2004 Dodge Stratus
The Verdict
The 2004 Dodge Stratus has 144 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (61 complaints) and engine (37 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 65/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Dodge Stratus, consider the 2005 model year which has 56% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2005 has 56% fewer complaints
View the 2005 Dodge Stratus dashboard →
Klunk Score: Solid Pick
Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
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Worst Problems
Complaints
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Stratus. The contact stated while reversing, the passenger's side front wheel detached. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall repair with similar failure; however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,334.
Fuel pump went out and in order for me to replace the fuel pump you have drop the tank. I could not get the intake hose off or the smaller fuel line along side it off. And there very little room to work with to get it off. And I have purchased the vehicle a little over a year ago and was not told about any recalls on this vehicle
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Stratus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made abnormal sounds and then lost motive power. Additionally, the front passenger's side ball stud separated from the ball joint housing, and the front passenger's side tire was stuck on the fender, preventing the engine from falling onto the ground. The failure almost caused a collision. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. While the vehicle was being placed on the flatbed tow truck, the oil filter fractured and detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
2.7 liter engine should be recalled and replaced because? 1. The internal water pump which have been known to wear out prematurely and destroy the engine regardless how well the owner maintains vehicle. 2. Subframe and rear suspension crossmember should be replace due to rotting out prematurely. 3 Gloss on paint prone to pealing.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WERE UNKNOWN RATTLING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE WHEELS WERE WOBBLING AS IF THEY WERE GOING TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BALL JOINTS ON THE CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY WERE FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RELATED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10E059000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,508.
I HAVE NOTICED WHEN I AM TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT THERE APPEARS TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A LACK OF CONTROL AND LOOSENING OF THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE AS I AM DRIVING. ALSO, THE SUSPENSION ON MY VEHICLE HAS BECOME MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED NEGATIVELY.
WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 5MPH, MY FRONT RIGHT WHEEL COLLAPSED CAUSING COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL AND CONTROL ARM IN TURN CAUSING MY AXLE TO COME OUT FROM THE TRANSMISSION AT THE CV JOINT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS BALL JOINT ISSUE BUT NOT FOR MY VIN SPECIFICALLY.
AS I AM TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING OR IDLE THE STEERING IS MAKING A SQUEAKING/CREAKING NOISE I BELIEVE IT HAS TO DO WITH RECALL: 10E059000 FRONT CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM
DRIVING ON A 35 MPH ROAD GOING ACROSS THE CROSS ROAD GOT HIT BY A TRUCK DOING ABOUT 70 MPH. HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BUMPER TO THE BACK EDGE TRUCK F THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. PUT INTO A SPIN THEN WAS HIT IN THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE AND BUMPER. NO AIR BAGS CAME OUT WITH MASSIVE TRAUMA TO BOTH MYSELF AS DRIVER AND MY PASSENGER. POLICE, AMBULANCE AND DOCTORS ASKED WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT EXPAND. IF THE AIR BAGS WOULD OF WORKED LESS INJURIES WOULD OF HAPPENED. WE HAD JUST STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND PROCEEDED TO CROSS THE ROAD AT LIKE ABOUT 15 MPH WHEN HIT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OVER A BUMP, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL PRESSURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 34782223. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.
THE BALL JOINT ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY SEPARATED CAUSING THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL TO TURN TO THE RIGHT AND PREVENTING THE DRIVER FROM BEING ABLE TO STEER THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHEN IT HAPPENED. THIS IS SIMILAR TO NHTSA RECALL #10E059000 AND #09E056000. I THINK THE CONTROL ARM WAS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY PART. I'LL ATTACH PICTURES WITH THE PART NUMBER.
CAR HAS SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND ON CITY STREET. SOMETIMES THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP AND BE HARD TO TURN. SOMETIMES SPEEDOMETER WILL STOP WORKING CORRECTLY. CAR WILL SHUT DOWN.
LATELY WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THEN A COUPLE MINUTES AFTER IT COMES ON THE STEERING WILL LOCK UP. IT HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN BUT THEN THE SPEEDOMETER WOULDN'T WORK. AFTER THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS FIXED BUT NOW WHENEVER IT MALFUNCTIONS THE CAR SHUTS OFF ON ITS OWN AND WILL NOT START AGAIN UNTIL ITS BEEN SITTING UNTOUCHED FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN TOWN (25 MPH) AND ON ROADS UP TO 55 MPHS.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND I PARKED AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE. ME AND HIM WERE TALKING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF. NO ONE WAS TOUCHING THE CAR AND I WAS NOT TOUCHING THE STEERING WHEEL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TRIGGERED THE AIRBAG TO GO OFF. AND I'M GLAD I WASN'T ON THE ROAD WHEN IT HAPPENED.
LOWER LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION ARM BALL JOINT BROKEN. THE OUTER BEARING CARRIER, FELL AWAY FROM THE SUSPENSION ARM, PULLING THE HALF SHAFT OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION, AND THE WHEEL/TIRE ASSEMBLY JAMMED UP IN THE WHEEL WELL WITH A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION JUST FOLLOWING A TURN, IN A PARKING AREA.
CAR LOST POWER. NO ACCELERATOR OR POWER IN TRAFFIC.09/01/16 WAS LAST TIME.. DOES THIS QUITE OFTEN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V338000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURES HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 07E023000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND 10E059000 (SUSPENSION) WERE ISSUED FOR THESE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. *TR
CAR IS LEAKING FUEL
I WENT TO VISIT SON AND YES I TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE TO HAVE IT CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. SO I MADE IT TO MY SONS HOME THEN I HAVE TO MAKE A RUN TO THE STORE AS I GOT BACK ON THE HIGHWAY TO DRIVE A GUY STARTS TO FLAG ME DOWN AND SAID THERE WAS SPARKS UNDER MY CAR AN SOON AS I PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE WHOLE FRONT PART OF MY CAR CAUGHT A FIRE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED CAR WAS TOWED. THEY SAY ITS NOTHING THEY CAN DO EVEN THROUGH IT IS A RECALL ON THE CAR FOR THAT REASON,NO ONE WILL RETURN MY CALLS FROM THE COMPANY.
144 total