Dodge - Stratus :: 2003 2.7L - Stalling At Idle / Engine Suddenly Drops RPM When Hot
Feb 26, 2013
I have a 2.7L flex fuel Dodge Stratus with 120K+ miles on it and a problem local mechanics and the Dodge dealership cannot seem to locate. When the engine is hot, and only when it's hot, the car will jerk suddenly while driving for a split second, then resume normal operations. It feels almost like you hit something and is scaring the bejeesus out of my wife. It also sometimes stalls out when at a light after sitting at idle for a few seconds. It idles down from 600 RPM like the air conditioning compressor is cutting on and then dies completely.
The car shows no error codes and the check engine light does not come on when this happens. I have replaced the spark plugs, and the transmission solenoid, which is what the Dodge dealer said "fixed" the car for almost $900, and it did it again on the way home from the dealership. My next idea was to change the fuel filter, or maybe the cam position sensor or timing belt or chain. I wonder if I am just trowing money down a hole at this point though, since Kelly Blue Book on this car is under 2K anyway.
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I own a 1998 Dodge Stratus (ES Sedan 4D, 2.4 liter, automatic) and driving to a restaurant on Friday I ran over a rather nasty pothole. It had once had a metal plate over it, but it was 3/4 of the way uncovered and I hit so hard that the front of the car bottomed out hard on the pavement. I made sure I hadn't popped a tire and was on my way. Later that evening I got back in the car to go home and the battery had died suddenly. I knew I had not left any lights/systems on in the car. I got a jump and the car made it home, clicking, with lights flickering and gauge needles wobbling the whole way.
I left it for the weekend, and tried to assess the situation further after work on Monday. The battery in the Stratus is located under the driver's side wheel well, so I removed the cover to check if there were any loose wires/connections and there weren't. I got the car jumped and made it to an Advance Auto Parts to have the battery tested (again with clicking, flickering lights/gauges). Right before I got there, the battery light in the dash turned on.
The battery was tested almost completely dead, and it took about 30 minutes to get to the AAP from my house. It wouldn't jump again, so I had to get AAA to tow it back to my house (It took the AAA guy about 5 tries to jump it using his tow truck's battery, and it lasted long enough to drive it up onto the truck bed).
I didn't want to buy a new battery, in case there was something wrong with the alternator and the new battery would just get sucked dry like the old one. What might have happened. It seems strange that a battery would just die so suddenly with no warning and I don't want to get ripped off at a mechanic because I have no idea what might have happened (I don't know much about cars except for really basic stuff.)
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I drive an '04 Dodge Stratus with 100k+ miles. I drove over a speed bump in the parking lot where I work (10 mph or less), and the car suddenly died (coincidence?) Luckily I was able to coast into a parking spot before the wheel seized up. The "check engine light" and the "oil light" came on, which leads me to believe I didn't lose power. I turned the car off and was able to restart the engine. When I exited the car, I noticed a burning smell. I am going to check the oil level, but is there anything else that could be causing this? I don't want to be stranded on my way home from work tonight.
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Today I went and test drove a used 2006 Dodge Stratus SXT from a private party. Everything about the car was great except it had a bit of a rough idle; there was a slight sputtering noise when not in motion, and the car itself vibrated very slightly. It didn't bother me too much while I was driving because it accelerated and shifted fine and the engine sounded very strong, otherwise.
When the test drive was over I pointed out the noise to the owner, and he admitted that he had mis-timed the timing belt slightly which was causing the sputtering (he is a mechanic and replaced it himself). I was worried about this, but I did some research when I got home and learned that this model of Stratus has a non-interference engine.
My question is this: should that timing belt be a deal breaker for me? Will this cause major mechanical issues down the road? I know it will reduce power but I only really need the car to commute, so I don't mind if I'm not toe-to-toe with a Challenger. I'm just worried it will eventually cause a costly problem.
