NHTSA Complaint #717581 — 1996 DODGE STRATUS

OIL LEAK FROM CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA AND REAR CAMSHAFT SENSOR SEAL WAS DETECTED. I AM LODGING A COMPLAINT BECAUSE UPON SEARCHING COMPLAINTS SITE OF NTSA, I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE MORE THAN JUST A FEW COMPLAINTS. I ORIGINALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP OTHER THAN A DODGE DEALER AND WAS TOLD AT THAT TIME THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET IS "COMMON" AMONG THE STRATUS. MY SEARCH ON THE INTERNET CONFIRMED THE STATEMENT. I JUST PAID OVER $1000 IN REPAIR BILLS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL OF 1996 STRATUSES DUE TO A SIMILAR PROBLEM BEFORE MY CAR WAS MADE. WAS THE PROBLEM REALLY SOLVED WITH THE EARLIER MANUFACTURED DATES? MY FEAR IS THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL COME UP AGAIN IN AN "UNSAFE SITUATION" AND THE LIVES OF MY CHILDREN AND MYSELF WILL BE JEOPARDIZED. THIS COMPLAINT MAY BE TAKEN LIGHTLY BY THE MANUFACTURER BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET TROUBLES ME A LOT BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HOPE THEY ARE NOT WAITING FOR ANOTHER DISASTER SIMILAR TO "FORD AND THE PINTO" BEFORE THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK