Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

1998 Dodge Stratus

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

7
Open recalls
272
NHTSA complaints
2
Defect investigations
79
Service bulletins

NCAP safety

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated

Consumer complaints

272 filed
25
Crashes
17
Fires
18
Injuries reported
0
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE
    77
  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
    20
  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC Limited Slip
    14
  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION Components
    13
  • Engine AND Engine Cooling
    13
  • AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
    13
  • Unknown OR Other
    10
  • Power TRAIN:AUTOMATIC Transmission
    9

Recalls

7 campaigns
10E059000·SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM2010-12-27

FEDERAL-MOGUL IS RECALLING CERTAIN REPLACEMENT CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES, PART NUMBERS K7425, 10945, FA4510X, K7427, 10946, AND FA4611X, SOLD FOR USE ON VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE BALL JOINT ON THE CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY CAN FAIL CAUSING THE BALL STUD TO WEAR THROUGH THE CONTROL ARM HOUSING RESULTING IN NOISE AND/OR SEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE HOUSING.

RiskIF THERE IS A SEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE HOUSING, THE DRIVER CAN LOOSE STEERING CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

FixFEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE AFFECTED CONTROL ARMS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 28, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 1-877-489-6659.

09E056000·SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT2009-10-09

QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE IS RECALLING CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BALL JOINTS SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SOCKET MAY HAVE BEEN EXCESSIVELY HARDENED WHICH COULD CAUSE IT TO CRACK NEAR THE RETAINING RING GROOVE ALLOWING THE BALL STUD TO SEPARATE UNDER IMPACT LOAD. THE SUBJECT BALL JOINTS WERE SOLD AS FOUR PART NUMBERS, D10945, D10946, G10945, AND G10946. THE AFFECTED CONTROL ARMS, D10945 AND D10946, ARE STAMPED WITH THE FOLLOWING DATES ON THE BALL JOINTS: 134308, 135708, 100109, 102709, 104109, 105509, 107609, 108909, 110309, 113209, AND 116609. THE G10945 AND G10946 ARE THE SAME PART AS THE D10945 AND D10946 RESPECTIVELY. THEY ARE LABELED DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING ON THE AFTERMARKET CUSTOMER.

RiskSEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE SOCKET OF THE BALL JOINT HOUSING WOULD ALLOW THE CONTROL ARM TO COLLAPSE AND THE WHEEL TO FOLD IN CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

FixQUALIS AUTOMOTIVE WILL REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 9, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE AT 1-800-493-4128.

09E043000·EQUIPMENT2009-07-07

IMPORT PRODUCTS IS RECALLING 30,351 FUEL FILTERS SOLD TO AND BRANDED BY THE AFFINIA GROUP AS CARQUEST P/N 86523, NAPA P/N 3523, AND WIX P/N 33523 FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THESE FILTERS MAY DEVELOP A LEAK IN THE HOSE ASSEMBLY AND/OR CONNECTORS DUE TO IMPROPERLY ADHERED LINE CONNECTORS.

RiskTHIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

FixTHE AFFINIA GROUP WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE FILTERS WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WIX FILTER RETURN CENTER AT 1-704-869-7411 OR IMPORT PRODUCTS AT 1-508-279-8207.

06E088000·FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP2006-10-23

CERTAIN TIGAS FUEL PUMP MODULES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JUNE 1 AND SEPTEMBER 24, 2006, SOLD UNDER VARIOUS BRAND NAMES AND P/NOS. THESE FUEL PUMP MODULES ARE SOLD AS AFTERMARKET FOR USE IN CERTAIN DAIMLERCHRYSLER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SILICONE MATERIAL USED IN MANUFACTURE OF THE FLAPPER VALVE WAS OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION, LEADING TO EXCESS SWELL OF THE FLAPPER VALVE RESTRICTING THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE FUEL PUMP MODULE.

RiskFUEL RESTRICTION COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER AND/OR ENGINE STALL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

FixTI AUTOMOTIVE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP MODULES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TI AUTOMOTIVE TOLL-FREE AT 1-877-461-1834.

04V021000·POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT2004-01-13

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK MAY FAIL AND ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITH THE KEY REMOVED. AN INOPERATIVE INTERLOCK MAY ALSO ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFTER HAS NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION.

RiskEITHER CIRCUMSTANCE MAY RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AWAY WITHOUT WARNING.

FixDEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOAD-LIMITING PUSH ROD INTO THE FLOOR SHIFTER LEVER OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 14, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

99V244000·SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1999-09-15

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE TUBE CAN CONTACT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP AND WEAR A HOLE IN IT.

RiskDAIMLERCHRYSLER RECALL NO. 843. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE TUBE COULD LEAK, REDUCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE-HALF OF THE DIAGONALLY SPLIT BRAKING SYSTEM, AND RESULTING IN LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES.

FixDEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE TUBES FOR VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP. IF THE TUBE SHOWS EVIDENCE OF CONTACT, IT WILL BE REPLACED. IF NO EVIDENCE OF CONTACT EXISTS, THE TUBE WILL BE FASTENED WITH A CLIP.

98V183000·POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH1998-08-06

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE CABLE CONNECTING THE CONSOLE SHIFTER MECHANISM TO THE IGNITION KEY CAN CAUSE A TRAPPED KEY CONDITION WHICH CAN RESULT IN A LOW FORCE REQUIRED TO DEPRESS THE SHIFT BUTTON. A COMBINATION OF APPLYING A MIS-ADJUSTED RELEASE BUTTON WITH A LOW FORCE ATTEMPT TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK WITH THE KEY IN THE LOCKED POSITION, CAN BREAK THE CONNECTING PIN IN THE SHIFTER.

RiskIF THIS HAPPENS, THE "IGNITION-PARK" INTERLOCK SYSTEM WILL BE NONFUNCTIONAL.

FixDEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM. ANY VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL AFTER THE INSPECTION WILL HAVE THE SHIFT MECHANISM AND CABLE REPLACED WITH A "SELF-ADJUSTING" DESIGN.

NHTSA investigations

3 actions
EA03011·POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT2003-07-17 → 2004-01-30

AUTO TRANS IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK

Led to recall04V021000

EA03011·POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2003-07-17 → 2004-01-30

AUTO TRANS IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK

Led to recall04V021000

PE02082·SEAT BELTS2002-11-06 → 2003-04-23

SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATE

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