Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Dodge Stratus problems

Owners filed 240 complaints about the 2000 Dodge Stratus with NHTSA between Nov 1999 and Feb 2018. The most-cited component is steering (68).

Complaints
240
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
64
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Steering68
  2. Electrical system31
  3. Engine and engine cooling30
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic29
  5. Power train22
  6. Fuel system, gasoline19
  7. Suspension18
  8. Visibility12
  9. Equipment10
  10. Air bags10
  11. Seat belts7
  12. Structure6
  13. Service brakes, air4
  14. Latches/locks/linkages4

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19991
200013
200118
200213
200325
200420
200531
200637
200744
200810
20091
201010
20115
20123
20135
20140
20151
20162
20170
20181

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Steering

68 reports2 crashes34 fires1 related recall
“TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING PROBLEM SUBSIDES. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DEFECT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 229,000. JFT. REPORT RECEIPT DATE: JAN 05, 2006 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V001000 COMPONENT(S): STEERING”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 19, 2013SteeringODI 10552895

Electrical system

31 reports18 fires
“MY DODGE STRATUS STARTED BLOWING HORN WITHOUT ME TOUCHING. EVERYTIME I TURN THE WHEEL THE HORN BLOWS. THEN TWO DAYS LATER THE LIGHT CAME IN THE CAR WOULD NOT GO OFF. THEN LOCKS START GOING UP AND DOWN AND DOOR MAKE BEEP AS IF A DOOR HIS OPEN. I HAD TO REMOVE THE FUSES TO STOP HORN FROM BLOWING, CUT INSIDE LIGHTS OFF AND STOP LOCKS FROM GOING UP AND DOWN. THE CAR STILL MAKES BEEP NOISE AS IF DOOR OPEN WHOLE TIME DRIVING AND STOPS AND START BACK WHEN I HIT A BUMP. MY FRONT WHEEL MAKING A NOISE AS IF THE WHEEL IS GOING TO BREAK OFF ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT IS ALSO DRINKING GAS AS IF IT IS LEAKING. I DONT SEE ANY GAS ON THE GROUND BUT I CAN SMELL FUMES OFF AND ONE AND SOMETIMES UNDER THE HOOD. IT IS LIKE I AM LOSING GAS PRESSURE BECAUSE CAR STALLS AND I AM LOSING GAS SOMEWHERE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 7, 2013Steering, Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10515764

Engine and engine cooling

30 reports1 crash9 fires
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 3, 2012Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10453891

Service brakes, hydraulic

29 reports4 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“CAR JUST SHUT DOWN ON INTERSTATE WHILE I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH. AFTER BEING TOWED TO AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE CAR STARTED BACK UP WITH NO PROBLEM FOR AWHILE, NOW THE CAR IS MAKING NOISE. FOR YEARS PRIOR TO THIS THE CAR DOES NOT STOP OCCASIONALLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 28, 2007Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine coolingODI 10213134

Power train

22 reports2 crashes
“STARTING MARCH I HAD PROBLEMS WITH TURNING THE WHEEL AND I TOOK CAR TO GET OIL AND ASK MECHANIC TO CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID. IM TOLD IT IS FULL AND THAT THEY DO NOT WHY I HAVE TURN THE WHEEL AS IF I HAVE NO POWER STEERING. EACH MONTH I GET SOMEONE CHECK POWER STEERING AND TOLD IT IS FULL. I HAVE TO TURN THEE OPPOSITE WAY WHEN GETTING OUT OF A PARK. SOMETIMES I BACK IN PARK IN ORDER TO GET OUT. THEN I START HAVING PROBLEMS WITH CAR MAKING NOISE AND CAR SOUND WHEEL GOING TO BREAK. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS..I HAVE NO HORN,INSIDE LIGHTS, AIR AND RADIO DUE TO I TOOK FUSE OUT BECAUSE HORN BLOWING, LIGHTS AND LOCKS GOING UP AND DOWN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 7, 2013Power trainODI 10515774

Fuel system, gasoline

19 reports3 fires2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE STRATUS SE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND INSPECTED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2011Fuel system, gasolineODI 10439716
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

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