Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Dodge Stratus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving down highway 2 headed east and I needed to pull over and get some gas. I noticed that my steering was making the sound that it makes when you might be low on fluid. I pulled into an armor station that was self serve pay at the pump only. The first one did not work so I started my car again and pulled up to the second pump. I noticed smoke was coming out from under my hood. I got out and it started to shoot out flames. I panicked as I was trying to get my 2 year old son out of the car. The doors auto lock when you take off and hit 10 MPH. Two gentlemen came whipping in the station and helped me. His son called 911 and he got in my car to move it away from the pumps. He could only move it 5 feet because it was so hot in the car from the flames. The sheriff showed up and slammed into the back end of my car and moved it away from the pumps maybe 20 feet now. …
I have had this car since oct. Of 2000 and about four months later, I was in an auto accident that was the other vehicle's fault. Ever since then my brakes have not worked properly I have taken it to the dealer 4-5 times for vehicle failure to not stop in enough time and pulsating. The first two times I took it to the dealer they claimed the couldn't find anything even with a test drive. The third time they claimed my brakes were bad and replaced the brakes and not the rotors. After that the pulsating was not as noticeable for a few weeks then it was back to the way it was before. I had the dealer check them one or two more times and again they said nothing was wrong. Shortly after that I had a small fender bender due to brakes not stopping my vehicle properly. …
Tl* - the contact ownsa a 2000 Dodge Stratus. The contact stated that there was a recall on the high pressure power steering hose. The contact found out that the power steering hose was leaking, and drove the vehicle 10 miles to have it repaired. Before the vehicle could be repaired while sitting at the dealership the vehicle caught on fire under the hood. The contact called daimler Chrysler 8-10 times and spoke with 8-10 different people. The contact was told it that the situation was under investigation, and then two weeks later he was told that the photos were not clear, and someone was sent to take photos again. Three days later he was told that daimler Chrysler had made a decision and that they would mail a letter of explanation. The contact called again, and was told that it would take 7 to 8 days more before she would receive a letter. …
Tl* - the contact owns a 2000 Dodge Stratus. The contact stated that there was a recall on the high pressure power steering hose of his vehicle. The contact found out that the power steering hose was leaking, and drove the vehicle 10 miles to have it repaired. Before the vehicle could be repaired and vwhile sitting at the dealership the vehicle caught on fire under the hood. The contact called daimler Chrysler approximately 8-10 times and spoke with 8-10 different people. The contact was told that the situation was under investigation, and then two weeks later, he was told that the photos were not clear and someone was sent to take photos again. Three days later he was told that daimler Chrysler made a decision and that they would mail a letter of explanation. The contact called again,and was told that it would take 7 to 8 days more before she would receive a letter. …
My car was a Dodge Stratus se 2000, 2.4 cylinder. On feb.13th when pulling out from my garage I notice leakage on the ground from the car. I opened the hood and notice oil on top of the steering wheel hydraulic box. First thing in the morning I decided to have it checked out. When driving towards the body shop place the car started with fumes under the hood. 10 minutes later car was caught up on fire. I was able to get out of the car immediately and called the fire department. Extremely dangerous situation being that 15 minutes prior to this incident I dropped off my kids at school. The car was burned in a matter of minutes. I reported to my insurance but believe that the company who built this car should be responsible and should consider how dangerous this situation is. The car has given me no problems for the last 5 years. I lost my car which I paid almost $22,000. …
Tl *- the contact stated that the owner of the vehicle received a recall letter for the power steering hose. The ownner had not yet made the appointment. While driving approximately at 25-30 MPH. The driver saw black smoke coming from under the hood. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. There were some workers near the driver, and they used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire. The vehicle was towed to a local repair shop, which diagnosed the problem as a failure in the power steering hose which was leaking and caught on fire as stated in the recall letter. The car was then towed to a daimler Chrysler dealer. An investigator was sent out on 1/24/07 to look at the vehicle, however, the dealer will not do anything until they have heard from the daimler Chrysler corporate office. The investigator took pictures of the vehicle.
Tl* - the contact's vehicle caught fire in October 2006. The contact received a recall notice 06V001000 on December 28, 2006, dated April 2006. A representative from daimler Chrysler took pictures of the vehicle and denied that the incident was related to the recall. The contact also received a letter from daimler Chrysler denying the claim. The contact's insurance company has denied the claim and determined that the vehicle caught on fire due to a manufacturer's defect. The contact's loan department has also reported the contact to a collection agency since they didn't have any collateral to make payments. The manufacturer stated the fire was caused due to the power steering and anti freeze in the car. Per the contact. The recall letter indicated the vehicle May prematurely heat and May result in an under hood fire. Updated 01/22/07.
Tl*- the contact had a 2000 Dodge Stratus with an odometer reading of 86000 miles when the car caught on fire. The contact stated that it was raining when she pulled over to the side of the road and the vehicle got stuck in the mud. When the contact tried drive the vehicle out of the mud she was unable to do so. She left the vehicle to get assistance and when she returned with help she found that her vehicle had caught on fire. The contact notice an odd smell before the fire and after the fire she found that the car had a power steering leak. She was experiencing the same problem as in recall (06V001000) for hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections. The contact stated that she has the fire report which states the cause of fire. The contact did not have her VIN available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Dodge Stratus. While driving approximately 35 MPH, there was a loss in the power steering and smoke emitted from the hood. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road. The contact noticed small flames underneath the hood area and immediately extinguished the flames. There was power steering fluid visible on the ground. The identical failure recurred. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. There was a recall related to the malfunction associated with NHTSA campaign id number 06V001000 (steering: hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections). The contact planned to notify the manufacturer to verify whether VIN was eligible under the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 178,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* - the contact stated that the 2000 Dodge Stratus caught on fire. The vehicle was started and noticed smoke coming from the hood of the vehicle. The contact turned the vehicle off and opened the hood and the engine was in flames. The fire was doused with a water bottle. The contact called the insurance company and tow truck. The vehicle was towed to auto mechanic. The insurance company determined that the cause of the fire was from the high pressure power steering hose. The contact stated that she received a recall letter 01/15/06, for campaign # 06v00100 for the high pressure power steering. The contact would like to be reimbursed. The contact will be contacting the manufacturer to file a complaint after this call. Updated 07/17/07.
Related recalls
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.4 liter engines, the high pressure power steering hose May prematurely heat age and develop a leak.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the high pressure power steering hose free of charge. The the recall began on April 10, 2006. Owners May contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Steering complaints in other Stratus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2000 Dodge Stratus?
NHTSA has 66 complaints about the steering of the 2000 Dodge Stratus, 31% of the model year's 216 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist › hose, piping, and connections (47 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Dodge Stratus steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 06V-001 (hose, piping, and connections, Jan 5, 2006). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2000 Dodge Stratus steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 34 fires and 1 injury to steering 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.