Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Dodge Stratus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl contact owns a 1997 Dodge Stratus. While driving 30 MPH, the contact rear ended another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. A police report was filed. The road conditions were normal. She noticed oil leaking after the crash. The repair shop stated that a new head gasket was needed. The current and failure mileages were 81,000. Updated 03-04-08
The vehicle was in an accident. The vehicle was traveling about 60 MPH when it was struck broadside. The vehicle ran into some trees and the air bags did not deploy. This incident occurred because the consumer tried to avoid a head on collision. A fire started in the passenger side area.
On July 27 1998 I was driving my Dodge Stratus south on state st in springville I was slowing down for a light I changed lanes to the right when my driver side airbag deployed ripping my hand off the steering wheel I stopped the car . My girlfreind and her kids where in the car. And jumped out of the car when I stopped. My arm was cut up from the cover on the airbag. I went to the hospital. Where they removed plastic from my forarm. I called the police and reported it. I called doug smith and told them what happend they looked at the car and said they whould not cover it because it was out of waranty, but I have exstended waranty they said to have my auto insurance take care of it. My auto insurance wont cover fatory defects. I was lucky I was'nt on the freeway or I would have been killed and other May have been hurt. Please look into this no one else would give me there time. Thank you.
When vehicle was involved in a crash with 3 other vehicles, traveling about 10 MPH, the shoulder belt did not restrain the driver, and there was no deployment of the driver's side or passenger's side air bags. Most damage done to the driver's side and the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle is being repaired.
While driving at 40mph the vehicle had a frontal impact on the passenger's side of the vehicle, hitting the left side of the other vehicle, and the defective airbag system did not deploy which did not protect the occupants in the accident. Sensors are located behind the headlight.
While driving at 55 MPH, under normal weather conditions, a bull wondered onto the road and was hit. Upon impact with the bull frontal airbags failed to deploy. Driver sustained neck and back injuries based on doctor's evaluations.
Airbags deployed at 5 miles per hour collision. No damage to other car but our car had a blown out windshield, side window, blown apart dash and steering colum. Only damage to car was in the interior.
We had frequent electrical problem with the car and took it to the liberty dealership in johnstown, oh to get them fixed until we got to the point that it was going to take more than the care was valued to guarantee the fix. These items were not covered under our warranty. One day after pulling into our driveway after work, I shut the car off, opened the drivers side door while pulling the emergency brake and the air bags deployed, giving me a pretty good shot in the face. The car was sitting still and not running. The keys weren't even in the ignition. I called Chrysler's customer service line and filed an incident. They assigned a.l. Gilbert to work on the case. A investigator was deployed from a private company out of dayton, oh. He took the car to a dealership in mt. Vernon, oh and determined by looking at the car's computer that it had been wrecked. …
Consumer's son was driving on the road and hit a deer on the front driver's side toward the center of the hood. Upon impact, air bags failed to deploy. There was $2500.00 in damages.
While driving at 40 MPH the vehicle was involved in a collision. Upon impact, the dual airbags did not deploy. No injuries were reported.
Airbag complaints in other Stratus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1997 Dodge Stratus?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the air bags of the 1997 Dodge Stratus, 7% of the model year's 349 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (18 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Dodge Stratus airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1997 Dodge Stratus, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Dodge Stratus airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 117,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 18 crashes, 2 fires and 16 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.