Popcorn Noise or Popping Noise from the front drivers side of a 2004 Stratus
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Popcorn Noise or Popping Noise from the front drivers side of a 2004 Stratus
Hi! I'm trying to help others that have had this problem.I've seen similar posts all over, I really hope I can help someone avoid the time, aggravation, and money that I have endured.
Recently, I had a 2004 Dodge Stratus, 50,000 when the problem started. It sounded much like popcorn popping on the drivers side front, like it was in front of you. It would, however, resinate throughout the car. It started out really low and really intermittantly. It got worse the longer you drove it, worse over bumpy roads, if you turn the car off or let it sit a bit, sometimes the noise went away. If it was up on the rack for a while, it would go away for days at a time. There was a definate vibration in the steering wheel with it - meaning you could have the radio on full blast and you felt the noise even though you may not have heard it. The noise had every indication that it was something in the suspension.The noise started happening whenever someone got in and out of the car or if you bounced the car (typical for struts).
I took the car to a mechanic friend, he tore it apart.Mechanically everything was ok.3-4 more mechanic friendslooked at it...mechanically everything was good.Took it to a shop, got a rental car twice, they were fed up by the end of this and said mechanically everything looks good. Car wasn't going to fall apart (it just sounds like it is).
Until last week the following items were replaced over a 6-month time: struts, sway bars/links/bushings, wheel bearings, ball joint (twice), a spindle by the ball joint, control arm, steering column, brakes, rotors, and tires. They also did two TSBs on it - something with steering and something with the rivets in the spring tower. The rack and pinion was going to be the next part replaced, but I decided I was not going to sink another $525 in the car at that point on a total guess (one mechanic's opinion was the rack and pinion, the shop didn't think it was but also said they had been wrong the entire time so far too). I went to the dealer at that point. They still don't know whats wrong with the car. Not including the tires, I spent a little over 2,000 and still had this horrible noise that was getting louder and was just...scary.I called Dodge Corp, and they wouldn't talk to me.
I ended up cutting my losses at that point and got an 2008 Avenger. I'm still pretty upset with the Stratus, butthe Dodgedealershipwould give me the mostfor the stratus and at least that would finish paying it off and give me a little something towards the Avenger. That and the fact they had the stratus torn apart and I was not going to drive it off the lot with the noise still there.
There is alot of info on the Web about this problem, but nothing I found had a fix. I suspect Dodge knows about it and that its expensive to fix becauseyou can find the exact same problem in90s models.I hope that this info helpssomeone. Good luck with it.
Recently, I had a 2004 Dodge Stratus, 50,000 when the problem started. It sounded much like popcorn popping on the drivers side front, like it was in front of you. It would, however, resinate throughout the car. It started out really low and really intermittantly. It got worse the longer you drove it, worse over bumpy roads, if you turn the car off or let it sit a bit, sometimes the noise went away. If it was up on the rack for a while, it would go away for days at a time. There was a definate vibration in the steering wheel with it - meaning you could have the radio on full blast and you felt the noise even though you may not have heard it. The noise had every indication that it was something in the suspension.The noise started happening whenever someone got in and out of the car or if you bounced the car (typical for struts).
I took the car to a mechanic friend, he tore it apart.Mechanically everything was ok.3-4 more mechanic friendslooked at it...mechanically everything was good.Took it to a shop, got a rental car twice, they were fed up by the end of this and said mechanically everything looks good. Car wasn't going to fall apart (it just sounds like it is).
Until last week the following items were replaced over a 6-month time: struts, sway bars/links/bushings, wheel bearings, ball joint (twice), a spindle by the ball joint, control arm, steering column, brakes, rotors, and tires. They also did two TSBs on it - something with steering and something with the rivets in the spring tower. The rack and pinion was going to be the next part replaced, but I decided I was not going to sink another $525 in the car at that point on a total guess (one mechanic's opinion was the rack and pinion, the shop didn't think it was but also said they had been wrong the entire time so far too). I went to the dealer at that point. They still don't know whats wrong with the car. Not including the tires, I spent a little over 2,000 and still had this horrible noise that was getting louder and was just...scary.I called Dodge Corp, and they wouldn't talk to me.
I ended up cutting my losses at that point and got an 2008 Avenger. I'm still pretty upset with the Stratus, butthe Dodgedealershipwould give me the mostfor the stratus and at least that would finish paying it off and give me a little something towards the Avenger. That and the fact they had the stratus torn apart and I was not going to drive it off the lot with the noise still there.
There is alot of info on the Web about this problem, but nothing I found had a fix. I suspect Dodge knows about it and that its expensive to fix becauseyou can find the exact same problem in90s models.I hope that this info helpssomeone. Good luck with it.