2000 DODGE STRATUS Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

MY SON DROVE MY CAR A SHORT DISTANCE AND PARKED IT AT A RESTAURANT. HE WAS INFORMED WITHIN MINUTES THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND THE FIRE DEPT. EXTINQUISHED AN ENGINE COMPATMENT FIRE. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. HAPPENED IN AKRON OHIO APPROX. NOV. 2011. *TR

AFTER DRIVING MY CAR A FRIEND WENT OUTSIDE AND SEEN SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD.SHE CALLED ME AND I RAN TO THE CAR AND I SEEN FIRE UNDER THE FRONT WHEEL'S. FRIENDS SPRAYED WATER ON THE HOOD AND I OPENED IT UP A LITTLE AND THEY SPRAYED THE FIRE AND PUT IT OUT. BY THIS TIME THE TOP OF THE MOTOR WAS BURNT BAD. EVERYTHING ON TOP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, IT WAS CAUSED BY THE HIGH PRESSURE HOSE ON THE POWERSTEERING. I FOUND OUT THAT IT HAD A RECALL ON THE HOSE SO I CALLED DODGE CORP. AND THEY GAVE ME A CASE # AND TO TAKE IT TO MY DEALER SO I DID. THEN THE CORP. OFFICE CALLED ME TODAY AND SAID IT'S BEEN TO LONG THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BY THE LAST OWNER AND HUNG UP. I BOUGHT THIS CAR OCT.14 OF THIS YEAR...

I OWNED UNTIL LAST NIGHT A 2000 DODGE STRATUS, WELL NOW I AM ANOTHER FIRE VICTIM I GUESS. CAR WAS PARKED HAD IGNITION IN THE AUX POSITION TO LISTEN TO MUSIC WHILE I WAS CLEANING UP OUR STORAGE AREA. GOT INTO CAR TO START IT UP AND BOOM. FIRST HEARD A POP FOLLOWED BY IMMEDIATE ENGULFING FIRE UNDER HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHOLE THING BURNT TO THE GROUND IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES. I HAVE PICTURES IF YOU NEED THEM. THANKS TERRI *TR

AFTER AN ABRUPT STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKING ABILITY WAS SEVERELY IMPAIRED. I WENT HOME IMMEDIATELY FEARING FOR MY SAFETY. AFTER AN INSPECTION UNDER THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT A LARGE AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID IN MY DRIVEWAY. LOOKING MORE CLOSELY I FOUND THE LEAK IN THE BRAKE LINE. IT APPEARS THAT THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE HAD WORN A SPOT ON THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE. THIS COMBINED WITH CORROSION HAD CAUSED THE LINE TO RUPTURE. IT LOOKS AS IF THE FACTORY WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THERE WAS A SOFT 3" PIECE OF FOAM RUBBER TUBING OVER THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE WHERE IT CONTACTED THE HYDRAULIC LINE. THIS FOAM RUBBER MAY HAVE ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE CORROSION BY TRAPPING WATER BETWEEN IT AND THE STEEL BRAKE LINE. JUDGING BY THE AMOUNT OF RUST STUCK TO THE FOAM RUBBER I WOULD SAY THIS IS A FAIR ASSESSMENT....

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE IGNITION IN THE ON POSITION AND PLAYING THE RADIO WHEN SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED , AND THEY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WA SINOPERABLE AND THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT INFORMED HER THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY FAULTY WIRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 2006 THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A LEAK UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT COULDN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY SAID WAS LEAKING NOR DID SHE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED A RECALL 06V001000. *AK UPDATED 02/22/07. *JB

2000 DODGE STRATUS ENGINE FAILURE LOSS OF OIL TO LIFTERS DUE TO TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER LOOSING OIL FROM MACHINING "FLASH" FROM MANUFACTURER OF ENGINE. *JB

I HAVE MY AUTOMOBILE ROUTINELY MAINTAINED, EVERY 6-8 MONTHS, (OIL, TUNE UP,...)OIL SLUDGE BAKING IN ENGINE BLOCK-CYLINDER AT 50,000 AND AGAIN 114000. CORROSION BUILD UP & GUNK IN CYLINDER BLOCK, COILS & SPARK PLUG CORROSION CAUSING BAD-STRONG ORDER IN AUTOMOBILE AND SPUTTERING, POOR EMISSION. TRANSMISSION SLIPS FROM TIME TO TIME AT 25,000 AND NOW AGAIN AT 114000, WITH LEAKS WHICH WE CAN SMELL VERY STRONG IN AUTOMOBILE. EXCESSIVE BRAKE LOCKAGE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BREAK IN NORMAL-AVERAGE SPEED OF 25 MILES. CONSTANTLY HAVING TO HAVE THE BREAKS REPAIR ALTHOUGH I HAVE LIFE WARRANTY ON BREAKS. REPAIRER STATES ITS THE AUTOMOBILE. SAFETY BELT DOES NOT ALWAYS LATCH PROPERLY AND HAS UNLATCHED ALL BY ITSELF WHILE IM DRIVING WITH MY SON, (6 YRS OLD). DRIVERS BELT ALSO UNLATCHES FROM TIME TO TIME. WHILE DRIVING I NOTICE THE CAR TENS TO SWAY TO THE RIGHT. I HAVE HAD THIS AUTO ALIGNED AS WELL AS,...