1996 Dodge Stratus cant fix car

UNSATISFIED96STRATUSOWNER

MEMBER
1996 DODGE STRATUS
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
223,000 MILES

My car bogs down if you try to drive it normally. If you do not pat the gas very lightly it will flood out after bogging down. It also cuts off for no reason no matter whether I am stopping or taking off or driving down the road or idling. Also the oil light is on along with the engine light and battery light. Yet the oil is full and the oil pump is working. Occasionally the air bag light stays on after cranking, when it does nothing electronic such as windows, blinkers, vents, etc. Works until I turn off and restart the car. We have replaced the spark plugs 4 times in the last year, replaced the egr valve and the temp. Control sensor and the intake gaskets and battery. Each time we replaced something the car ran good for a few days then right back where we started. What could the problem be? We are running out of money to dump into this car.

2 Replies

ZACKMAN

MECHANIC
4,202 POSTS

Take your car to the nearest Autozone. They can pull the codes for free. Then post the code NUMBERS here to start the diagnostic.

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Tuesday, March 17th, 2009 AT 11:24 PM

MRXEMERICA690

MEMBER
7 POSTS

I have the exact same car. For the air bag light staying on, and power windows, blower motor will not work, and etc.

Check your power distribution center, which is the fuse box in the engine bay. Fuse# 16 which is a 40Amp fuse, its at the top, 2nd one from the left, might be loose, check that to make sure that there is contact. And that the connectors in the PDC will make contact with the fuse. That should solve the problem.

The oil pressure light sensor is just a switch, its always open when it senses pressure, so it may not be disconnected, but check to make sure. But since the light is on the sensor is grounding out somewhere, making it a complete circuit so the light will come on. So check the wire for any cuts, trace the wire to the source to check.

The Bogging down maybe a leak in the intake manifold. Check all hoses, and all components are secure and tight. Check at the EGR hose to the Upper Intake Manifold, at the gasket, or its loose.

You can check for leaks by running the engine, and taking a butane torch, and just open it, do not ignite it. And go by each gasket and you should hear the engine bog down a little bit, and you detected the leak point.

If you have a code saying that a "major leak detected at EGR" check the gaskets, before replacing the whole component. But since you have already replaced the EGR, make sure its secured down.

The Battery Light doesnt always mean that the battery is bad. Its an indicator that the voltage in the charging system has risen above or fallen below normal operating range. Check all the components of the system, and connections also.

I Hope that this helped.