2005 Dodge Stratus — 2.4L

The 2005 Dodge Stratus sits near the end of a long downward trend in federal complaints, with only 62 complaints recorded—down from 144 in 2004 and far below the generation’s peak of 639 in 1996. While 2006 saw a slight uptick to 74 complaints before dropping to just 2 in 2007, the 2005 model year marks one of the quietest points in the dataset, accompanied by six recalls, zero investigations, and only 39 TSBs. The top complaint areas for 2005 were Engine & Engine Cooling with 12 complaints, Suspension with 7, Air Bags with 4, and Power Train with 3, though the data does not specify root causes; the year also generated 14 crash complaints and 2 fire complaints. Compared with the heavy early- and mid-generation activity—such as 14 recalls in 2001 and sustained triple-digit complaint counts through 2004—the 2005 model benefits from a significantly reduced federal footprint. Given its historically low complaint volume relative to earlier years and its position on the declining side of the generational arc, 2005 represents one of the better years in this generation to buy used.