2000 DODGE INTREPID Complaints

2000 DODGE INTREPID 2.7 LITER MOTOR WITH 70,000 MILES ON IT. NO SIGN THAT THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO FAIL. CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE MOTOR WAS KNOCKING. TOOK TO DEALER, THEY SAID THERE WAS SLUDGE BUILD UP DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE(THEY DIDN'T EVEN ASK HOW OFTEN I CHANGED THE OIL). DEALER SAID IT WOULD COST THOUSANDS OF $ TO FIX. I STILL OWED $7,000 ON A CAR THAT WOULD COST THAT MUCH TO FIX. SO NOW I STILL PAY FOR THAT JUNK CAR AND DRIVE A $2,000 BEATER UNTIL I CAN FINISH PAYING THE DODGE OFF. *NM

ENGINE IS BAD. LOUD KNOCKING. ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS MAIN SEAL THAT WENT OUT BUT UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND SEVERAL MECHANICS, THE ENGINE IS GONE. SECOND THOUGHT WAS THE OIL PUMP WENT BAD, NO LUCK THERE EITHER. NO KNOWN REASON FOR ENGINE TO GO OUT AND NO WARNING SIGNS. NO "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHTS OR ANYTHING ELSE. CAR HAS LESS THAN 52,500 MILES. UP TO THIS I NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE, OTHER THAN THE WEATHER STRIPPING AROUND ALL FOUR DOORS KEEP COMING OFF, EVEN AFTER IT WAS REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP. *NM

I AM A 35 YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO WAS TRAVELING WITH MY MENTALLY CHALLENGED AND AUTISTIC DAUGHTER FROM OHIO TO MISSOURI. WHILE NEARING INDIANAPOLIS, IN. MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID IT STARTED "TICKING" VERY LOUDLY AND THEN WOULD NOT GO OVER 40 MPH. I PULLED OFF ON THE MEDIAN WHERE MY CAR JUST DIED AS I WAS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN TO STOP. THIS WAS THE MOST TERRIFYING, INCONVENIENT AND COSTLY EXPERIENCE. MY AUTISTIC DAUGHTER WAS SCREAMING WHILE WE WAITED FOR HELP. I SPENT MY ENTIRE VACATION CALLING THE DODGE DEALER WHERE MY CAR WAS TOWED, MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY AND RENTAL CAR PLACES. I FIRST SPOKE WITH THE DODGE DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT MY ENGINE WAS "BLOWN" AND IT WOULD COST ME $8800.00. THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY ENGINE WAS FULL OF "SLUDGE". I THEN CALLED MY EXTENDED WARRANTY PLACE TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE GOING TO COVER THE DAMAGES. I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT I NEEDED TO PROVE TO THEM THAT I HAD MY OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES. I THEN SPENT THE REMAINDER OF THAT DAY CALLING THE THREE DIFFERENT PLACES BACK IN MY HOMETOWN THAT I TOOK MY CAR TRYING TO GET PROOF FAXED THAT I DID GET MY OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES. ONCE THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED I WAS INFORMED THAT MY WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE $8800.00 BUT WOULD ONLY PAY THE NADA VALUE OF THE CAR WHICH WAS $2650.00. I THEN SPENT THE NEXT FEW DAYS CALLING AROUND TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WOULD REBUILD MY ENGINE FOR $2650.00. THAT I FOUND WAS IMPOSSIBLE. I CALLED AROUND TO JUNK YARDS TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BUY THE CAR. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS, THE MOST I WAS OFFERED WAS $150.00. I WAS INFORMED BY ONE JUNK YARD EMPLOYEE THAT MY CAR WAS NOT WORTH ANYTHING BECAUSE "THE ENGINE IS THE ONLY THING WORTH GETTING FROM THOSE CARS" AND THAT HE HAD 12 OTHER INTREPID'S SITTING IN HIS YARD WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS I HAD. I WAS SO STRESSED OUT OVER MY CAR SITUATION THAT I CUT MY VACATION SHORT. THIS ENTIRE SITUATION WAS THE BIGGEST NIGHTMARE WITH MY AUTISTIC DAUGHTER AND HAS NOT ONLY STRESSED ME OUT BUT LEFT ME WITH NO CAR. *JB

