Most common 1995 Dodge Stratus problems
Share of the 318 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Stratus complaints by model year
Best Stratus years: 2005, 2006, 2003. Years to avoid: 1996, 1997, 1995. Compare all years →
1995 Dodge Stratus recalls (7)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
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.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new load-limiting push rod into the floor shifter lever of the affected vehicles. Owner notification began on June 14, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Park/neutral start interlock switch
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The adjustment of the cable connecting the console shifter mechanism to the ignition key can cause a trapped key condition which can result in a low force required to depress the shift button.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for proper operation of the system. Any vehicles that are not functional after the inspection will have the shift mechanism and cable replaced with a "self-adjusting" design.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The rear seat belt anchor does not achieve the loading required by FMVSS no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear seat belt outboard anchor floor attachments for proper positioning. If the anchor was improperly oriented, the orientation will be corrected.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The lower control arm ball joint can separate due to loss of lubrication.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ball joint end housing cover seal for leakage with a high pressure air tester and the rubber boot will be visually inspected for damage.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
The brake master cylinder can leak brake fluid due to a damaged double lip rear piston seal.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear brake master cylindr piston assembly.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Corrosion of the ABS hydraulic control unit can cause the solenoid valves to stick in the open position.
Remedy: Dealers will install a plate and silicone grease injected into the solenoid cavity to eliminate the potential for this condition.
Show 1 more recall
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
In certain vehicles, the engine cylinder head oil galley plug does not seal properly and engine cylinder head oil is not adequately retained.
Remedy: Dealers will install an expansion plug and retaining bracket over the cylinder head oil galley plug.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 1995 Dodge Stratus:
Lower control arm ball joint failure
The manufacturer identifed vehicle owner complaints of the subject ball joint failures as tabulated above.in addition, a total of 72 warranty reports were identified for replacement of broken or cracked ball joint assemblies in the subject vehicles.Chrysler also reported that 1996 and 1997 models are equipped with identical ball joint assemblies as the subject 1995 model year vehicles.a partial response to NHTSA's…
Safety belt cinching latch plate
There are no injuries or fatalities associated with this alleged defect.while conducting this investigation, odi found that the subject cinches meet the load bearing requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard 208, and that many of the reported failures were due to incorrect child safety seat installations.
Lower control arm ball joint failure
By letter dated November 6, 1997, the manufacturer advised this agency of its decision to initiate a safety recall campaign of the subject vehicles to correct the defect identified in this ea.the recall will also cover 1996 and 1997 Chrysler cirrus/Dodge stratus vehicles, as well as 1995 through 1997 Chrysler sebring convertible and Plymouth breeze vehicles equipped with identical lower control arm ball joints.an…
Auto trans ignition-park interlock
The manufacturer reports above are based on daimlerchrysler?s (dc) analysis of model year (my) 1998 (population = 356,384) and 1999 (population = 486,948) ja, jx and lh family subject vehicle data (earlier mys excluded).the population number includes all mys.the precise number of duplicates between odi and dc reports cannot be determined due to missing or incomplete information.the fatality incident involved an…
Steering column separation
Mr. Larry a. Sackey submitted a petition to the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) by letter dated April 18, 2003, requesting that nhtsafurther investigate the defective collapsible steering shaft system on 1987-1995 vehicles manufactured by the daimlerchrysler corporation.in part because of 49 cfr ? 30120(g), NHTSA has decided to limit the scope of the petition vehicles to 1993-1995 models,…
What 1995 Dodge Stratus owners say
Engine & cooling all 106 →
I was on the highway going home when all of a sudden my car gave a loud bang and smoke started coming out of the hood. The car had stalled and I got to the side of the road. Flames where shooting out of the engine compartment. I was told by the mechanic who finally looked at the car that one of the cylinders had gone through the side wall and caused the fire. I have since learned that there was a recall on the engine. To be more precise the galley plug, I would like to find out if anyone had serviced my car on the recall. If they haden't then maybe that is what cause the problem, I really would like to know.
While driving at approximately 30 MPH, my car started to overheat. When I pulled over, the coolant was pouring out of the engine. I had the car towed to a garage and was told that it failed the "block test" meaning that it needed a new head gasket. I took the car to a second garage and was told the same thing. This is a known failure that has been happening since the car was produced. The manufacture needs to cover the parts and labor of this repair. I was told by my local dealer, dayton andrews Dodge, that this particular car is not covered under the earlier recall.
Brakes all 60 →
My wife complained of brake pedal travel further than normal. Upon investigation, I discovered that one of the bolt studs that holds the master cylinder to the power brake booster was broken off and missing. The master cylinder was pushed out of the booster to about a 30 degeree angle. The remaining stud was still in place but bent badly to one side. If there had been a panic stop required, I feel that the master cylinder could have separated from the booster, with the effect of having no braking effectiveness. This could have resulted in a serious accident or fatality.
The consumer experienced problems wit anti-lock brakes. While the consumer was driving, applied brakes and foot went to the floorboard. As a result, the consumer rear-ended another vehicle. The manufacturer has been contacted. The defects described relate to recall number 96V075000.
Transmission & drivetrain all 55 →
Auto transmission downshifts at freeway speeds, throwing driver towards windshield. Problem began 2003. Have many, many service visits. Lube shop flushed system. Dealer replaced tps switch, dealer replaced TCM, trans shop rebuilt transmission with new torque converter and new input and output switches (worked one year) then problem returned. Trans shop flushed system, trans shop replaced tps (again), trans shp recommended to replace TCM (again), but, dealer said no problem found. Another dealer says tps bad. When I said it was replaced 100 miles earlier, they said that it was either wiring short, or main computer failure, has no way to know what problem is. Also said that if I fix the "wiring" I would have to rebuild the transmission (again), awen I said it was rebuilt last year, dealer changed his story and said I did not have to rebuild transmission. Dealer recommends junking the car. …
While driving the transmission downshifts to limp mode causing a highly probable danger situation that May lead to serious injuries especially if traveling on the freeway. We have replaced the TCM at $166.00from a dealer and another dealer sucked approx.300.00 knowing that there is no way of fixing the defective transmission. Why are you still allowing the dealers to replace parts that they fully know won't fix the main problem? Why is there no recall on the defective transmissions? On the complaint side of your web page there are a lot of similar complaints! The dealer wants us to take the car back to them for diagnostics and I am sure they will recommend another problem solving idea to make us spend more money knowing it will not work.
1995 Dodge Stratus engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1995 Dodge Stratus a good car?
Based on 318 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1995 Stratus rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Stratus at the same age. It is one of the Stratus years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1995 Dodge Stratus?
The engine & cooling — 106 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the brakes (60) and transmission & drivetrain (55).
How many recalls does the 1995 Dodge Stratus have?
There are 7 recalls for the 1995 Dodge Stratus, the most recent from January 13, 2004 (floor shift). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Stratus?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 2006 and 2003. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1996, 1997 and 1995. See the full Dodge Stratus years comparison.
At what mileage do 1995 Dodge Stratus problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 97,000 miles; 12% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.