Transmission complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 4 | 5% | 42,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 5% | 33,000 miles |
| 2004 | 12 | 8% | 38,000 miles |
| 2003 | 6 | 7% | 48,000 miles |
| 2002 | 21 | 13% | 61,000 miles |
| 2001 | 24 | 11% | 55,000 miles |
| 2000 | 21 | 10% | 56,000 miles |
| 1999 | 34 | 14% | 79,000 miles |
| 1998 | 24 | 9% | 78,000 miles |
| 1997 | 36 | 10% | 58,000 miles |
| 1996 | 60 | 11% | 63,000 miles |
| 1995 | 55 | 17% | 70,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Dodge Stratus. While driving the vehicle, the transmission malfunctioned and the power steering failed. The vehicle went out of control, would not stop, and continued to accelerate. The contact had to crash the vehicle into a pole to get it to stop. The contact then quickly turned off the ignition. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to weekley Chrysler Dodge Jeep (50 main st, butler, oh 44822, [phone]). The dealer stated that they needed special authorization from the manufacturer to start the repairs. The manufacturer stated that there was an unknown recall on the vehicle and they would send a technician to examine the vehicle. The dealer had the vehicle for four weeks and were still waiting for the manufacturer to send a technician. …
Purchased the car in June 2007 still under warranty thinking I would not have problems since any repairs should be covered under warranty. I have taken the car in 6 times for the same repairs. The first is the brakes, they squeak and rub. They have scrubbed them 3 different time and it still is happening. (they are collecting moisture to cause rust) the second is a bump stop which I understand is common in Dodge/Chrysler products. They refuse to do anything more with it since when they put it on the machine the codes come back with no problems. They had replaced some of the parts back a few months ago. This repair cut down on the amount of bump stops but did not stop them. There is a creaking sound in the front end. They have greased the struts and replaced a carried arm. The noise is still there. The lights dim after 17-30 seconds when the car is running. …
2005 Dodge Stratus sedan 4 door automatic 2.7 w less than 60K miles. Reverse went out after what I think was a clinking sound near the front. It drives normally, just does nothing in reverse. If the car is parked it will roll backwards if the car is on a incline. Transmission rebuild is more than the car is worth. This should be a recall. So many Dodge transmission issues, they are losing many customers.
This issue has happened to my 2005 Dodge Stratus 3 times, already. I have a manual transmission and approximately, every 22,000 to 24,000 miles my clutch wears out. The warranty on the part of course only lasts 12,000 miles. The first time it cost me over $1,600 for parts and labor just to have the clutch replaced at the dealer. For the second time, I took it to a local shop and got the cost down to about $1,100. The third and most recent time occurred in March of 2008. Once again the clutch stopped locking gears into place, rendering the vehicle completely undrivable. This time I ordered a part myself and had a friend install it for me. The part I ordered has a lifetime warranty, so needless to say, I feel a little more confident this time. My point here, is the standard clutch used by Dodge is obviously a sub-standard part, not worthy of installation into any vehicle. …
Lower left front suspension arm ball joint broken. The outer bearing carrier, fell away from the suspension arm, pulling the half shaft out of the transmission, and the wheel/tire assembly jammed up in the wheel well with a complete loss of steering control. The vehicle was in motion just following a turn, in a parking area.
The ignition interlock on my 2004 Dodge Stratus is inoperative. At least twice, the key was removed after the engine was shut off by while the car was in drive. The car then began to roll away. The second time this happened, the car ran into an obstruction and suffered 25 thousand dollars in damage.
Dt: the consumer says that when reaching 35 MPH, a noise is heard from in the transmission area. The dealerships transmission person had the vehicle brought in and checked it out and verified what the service manager thought it was. They called Chrysler star online. They stated that this was a normal transaxle operation and noise. They would not let the service people fix the car. This has been going on for about one year. The vehicle had been at the dealership 3 times. The dealer was not able to fix the problem because of Chrysler. The car increased in noise after 35 MPH. The owner has taken the car to the dealership to be fixed, but Chrysler won't let them fix it. The consumer talked to Chrysler twice, and has a reference number #13735214. There was a scraping noise when turning to the right. The consumer noticed that the discs were covered with brake dust.
Tl* - the contact complained about transmission failures about 1 year ago. The contact took vehicle to dealership last year, and was told that the computer needed to be reprogrammed. The contact stated that vehicle would not accelerate after coming to a complete stop, and it was not accelerating properly when going up a hill. The contact stated that when trying to accelerate after she came to a complete stop, the rpms would go up but the vehicle wouldn't advance. The contact took the vehicle to dealership in December, at which time she was told that her transmission had failed. The contact stated that the dealership said to have transmission fixed would cost $5,000.00. The contact called Chrysler corporation and filed a complaint, and was given a file number 15815556. Updated 2/6/2007 -
Related recalls (3)
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 › Cooling unit and lines
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. A hose manufacturing process allowed the reinforcement yard to breach the inner layer of some automatic transmission hoses weakening the inner wall which could result in leakage of the automatic transmission fluid.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the transaxle oil cooler hoses. Owner notification began April 9, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy…
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.
NHTSA investigations
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…
Auto trans ignition-park interlock
Three of the manfacturer complaints and two of the manufacturer crashes reported above were duplicates of odi reports.the majority of crashes occurred after operators parked the vehicle without engaging park gear position; a non-functional ignition-park interlock system subsequently failed to prevent key removal before the operators exited the vehicle.most of the crashes were minor and involved minor property…
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Stratus years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1996 (60), 1995 (55), 1997 (36), 1999 (34) and 1998 (24) model years. Transmission complaints make up 11% of all complaints for the 1996.
Is there a recall for Dodge Stratus transmission problems?
Yes — 3 recalls, including 04V-021 (floor shift, Jan 13, 2004); 01V011002 (cooling unit and lines, Jan 16, 2001); 98V-183 (park/neutral start interlock switch, Aug 6, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Stratus transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles; 36% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (179 mentions), followed by the automatic transmission › lever and linkage › floor shift (15).
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.