41 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Dodge Stratus cite suspension, 22% of all 186 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROADWAY AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE FRONT STRUT TOWER FRACTURED AND WENT THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE WHERE IT REMAINED AWAITING REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WENT TO C.R. MOTORS OF HUDSON (518 S MERIDIAN RD, HUDSON, MI 49247, (517)306-2561) AND REQUESTED INFORMATION ON REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 193,000.”
“FRONT LOWER RIGHT BALL JOINT AND CONTROL ARM FAILURE. THIS RESULTED IN CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE LINES, CONTROL ARM, LOSS OF CONTROL, STEERING, TIE RODS, UPPER BALL JOINT, CV AXLE SEVERED, AND BENT FRAME. CHRYSLER TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE OF MY VIN NUMBER I WASN'T ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR, YET THE 2001 DODGE STRATUS, 2.4L SEDAN HAS BEEN RECALLED BY CHRYSLER FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM, WITH LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT FAILURE. HAD I BEEN NOTIFIED OF A RECALL, THIS COULD OF BEEN AVOIDED. WHAT IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THIS HAPPENED? AND WHY WASN'T MY VEHICLE RECALLED???? *TR”
“AS I TRIED TO START DRIVING I HEARD A SOUND LIKE A CRACK THEN I STOP THE CAR AND WALKED AROUND IT AND HAD FOUND THAT THE RIGHT SIDE TIRE AT THE REAR END WAS BROKEN. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH, THE BALL AND AXLE JOINTS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.”
“I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR A LITTLE OVER 3 YEARS NOW. FIRST IT WAS THE PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT. THEN A YEAR LATER IT WAS THE BALL JOINT ON THE DRIVER SIDE PLUS THE CONTROL ARM. THEN IT WAS THE BRAKES AND ROTORS. THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT I FIND OUT THE BALL JOINT I HAD JUST REPLACED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN! NOW MY OIL LIGHT COMES ON AT IDLE AFTER THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP. HAD THE OIL CHANGED AS ALWAYS BETWEEN 2000 AND 3000 MILES AS I SHOULD. HAD THE OIL SENDING UNIT REPLACED AND STILL HAVE A OIL LIGHT ON WITH A FULL ENGINE OF OIL. NOW MY STEERING COLUMN JUST TODAY MADE A CRACKING SOUND AS I WAS BACKING UP WITH THE WHEEL TURNING TO THE LEFT. THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WONT GO OFF. NOW MY STEERING IS STIFF. TALKED TO A MECHANIC AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *JB”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE WITH THE BRAKES ENGAGED, HE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE FELL WHILE MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. HE LOOKED INSIDE OF THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL AND NOTICED THAT THE CONTROL ARM AND WHEEL BEARING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. HE NOTICED LIQUID COMING FROM THE WHEEL BEARING HOUSING AND TWO SMALL FRAGMENTS ON THE GROUND. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT NO MAJOR REPAIRS HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER NOR HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN REPAIRED OR THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/04/11 *BF UPDATED 12/30/11 *CN”
Showing 6 of 41 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
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.
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.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.