2001 DODGE INTREPID Complaints

TL* - WHILE DRIVING A 2001 DODGE INTREPID AT 45 MILES PER HOUR, THE ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE A KNOCKING SOUND. THE CAR DID NOT STALL. THE ODOMETER READ 100,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE OIL IN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHANGED AFTER THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT FOUND INFORMATION ABOUT SIMILAR INCIDENTS AT : WWW.DATATOWN.CHRYSLER.COM. THE WEBSITE STATED THAT IF THE VEHICLE FAILS THE OWNER ISN'T PERFORMING PROPER MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE.

WHILE TURNING INTO MY SUBDIVISION MY 2001 DODGE INTREPID, 2.7L, V-6, 83,000 MILES, DIED AND I LOST ALL POWER FOR STEERING AND BRAKING. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE INITIAL PROBLEM WAS THOUGHT TO BE A CRACKED PLENTIUM, BUT AFTER REPLACEMENT ($1,000), THE CAR DID NOT START AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AN ENGINE SPECIALTY SHOP FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. THIS SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINE WAS WATER AND/OR OIL LOCKED AND THAT INDEED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY RESEARCHED THE ENGINE AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLACES THAT WOULDN'T EVEN SALE THE 2.7L, V-6 DUE THE GREAT NUMBER OF ENGINE FAILURES THAT HAVE OCCURRED. ADDITIONALLY, JASPER ENGINES (A LEADING MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTOR OF ENGINES) STATED THAT THESE ENGINES HAVE A VERY HIGH FAILURE RATE AND SUGGESTED UPGRADING TO THE 3.2L ($4,500 ENGINE + $1,000 FOR THE UPGRADE PARTS AND PIECES NEEDED BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT ENGINE = $5,500). THEY EVEN SUGGESTED I GO ON THIS SITE TO SEE HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. BASED ON WHAT I READ THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD OWN UP TO AND MAKE THE APPROPRIATE FIXES. I FOR ONE HAVE OWNED A NUMBER OF DODGES AND ALL HAVE HAD SOME TYPE OF PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, SPECIFICALLY, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. HAS ANYONE HAD ANY LUCK WITH CHRYSLER GIVING THEM RELIEF OR A DEALER STEPPING UP? *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE DIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE DIED DUE TO ENGINE SLUDGE, AND WOULD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE DIED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A NON SERVICE DEALER WHO COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHY THE ENGINE FAILED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DECELERATE AND FINALLY STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED.

ONE DAY IT STARTED THE TERRIBLE KNOCKING TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY TO A MECHANIC AND HE GAVE ME THE BAD NEWS ABOUT THESE ENGINES .THE 2.7 LITER ENGINE ON MY 2001 DODGE INTREPID FAILED AT 120,000 MILES. I HAVE REGULARLY MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE, AND THE COSTS OF THE REPAIRS ARE PHENOMENAL ($ 4000 )--AND I AM STILL STUCK WITH THE SAME 2.7 LITER ENGINE. *JB

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS PLANNING ON TAKING THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE WORK THE FOLLOWING WEEK. ON THE WAY HOME FROM A 3 MILE TRIP, A HEARD AN ODD SQUEALING AND GEARS STARTED TO SLIP FROM THE ENGINE AND PROCEEDED TO THE DEALER. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS CHECKED EACH TIME I BROUGHT CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE/SERVICING AND WAS UP TO THE MAX LINE WHEN I CHECKED IT THE DAY PRIOR. DEALER CALLED BACK TO TELL ME THAT MY TRANSMISSION FAILED AND IT WILL BE 3381 BUCKS TO REPAIR FOR 4250 FOR REPLACEMENT. IN REVIEWING THIS AND OTHER WEBSITES, I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING CHRYSLER TRANSMISSIONS OF THE SAME PART NUMBER OVER THE PAST DOZEN YEARS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AT 40 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY FLAMES ERUPTING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. A BYSTANDER ALERTED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THERE WAS MODERATE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. THE POLICE WERE NOT ALERTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE AND ENGINE OIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

OUR 2001 DODGE INTREPID ENGINE DIED WHICH ONLY HAS 78,000 MILES. TWO MECHANICS TOLD US IT WOULD BE BETTER TO JUNK IT. IT WOULD COST BETWEEN 4000- 5000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE CAR IS PAID OFF ALREADY SO WE HAVE A PAID OFF CAR SITTING IN OUR DRIVEWAY UNABLE TO DRIVE. WE CALLED DODGE AND ALL THEY SAID WAS THAT THEY WOULD GIVE US THE FULL VALUE OF THE CAR IF WE PURCHASED ANOTHER DODGE. WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER DODGE OR CAR PAYMENT. WE JUST WANT OUR CAR TO WORK. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND A MONTH LATER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.