Car was owned by school govement it has been worked on several times for bad suspension.and documented.ball joint bad suspension front and back.back dating 2 or 3 years.no accidents just bad suspension
Dodge Stratus ball joint problems
190 of the 2,653 owner complaints about the Dodge Stratus describe ball joint or control arm failure, most of them for the 1996 model year.
- owner complaints
- 190
- worst model year
- 1996
- typical repair cost reported
- $779
- typical mileage
- 95,000
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Grinding brakes 12Harsh shifting 11Power steering loss 6Jerking 3Knocking 3Check engine light 3Transmission failure 2Won't shift 2
What owners say
The contact owns a 2006 Dodge Stratus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the front passenger’s side of the vehicle. The contact stated that she parked and inspected the vehicle and became aware of the control arm on the ground, the tire pushed away from the vehicle, and bolts and screws on the ground underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
The entire front suspension feels as though it is going to fall outward at any moment. I have had this inspected by two separate dodge dealerships. I’ve also had this inspected by friends that are mechanics. I also have knowledge and I know something is not right with the control arms tire rods, ball joints. The front suspension is horrible. I worry every day. I’m gonna runoff the road or I’m gonna hit someone or something bad is gonna happen. Upon doing my research, I saw many other Dodge Stratus vehicles that were recalled for the same exact reason. My question is why was my car left out of the recall when clearly it has major safety issues.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Stratus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made abnormal sounds and then lost motive power. Additionally, the front passenger's side ball stud separated from the ball joint housing, and the front passenger's side tire was stuck on the fender, preventing the engine from falling onto the ground. The failure almost caused a collision. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. While the vehicle was being placed on the flatbed tow truck, the oil filter fractured and detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge stratus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there were unknown rattling sounds coming from the vehicle. Additionally, the wheels were wobbling as if they were going to detach from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the ball joints on the control arm assembly were faulty. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency campaign number: 10e059000 (suspension). The failure mileage was 116,508.
Vehicle was in motion on street way when lower control arm on driver side broke where ball joint is..lucky no one was in front of me or around me while driving could of caused a serious wreck..had to call tow truck to tow it back to my house
Got this car 2 years ago and from day 1 when applying the brakes all the way the car is almost uncontrolable the wheel pulls one way or the other bad so I have to pump them and then it still pulls and I have replaced the brakes 4 times to make sure it wasnt the disc and also replaced the wheel bearings and the shop told me the lower control arm and upper and lower ball joints are cracking up and so its not safe for me to drive and I dont have the money to be replacing something that shouldnt be messed up my car has low miles it started makimg clunking noises whem going over a bump and any time car is moving it is squeaking noises coming frpm front of car
While making a turn at 5mph, my front right wheel collapsed causing complete separation of the wheel and control arm in turn causing my axle to come out from the transmission at the cv joint. There is a recall for this ball joint issue but not for my VIN specifically.
As I am turning the steering wheel when driving or idle the steering is making a squeaking/creaking noise I believe it has to do with recall: 10e059000 front control arm - lower arm
When driving home the 2006 dodge stratus sxt sedan as mentioned broke on me and my family into a store parking lot where the entire wheel came off the car leaving me and my family stranded luckily we weren't on the hwy driving hwy speeds or im sure me and my family wouldn't probably be living here today. I went online to check we're there any recalls on this vehicle and it came back as ball joint assembly which is the cause of the damage to my vehicle
Related recalls
Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The lower control arm ball joint can separate due to loss of lubrication.
- Risk
- Separation of the ball joint could cause a loss of steering control increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the ball joint end housing cover seal for leakage with a high pressure air tester and the rubber boot will be visually inspected for damage. If the cover seal leaks or the boot is damaged, the lower control arm will be replaced.
Recall number 97V201000 · Recall details
Questions about the Dodge Stratus ball joint
Which Dodge Stratus years have ball joint or control arm failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1996 (26 complaints), 2001 (20 complaints) and 1995 (18 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix ball joint or control arm failure on the Dodge Stratus?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $779 (median of 13 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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