1997 Dodge Stratus Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 158 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Dodge Stratus, 45% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 70,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “head gasket” (61% of reports).
- 158engine and engine cooling complaints
- 70,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 44%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Head gasket: mentioned in 97 of 158 complaints (61%)
- Leaking oil: mentioned in 22 of 158 complaints (14%)
- Timing belt: mentioned in 11 of 158 complaints (7%)
- Summary listed above: mentioned in 9 of 158 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 1997 Dodge Stratus at $1,500, and half of them between $1,100 and $1,950.
Based on 17 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (1999–2004), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 21 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 158 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 1 an injury.
Dodge Stratus engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Stratus | 14 | 19% | 44,000 |
| 2005 Stratus | 14 | 23% | 63,008 |
| 2004 Stratus | 22 | 15% | 36,500 |
| 2003 Stratus | 6 | 8% | 33,000 |
| 2002 Stratus | 48 | 32% | 80,000 |
| 2001 Stratus | 58 | 31% | 65,000 |
| 2000 Stratus | 23 | 11% | 105,500 |
| 1999 Stratus | 53 | 21% | 65,500 |
| 1998 Stratus | 121 | 44% | 65,000 |
| 1997 Stratus | 158 | 45% | 70,000 |
| 1996 Stratus | 335 | 60% | 90,000 |
| 1995 Stratus | 106 | 33% | 137,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Dodge Stratus. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge stratus. While driving 30 mph, the contact rear ended another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. A police report was filed. The road conditions were normal. She noticed oil leaking after the crash. The repair shop stated…
Dt*: the contact stated while driving at no particular speed, the check engine light illuminates and the vehicle completely stalls. After stalling, the vehicle restarts following an extended period of time. Although the vehicle has been seen by a dealer and multiple repairs have been made, the…
Dt: the vehicle is a 1997 dodge stratus. At 27,000 the oil light came on while the consumer was driving and the vehicle cut off. When the consumer had it towed to the dealership they replaced the timing belt and pulleys. At 39,000 the engine would not start. When it was towed to the dealership…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Dodge Stratuss have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 158 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Dodge Stratus (45% of the 349 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Dodge Stratus engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 70,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Dodge Stratus?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,500 (half paid between $1,100 and $1,950), from 17 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Dodge Stratus?
The most frequent phrase is “head gasket”, in 97 of 158 complaints, followed by “leaking oil” (22).
See all 1997 Dodge Stratus problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Stratus years.