1996 DODGE STRATUS Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAK, OIL WENT INTO COOLENT SYSTEM CAUSES DEFECTS IN SYSTEM. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAD DEVELOPED A CRACK & WAS LEAKING FLUIDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC & THE HEAD GASKET WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED. CHECKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH WAS NEXT TO FIREWALL. THE FUMES WOULD ENTER THE VENTS & THE HEATER. THE OIL LEAKING FROM HEAD GASKET BLEW ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE, CAUSING FUMES. CHRYSLER CONTACTED & SHIPPED NEW HEAD GASKETS. *AK *ML

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING OIL TO LEAK ON ENGINE. LEAK WAS SEVERE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED FIRE. MECHANIC SAID THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL FAILURE WITH THESE ENGINES. COST TO REPAIR IS $500+. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING NOTICED OIL LEAKS. TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND WAS INFORMED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

THIS ENGINE LEAKS 2 TO 3 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK AT HEAD GASKET, AND HAS SINCE LAST OCTOBER (1999). *AK

HAD PROBLEM WITH TIMING BELT WHEN FIRST PURCHASED. NOW HAVING PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKET LEAKAGE AND STALLING OF VEHICLE IN OPERATION. JUST PAID 790.42 FOR HEAD GASKET REPAIR ON APRIL 11, 2000 NAD WORK IS STILL NOT SOLVING PROBLEM. IT STALLED ON ME 3 TIMES IN TRAFFIC AND STILL LEAKS OIL. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE PLACED OR VEHICLE REPLACED. IM SICK TO MY STOMACH OVER THIS AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER OR DODGE AUTOMOBILE AGAIN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THROUGH LASSEN COUNTY PARK IN CALIFORNIA, THE HEAD GASKET BLEW INTERNALLY AND I LOST ALL POWER, ULTIMATELY THE VEHICLE SEIZED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FAILED TO GIVE ME ANY NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE, MY FIRST NOTICE WAS THE VECHILE ACTUALLY LOSING ALL POWER. DURING THE INITIAL SEIZE UP, A FULL SIZE CHEVY PICK UP WAS BEHIND ME AND QUICKLY CAME UP ON ME AS I QUICKLY LOST POWER AND SLOWED DOWN. I ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CHEVY WAS INCHES FROM HITTING MY LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL. (AT THIS MOMENT I WAS TERRIFIED, I'VE NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE PROBLEM!). AFTER I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC SHOP, I WAS TOLD THAT DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET BLOWING INTERALLY IT CAUSED THE RODBEARINGS TO SPIN. I ULTIMATELY HAD TO...

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK

THE CAR WAS LEAKING OIL SO I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD THE HEAD GASKET WAS 'PUMPING OIL' AND THE ESTIMATE TO FIX IT WAS $600. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME TO CHECK WITH CHRYSLER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ME, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE. I DECIDED TO SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FOUND NUMEROUS EXAMPLES FOR THE SAME TYPE OF CAR. I FEEL THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF MASS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR AUTOMOBILES. *AK

I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR ONE YEAR AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT FOR A 1996 DODGE STRATUS I HAVE ALREADY HAD A HEAD GASKET ($600.00) AND A TRANSMISSION REPLACED. NEED HELP WITH ANY RECALLS ON THESE. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR COOPERATION. *AK

THE VALVE COVER GASKET HAS DEVELOPED A SEVERE LEAK. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. *AK

HEAD GASKET PROBLEM

OVERHEAD GASKET FAILED AGAIN,I WAS TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM AND BEEN FIXED,BUT WHILE CHECKING MY OIL LEVEL NOTICED THAT THE DIP STICK WAS BONE DRY,AND THAT OIL HAD BEEN LEAKING FROM THE HEAD GASKET,THIS IS THE SECOND TIME SO I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED,WELL I'M HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

TIMING BELT TENSIONER AND IDLER PULLEY FAILED. *MJS

THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED TWICE WITHIN 44,000 MILES. LEAKED OIL REPRESENTED A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD. POTENTIAL FATAL HAZARD IF OIL/WATER IS GONE AND THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 35MPH AND HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. PULLED OVER, CHECKED OIL, NOTHING SHOWED ON THE DIP STICK, AND IT WAS ONLY ENOUGH FOR THE OIL FILTER. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHARGES. CONSUMER PICKED IT UP THE NEXT DAY. DEALER TOLD HER THERE WAS A KNOCKING IN THE VEHICLE. HAD TO REPLACE HEAD GASKETS, AND PUT NEW MOTOR IN. MANUFACTURER AGREED TO GO HALF & HALF ON MOTOR. *ML

