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Dodge StratusModel year report

1999 Dodge Stratus Problems

Complaints
251filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
90,500miles, 98 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
22 mpgcombined, 2.4L 4-cyl FWD · 18 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1999 Dodge Stratus (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe under-hood fires, many in vehicles that were parked and had been running normally, along with power steering fluid leaks and hose failures that complaints often link to those fires. Steering and brake problems, transmission fluid loss, and stalling or no-start conditions are also reported, generally at higher mileages.

  1. Electrical system

    Under-hood fire while parked or shortly after driving

    • 72 complaints (29%)
    • median 100,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (49 state mileage)
    • 59 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2020

    Complaints describe smoke and flames from the engine compartment after the vehicle had been parked, sometimes only minutes after a normal drive, and in some cases the car was a total loss. Several owners say fire investigators attributed the fire to electrical or wiring problems, and some mention prior oddities such as windows operating on their own or instrument panel faults. Others report the fire began near the power steering hose area or the fuel pump. Reported from about 35,000 to 145,000 miles, often with no warning and while the car was parked.

    Recall 06V001000

    What to check: Ask whether the power steering high-pressure hose recall was performed and look for any fire damage, melted wiring or scorched areas under the hood and near the firewall. Have an independent shop inspect the wiring and fuel pump area before purchase.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “A fire started under the hood of my car (Dodge Stratus 1999) after I parked it after driving for about half an hour. There was no prior indication of anything amiss. Fire department put out the fire, but I am told the car cannot be repaired. I have had regular maintenance on this car.”

    NHTSA complaint #10023622, filed 2003-06, 60,000 miles

    “On dec. 12, 2004 myself, my daughter , & her step-daughter were on our way to go shopping approximately 60 miles from home. We stopped at approximately 45 miles and ate lunch, then continued the other 15 miles. We exited the 1999 Dodge Stratus and entered the store. After approximately 5-10 minutes, an in-store page went out that a vehicle of our description was smoking badly. When I looked out the store window, I saw the vehicle was mine. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10104109, filed 2004-12, 100,000 miles
  2. Steering

    Power steering fluid leaks and hose failure

    • 40 complaints (16%)
    • median 119,953 mi at 8.1 yrs old (23 state mileage)
    • 22 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2000–2020

    Owners describe power steering fluid that had to be topped up repeatedly, a leaking high-pressure hose, and a pump that eventually failed. Several complaints say the leak was found but not repaired before a fire occurred, and some note their vehicle was not covered by the hose campaign because of its VIN. Reported from roughly 60,000 to 190,000 miles, with leaks often developing gradually over months.

    Recall 06V001000

    What to check: Check the power steering fluid level and look for wetness or residue on the high-pressure hose and around the pump, and confirm whether the hose recall was completed for this VIN.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Fire under hood due to leaking power steering fluid hose, received recall notice in mail weeks after incident. Was fire department dispatched. Sold car to tow company for 150.00 on october 9. Reported this to chrysler dealership to try get money we paid for car. But they could not locate car to do inspection. We have several pics of car after it burned. Recall state that the defect in power steering hose was leaking on motor and igniting causing an under the hood fire.”

    NHTSA complaint #10251395, filed 2008-12, 140,000 miles

    “I bought my 1999 Dodge Stratus 2.4l in september 2006 from the original owner with 145,000 miles. In may 2007, I had the valve covers and cam sensor wiring replaced due to oil leakage and rotted wiring (unrelated to one another). The car seemed to slowly leak power steering fluid but the mechanic was unable to identify a problem. On 7/29/2007 after a 50 mile drive, the car caught fire under the hood in front of the driver's passenger compartment after being parked for a short time. The vehicle is a total loss.”

    NHTSA complaint #10197815, filed 2007-07, 156,000 miles
  3. Brakes

    Brake pedal sinking and rear brake drag or overheating

    • 54 complaints (22%)
    • median 126,226 mi at 7.8 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2021

    Complaints describe a brake pedal that went all the way to the floor, weak-feeling self-adjusting brakes, and a rear wheel, drum and tire that became extremely hot with a burning rubber smell while driving. Owners report repeated shoe, drum and hardware replacements with the problem returning, and in some cases brake lines were replaced to resolve it. Mostly reported above 100,000 miles, sometimes with the problem recurring after repairs.

    Recall 99V244000

    What to check: Ask when the brake lines, hoses and rear brakes were last serviced, check for a soft or long pedal, and after a test drive feel each wheel for unusual heat or a burning smell.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Compressor blew out-car shakes hard now. Self adjusting brakes don't feel right, they feel weak. Rolling windows down takes away power to the car, or AC. Brakes make unusual noises but Dodge said there was nothing wrong with them, my mechanic said they needed to be adjusted but Dodge said the brakes adjust themselves”

    NHTSA complaint #10070784, filed 2004-01, 50,968 miles

    “This is the second time this has happened. Lost all instrumentation: speed,fuel,RPM,etc,at 50mph. Just prior to this, the ABS light came on. The first fix included a new battery last year, three alternators until one worked (do not think this was the problem), and some kind of a harness which was rubbing on the engine? And creating a short. This problem could be the reason for all the car fires. Thank you.”

