1995 DODGE STRATUS Suspension Problems

DT: WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, THEY TOLD HER THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS BROKEN. NO REPAIRS WERE DONE MADE AS OF YET. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.

NUMEROUS FAILURES-SINCE I BOUGHT THIS "95 DODGE STRATUS WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES. 1) ENGINE MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE-I TOOK CAR TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP-BUCHANAN & YOUNG IN BURNSVILLE, NC AND HAD A NEW HEAD GASKET PUT ON. 2) I REPLACED THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I ALSO REPLACED THE BATTERY CABLES, SO THE CAR WOULD START, BUT THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE STARTER TO TRY TO GET THE CAR TO START. I STILL OFTEN HAVE TO GET OUT AND PECK ON THE STARTER WITH A SCREWDRIVER TO GET IT TO START---EVEN AFTER I HAD A NEW STARTER PUT ON. DATE: 8-10-05 3) WHEEL BROKE OFF/CAR NOT DRIVABLE-PARTS TO FIX PROBLEM & MECHANIC'S BILL 4) HAD TO REPLACE FLYWHEEL 5) HAD TO REPLACE STEERING COMPONENTS I HAVE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $2,000 TO GET THIS CAR WITH VERY LOW MILES ON IT TO START. *NM

Mileage: 31,000

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE CORRECT STRUTS FOR VEHICLE ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. CONSUMER STATES OVER TIME THE FRONT END MAY FALL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE STRUTS AVAILABLE WERE UNSATISFACTORY SINCE IT IS KNOWN TO CAUSES UNNECESSARY WEAR TO FRONT END PARTS RESULTING IN MISALIGNMENT OF THE VEHICLE. *YH

I CANNOT GET THE PROPER FRONT STRUTS THE ONES DODGE SELLS ARE UNSAFE TO PUT ON. MY MECHANIC AND A CERTIFIED DODGE MECHANIC SAID THAT IF I PUT THESE ON IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO KEEP THE CAR LINED UPAND IT COULD CAUSE IMPROPER TIRE WEAR OR NOT PUT PRESSURE IN THE WRONG PLACES IN THE FRONT END POSSIBLY CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION.I WAS TOLD THAT 95 STRATUS AND SEBRINGS ARE THE ONLY ONES WITH THIS PROBLEM. THEY MUST HAVE RUN OUT OF THE ORIGINAL STRUTS SO THEY PUT APAPER IN THE STRUT BOX SAYING TO TURN THE RUBBER SPRING ISOLATER AROUND.IF YOU DO THIS EVERYTHIG IS ANGELED WRONG AND THE RUBBER ONLY HALF SITS ON THE SPRING. THIS IS REDICULOUS.YOU COULD NEVER KEEP THE CAR LINED UP. MY MECHANIC SAID THERE IS NO WAY HE WOULD BE RESOSIBLE PUTTING THEM ON. IF DODGE WANTS TO SIGN A PAPER SAYING THEY WILL BE RESONSIBLE FOR ANY ACCIDENTS OR BE RESONSIBLE FOR FRONT END MISALIGMENT OR PARTS FAILURE THEN I WILL PUT THEM ON. I SHOULD NOT BE FORCED INTO PUTTING AN UNSAFE PART ON MY CAR.DODGE CHANGED EVERYTHIG ON THE FRONT END IN 96 AND THEY MUST HAVE FINALLY RUN OUT OF THE PROPER STRUTS SO INSTEAD OF TOOLING UP AND MAKING MORE OF THE RITE ONES THEY ARE TRYING TO GET AWAY WWITH THIS. IF YOU HAVE ANY MECHANIC LOOK AT THIS HE WILL TELL YOU HOW WRONG IT IS. IT MAKES ME WONDER HOW MY 95 DODGE STRATUS AND SEBRINGS OUT OUT ON THE ROAD RUNNING THIS UNSAFE AND POSSIBLY HAZADOUS PARTS. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED ASAP.BECAUSE THIS IS SO WRONG. THIS CAR HAS A RECALL FOR TYHE FRONT END ALREADY. THIS SHOULD BECOME ANOTHER RECALL SO THEY CAN MAKE SURE THESE MODEL CARS HAVE THE SAFE AND PROPER STRUTS ON THE FRONT.IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE TRY TO PUT THESE STRUTS ON THEY WOULD TELL YOU HOW WRONG IT IS. ALL I WANT IS THE SAFE PARTS FOR MY CAR.

