The mechanic told me that the engine needs to be replaced. sludge on the pick up tube clocked the screen and the engine seized. always had the oil and filter changed every 3000 miles. never herd of having to drop the pan and clean a pick up tube when doing a routine oil change. Owned lots of cars in the 30 years I been driving and never experience this.Car has been sitting in my driveway for over a year and i still have to make payments every month. don't have the money for a new engine. thanks Dodge. I will never ever buy a Dodge again. Piece of crap engine.
DEALER HAS MY CAR SINCE JULY 6, now waiting for crank kit from Chrysler. Was due here Aug 10,24,30, Sept 3,12,now 27th. Why is it always back ordered. 3 months is a long time without a car---all summer ---super big inconvenience. They don't care. Wouldn't even give me a rental. Very poor service, Will I ever get my car back? My first summer retired and can't go anywhere not even dr appointments or gym. Had 2 knee replacements and need gym for therapy. HELP Please!
If this part is in so much demand maybe this should be a recall issue. Dealer says it has happened many times.
I PURCHASED A 2006 PROGRAM CAR IN FEB 2007. I WORK A LOT AND RARELY GO ANYWHERE AND HAVE ONLY PUT 20,000 MILES ON THIS CAR IN THE LAST 4 1/2 YEARS. WAS DRIVING CAR AND NOTICED A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE. TOOK TO SHOP TO FIND OUT THAT ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF OIL SLUDGE BUILDUP. HAD OIL CHANGED 1 YEAR AGO BUT HAD NOT DRIVEN OVER 2000 MILES SINCE LAST OIL CHANGE. HAVE SEEN MANY ARTICLES ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEM BUT NO SITE TO FIND OUT ABOUT CURRENT CLASS ACTION SUIT, IF THERE IS ONE AND SO ON. I STILL OWE 6000 ON THIS CAR.
I purchased my vehicle in 2006 with 19,000 miles on it. I was excited it was the first car that i bought under my own name. I was 22 years old. The car was dependable at first bu then at about 60,000 things started going wrong with it. First the fan for the air conditioner went out it would only work on high. then sensors started going out. It was the crakshaft position sensor, then the o2 sensor, then the alternator, then the engine light wouldn't go off even though nothing was found wrong with it. I had a tune up well before 100,000 miles. i changed the oil when it needed to be changed. also the right passenger window switched stopped working.
I changed the oil on my car at a Valvoline and they recommended an engine flush so i did that. 900 miles after the oil change my oil was low 1 quart. The car was idling very badly black smoke was coming out of the exhaust pipe. I took it to a mechanic and they said it needed a new engine. This is ridiculous. My car has 109,000 miles on it. It is a 2006. I took care of it. I am putting pieces together now and i remember that when i replaced those broken sensors they had oil on them.
This engine started leaking oil a long time ago. I think the oil was the reason that these sensors went out. The oil leaking started in between 60 - 70k miles. I was a full time student and full time worker during this time period, I did not notice this at all.
My car was a certified pre owned vehicle and the engine was covered until 80,000. this engine failure was the result of a defect.
Oil Sludge, Oil Sludge, Oil Sludge. I can't believe this is such a common problem, with these Dodge engines, and nothing has been done. Just like everyone else, I had no prior warning, in fact I had just had a complete tune-up in October.... then bam! Driving along, heard a pop, and the engine died. Mechanic said, due to oil sludge, the motor froze, bent crank shaft, broke timing belt. I am buying this car used, have had it two years and have TWO YEARS left to pay on it. A used engine, installed around $3000. So do I struggle to come up with the money and risk the same issue happening again, with a used engine. Do I park it and pay it off, in the mean time struggling as I will now have a second car payment... I will not be buying another Dodge... ever!
- Angela L.,
Longview, TX, US
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AFTER PAYING $950.00 TO FIX AN OIL SEAL, THE SEAL BLEW AGAIN CAUSING OIL TO SPILL OUT AND ENGINE TO SPIN A ROD BEARING AND DAMAGING THE CRANK SHAFT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE ENGINE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR. DEFINITELY NOT WORTH IT!!! WE'RE OUT OF A 2006 PIECE OF JUNK. I'M HOPING THAT ONE DAY I'LL SEE A RECALL. UNTIL THEN MY WORTHLESS CAR IS SITTING IN THE YARD WITH BRAND NEW TIRES. MAD? YA THINK?