    NHTSA complaint #10554121, filed 2013-11, 152,275 miles
  4. Fuel system

    Stalling, no-start and fuel pump failure

    • 20 complaints (8%)
    • median 92,716 mi at 8.0 yrs old (14 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2000–2015

    Owners describe the engine cutting out at speed or refusing to restart, which in several cases was traced to a failed fuel pump, sometimes with burned or bare wiring found on the removed pump. Some also report repeated pump replacements within a short period and misfiring or rough running that did not clear after a tune-up. Reported from about 70,000 to 143,000 miles, typically as an intermittent stall that becomes a permanent no-start.

    What to check: Ask whether the fuel pump has been replaced and listen for a weak or absent pump prime at key-on; have the pump connector and wiring inspected for heat damage or exposed wire.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Experienced several instances of vehicle stop and stall during at various speeds over the past 3 weeks. We treated the gas for possible water, changed fuel filter, but problem persisted. Ran checks and determined it was a fuel pump problem. I removed the oringinal pump and noted that the wiring was bare and burned all the way through to the inside. I saved the pump to show, and will contact dealer tommorrow. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10067786, filed 2004-04, 81,500 miles

    “With no ryme or rythem, the winsheild wipers fail to turn on, power locks fail to work and turn sygnals fail. Engine stalls and will not restart while in traffic for at least 30 seconds. These conditions happen while on the roadway and with children in the car , loss of ignition, winsheild wipers or turn sygnals can cause an accident or death.”

    NHTSA complaint #10391528, filed 2011-03, 127,182 miles

Buying note. Given the number of fire-related complaints, it is worth confirming the power steering hose recall was completed for the specific vehicle and having the wiring, fuel pump and power steering system inspected by an independent shop. Service records for brakes, transmission fluid and cooling system work give a clearer picture than mileage alone.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 251 consumer complaints for the 1999 Dodge Stratus. 98 of the complaints include a mileage, and 15% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 90,500 miles. Of all complaints, 23 involved a crash, 59 a fire, 18 an injury, 2 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 14 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Equipment (9), Suspension (9), Seat belts (7), Body and structure (4), Tires (4), Engine (2), Exterior lighting (2), Seats (2), Interior lighting (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “My 1999 Dodge Stratus has a head gasket oil leak with only 43,000 miles. It will cost $800 to repair. After doing extension research, I discovered that this is an ongoing problem with Dodge Stratus. Now I have read that this could be fatal to Dodge owners due to the fire risk. I would like to see an investigation of the Dodge Stratus and to have a recall issued.”

NHTSA complaint #10060757, filed 2004-03, 38,000 miles

Steering: “While I was parallel parking my passenger saw heavy white smoke after I turned my steering wheel sharply. My steering wheel locked also. My passenger and I got out of the car and called 911. I believe I turned the ignition off before getting out. The smoke started on the front passenger side and flames were seen under the front of the car. The fire department came and put out the fire. Everything under the hood was burned and the car was a total loss. Afterwards the car (interior and exterior) smelled like burnt power steering fluid. I filed a claim with my insurance company.”

NHTSA complaint #10532906, filed 2013-07, 168,000 miles

Brakes: “My girl friend came home and said the car was smoking so I went to look at it and yes smoke was coming from the firewall side of the motor right above the exhaust manifold .I did some research and found a recall on the high pressure hose for the power steering pump so I called the number given and chrysler set me up with haddad Dodge in bakersfield california we set an appointment for the repairs to be done , I brought the car to them and they kept it for 4 days I called them about the car and they said it was ready I picked it up later that afternoon drove approx 6 miles home it was smoking…”

NHTSA complaint #10628849, filed 2014-08, 103,932 miles

Electrical system: “My horn goes off when turning the steering wheel, it started about 3 weeks ago, had the horn disconnected , have a new battery and it goes dead over night, my mechanic said it may be a short in the steering wheel by the air bag. I see other people with the same problem, how do I know that my air bag not going to explode and injury me. Should be a recall on this problem.”

NHTSA complaint #10659655, filed 2014-11, 115,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

15% of the 98 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 60,000 and 130,000 miles.

2%0–103%10–2510%25–5021%50–7517%75–10034%100–15012%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (98 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 90,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’0139’04’07’11’15’21
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1999 Dodge Stratus. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Stratus · sedan not rated3 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1999 Dodge Stratus version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Stratus FWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manual233327$2,500
Stratus FWD2.4L 4-cyl4-speed automatic182822$3,050
Stratus FWD2.5L 6-cyl4-speed automatic172520$3,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1999 Dodge Stratus → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 14 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 14 bulletins →

Other model years of the Dodge Stratus

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20067452,0000—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20056273,0423—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200414466,8873—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20037563,5002—21Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200215066,5002—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200118670,18510—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200021688,0005—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199925190,5003—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199827275,0003—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199734995,0004—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199655496,9087—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199531897,0007—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Dodge Stratus model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Dodge Stratus?

Owners of this model year most often describe under-hood fires, many in vehicles that were parked and had been running normally, along with power steering fluid leaks and hose failures that complaints often link to those fires. The issues reported most often: Under-hood fire while parked or shortly after driving; Power steering fluid leaks and hose failure; Brake pedal sinking and rear brake drag or overheating.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1999 Dodge Stratus have?

NHTSA recorded 251 consumer complaints for the 1999 Dodge Stratus as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1999 Dodge Stratus is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 53 complaints (21% of the total), followed by steering with 49.

Has the 1999 Dodge Stratus been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1999 Dodge Stratus get?

The EPA rates the 1999 Dodge Stratus (Stratus, 2.4L 4-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 18 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1999 Dodge Stratus reported?

Among the 98 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 90,500 miles and the middle half falls between 60,000 and 130,000 miles; 15% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.