RECALL 96V006, ENGINE HEAD GASKET. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. THERE WAS A RECALL, AND DEALER DID FIX THE PROBLEM AT MANSSAS CHRYSLER JEEP, 8100 CENTERVILLE ROAD, MANSSAS, VA 703-368-5300, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE LEAKING OIL WHILE TRAVELING. HAS TO REPLACE 1-2 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AFTER SEEING OIL UNDER THE VEHICLE, VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A MECHANIC. MECHANIC STATED THAT THE LEAKAGE WAS DUE TO THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETFAILURE. ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

VEHICLE LEAKING OIL. HAD TO REPLACE OIL 1-2 TIMES A WEEK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FRUTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THERE IS AN OIL LEAK AT THE CYLINDER HEAD AND OIL GALLEY PLUG, CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD. ALSO, THERE IS RECALL 96V006000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 671. BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, PARTS HAS YET TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

SHIFTER CABLES STRETCHED, ADVISED IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALL. HEADGASKET IS ALSO A COMMON FAILURE IN THIS VEHICLE BUT STILL NO RECALL/WITH A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD

MAJOR OIL LEAK ON THE DRIVER SIDE NEAR THE FIREWALL. DEALER DIAGNOSED A HEAD GASKET FAILURE, ALLOWING OIL TO PUMP OUT OF THE ENGINE NEAR THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. RECOMMENDED FIXING TO AVOID FIRE, BUT WOULD NOT OFFER ANY HELP. REVIEWED UP TO CUSTOMER REL. MGR. AT ZONE OFFICE, SAID DUE TO MILEAGE, NO ASSISTANCE WOULD BE OFFERED. THIS SEEMS TOO LOW A MILEAGE FOR THE ENGINE TO BE SELF DESTRUCTING WHEN OTHER BRANDS RUN 200K AND MORE MILES WITH NO TROUBLE. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW AT 40,000 MILES, CAUSING LOSS OF OIL.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

PREMATURE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING RESULTED IN BEING STRANDED ON CAPITOL BELTWAY. REPLACEMENT PERIOD IS 100,000 MILES. ACTUAL FAILURE AT 45000. FAILURE CAUSE REPORTED MECHANICAL WITH TENSIONER BEARINGS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL FROM THE SIDES. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK *ML

NOTICED A POOL OF OIL IN THE DRIVEWAY. LEAKING 3 QUARTS OF OIL EVERY TWO DAYS COMING FROM THE BACK SIDE OF THE MOTOR. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A FAULTY PLUG. *AK

VEHCLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 96V00600, THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL GALLEY PLUG DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY, AND THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL IS NOT ADEQUATELY RETAINED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

MAJOR OIL LEAK IS COMING FROM CYLINDER HEAD GASKET, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

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...

VEHICLE PARKED. LEFT VEHICLE & FEW MINUTES. LATER WAS INFORMED VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. CONTACTED FIRE & POLICE DEPARTMENTS WHO REFUSED TO COME OUT, INDICATING VEHICLE WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. PRIOR TO FIRE, VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED FOR LEAKAGE IN "O" RINGS WHICH WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE'S ENGINE WAS CLEANED. OIL PROCEEDED TO LEAK AGAIN. THERE WAS A RECALL #96V006000. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, LEAKS OIL. *AK

I NOTICED A LEAK, THOUGHT IT WAS THE VALVE COVER, BUT WAS TIPPED OFF THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE CAM SENSOR. BUT FOUND OUT THAT IT IS THE HEAD GASKET. *AK

OIL LEAKS MAY START FIRE. BLOWN HEAD GASKETS COMMON ON STRATUS AND NEON MODELS DUE TO DEFECTIVE GASKET MATERIAL USED DURING MANUFACTURE OF ENGINE. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED TWICE IN 40K MILES. FEAR FIRE MAY START. *AK

