THIS MODEL IS A PILE OF CRAP. SAVE YOUR TIME AND MONEY AND TELL WHOEVER IT IS THAT IS SELLING IT TO YOU TO SHOVE IT UP THERE BUTT!!!! Thankfully some one hit me and totaled my car and got me out of one the biggest mistakes of my life!!!

This car overheats and the thermostat cracks, then the head gasket goes and no one can fix it because you have to have a special tool to open the engine!!!!! This car has soured my tastes for all DODGE products!!! REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DO SOME LOOKING ON THE INTERNET BEFORE YOU BUY A CAR!!!!!!!!!!

was driving and the car shuts off. we thought we were out of gas but the gauge said we had gas. so we put gas in and it started. then it happens again and it shuts off it says we have gas. but then we get more gas and it turns on. then again it does the same thing and this time it wont turn on. so we left it sitting for a couple days and then it turns on. then it does it again. and each time it does it, it says we have gas. but it is like it not getting any gas. so it is a real pain in the butt when it just stalls for some unknown reason.

I am finding this site very interesting. I bought an 04 dodge stratus last summer and I have had nothing but problems with it since I bought it. I had the car 10 days and the water pump and timing belt went. It had 65,000. I did have an extended warranty on it.. Thank God! 2 months later the oil pressure gauge broke, that was fixed. 2 months later I had to have new brakes and rotors, NO warning until I hear metal on metal. 2 months after I was driving to work the car stalled and everyone said I ran out of gas. There was gas in the car. I added more gas and the car started up about a week later the car broke down on the interstate. The fuel pump was replace and when the garage took the car in to fix it. There was a hole in the radiator, that was fixed. It ran fine until last week. My daughter was driving it and it shut off on her and I had it towed to the garage. the car started right up and they said nothing was wrong. I drove it home.. then Monday I went to go home and the battery was dead. I got a jump and the car started right away. It ran fine for a few days and last night I was on my way to get my daughter from college and the car shut off and it wont start. I hate this car!!! Its horrible on gas.. The car is acting like its not getting gas. I am so frustrated! I have called the Lemon Law the car has to be an 06 or newer. I still owe $6500 . I was planning on trading it on this coming Monday.

Any suggestions on what I should do?

well it started running hot in the summer of 2007 so my brother-in-law added some coolant then it seemed fine but it would run hot off and on. i always got my oil changes and had a tune-up with the transmission and radiator flushes and everything. but in the summer of 2009 it got annoying and in about October of 09 it started stalling alot. one day it stalled everytime i stopped at a light. that was the last day i drove it. it had a new battery and tires so i was mad that i just put a little money in it. well, i had a close trusted mechanic friend of mine look at it and he said he'll put a new timing belt, thermostat, and to resurface the head because it ran hot. come to find out i needed a new head gasket. so far i paid 1000.00 for parts and the head gasket. that is not including labor. i have been sharing a car with my sister for 8 months now and still pay 363.52 a month for this car. yeah that really sucks, im not even driving it. I'll have to agree with everybody else, don't buy this car, the gas mileage really sucks bad, not 22 mpg but like14.

I have a 2004 Dodge Stratus (LE?, V6) with 87,000 miles. I purchased this vehicle last year and been having the same problem. In mid driving (never going over 25 miles) the car would "cut off" with no warning at all. This doesn't occur every day, almost 1-2 times every two weeks. The last time the car cut off was last week in one day 3 times. I had my two youngest kids under 4 in the back seats and the car cut off in mid merge to ongoing traffic (what horror). I've taken it to several mechanics had diagnostics done and to no avail nothing was found. This is crazy, It almost seems as though the engine is not getting enough gas. I would like your suggestion I too like most bloggers here hate this car! I won't even get into the changing dim and brightness of the internal lights and sometimes the locks will lock and unlock on its own. URGGGGGHHHHHH......Please advise.

Read more: http://www.justanswer.com/tags/Dodge/stratus/3#ixzz0kzM8nNOs

This vehicle has been nothing but problems! We bought this vehicle used approximately 2 years ago with approximately 50,000 miles. It currently has 86,000 miles and let me begin to describe the problems.

1. After a recent oil change (on time & scheduled) the engine came to a complete halt at an intersection. It was later determined that there was no oil pressure getting to the cams, and it forced the cams to seize, and bend a valve in the head. This required a fix of a brand new head replacement. Unfortunately, no direct evidence was shown as a direct correlation to the oil change.

