2006 Dodge Stratus Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2006 Dodge Stratus has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Front suspension ball joint and control arm failure.” Dodge uses Stellantis' Oil Change Indicator — it watches engine load and duty cycle and messages when to change oil, capped at 10,000 miles or 12 months. Know your engine: the 3.6L Pentastar V6 goes 100,000 miles on plugs, while HEMI V8s carry sixteen plugs (two per cylinder) on a roughly 30,000-mile interval — that's a real cost difference at the service counter. HEMI models with MDS cylinder deactivation are especially sensitive to overdue oil.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2006 Dodge Stratus.

Reported to NHTSA

Front suspension ball joint and control arm failure

SUSPENSION

20 NHTSA complaints · 2009-07 → 2023-07

“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”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11531294
“HI! MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2006 DODGE STRATUS AND THE CONTROL ARM BROKE AND THE AXLE SEPARATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE CAUSING IT TO HIT A PARKED CAR. WE HAVE A POLICE REPORT THAT DOCUMENTS THE AXLE SEPARATION AND PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE. I NOTICED ONLINE THAT THIS HAD BEEN A”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10993384
“MY 2006 DODGE STRATUS REAR STRUT MOUNT PLATES ARE DISINTEGRATED. HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR A YEAR AND I TOOK IT IN FOR INSPECTION AND THE GARAGE SAID I WAS VERY LUCKY I HADN'T BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE TIE ROD WAS FALLING APART. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF 2 CHILDREN AND I AM VERY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10456795

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Crankshaft main seal oil leak leading to engine replacement

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

12 NHTSA complaints · 2008-05 → 2018-09

“MY 2006 STRATUS HAS JUST 44,000 MILES. I NOTICED A PUDDLE OF OIL UNDER MY CAR AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. AFTER HAVING MY CAR FOR A MONTH, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE CRANKSHAFT HAD PUSHED INTO THE ENGINE AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE NOW NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER LOOKING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10267231
“THE FRONT OIL SEAL CAME OUT OF ITS SEAT CAUSING MASSIVE OIL LEAK. AFTER ENGINE REMOVAL AND DISASSEMBLY I FOUND THE WRONG LOWER MAIN THRUST BEARING WAS INSTALLED. THIS CAUSED EXCESSIVE STRESS ON THE TOP THRUST BEARING CAUSING BEARING FAILURE CAUSING END PLAY IN CRANKSHAFT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10441985
“MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I PURCHASED A 2006 DODGE STRATUS IN 2006. AND AM ALREADY WORKING ON PUTTING IN MY SECOND BOTTOM END OF THE MOTOR. IT STARTED LEAKING OIL AT 17,000 MILES AND NOW IT'S STARTED BACK LEAKING OIL IN THE SAME SPOT AT 46000 MILES. TO SAY THE LEAST MY WORK ORDER TO”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10227629

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Fuel tank filler neck crack with evaporative leak

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

3 NHTSA complaints · 2009-10 → 2017-08

“FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY 09/27/2010 - GILBERT, AZ THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE STRATUS. SHE SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IN HER VEHICLE AFTER FILLING UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN ORDERED THE GAS TANK BUT IT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10357860
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE STRATUS. SHE SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IN HER VEHICLE AFTER FILLING UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN ORDERED THE GAS TANK BUT IT WILL COST HER $1000.00 TO REPLACE THE COMPONENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10290393

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Frontal air bag non-deployment in crash

AIR BAGS

10 NHTSA complaints · 2006-06 → 2016-07

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10706324
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE ENTIRE FRONT FENDER OF HIS VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE BOTH WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS AT THE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10272964
“MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE MADE AN ILLEGAL LEFT TURN IN FRONT OF HER. AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, SHE WAS GOING APPROX. 40 MPH, BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, THE SEAT BELT FLEW OFF AND THE DRIVER SEAT FLEW FORWARD (AND YES EVERYTHING WAS LOCKED IN PLACE)”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10201187

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Electrical system fault causing no-start or stall

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

5 NHTSA complaints · 2008-08 → 2018-04

“I WENT TO GO START MY CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START. I WENT TO GET SOMEONE TO GIVE ME A JUMP AND IT STARTED. I LEFT THE CAR RUN FOR 10 MIN BEFORE SHUTTING IT OFF. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER I WENT BACK OUT TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT I NEEDED A WHOLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10255041
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. SHE MUST SHIFT THE GEARS IN ORDER FOR THE KEY TO RELEASE. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS OPERATIVE. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10239984
“BOUGHT 2006 DODGE STRATUS IN 2007, IT HAD VERY LOW MILES. NOT EVEN A YEAR LATER ITS BEGAN TO HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND REPEATEDLY HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON. ALSO WE HAD THE FUSE REPLACED, HAD WINDOWS CHECKED BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T WORKING PROPERLY BUT IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10352455

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Brake caliper bracket and hydraulic brake failure