Bought Dodge Stratus 2006; used for 24 year old son in beginning of October 2009. The day after Christmas, he pulls into Best Buy parking lot to have stereo installed and calls home telling his dad that oil is SPEWING out from underneath the car. My son shuts the car off and does not even want to turn the car on again because of the amount of oil lost. He gets it towed to a mechanic and we pay $600 to get the car fixed. Something to do with gaskets. I'm not good at this stuff.
One week later, my son is calling again, with the same problem. See new complaint as that is what this website requests be done.
Second complaint regarding oil SPEWING from underneath my 24 year old son's car. Initially, 2 and 1/2 months after co-signing for our son, the first oil spewing occurred, took it to a mechanic, fixed head gaskets or something of that nature, not sure. So took the car back to the same mechanic and said "you didn't fix the problem" --- mechanic had the car for a week to fix additional gaskets, or whatever the diagnosed problem was. Didn't charge for parts, but did charge for labor. Third complaint is a pisser.
Third and last complaint on 2006 Dodge Stratus co-signed for 24 year old son. Son moves to another city; one week after moving, we get a call that the car is spewing oil again. Well, because the car was purchased used, as is and warranty did not transfer... we are in the hole. The mechanic has the car for well over 1 week trying to figure out what the problem is. We are finally told that the cam shaft is loose and is pushing the seals out so that is what is causing the oil spewing and leaks. To fix... replace or rebuild the engine. Anywhere from 3 to 5 thousand dollars and naturally, the dealer does not care because it is a used car. Hubby thought it only had a 30 day warranty so never filed on the initial oil spewage -- we now find out that it had a 3 month warranty, but that is of no use at this point because we did not take the car in on the initial complaint. Now, my already broke, paying for a broke car 24 year old son does not have a vehicle.
2006 Dodge Stratus SXT 2.7 Junk V6. Seeing this board really makes me think about buying a new car. I bought this car with 72 miles on it. We had two days at -20F here in northern Indiana. I started my car to warm it up. Made it all the way back to my front door when the car stopped running. Just like everyone else here, the engine blew due to sludge oil. This is a long standing problem with Chrysler V6's and its a dam shame Chrysler wont own up to their own problem. I b**d and yelled so hard at the dealership I was literally escorted out by local police from Gurley Leep Dodge in South Bend. I was also told I had 2 days to get my car off the lot before I would be charged storage fee's. I couldn't believe at the lengths they will go to screw the consumer. Dodge knew this was a problem. Yet its always "Negligence" on the owners part. Since I change my own oil and figured this car was new enough that I didn't need receipts to show that I bought oil and filters that I would be ok if since I had the "Warranty". Even if I had the receipts it wouldn't have mattered. Its sad in this day n age b/c there is no customer service anymore anywhere you go, and do they ever stop and think why the big auto companies are going under? Thats right Daimler/Chrysler Ford and GM we are done buying your junk and you bullshit warranties. Good luck and go * yourself.
Well, just out of nowhere pulling into the parking space at the grocery store my 06 Stratus died. Coming out to start it, it wouldn't even turn over. I had the battery checked then pulled the starter thinking it was bad. No such luck. The engine is locked up tight! I have only had this car for 8 months now and I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL REGULARLY. There is no reason, except for poor design, for an engine to seize up with only 39003 miles on it.
Now I really don't know what to do about it. Do a quick fix on it and then get rid of it as soon as I can? Send it back and just take a hit on it? I am far from rich and can"t afford to spend much to fix it. I am currently driving my dependable 83 chevy truck. Not a fancy drive but it gets me where I need to go for the time being.
I bought this car because I thought it would last a while. I should have known not to buy a Dodge. Never will I do that again.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The mechanic told me that the engine needs to be replaced. sludge on the pick up tube clocked the screen and the engine seized. always had the oil and filter changed every 3000 miles. never herd of having to drop the pan and clean a pick up tube when doing a routine oil change. Owned lots of cars in the 30 years I been driving and never experience this.Car has been sitting in my driveway for over a year and i still have to make payments every month. don't have the money for a new engine. thanks Dodge. I will never ever buy a Dodge again. Piece of crap engine.
- Michael S., Prospect Park, PA, US