Most common 2003 Dodge Stratus problems
Share of the 91 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 →
2003 Dodge Stratus recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005, and…
Remedy: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel return line hose fitting on the electric fuel pump May be restricted, causing excessive fuel pressure to build up in the fuel injection system. Excessive fuel pressure May result in a leak in the fuel return hose.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel pump pressure. Those vehicles exhibiting higher than normal fuel pump pressure will receive fuel pump modifications. Owner notification began on December 15, 2003.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2003 Dodge Stratus:
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.
What 2003 Dodge Stratus owners say
Air bags
When replacing the Clock Spring I noticed the Airbag serial number matched numbers from other vehicles for recall but my vehicle was not listed in recall.Vin number [redacted] 2003 Dodge Stratus Sedan
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Dodge Stratus. The contact's vehicle was rear ended by another vehicle while stopped at a traffic light. As a result, the contact's vehicle crashed into the preceding vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries sustained and a police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Suspension
Car was owned by school govement it has been worked on several times for bad suspension.and documented.ball joint bad suspension front and back.back dating 2 or 3 years.no accidents just bad suspension
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Stratus. While at an intersection, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle jerked and lost power without warning. The contact managed to veer to the shoulder of the road. Once the vehicle was turned off and restarted, it resumed normal operation. Also, when the vehicle struck a bump in the road, it veered to the right intermittently. An independent mechanic replaced the starter; however, the failure recurred. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,037. The VIN was unknown.
Body & structure
The entire dashboard from driver's side to passenger side as well as from the front where it meets the windshield to where it wraps over and connects to entire panel facing the front seats is warping and pulling away from everything it is suppose to help hold into place. It is now rising above the passenger air bag compartment. If this air bag deploys it will definitely either throw the entire dashboard or massive pieces of it directly toward the passenger and driver (since the warping has dislodged it from everything) or it will deploy and the warped dashboard could cause the air bag to be thrown up toward the windshield, sun visor support & new tether strap which could cause even more issues. The warping has also started to affect every cover it connects to on the dash, pulling & pushing them loose. These items can now also be thrown throughout the vehicle in a crash. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Stratus. The contact stated that the dashboard of the vehicle protruded and separated causing the air bag to be exposed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 144,300.
2003 Dodge Stratus engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 27 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Dodge Stratus a good car?
Based on 91 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Stratus rates better than average: 63% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Stratus at the same age. It is one of the best Stratus years by this measure. 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 2003 Dodge Stratus?
The air bags — 17 complaints, 19% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the suspension (16) and body & structure (15).
How many recalls does the 2003 Dodge Stratus have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2003 Dodge Stratus, the most recent from June 2, 2015 (inflator module). 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 2003 Dodge Stratus problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 64,000 miles; 41% 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.