Problems · by component

1999 Dodge Stratus power train problems

39 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Dodge Stratus cite power train, 13% of all 298 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
39
13% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I GOT THIS NEXT SITE TO DO AGAIN EMAIL. CLAIM #11301605 AND FOLLOWING UP AS TO YOUR NEXT STEP. 3 RECALLS THE DODGE CUSTOMER CARE PEOPLE DONT WANT TO DO OR HELP ME FIX OR CONCLUDE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2020Steering, Power train, Service brakesODI 11302472
“I BOUGHT A CAR IN JAN 2020 WHICH HAS BEEN SITTING A FEW/COUPLE YEARS AND I FOUND 3 RECALLS ON IT. 1999 DODGE STRATUS 2.4. I EMAILED U S CUSTOMER CARE/ DODGE CUSTOMER CARE AND GOT MAIL BACK STATING YES ON 3 RECALLS AND A DEALER IN RENO NV TO CALL. I CALLED AND SERVICE AND PARTS DEPT SAID YES ON RECALLS. BRING IT IN TO CHECK AND ADVISE TO FIX. GOT MUTIL MAILS FROM CUSTOMER CARE STATING THEY HAD CAR UNDER LAST OWNER AND I TOLD THEM I WAS NEW OWNER. NEXT MAIL WAS, CLAIM/S ARE CLOSED. I ASKED WHY NOW 3 TIMES AND NO ANSWER EXCEPT A TAKE SURVEY. NO SERVICE OR REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE ON THIS CAR OTHER THEN TO FIND OUT THERE WAS 3 RECALLS AND NOW CUSTOMER CARE DOESNT WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO FIX THIS CAR. I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW ONE DAY THERE IS AND THE NEXT DAY CLAIM CLOSED. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS I AM A NEW OWNER. ONE RECALL IS FOR A FIX POWER STEERING HOSE SO CAR WONT CATCH FIRE. I AM HAVE GOT NOWHERE WITH ALL MY TRIES TO GET CAR RECALLS FIXED. ACCORDING TO WEB SITES THE 3 RECALLS ARE LISTED AS INCOMPLETE STILL TO DATE. MEANING NOT TAKEN CARE OF TO MY UNDERSTANDING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2020Steering, Power train, Service brakesODI 11301605
“WITH NO RYME OR RYTHEM, THE WINSHEILD WIPERS FAIL TO TURN ON, POWER LOCKS FAIL TO WORK AND TURN SYGNALS FAIL. ENGINE STALLS AND WILL NOT RESTART WHILE IN TRAFFIC FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS. THESE CONDITIONS HAPPEN WHILE ON THE ROADWAY AND WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR , LOSS OF IGNITION, WINSHEILD WIPERS OR TURN SYGNALS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 14, 2011Power train, Exterior lighting, VisibilityODI 10391528
“4 YEAR OLD CHILD IN CAR RAN TO GET KEYS DIDN'T KNOW WAS IN SWITCH. CHILD TURNED KEY ON DID NOT START. BUMPED SHIFTER RAN OVER BANK IN TO HIGHWAY OVER ANOTHER BANK. CHILD WAS VERY LUCKY HAD MASHED THUMB. CAR WAS NOT FIXABLE. OWNER MANUAL STATES YOU MOST APPLY BRAKE BEFORE PUTTING IN GEAR. THIS NEEDS FIX BEFORE MORE HAPPEN THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2010Power trainCrash reportedODI 10354123
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE STRATUS. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH BEFORE THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND BOTH A POLICE AND FIRE REPORT WERE FILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SMOKE WAS DUE TO POWER STEERING FLUID ENTERING THE ENGINE. THERE WERE TWO SAFETY RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER'S 04V021000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT), WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND 06V001000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS), WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 140,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 12, 2007Steering, Power trainFire reportedODI 10211557
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WOULD STALL AND FAILED TO MOVE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED EVERY DAY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION. SHE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 69,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2007Power trainODI 10202790

Showing 6 of 39 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Power train: floor shift

Free remedy

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.

Power trainReported Jan 13, 2004NHTSA 04V021000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.