2005 dodge stratus - problems
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2005 dodge stratus - problems
2005 dodge stratus 50,000 miles
First I have to say I am very disappointed with this car. That being said here are my problems.
1. There is a clicking noise from what seems to be my driver side front wheel. The clicking speeds up with the speed of the car. According to the dealer, they can't find the problem.
2. My turn signals just started acting up. It started two days ago. I was making a left turn and noticed my signal wasn't working. I thought it was a bulb or a fuse. I checked both. Now today the signals are working again. (sigh)
3. The engine has a very rough idle. To the point it shakes the car. I have brought the car to the dealer for this problem as well. I was told it's just the way the car is made. (now I don't trust the dealer)
4. Sometimes when I make a left or right turn on a bumpy road or going over speed bumps I hear a sound from the front of the car. Sounds like something bumping something else or possibly coming lose. My first car was a 77' chevy nova which had one of it's tie rods come apart while I was driving. I'm hoping it's nothing like that. Again, dealer says nothing is wrong.
5. Over the past month my engine light has come on and turned off several times. I talked to the dealer about this, but was told I have to bring it in while the problem is occuring. So I have plan my life around when this light will decide to light up.
There are a few more things that are going on that can't think of at the moment but will add them later. Any help would be great. Although I think getting rid of this car would be the best option.
First I have to say I am very disappointed with this car. That being said here are my problems.
1. There is a clicking noise from what seems to be my driver side front wheel. The clicking speeds up with the speed of the car. According to the dealer, they can't find the problem.
2. My turn signals just started acting up. It started two days ago. I was making a left turn and noticed my signal wasn't working. I thought it was a bulb or a fuse. I checked both. Now today the signals are working again. (sigh)
3. The engine has a very rough idle. To the point it shakes the car. I have brought the car to the dealer for this problem as well. I was told it's just the way the car is made. (now I don't trust the dealer)
4. Sometimes when I make a left or right turn on a bumpy road or going over speed bumps I hear a sound from the front of the car. Sounds like something bumping something else or possibly coming lose. My first car was a 77' chevy nova which had one of it's tie rods come apart while I was driving. I'm hoping it's nothing like that. Again, dealer says nothing is wrong.
5. Over the past month my engine light has come on and turned off several times. I talked to the dealer about this, but was told I have to bring it in while the problem is occuring. So I have plan my life around when this light will decide to light up.
There are a few more things that are going on that can't think of at the moment but will add them later. Any help would be great. Although I think getting rid of this car would be the best option.
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2005 Stratus
Not sure if this will help, but it's worth a try ...
I also have a 2005 Stratus, (mine with 47,000 miles with the 2.7L V-6) and about a month ago I started to experience similar problems to what you described (except #2 regarding signal lights). I had the rough idol on occasion, some dash lights going on a few times, but mostly it was noise coming from the engine compartment, sometimes clicks, but mostly squeaks. I heard it mostly when I would put the car in gear, and whenever I went over speed bumps, or pulling into a ramped driveway (when climbing up the curb to the sidewalk before the actual driveway). I thought my front shocks were going out, but when I rocked the front end up and down, the shocks felt firm, and there was no noise coming from the front end.
So I took it into an independent auto service store (a rack and axel shop) and had them check it for possible shock bushing or tie rod problems. Turned out that that wasn't the problem ... instead it was the motor mounts!
It's an easy problem to spot if you have two people ... with the engine running and in park, open the hood and have one person stand to the side and watch the engine, while a second person holds down on the brake and puts the car into gear, then with their other foot have them rev the engine a little and see how much the engine moves forward in drive or backward when shifting to reverse. If the mounts are good, there will 1 to 2 inches of normal movement, but if it moves more than that, then the mounts are bad. On my car, it was moving back and forth by 5 to 6 inches!
