1996 Dodge Stratus: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 776 complaints
776
Total Complaints
90,000mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Top Issue
39
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

60,000 25th Percentile
90,000 Median Mileage
120,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
224
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
101
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
38
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
23
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
18
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
14
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
14
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
12
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
12
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
12

Severity Assessment

39
Crashes
40
Fires
27
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"ARM BRACE GETS CAUGHT ON INSIDE DOOR HANDLE, LOCKED DOOR CAME OPEN. TT"
"TRUNK HINGES CONTINUE TO FALL WHEN LIFTED, SPRING WILL NOT HOLD TRUNK IN PLACE. TT"
"WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT AUTO TRANS. MALFUNCTION, WHEN CHANGING GEAR ABRUPTLY, DECELERATING FROM 60-20MPH, NO PRIOR WARNING. TT"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28