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I am having issues with my everyday driver as of late. I developed a misfire and replaced, plugs, coils, plug wires. Misfire persisted so we replaced, injectors, fuel rail. The misfire still was there and getting worse so we checked the engine mechanically for any burnt or bent valves and it checked out fine. We completed a compression test and all cylinders tested within 5 psi of each other. We finally replaced the ECU and Cam Sensor and the problem still is here. We do not know what else to do. I have narrowed down the misfire to cylinder one. The injector is not firing on this cylinder. I know this because when you unplug it there is no change in the engines behavior. As stated earlier, injectors are new, but i switched them out just to make sure it was a bad injector. I tested the lead and the voltage was appriopiate.
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I have a 2004 Dodge Stratus (165,000 Miles). The check engine light has been on for at least eight months. I took it to have it checked out and the mechanic said ''there is a very small crack in the exhaust line''. Well, now if I turn the car on cold, it shakes all over and sometimes will turn off. It smells like straight exhaust.
Yesterday I started the car and the check engine light flashed for a good minute, then stayed on. Also, when I get out from a normal drive, you can smell gas. Plain ole gas.
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I have a 2005 Dodge Stratus. 2.7 Engine. It died the other day and wouldn't start up. I tried to jump it and noticed smoke coming from under the engine. When I checked the starter was burnt so I replaced it with a new one and it does the same thing. It almost cranked once and then just makes a woo-woov kind of sound.
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I have a 99 Dodge Stratus 4 cyl 2.4L, automatic.
It has been idling rough for a few months now. It feels just like it is misfiring. Tach confirms quick dip in rpm then return to normal idle. It has never actually stalled, just a quick rpm dip and subsequent shuddering, then recovers for a few seconds.
Also runs very rough, at 47-48 mph under light "cruising" load. Sounds crazy, but it does (did, see below) not happen at 45 or 50, just in the 47-48 mph range. Again, it feels like bad misfiring, with the car losing a lot of power and shuddering until I accelerate/decelerate away from this speed range.
NOW, over the last few days, the rough riding has gotten a lot worse, and occurs at all speeds. It is worse under load (mild acceleration, hills). Still feels like misfiring. Loss of power makes it hard to maintain speed up hills, at any speed. Also, today for the first time in its life the car backfired while trying to accelerate up a hill from a stop, at a speed of about 15 mph.
When idling, I can occasionally smell gas.
So, the coils are 2 years old, spark plug wires are 2 years old, spark plugs are 2 weeks old and air filter is 4 days old. Check engine light is NOT on and there are no error codes as of yesterday. Fluids are all good, except I am about the kick the stupid thing until it bleeds. Parts store suggested Idle Air Control Valve, but I am dubious, as this now happens at all speed.
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I have a 2000 Dakota 5.9 truck that has all of a sudden started to idle rough, loses power over 3000rpm or any kind of reasonable acceleration , with a big sucking sound from the throttle body ( no leaks), seems like it is not getting fuel. Someone mentioned it maybe the "MAP" sensor.
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Truck has been driving great for a long time and this afternoon after driving fine to work just died 3-4 times while trying to accelerate from idle. Engine restarts easily but the power is soft off idle, the injectors sound noisier and then quiet down and will accelerate decently once rolling but something is off I can tell.
Fuel pressure is read post filter and is good. Truck is well maintained with all the basics replaced in the last couple years. Could this be CPS going out even if it is only a couple years old? IPR is new in the last year, ICP sensor isn't leaking. Most recent change was a full tank of fuel yesterday afternoon and on a whim performing a boost leak check which was all good.
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My daughter's 2005 Dodge Stratus (2.7 I think) is giving an unusual problem on an intermittent basis. Sometimes when she cranks the car, the check engine and oil lights will stay on. She can put the car in gear and the car will move but the steering wheel will not turn. It's like it's in a locked position - it's not just being hard to turn, it won't turn at all. There's a sufficient amount of power steering fluid in the pump reservoir.
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I have a 99 Dodge Stratus w/ +191K miles. Recently the gas light would come on and the needle would drop down to "E" then go back up to where it started...regardless of how much gas is in the tank. Once the tank drops below half a tank, the light stays on and the needle goes all the way down to "E". I have no way of knowing how much gas is in the tank and I have to judge it by mileage. What's going on?? Is this an easy (inexpensive) fix??
