1996 Dodge Stratus reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 1996 Dodge Stratus from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 776
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
- 224 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 0
- none on record
- Reported harm
- 39 reported crashes · 27 injuries · 1 death · 40 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#596
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Dodge median
+421
median 355 across 271 Dodge records
Vs 1994-1998
+531
median 245 complaints in 551 records
Top component share
42%
Engine And Engine Cooling: 325 complaints
What owners report fails — 1996 Dodge Stratus
- 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
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1996 Dodge Stratus
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1996 Dodge Stratus units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Dodge Stratus reliable?
NHTSA has 776 consumer complaints on record for the 1996 Dodge Stratus. The most-reported problem area is engine and engine cooling:engine (224 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1996 Dodge Stratus units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Dodge Stratus?
Owners most often report problems with: 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). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1996 Dodge Stratus?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 1996 Dodge Stratus. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.