Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1996 Dodge Stratus
NHTSA data on file today
The 1996 Dodge Stratus has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns and 553 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #10E059000 REPLACEMENT CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E056000 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINTS/SEPARATION NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E091000 FUEL PUMP MODULES/ENGINE STALL CONDITION NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E088000 FUEL PUMP/ENGINE STALL CONDITION NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V021000 DAIMLERCHRYSLER/FLOOR SHIFT IGNITION-PARK INTERLOC NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #98V183000 CHRYSLER/IGNITION KEY SHIFT INTERLOCK NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #97V201000 CHRYSLER/LOWER CONTROL ARM NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #97V095000 CHRYSLER/SECONDARY HOOD LATCH NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #96V075000 Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Foundation Components — Master Cylinder NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #96V074000 CHRYSLER/ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT CORROSION NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #96V006000 CHRYSLER/ENGINE NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 323 complaints
- Power Train 57 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 56 complaints
- Steering 37 complaints
- Electrical System 35 complaints
- Suspension 31 complaints
Of the 553 complaints on file, 36 report a crash and 36 a fire; across all 553 complaints, owners report 26 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1996 Dodge Stratus has a below-average reliability due to a significant number of complaints and recurring recall campaigns, particularly in engine and cooling systems. Complaints are high for engine issues, and multiple recalls were issued for fuel and suspension components. However, the data is somewhat limited by its age and may not fully predict current reliability.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine cooling | Unknown | $500–$1,500 | common |
| Transmission | Unknown | $800–$2,500 | occasional |
| Brake system | Unknown | $300–$900 | occasional |
| Suspension | Unknown | $400–$1,200 | rare |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change
- Brake pad replacement
- Coolant system flush
- Transmission fluid service
- Tire rotation and balance
- Air filter replacement
- Drive belt inspection
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Engine overheating
- Transmission slipping
- Brake fluid leaks
- Suspension noise
- Hard starting or stalling
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1996 Dodge Stratus at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.