2000 DODGE INTREPID Complaints

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE INTREPID AND I BOUGHT IT FROM EXTREME DODGE IN JACKSON MI IN 2001. IN JUNE 2005 I WAS DRIVING AND IT STARTED MAKE THIS AWFUL NOISE SO I PULLED OF INTO A PARKING LOT AND TURNED IT OFF CALLED MY HUSBAND AND WHEN HE GOT THERE THE CAR WOULDN'T START SO WE HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME AND HAD OUR MECHANIC COME OVER TO CHECK IT OUT AND HE TOLD US THE TIMING CHAIN WHEN OUT. SO WE BOUGHT THE PARTS AND HAD HIM TAKE CARE OF IT. THEN I DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN SO THIS TIME WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND HAD THEM FIX IT THIS TIME. AGAIN DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS AND NOW IT IS BROKE DOWN AGAIN SAME THING. I CANT AFFORD TO KEEP PUTTING TIMING CHAINS IN THIS CAR EVERY 8 TO 10 MONTHS AT 1,800 TO 2,300 DOLLARS A POP. AND I HEAR SO MANY PEOPLE SAY HOW BAD THE INTEREPIDS ARE KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEMS. WELL I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOW THIS BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR BECAUSE I NEVER WOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT. *TR

CAR WAS EXITING HIGHWAY AND WHILE ON EXIT RAMP A POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE RAMP AND ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR GARAGE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT ONE CYLINDER HAD NO COMPRESSION AND THE TOP OF THE ENGINE WAS DISASSEMBLED. THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE PISTON WAS DETACHED/BROKEN FROM THE CRANKSHAFT AND WOULD REQUIRE A MAJOR ENGINE OVERHAUL OR ENGINE REPLACEMENT. *TR

THE SPECIFIC REFERENCE I HAVE IS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID. THE ISSUE IS THE PLASTIC COVER FOR THE HEADLAMPS HAVE UNDERGONE A MATERIAL FAILURE?THEY HAVE A SERIES OF MICRO-STRUCTURED CRACKS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PLASTIC COVER THAT SCATTERS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE LIGHT FROM LAMPS PREVENTING NORMAL FUNCTION AND GOOD VISION FOR THE DRIVERS. PLASTICS DO NOT CRACK ON THEIR OWN AND THIS EVENT IS NOT FROM AN ACCIDENT OR OTHER UNIQUE EVENT ON THIS CAR. I HAVE A PH.D. IN CHEMISTRY FROM HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND MY EXPERTISE IS IN MICRO/NANO-TECHNOLOGY. THIS EDUCATION WHICH IS UNIQUE HAS ENABLED ME TO INVESTIGATE THE REASON OF A ?HAZY? HEADLAMP COVER. THE DEALERSHIP MIS-DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND INITIALLY SOLD A ?COSTLY? ($50 PLUS LABOR) CLEANER KIT. MICRO-CRACKS CANNOT BE FIXED BUT SUCH A METHOD AND WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK TO EXPLAIN THE THIS WAS NOT DIRT OR A HAZE BUT CRACKS; THEY ADMITTED THEY DID NOT LOOK CLOSELY AT THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AND SUGGESTED CALLING CHRYSLER DIRECTLY. I CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE AT CHRYSLER WHO BASICALLY IGNORED MY COMMENT, SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT SUCH A CLAIM, AND TOLD ME SINCE THE CAR WAS TOO OLD I HAD TO PAY ALL EXPENSES OUT OF MY POCKET. I TURN TO YOU BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SEE IF THIS IS A LARGER PROBLEM; WHICH FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH MATERIALS BELIEVE IT HAS TO BE. UNLIKE WITH BRAKE PADS OR OTHER CONSUMABLE/WEAR-DOWN ITEMS IN A CAR, THE PLASTIC COVERS FOR LIGHTS SHOULD NOT FAIL OVER TIME. SINCE THE CAR STILL RUNS AND THE LIGHTS ARE TECHNICALLY ON ALTHOUGH THE VISIBILITY IS GREATLY DIMINISHED, THEY MIGHT NOT REALIZE THEIR SAFETY IS AT RISK WITH DIMINISHED VISIBILITY. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT CRASH INVESTIGATORS DO NOT LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF THE PLASTIC COVERING THE HEADLAMPS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF MICRO-CRACKS LIMITING VISIBILITY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN READING MY COMMENTS. SINCERELY, ADAM WINKLEMAN, PH.D. *TR

KNOCKING IN ENGINE. CRANK BEARINGS DAMAGED. REPLACED. 40K MI LATER CLANKING IN ENGINE. HYDRAULIC TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE.-BOTH FAILURES DUE TO POOR ENGINE OIL CIRCULATION AND SLUDGE. *TR

PURCHASED CAR LAST WEEK (APRIL OF 08'). ON MY WAY HOME ( 100MI DRIVE) FROM PICKING UP CAR THE MOTOR STARTED KNOCKING THEN LOCKED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED BACK TO MY DADS HOUSE AND ARE NOW TRYING TO SALE THE CAR WE JUST BOUGHT. IT WILL BE HARD TO SALE A CAR WITH A LOCKED UP MOTOR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE TOTALLY LOST POWER. THE CONTACT WAS NEARLY STRUCK BY A LARGE TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A CHRYSLER DEALER AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD A LOT OF OIL SLUDGE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $7,400. THE MANUFACTURER ONLY OFFERED TO PAY $1,000 OF THE REPAIR COST. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD COVER THE ENTIRE COST BECAUSE THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE AMONG MANY CONSUMERS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 106,000. UPDATED 04/21/08 *BF

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. A MECHANIC STATED THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED, WHICH WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $2,000. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

MY DAUGHTER OWNS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID WITH THE 2.7L ENGINE. IT WAS ACTING UP ON HER AND ON HER WAY TO THE DEALER IT STOPPED RUNNING. AFTER THEIR MECHANICS WORKED FOR TWO HOURS JUST TO GET IT INTO THE SHOP THEY SAID THE ENGINE WAS SEIZED AND SHE WOULD NEED A NEW ONE. *TR

2000 DODGE INTREPID, CAR HAS 2 NEW ENGINES SEIZE UP, CAR WILL NOT START ALL THE TIME, OR JUST STOP WHILE DRIVING REGARDLESS OF NEW PLUGS, BATTERIES. *TR

DODGE 2.7L TIMING CHAIN BROKE DUE TO ENGINE OIL SLUDGE. 87,000 MILES ON THE CAR WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES. UNFORTUNATELY WITH THIS ENGINE IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW OFTEN YOU CHANGE THE OIL. IT'S GOING TO BLOW ON YOU ANYWAY. IF THIS HAS HAPPENED TO YOU CONTACT IMPARTIAL SERVICES GROUP (ISG) AT (866) 332-3746. APPARENTLY THEY WILL WORK WITH CHRYSLER CORP TO GET YOU A SETTLEMENT OUT OF COURT. I AM IN THE PROCESS NOW AND HOPE TO GET ABOUT $1800 OUT OF THEM. IT'S STILL FAR SHORT OF THE $3000 FOR A NEW ENGINE. ALSO, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE 2.7 CAN BE REPLACED WITH THE 3.2 WHICH MY MECHANIC IS LOOKING INTO. IF YOU PUT THE 2.7 BACK IN IT WILL JUST HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT WITH THE ENGINE. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE HERE HTTP://WWW.DODGECHRYSLERENGINEPROBLEMS.COM/. *TR