The mechanic said that he'd seen movement on some cars as bad as 10 to 12 inches, and that's just about ripping your hoses out of the radiator. But you don't have to worry about the engine flying out from under the hood, before that would happen, the shift linkage will become disconnected and then you won't be able to put the car into gear. He also told me, that motor mount fatigue is a fairly common problem with the Stratus, and usually shows up around 50,000 miles. Once replaced, however, depending on how you drive and how much or how hard you rev up or tromp down on the engine, you should be good for another 75 to 80,000 miles (I guess the replacement parts are a little better than the originals used at the factory).
Now for the good news and bad news ... I had all 4 motor mounts replaced (even though they told me I probably could have gotten by with replacing only the front and rear ones ... I figured why take a chance, once your in there, might as well do the complete job). The parts were not readily available, and had to be ordered from the Dodge dealership, which was expensive but at least I know I've got OEM and not some knock-offs from China. The bad news is that the job cost me $718.00! The good news is that my Stratus drives just like brand new again ... and even the overall handling is much improved. I've fallen back in love with the car all over again.
Anyway, check it out and see if that's the problem ... if not, well at least we've eliminated one possibility.
Dajamax
[EMAIL="dsmatz1@***.net"]
I also have a 2005 Stratus, (mine with 47,000 miles with the 2.7L V-6) and about a month ago I started to experience similar problems to what you described (except #2 regarding signal lights). I had the rough idol on occasion, some dash lights going on a few times, but mostly it was noise coming from the engine compartment, sometimes clicks, but mostly squeaks. I heard it mostly when I would put the car in gear, and whenever I went over speed bumps, or pulling into a ramped driveway (when climbing up the curb to the sidewalk before the actual driveway). I thought my front shocks were going out, but when I rocked the front end up and down, the shocks felt firm, and there was no noise coming from the front end.
So I took it into an independent auto service store (a rack and axel shop) and had them check it for possible shock bushing or tie rod problems. Turned out that that wasn't the problem ... instead it was the motor mounts!
It's an easy problem to spot if you have two people ... with the engine running and in park, open the hood and have one person stand to the side and watch the engine, while a second person holds down on the brake and puts the car into gear, then with their other foot have them rev the engine a little and see how much the engine moves forward in drive or backward when shifting to reverse. If the mounts are good, there will 1 to 2 inches of normal movement, but if it moves more than that, then the mounts are bad. On my car, it was moving back and forth by 5 to 6 inches!
The mechanic said that he'd seen movement on some cars as bad as 10 to 12 inches, and that's just about ripping your hoses out of the radiator. But you don't have to worry about the engine flying out from under the hood, before that would happen, the shift linkage will become disconnected and then you won't be able to put the car into gear. He also told me, that motor mount fatigue is a fairly common problem with the Stratus, and usually shows up around 50,000 miles. Once replaced, however, depending on how you drive and how much or how hard you rev up or tromp down on the engine, you should be good for another 75 to 80,000 miles (I guess the replacement parts are a little better than the originals used at the factory).
Now for the good news and bad news ... I had all 4 motor mounts replaced (even though they told me I probably could have gotten by with replacing only the front and rear ones ... I figured why take a chance, once your in there, might as well do the complete job). The parts were not readily available, and had to be ordered from the Dodge dealership, which was expensive but at least I know I've got OEM and not some knock-offs from China. The bad news is that the job cost me $718.00! The good news is that my Stratus drives just like brand new again ... and even the overall handling is much improved. I've fallen back in love with the car all over again.
Anyway, check it out and see if that's the problem ... if not, well at least we've eliminated one possibility.
Dajamax
[EMAIL="dsmatz1@***.net"]
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1
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Constant clicking noise in my 2005 stratus
I have a 2005 Dodge Stratus. 87,583 ml. I have put 1800 mls on it. it has never over heated and never lost oil. I have taken it to 3 mechanics and I get different things.. one said lifters and one said weight of oil. and others didnt know. I have to drive 10 hrs straight. im afraid I will tear up engine . Can someone please tell me any info????????