2. After this problem (2 days & $2500 later) the engine now has a check engine light on. It stalls abruptly at idle. The engine will not rev over 2500rpm. I was told this is a PCM problem by one mechanic, so I took it to the dealer. The dealership told me it was 'out of time'. Well, it's in time & there are pictures to prove it. Now no one knows what the hell is going on. Not even the dealership. What a joke.

Mr. Christopher R. Kettenbach 9829 Caminito Marlock #38 San Diego, CA 92131

August 20, 2008

Chrysler Service Contracts Inc Attn: Customer Relations Manager P.O. Box 7086 Troy, MI 48007-7086

Dear Customer Relations Manager:

This letter in regards to my service contract #23013588 for VIN#1B3EL36R34N235538 2004 Dodge Stratus. I purchased the vehicle on 10/14/06 and it had 50,000 miles on it. I have put approximately 36,000 miles on the vehicle and have done routine oil changes every 3 � 4,000 miles. I have changed the oil myself by draining the oil and replacing the oil filter and new oil. I have no receipts for this and was not aware I was required to keep detailed records of this. Nowhere in my service do I see anything that says to.

On 08/10/08 my car began stalling and I was able to get it towed to Jack Powell Chrysler Dodge in Escondido, CA for service. Mike Lewis recommended I have the engine dismantled to further investigate the problem. Upon his investigation he saw metal shavings and �sludge� near the bearings. He contacted you and you sent a 3rd party investigator to take a look at the problem. It was the inspector�s decision that the problem was due to lack of maintenance and the repairs would not be covered.

This is absolutely preposterous! I have taken excellent care of my car and was a very happy customer until this incident. I am requesting in writing an appeal to this decision and demand that the car be repaired as designated in my service contract. I purchased the additional warranty for the comfort of knowing that if something like this were to happen I would certainly be covered. I contacted your company and was told this is the proper channel to make this request. The person I spoke to said you replace engines everyday and doesn�t see why this would be a problem.

I need to have this repaired as I cannot possibly afford what it would cost to replace the engine. I am a good customer and I cannot understand why my service contract is basically useless. These repairs must be covered and there was in no way a lack of maintenance. Please take whatever actions are necessary to resolve this matter in a timely fashion. I refuse to just be swept under the rug in my time of need. I purchased this service contract so I could have the peace of mind knowing that if something like this were to happen I would be fully covered. It�s unfortunate that the engine has failed but as a valued Chrysler customer, I would think that you would be there when I needed you.

I have included a quotation directly from your website stating that with an official Daimler Chrysler Service Contract I can be guaranteed fair and honest service. It even references the same problem I am having with my car regarding oil and �sludge�. http://www.chrysler-warranty-online.com/myth See Myth #3 Myth #3: Aftermarket warranties provide full coverage. The Truth: Many people who buy aftermarket warranties are seriously disappointed at claim time. Aftermarket companies often deny claims because they�ve built loopholes like these into the fine print: � sequential damages (sustained when a non-covered part breaks a covered part) Result: Claim Denied! � overheating breakdowns (your radiator wasn�t checked or serviced on time) Result: Claim Denied! � slight engine sludge (you didn�t have your engine oil changed and documented every 3000 miles) Result: Claim Denied! These are just a few of the loopholes. There are hundreds of others. The only warranty plan that can guarantee fair and honest service is the Daimler/Chrysler Service Contract Plan! I feel I am being treated extremely unfair and I will not tolerate it.

I am eagerly waiting for your response as I am now without a vehicle and would like this problem to be corrected as soon as possible. I have since moved from 4975 Clairemont Mesa Blvd #319, San Diego, Ca 92117 and I have included my current address at the top of this letter. Thank you for your time. I hope this matter can be resolved quite quickly.

Respectfully Submitted, Christopher R. Kettenbach

Alot like the problems listed above. Car stalls without warning. Rough idle. We have taken this car to the dealer 4 or 5 times, spent $450.00 and problem still isn't fixed and now they tell me that they cannot duplicate the problem. The car also loses power without warning like it can't get any gas or something. This almost caused me to get hit by a truck. Even called Chrysler's headquarters and they are not willing to help out in any way since the so-called dealers say there is nothing wrong. It seems kind of funny that I drive this car everyday and this problem occurs everyday but when they drive it for about a week they say it runs fine. These American cars are JUNK. Go buy a Nissan, Toyota, or Honda!!!! Save yourself the trouble.