FRONT LEFT LOWER BALL JOINT STARTED MAKING NOISE, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER REQUEST REPAIR UNDER RECALL 97V-201, THE DEALER REFUSED NO-COST REPAIR STATING THAT THE BALL JOINT PASSED ALL THEIR TEST SO THEY DID NOT HAVE TO REPLACE IT UNDER RECALL, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

THE FRONT END STARTED TO SQUEAK GOING OVER BUMPS AS THE SUSPENSION MOVED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN INTO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THE RIGHT BALL JOINT/LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS FAILING AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, RECALL #750. I WAS REFERRED TO DAIMERCHRYSLER'S TOLL FREE NUMBER. I CALLED THEM ON 02-17-2000 AND 02-18-2000. BOTH TIMES THEIR REPRESENTITIVE TOLD ME MY CAR DIDN'T FALL UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE THE VIN NUMBER DIDN'T MATCH THE NUMBERS IN THE RECALL. I TOLD THEM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR DOESN'T CAUSE BALL JOINT PROBLEMS UNTIL WELL INTO THE 100,000 MILE RANGE. I ALSO TOLD THEM OF THE CARS LOW MILEAGE AND THEY STILL REFUSED TO REPAIR. DAIMERCHRYSLER'S FILE NUMBER IS 6833820. THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY HAZARD, THE YEAR, MAKE, MODEL OF MY CAR FALLS UNDER THE RECALL AND CHRYSLER REFUSES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *AK

LEFT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL ONCE. PROBLEM REOCCURRED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND VERIFIED THIS PROBLEM AS THE SAME THING. *AK

WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SATISFACTION. WHEN WE FINALLY REALIZED WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE WARRANTEE WAS OVER. I WILL NEVER EVER BUY A CAR FROM SATURN AGAIN, NEW OR USED.

DEALER DID NOT CORRECT RECALL PROBLEM WHICH HAS REOCCURRED. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE, CAUSING TIRE TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. RECALL NUMBER 97V201000. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE LOWER BALL JOINT / LOWER CONTROL ARM / THE SHAFT AND THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE FAILED, PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE (97V201000). *YC

RATTLING NOISE IN LEFT/FRONT.

THE FRONT RIGHT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAY. DEALER HAS THE VEHICLE NOW. *AK

WHILE DRIVING REAR BALL JOINTS ARE COMING OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS, CAUSING THE TIRE TO WOBBLE AND ALMOST LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINTS. THE RIGHT REAR BALL JOINT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED ALSO. *AK

TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER REGARDING RECALL ON LOWER CONTROL ARM, AND HAD IT INSPECTED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN FIXED AS PER RECALL (97V-201). *AK

TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL REPAIR OF LOWER CONTROL ARM. ALL THE MECHANIC DID WAS TO OPEN THE HOOD AND LOOK UP/UNDER IT, AND SAID THE THE VEHICLE WAS FINE. THE VEHICLE STILL HAS SUSPENSION -LOWER CONTROL ARM PROBLEMS (97V-201). *AK

RECALL WORK DENIED DUE TO NO PROBLEMS BEING FOUND WITH THE LOWER BALL JOINT, HOWEVER A FEW DAYS LATER BALL JOINT COLLAPSED CAUSING DAMAGE.

BALL JOINT FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL.

BALL JOINT FAILED.

WHEEL BEARING FAILED.

REAR SHOCK FAILED. MJS

REAR END OUT OF ALIGNMENT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO TIRES.

SWAY PLATES FAILED.

STRUT BUSHINGS FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING, LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE, DROPPED DOWN, DAMAGED WHEEL/LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT, CAUSED FIRE IN LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER; ACCORDING TO DEALER, ALL PARTS NEED REPLACING, INCLUDING BRAKE PADS. VEHICLE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *AK

LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS RECALLED, SERVICE DENIED TWICE BECAUSE PART NOT ORDERED/ IN STOCK.

WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A NOISE IN THE REAR END (A THUMPING NOISE) . *AK POSSIBLE SUSPENSION RLEATED. CONSUMER ALSO STATES THE TRANSMISSION WHINES LOUDLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN UPSHIFTING, AND WHISTLES AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS TOO LOW ON THE WINDSHIELD THAT IT OBSTRUCTS CONSUMER'S VIEW OF ONCOMING CARS WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, ALSO COIN HOLDER IS OBSTRUCTED BY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THAT MOST OF THE TIME CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO EXTRACT COINS, CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELDS ARE VEYR SUSCEPTIBLE TO SRCATCHES FROM DIRT AND SAND BLOWN IP FROM THE ROAD OR TRUCKS THAT IT SOMETIMES MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN DRIVING TOWARDS THE SUN.*JB

LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE, RESULTING IN PULLING THE VEHICLE INTO A CURVE. TT