverse gears. I was the last of five others in our work group to have this problem. At least the repairs won't be on my dime; the leasing company will take it on the chin.
My brand new car started shifting funny and within 50 miles had completely failed. Dearly repaired under warranty, but took over 2 weeks to do it. Paid for rental car for one week since it took so long. how long will it last?????
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
My wife owned a 2002 Dodge Stratus R/T when we met and have spent 5 years with her and the car was hardly new when we met. I know that most on here are complaining about this car, and yes our transmission has given up the ghost but this car has been a damn good one! This unfortunately is not a testimate to the US auto industry as it is built by Mitsubishi NOT Dodge!! It is very unfortunate that when you buy a car these days you are not necessarily getting what you are buying. Nevertheless this car has 180,000 miles of all kinds of driving and has not been perfect but has been a great car! The transmission is unfortunately worth more than the car is worth and we are not sure if we are going to fix or get a new car, I just hope that if we do get a new one that it holds up as good as this one.
I am a die hard Ford Fan and lately have had my fill of Bullshit that ford has done and would buy another Dodge or Chrysler product but hope that if it truly is a Dodge that it holds up as good as this car did that they were smart enough to try and rebadge as their own!!! US car companies are a JOKE!!!!!! They all are so overpriced and such a pile of sh*t that they ALL should be ashamed!!!!!!!! Thanks for listening and if you do have one of these cars I hope it turns out as good as ours has!
- justin07, Stratton, CO, US