NHTSA Complaint #746179 — 1996 DODGE STRATUS

IN OCT 1999, HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT 35900 MILES. WENT BACK 2 WEEKS LATER COMPLAINING OF OIL STILL LEAKING ON MY DRIVEWAY. THEY TIGHTENED ONE VALVE COVER BOLT WHICH WAS LOOSE. IN FEBRUARY, 2000, WITH 39500 MILES, COMPLAINING THAT THE VEHICLE STILL HAS AN OIL LEAK. THEY USED AN ENGINE DYE TO TRY TO DETECT SOURCE OF LEAK. THEY TEST DROVE THE CAR, LET IT RUN FOR A FEW HOURS, AND COULD NOT DETECT ANY LEAKS. SO I LIVED WITH SLIGHT OIL LEAKS, WHICH RECENTLY GOT WORSE, BUT DID NOT NOTICE IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE MY DRIVEWAY IS LOADED WITH SPOTS. WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. CONSTRUCTION BARRIERS WERE LINED UP ALONGSIDE THE EXPRESSWAY. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE BECAUSE OF THESE BARRIERS. THIS PRESENTED A REAL HAZARD. I FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT FOR A RECALL OF DODGE STRATUS 1995-1998 HEAD GASKETS TO BE IMPLEMENTED. (AS WELL AS OTHER MODELS WHICH USE THIS SAME TYPE OF HEAD GASKET.) HEAD GASKETS SHOULD BE GOOD FOR AT LEAST THE TYPICAL LIFE OF A CAR. THAT IS A VERY COSTLY ITEM. IT ALREADY HAS HAPPENED TWICE, AND I ONLY HAVE 50000 MILES ON MY CAR. I KNOW I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE IN MY LIFETIME. MY DEALER HAS GIVEN ME HORRIBLE SERVICE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IT WAS NEVER A PLEASURE TO GET MY CAR SERVICED. *AK