1997 Dodge Stratus engine and engine cooling problems

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL. SHE NOTICED OIL LEAKING AFTER THE CRASH. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT A NEW HEAD GASKET WAS NEEDED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 81,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLS. AFTER STALLING, THE VEHICLE RESTARTS FOLLOWING AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SEEN BY A DEALER AND MULTIPLE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE STALLING PROBLEM. THE REAR FREEZE PLUG WAS LEAKING. UPDATED 03/09/06. *JB”

“DT: THE VEHICLE IS A 1997 DODGE STRATUS. AT 27,000 THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE CUT OFF. WHEN THE CONSUMER HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE TIMING BELT AND PULLEYS. AT 39,000 THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. WHEN IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN, THEY FOUND THAT ONE COIL WAS SHORTED, THE PCM WAS BAD, THE TIMING BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE MODULE, THE RELAY, AND THE PLUG WIRE. THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. LATER AT 62,000 MILES IT WAS LEAKING OIL AND WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WERE THE TIMING BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED A THIRD TIME, THE HEAD GASKET AND PACKAGE, THE PLUG AND PLUG WIRES, AND THE SPARK PLUGS WERE ALSO REPLACED. CURRENTLY AT 89,000 THE TIMING BELT AND HEAD GASKET NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE IS OVER HEATING AND WILL NOT START. THIS CAUSED THE HEATER CORE TO GO OUT. THE CLUSTER HAS GONE OUT; THE WHOLE LIGHTING SYSTEM COMES ON AND GOES OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THESE CURRENT PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF NOW. THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN A RECALL FOR THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND FOR THE FLOOR SHIFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMOBILE…”

“WHILE HAVING THE HEATER CORE REPAIRED DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM AND ONTO THE GROUND. THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND THERE WERE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THIS ISSUE. *AK”

“WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER FORE INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK”

“WHITE SMOKE AND WATER COMING OUT OF TAILPIPE. MORE THAN LIKELY BLOWN HEAD GASKET.SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEMS FOR THESE CARS.DODGE SAYS ITS NOT ON RECALL BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE!!!!!!*AK”