2002 Dodge Stratus Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Stratus years
- Fewer complaints than other years 8th of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 150 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Dodge Stratus. That ranks 8th out of 13 Stratus model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (48 complaints, 32%), typically at around 80,000 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 4 fires, 11 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 150owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Dodge Stratus problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 48 | 32% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 31 | 21% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 21 | 14% | 59,750 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 19 | 13% | 64,900 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 7% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 6% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 9 | 6% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 5% | 37,748 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 5% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 3% | 892 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 3% | 137,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 3% | 24,400 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 2% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 33,452 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 149,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Dodge Stratus recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2001-2002 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Stratus vehicles, equipped with beige interiors. The affected vehicles were previously repaired for a recall issue using an incorrect part. The incorrect part may not prevent the passenger side sun visor from detaching if the passenger frontal air bag deploys and the passenger side sun visor is folded down in a certain position.
Risk: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
Fix: Chrysler will notify the affected owners. Dealers will install the correct tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2016, owners will be sent a second email when parts are available. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005, and 2001-2005 Dodge Stratus vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 22, 2005. In the affected vehicles, the passenger side sun visor may be folded down in such a position that, if the passenger frontal air bag deploys, the passenger side sun visor may detach.
Risk: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
Fix: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-15-005. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R30.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Safety belt cinching latch plate (PE02082) — opened Nov 6, 2002, closed Apr 23, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v338000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v338000 (air bags) however, the part needed to perform the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v338000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. Upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the rear driver side ball joint fractured from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who diagnosed that the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v338000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide the part to do the repair. The…
Other Dodge Stratus years
← 2001 Stratus · 2003 Stratus →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 Stratus | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 Stratus | 74 | 0 |
| 2005 Stratus | 62 | 3 |
| 2004 Stratus | 144 | 3 |
| 2003 Stratus | 75 | 2 |
| 2002 | 150 | 2 |
| 2001 Stratus | 186 | 10 |
| 2000 Stratus | 216 | 5 |
| 1999 Stratus | 251 | 3 |
| 1998 Stratus | 272 | 3 |
| 1997 Stratus | 349 | 4 |
| 1996 Stratus | 554 | 7 |
| 1995 Stratus | 318 | 7 |
See all Dodge Stratus problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Dodge Stratus?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, suspension, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 48 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Dodge Stratus?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Dodge Stratus a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Stratus model years, the 2002 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.