ENGIN EHEAD GASKET LEAKS. *AK

WE HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE HEAD GASKET CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAY CHRYSLER AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE NEON HAS BEEN RECALLED, BUT NOT THE STRATUS ALTHOUGHTHEY HAVE THE SAME ENGINE PLUS THE GASKET ONLY LEAKS WHEN COLD WHEN CAR WARMS UP. ALSO, ENGINE SEALS ARE A PROBLEM HERE, AND WE KEEP RUNNING INTO DEAD ENDS. *AK

DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET AT 58,000 MILE, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVE HEAT DUE TO WATER/COOLANT LEAKAGES. *AK

ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL GALLEY PLUG DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL # 96V006000 CHRYSLER/ENGINE, AND COULD NOT BE SERVICED FREE OF CHARGE. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER LAST MONTH REGARDING THE LEAKING ENGINE HEAD GASKET ON OUR 1996 DODGE STRATUS WITH 57003 MILES. WE WERE TOLD THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS REPORTED ABOUT LEAKING HEAD GASKETS. BUT, TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY MAY OR MAY NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US IT WOULD COST $100 OR SO TO JUST CHECK IT OUT. EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET. BECAUSE OF OUR FINANICIAL STATUS, WE CHOSE TO APPLY THE $100 TO OUR MECHANIC TO ACTUALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. IT TOOK THE MEHCANIC 3 WEEKS TO GET THE PART BECAUSE IT WAS ON BACK ORDER. IMAGINE THAT, NO PROBLEMS REPORTED AND STILL THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. IT TOOK 3 DAYS TO FIX. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US THAT HE TALKED TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AT THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. HE SAID THEY WERE REPLACING ABOUT 2 A WEEK. ALSO THAT CHRYSLER...

VEHICLE HAS UNDERGONE EVERY RECALL, CONSUMER PAID COST OF FAILED ENGINE HEAD GASKET, ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO IMPROPER TIMING BELT INSTALLATION. CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AT 50MPH ON INTERSTATE, TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, PULLED OFF TO SHOULDER, TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO PARK TRANSMISSION BLEW UP AND CAR LOCKED UP. PREGNANT PASSSENGER SUFFERED WIPLASH ETC. DODGE CONDUCTED INVESTIGATION (# 5804935) STATED THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE. NOTE: INCIDENT OCCURED DAYS BEFORE NOTIFICATION OF SHIFTER RECALL. LETTER SENT BY DODGE STATING THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS, REFUSES TO RELEASE FULL REPORT CLAIMING PROPRIATORY INFO. CONSUMER AGAIN HAD TO PAY FOR FULL COST OF REPAIR, NEW TRANS. $ 1,700. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING ENGINE OIL LEAKAGE. MJS

ENGINE SENDS OUT LIGHT SMOKE DUE TO A LIGHT SMOKE. THIS SMOKE HAS RADIATOR FLUID IN IT, COULD BE DANGEROUS IF INHALED TOO LONG. DEALER CHARGED CONSUMER TO LOOK AT ENGINE. THEN THEY SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET ON LOTS OF STRATUS/CIRRUS/BREEZE HAS BEEN LEAKING. I WAS TOLD BY 4 MECHANICS THAT THEY HAVE HAD LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS. I HOPE BY TELING YOU THIS IT WILL MAKE CHRYSLER PAY FOR MY REPAIR AND ALSO OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I HOPE YOUR INTENT IS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE AND HAPPY WITH THERE MAJOR PURCHASES. THE SECOND LARGEST INVESTMENT FOR MOST PEOPLE. THANK YOU .

PARKED IN GARAGE NOTICED MASSIVE OIL LEAKS. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL MECHANIC. HE DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT THE MATERIAL THE GASKET WAS MADE FROM WARPED AND IT POPPED THE HEAD GASKET. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL DUE TO A BLOWN OUT HEAD GASKET. DEALER SAID ENGINE HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

DEALER WAS CONTACTED MULTIPLE TIMES DURING WARRANTY OF OIL USAGE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AWARE OF HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WITH THESE 2.4L ENGINES THEY DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. HEAD GASKET IS NOW LEAKING OIL ALL OVER THE PLACE. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL WITH THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS THEY ARE HAVING INCLUDING THE FIRE POTENTIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

THERE IS AN OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. ALSO, ENGINE BLOCK IS LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. WHEN DRIVING THE OIL IS BLOWING ALL OVER THE PLACE. *AK