Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Dodge Stratus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
2.7 liter engine should be recalled and replaced because? 1. The internal water pump which have been known to wear out prematurely and destroy the engine regardless how well the owner maintains vehicle. 2. Subframe and rear suspension crossmember should be replace due to rotting out prematurely. 3 Gloss on paint prone to pealing.
Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine revved and the tires spun. The vehicle accelerated the hit the consumer's garage. The vehicle and garage sustained damage. The vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection but they were unable to duplicate the problem. The manufacturer was alerted, however no repairs were made. Updated 3/20/2006 -
Tl contact owns a 2004 Dodge Stratus. The vehicle was purchased on June 13, 2005 and the oil light has been illuminating on the instrument panel ever since. The dealer attempted to diagnose the failure on several occasions; however, they stated that cleaning some parts would correct the issue. The failure continued to persist. An independent mechanic stated that the oil switch and plugs were not in place. He replaced them with parts that were purchased from the dealer, but the oil light remained illuminated. Four months ago, a dealer diagnosed the vehicle due to noise present in the engine area. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced at the cost of $3,000; however, she could continue to drive the vehicle for a short period of time. While driving approximately 60 MPH on September 1, 2008, the engine shut off. …
I have a 2004 Dodge Stratus that I recently was having rough idle and ended up stalling on me. The problem started several months ago and I had a tune up done on the car and the spark plugs where replaced. I then continued to have issues and the independent shop replaced the ignition wires. They said the computer was not giving a code however they could monitor the system and see a misfire on cylinder one. They changed the wire on 1 to 3 and 3 to 1 and then the same behavior occurred on cylinder 3. I had the car for about 3 days and after staring it up and letting it warm up on a cold winter morning I would hear it running rough. The car sounded like it could stall and the engine light started flashing. I took it back to the independent dealer and they could not duplicate the problem. I asked them about a TSB I found that was related with flashing the PCM and related with cold starts. …
Car is driven on regular city streets and freeways. Roads I drive are paved - no country, dusty roads and area isn't heavy in pollution. I purchase my gas from shell or chevron and refill at 1/4 to 1/3 tank to reduce chance of picking up sediment from fuel tank. Noticed while driving on freeway.that car would drop in speed from 60 MPH to 20 rather quickly and then forget about going up a hill. I was also getting 8-10 mpg. A couple weeks later I noticed even on level city streets the loss of power. Car was diagnosed as catalytic converter and with california emission regulations the cost of parts and labor was $ 1,600.00. A year later, I noticed some loss of power and increased fuel consumption. Car was diagnosed to need cat converter replaced again and paid another $ 1,600.00. Also was diagnosed that rear mounts needed replacement and was wondering if this was normal. Very bouncy ride.
Car does the following at random- when driving at low speeds it dies, sometimes when pulling into parking spaces the engines surges and causes car to lunge forward. Once when I backed out of my driveway and put the car in drive it surged and lunged forward. The engine, on several occasions has idled very roughly, the engine light stayed on once and the other time it flashed 5 or 6 times and quit. Noe the motor in the rear window is defective! I have had this car to the dealership 6-7 times for this problem and "they can't duplicate the problem".the lemon law in tennesse requires 4 visits for the same problem, have exceeded that by far! I am done with Dodge/Chrysler and all their products. I will buy a foreign car befor I ever buy another product from them!!!
I purchased a 04 Dodge Stratus with a 2.7 engine and need to replace the water pump, which is expensive. It has 100,000 miles on it. I have read the complaints with this engine and am scared to fix anything. This sludge problem I read about could be next for us. And from what I read will be. I purchased it for my son and never herd of these problems until now. He has had it for about 6 months and now this. We have hardships just like any other family and fixing minor problems with vehicles are bad enough. The fix for this is about 1000.00 will the sludge be next? I would like to be apart of any law suit.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Dodge Stratus. While idling, the vehicle surges forward sporadically without warning. When the failure occurs the RPM's rapidly increase and braking capability is reduced. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer numerous times, but they cannot determine the cause of the failure. The failure has not been remedied. The failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage was 56,500. Updated 6/8/09 the consumer stated when stopped at a light, the engine would suddenly start to race just over 2000 RPM's. Updated 06/11/09.
The car will idle roughly at slow speeds and stall in parking lots and intersections, with just 6,000 miles the brakes are now going bad as well. It also will lunge forward without warning at stop lights and stop signs, my wife was almost in an accident yesterday and refuses to drive the car. It is at the dealership again for the same problem today. Last time they told me I did no know what it means when a car stalls because the computer says it did not and they drove it a few miles and did not have trouble. I wish I could get rid of it today.
I purchased a 2004 Dodge Stratus on 4/13/04. On 5/22/04 I brought the vehicle to a service center for the first oil change. Upon placing the vehicle on the rack , they discovered that there was widespread severe corrosion to the undercarriage of the vehicle, including tie rods, the exhaust system, etc.. They advised me that they felt that, left uncorrected, the situation presented a safety hazard. I have jpeg images of some of the affected areas that can be sent by e-mail. From what I can see, the vehicle is unsafe to drive.
Engine complaints in other Stratus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2004 Dodge Stratus?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2004 Dodge Stratus, 18% of the model year's 148 complaints. The component named most often is engine (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Dodge Stratus engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2004 Dodge Stratus, though it has 3 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 2004 Dodge Stratus engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 43,000 miles, and 35% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.