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

5 NHTSA complaints · 2007-06 → 2015-11

“WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE DRIVING MY 2006 DODGE STRATUS SXT AT 35 MPH THE BOLTS ON THE CALIPER BRACKET BROKE. I HAD NO BRAKES AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. ONE OF THE BOLTS CRUMBLED IN THE MECHANICS HANDS WHEN HE REMOVED IT AND THE CALIPER BRACKET WAS BENT. THE BOLTS BROKE AND BRACKET”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10357669
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN A CRASH WITH ONE MINOR INJURY. PRESENTLY, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE ENGINE SIZE AND PURCHASE DATE WERE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10192681
“MY NAME IS [XXX] I HAVE A 06 DODGE STRATUS IN 07 I HAD A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT DUE TO MY BREAKS MY CAR HIT ANOTHER CAR AND ENDED UP IN THE NEIGHBOR HOUSE I WAS TRYING TO STOP BUT MY BREAKS WENT OUT ON ME THE CAR WAS ABLE TO BE FIX BUT SINCE THEN MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10321637

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Unintended acceleration or throttle malfunction

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

5 NHTSA complaints · 2006-01 → 2019-11

“THE THROTTLE ON THIS CAR IS SO POORLY DESIGNED THAT WHEN YOU WANT TO PROCEED FROM A STOP, THE CAR WILL NOT DO SO SLOWLY, BUT RATHER PEELS OUT OR ACCELERATES SO SUDDENLY IT IS DANGEROUS. TWO DEALERS HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND SAY IT IS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. A TECHNICIAN AT THE CA”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10147454
“SINCE 2006 MY '06 DODGE STRATUS HAS SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED APPROXIMATELY SEVEN TIMES, MOST RECENTLY IN FEBRUARY 2010. IDLING IN A DRIVEWAY OR AT AN INTERSECTION, THE ENGINE WILL BEGIN TO RACE AS IF I HAD FLOORED THE GAS PEDAL. ONLY BY SHIFTING INTO PARK AND/OR TURNING OFF THE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10351111
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE STRATUS. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED CAUSING HIM TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE DEALER WAS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10336799

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter (Oil Change Indicator)

Every 10,000 mi

Change when the indicator says so — never beyond 10,000 miles or 12 months. Pentastar 3.6L: 0W-20. HEMI 5.7L: 5W-20 (0W-40 for 6.4L SRT). MDS-equipped HEMIs punish stretched oil intervals with lifter and cam wear.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 8,000 mi

Rotate every 8,000 miles. Charger/Challenger R/T and Scat Pack: staggered-width setups can't rotate front-to-rear — budget rear tires accordingly.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 10,000 mi

Inspect pads and rotors at every oil change. Heavy Durangos used for towing and hard-driven Chargers both run through rear pads faster than the front-pad-first rule of thumb suggests.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Spark Plugs

Every 30,000 mi

HEMI 5.7L: sixteen plugs roughly every 30,000 miles — check your year's manual. Pentastar 3.6L (Charger/Challenger V6, Durango V6, Journey, Grand Caravan): 100,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 60,000 mi

Grand Caravan/Journey (62TE): ATF+4 service every 60,000 miles in family duty. Charger/Challenger/Durango with the TorqueFlite 8-speed: no published normal interval, but specialists recommend service around 60,000-100,000 miles — sooner with towing.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Rear Differential Fluid

Every 60,000 mi

RWD Charger/Challenger and AWD Durango: replace rear diff fluid around 60,000 miles, sooner with towing or drag-strip duty. Limited-slip units need the friction-modifier additive.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$150–$195

Shop

~$105–$135

DIY

~$20–$50

Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace every 30,000 miles. HEMIs pull serious airflow — a clogged filter costs measurable power before it throws a code.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Serpentine Belt

Every 60,000 mi

Inspect from 60,000 miles, replace on cracking or glazing. On the HEMI, a shredded belt can take the cooling drive with it mid-drive.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$195–$235

Shop

~$135–$165

DIY

~$20–$50

DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 20,000 mi

Replace every 20,000 miles where equipped (behind the glovebox on most models). Some earlier Journeys and Avengers shipped without one — check before buying a filter.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Coolant Replacement (OAT)

Every 100,000 mi

Stellantis OAT coolant is scheduled for 10 years / 150,000 miles; shops commonly refresh by 100,000. OAT-compatible coolant only — mixing chemistries gels the system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Battery Test & Service

Every 25,000 mi

Test annually after year 3. Big-audio Chargers and tow-package Durangos lean on the battery hard; weak batteries surface as gremlins in the electronics before they fail to crank.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$225–$390

Shop

~$160–$280

DIY

~$130–$250

Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

137 crashes 1990–2024

How the 137 occupant deaths break down

92

driver deaths

45

passenger deaths

137

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2005 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

19

complaints mentioning a crash

3

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2006 Dodge Stratus reflects Dodge's published service intervals and the Oil Change Indicator System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.