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My boyfriend just bought a '06 Dodge Stratus with only 30,000 miles on it. We noticed a noise today when driving in the country where it is quieter. It's kind of a hum that lasts about 2-3 seconds and it occurs every 28 seconds on the dot while driving 35 mph -- about .3 miles. It seems to come from the right side in the front, but I know that can be misleading. It happens a few seconds sooner when driving faster. It doesn't happen at all when idling or revving still in the driveway. It doesn't seem to change anything when it happens (steering, braking, no vibration, hesitation -- nothing). It also doesn't make any difference if we are going up or down hills, foot on the accelerator or coasting, braking or accelerating.
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My 2002 Dodge Stratus shudders only for a few seconds when I start the car (sometimes). What this could be?
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I got into a fender bender and now part of my bumper is rubbing against my tire. I want to bend it back but have been unsuccessful in doing so.
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I have a 1999 Dodge Stratus in which I am having fuel injector issues with. A few weeks ago I replaced the #4 fuel injector with a new one and now the #4 fuel injector has failed again. What can cause this to happen?
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Our '03 Dodge Grand Caravan has been stalling sometimes in reverse and in first gear when starting to move. This usually only occurs if we hadn't yet driven it that day, or if it has completely cooled.
Put it in reverse and give it a little gas to get out of the spot, turn the wheel, and it stalls.. Park - Restart - Drive, and any attempt to press the gas normally probably results in stalling again. This presents a problem as I get to a stop sign and it stalls while in the middle of an intersection...so there is danger to this problem.
The only way I have found to somewhat thwart the problem is to ever so lightly feather the gas, and I mean I don't even push it, I tap-tap-tap it. This usually results in not stalling, but a slight lunge in acceleration.
There is a check engine light on and the code is for the emissions Evap. solenoid. Does this have anything to do with it? If not, what the heck is going on?!
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A few months back on a really hot day my horn randomly started honking while driving. I pulled the fuse as a quick fix and brought it into a body shop. They initially thought it was something to do with the airbag part and ordered one, but ended up making new bushings instead. The center of the steering wheel was a bit off-center and the left side was pretty sensitive but it worked for a couple weeks. When it started happening again I used a couple pieces of gorilla tape to dampen the vibration and that worked for about a month and a half but last week it started happening again. Now it's only during right turns and when it gets bumped just so. Applying light pressure to the left side of the steering wheel seems to work but sure makes my commute a pain. My first instinct is to take the air bag module out and reattach it but I'm worried about messing with the airbag.
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My daughter has a dodge stratus 2001 with about 150,000 miles she has had it for about 2 years. She has had it over heat a couple of times and has had it repaired simply fixing a radiator hose. It overheated again and it was almost empty of antifreeze. She has been filling up and checking the radiator level and fills it as needed, which could be daily or now only weekly. She took it to a mechanic who thought it was a blown valve-cover gasket and basically said the car repair would be more than the car is worth. I have a feeling the car did not get really checked out. She didn't really know this guy and took it there because it was close to her. She is still driving it, but only short distances and always stops before it over heats. She really cannot afford another car for a least another year.
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I have a 2006 Dodge Stratus and recently lost my transponder key for my ignition. I do have a spare key cut but it doesn't have a chip in it, I can only use it to unlock the doors and open the trunk.
What I want to know... is there:
➣ A way to disable/bypass the theft prevention system so I can use the non-chipped key in my ignition?
➣ a way I can modify my key to trick the theft prevention system into thinking it is a real key?
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I have a 1999 Dodge Stratus Base with a 2.4L and an automatic transmission. The differential in this transmission has been howling for a while now and I had a mechanic look at it. He told me that there are a few teeth missing from one of the ring gears. I have a transmission from a 1997 Stratus in my shed that has a good differential in it. I know that the two transmissions themselves are not interchangeable but I have been wondering if the differential hard parts are interchangeable?
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