Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 Dodge Stratus, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling335
- Service brakes, hydraulic62
- Power train60
- Steering42
- Electrical system36
- Suspension32
- Unknown or other18
- Air bags18
- Equipment14
- Fuel system, gasoline13
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 26 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 7 variants: combined 9.1–13.3 L/100 km (about 18–26 mpg US), CO₂ 209–306 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stratus · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 10.6 | 7.2 | 9.1 |
| Stratus ES · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 10.9 | 7.4 | 9.3 |
| Stratus · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 12.3 | 7.9 | 10.3 |
| Stratus · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.0 | 8.9 | 11.2 |
| Stratus ES · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.0 | 8.9 | 11.2 |
| Stratus ES · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.3 | 9.1 | 11.4 |
| Stratus ES (Autostick) · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 15.7 | 10.4 | 13.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
9 Transport Canada recalls for the 1996 Dodge Stratus.
| 2004003 8 Jan 2004 | Other On certain vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission and a floor-mounted shifter, the ignition-park interlock may become defeated and allow the shifter t… |
| 1998227 20 Nov 1998 | Emissions Certain vehicles may not comply with CMVSS 1103 - exhaust emissions. During calibration, the purge flow monitor may have been inadvertently disabled in the area… |
| 1998165 26 Aug 1998 | Other NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A FLOOR MOUNTED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER. A COMBINATION OF APPLYING A MIS-ADJUSTED SHIFTER RELEASE BUTTON WITH A LOW FOR… |
| 1998010 21 Jan 1998 | Emissions Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 1103 - exhaust emissions. The calibration of the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) may fail to adequately control CO emi… |
| 1997205 20 Nov 1997 | Suspension On certain vehicles, the lower control arm ball joint may separate due to loss of lubrication. This separation could result in loss of vehicle control and a cra… |
| 1997123 19 Jun 1997 | Structure THE PRIMARY/SECONDARY HOOD LATCH SPRING MAY NOT REMAIN IN POSITION DURING HOOD CLOSING, WHICH CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF BOTH THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LATCH FUNCTIO… |
| 1996079 17 May 1996 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the brake master cylinder may leak brake fluid due to a damaged double lip rear piston seal. Brake fluid leakage may result in diminished … |
| 1996078 17 May 1996 | Brakes CORROSION OF THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT MAY CAUSE THE SOLENOID VALVES TO STICK IN THE OPEN POSITION. IF EITHER FRONT WHEEL VALVE STICKS, THE VEHICLE MAY TE… |
| 1996009 10 Jan 1996 | Engine AN ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL GALLEY PLUG MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY RETAINED. INADEQUATE RETENTION OF THE PLUG MAY RESULT IN OIL LEAKAGE WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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. A COMBINATION OF APPLYING A MIS-ADJUSTED RELEASE BUTTON WITH A LOW FORCE ATTEMPT TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK WITH THE KEY IN THE LOCKED POSITION, CAN BREAK THE CONNECTING PIN IN THE SHIFTER.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CAN SEPARATE DUE TO LOSS OF LUBRICATION.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH SPRING CAN DISENGAGE FROM ITS RETENTION HOLE IF THE HOOD IS SLAMMED SHUT.
THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID DUE TO A DAMAGED DOUBLE LIP REAR PISTON SEAL.
CORROSION OF THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT CAN CAUSE THE SOLENOID VALVES TO STICK IN THE OPEN POSITION.
IN CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL GALLEY PLUG DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY AND ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL IS NOT ADEQUATELY RETAINED.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Dodge told its dealers about the 1996 Dodge Stratus: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634272 | FLASH PROGRAMMING FAILURE RECOVERY. *SLC |
| 634077 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *SLC |
| 625650 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 623153 | EXHIBITING ROUGH IDLE, HARD START AND START & STALL.*CLS |
| 621898 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ |
| 620066 | SUBJECT REGARDING GENERIC SCAN TOOL (GST), PUBLICATION NO. 81-170-00008 PROVIDED WITH THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO PROVIDE REFERENCE INFORMATION WHEN USING GENERIC SCAN TOOL ON OBDII VEHICLES. *TT |
| 620059 | SUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL YEAR JEEP LIBERTY. *TT |
| 618396 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES INSTALLATION OF A NEW COMPONENT TO ASSIST CAM SEAL RETENTION. *JB |
| 618049 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB |
| 615688 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 612160 | SUBJECT ON THE CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *MJS |
| 612149 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE CLUNKING OR RATTLE IN STEERING WHEEL/STEERING COLUMN. *MJS |
| 610635 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 610007 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION IS NOW OFFERING INTERNAL EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASES FOR SELECTION VEHICLES. *TT |
| 609995 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A REVISED WIRE SPLICE PROCEDURE AND RELATED PARTS. *TT |
| 6092304 | SUBJECT REGARDING NON-DEPLOYED AIRBAG HANDLING PROCEDURES. *TT |
| 6089800 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION IS NOW OFFERINB AIRBAG ON / OFF SWITCHES FOR SELECTED VEHICLES. *TT |
| 6089038 | INFORMATION ON TIRE AND WHEEL RUNOUT. *NLM |
| 6089036 | CONCERNS WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID AUXILIARY COOLER. *NLM |
| 6089028 | INFORMATION ON 41TE/42LE SERVICE INFORMATION. *NLM |
| 6088988 | CONCERNS WITH 41TE/42LE TRANSAXLE SHUDDER DURING AN EMCC (ELECTRONICALLY MODULATED CONVERTER CLUTCH) SHIFT. *NLM |
| 6088917 | CONCERNS WITH "BUMP" FEEL DURING A/C COMPRESSOR ENGAGEMENT. *NLM |
| 6088896 | CONCERNS WITH OBDII READINESS CODE RETENTION, FRDERAL PACKAGES. *NLM |
| 6088888 | CONCERNS ON ERRONEOUS MI; ILLUMINATION WITH HEX CODES $6A, ERRONEOUS PCM RESETS, SHIFT CYCLING, COLD ENGINE STUMBLE. *NLM |
| 6088884 | INFORMATION ON POOR DRIVABILITY WITH HIGH DI (DRIVABILITY INDEX) FUEL. *NLM |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
AUTO TRANS IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK
SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATE
LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation