Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1998 Dodge Stratus
NHTSA data on file today
The 1998 Dodge Stratus has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns and 272 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 #09E043000 AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTER LEAKS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E088000 FUEL PUMP/ENGINE STALL CONDITION NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V021000 DAIMLERCHRYSLER/FLOOR SHIFT IGNITION-PARK INTERLOC NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #99V244000 DAIMLERCHRYSLER/REAR WHEEL BRAKE TUBES NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #98V183000 CHRYSLER/IGNITION KEY SHIFT INTERLOCK NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 120 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 42 complaints
- Power Train 24 complaints
- Steering 19 complaints
- Air Bags 17 complaints
- Suspension 17 complaints
Of the 272 complaints on file, 25 report a crash and 17 a fire; across all 272 complaints, owners report 18 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$9,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1998 Dodge Stratus has a moderate number of recalls and owner complaints, indicating average reliability. Key concerns include engine and engine cooling issues. Lack of specific failure mileage data makes precise anticipation challenging. Overall, while some components show higher complaint counts, the recall campaigns suggest manageable known issues.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine cooling | Unknown | $400–$1,500 | common |
| Service brakes | Unknown | $300–$800 | occasional |
| Automatic transmission | Unknown | $1,500–$3,500 | occasional |
| Steering system | Unknown | $300–$700 | occasional |
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 changes
- Brake inspection and service
- Transmission fluid change
- Coolant system flush
- Tire rotation and balancing
- Air filter replacement
- Spark plug replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Overheating engine
- Transmission slipping
- Unresponsive brake pedal
- Steering wheel vibration
- Unexpected loss of power
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1998 Dodge Stratus at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.