I DRIVE A 2000 DODGE INTREPID. MY CAR HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN GOOD CONDITION. I HAVE A MAINTENANCE TRACK RECORD PROVING THAT I KEEP MY OIL CHANGES AND TUNEUPS, ETC UP TO DATE. ON DECEMBER 20TH MY CAR WAS HIT AND THE PERSONS AT FAULTS INSURANCE COMPANY (PROGRESSIVE) AGREED TO FIX IT. ON JANUARY 9TH I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS REPAIRED AND READY FOR PICKUP. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME MY CAR MADE THIS LOUD SOUND SO I IMMEDIATELY CALLED PROGRESSIVE TO HAVE THEM TOW IT BECAUSE I DIDNT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT AND IT NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. PROGRESSIVE TOOK IT TO CHAMPION CHRYSLER TO ASSESS IT I WAS TOLD THAT MY CARS ENGINE LOCKED UP WHILE BEING TESTED BY CHAMPION CHRYSLER. SO THIS MEANS THAT PROGRESSIVE HAD MY CAR IN THEIR POCESSION FOR OVER A MONTH AND NOW MY ENGINES LOCKED UP AND STUCK AT CHAMPION. PROGRESSIVE SAYS I DID NOT MAINTAIN MY CAR AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT THEIR FAULT. I SINCE THEN WENT TO JIFFY LUBE AND GOT A PRINT OUT AND IT SHOWS I DID KEEP MY OILS CHANGES REGULARLY AND THE CAR WAS IN GOOD SHAPE. I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES, TIRES, POWER STEERING SYSTEM. OVER ALL IT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. NOW I AM STUCK CHAMPION WANTS $6,000 THAT I DO NOT HAVE AND I DO NOT FEEL I AM LIABLE FOR. MY CARS NOT FIXED AND I HAVE NO CAR TO DRIVE. I HAVE A JOB, CHILDREN THAT HAVE TO GET TO SCHOOL AND THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE IN CONVENIENCE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO. IS THIS A CAR MALFUNCTION OR WHO SHOULD BE FIXING MY CAR?

I PURCHASED A USED 2000 DODGE INTREPID IN MAY 2003. IN APRIL OF 2005 WHILE TURNING A CORNER AT A BUSY INTERSECTION CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. HE ADVISED ME TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A JUNK YARD BECAUSE ALL DODGE ENGINES WERE JUNK. I STILL OWE $5000 FOR THIS CAR, AND STILL REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN CAR INSURANCE. IT IS SITTING IN STORAGE. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE A USED OR NEW ENGINE. AS A RESULT, I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION FOR ALMOST A YEAR. I AM A SINGLE PARENT ON A FIXED INCOME. I NOW CAR POOL AND SOMETIMES RENT VEHICLES FOR TRANSPORTATION.*AK

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE INTREPID WITH A 2.7 LITER V6 ENGINE THAT JUST TURNED 73,000 MILES LAST WEEK. ON 1/18/06 WAS RUNNING ERRANDS WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND APPROXIMATELY 20 SECONDS LATER THE CAR SHUT DOWN. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. I CALLED AAA TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO LET THEM KNOW IT WAS ON ITS WAY IN. THE SERVICE REP. AT THE DEALERSHIP CALLED ON THURSDAY MORNING FOR APPROVAL TO REPLACE (2) SENSORS IN THE ENGINE (ONE DEALING WITH THE CRANK SHAFT) BEFORE THEY COULD EVEN GET THE CAR STARTED TO DETERMINE WHAT THE ENGINE NOISE WAS. I GAVE THE OKAY FOR THE $322.00 SENSORS TO BE INSTALLED AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME LATER. THE SERVICE REP. DID CALL A SHORT WHILE LATER AND SAID THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AND THAT THE COST WOULD BE $5,300.00 PLUS TAX (THIS INCLUDES THE TWO SENSORS)! I ASKED THE REP. THAT IF I HAD GOTTEN THE CAR IN SOONER IF I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN OR TOOTH OR SOMETHING COULD HAVE SHIFTED OR BROKEN INSIDE THE ENGINE AND THAT THE SMALL PIECES OF METAL CIRCULATING INSIDE WOULD HAVE CAUSED IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE IN 12-15 MILES SO THAT THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE. WHEN ASKED IF THIS WAS NORMAL FOR A CAR WELL MAINTAINED AND WITH 73,000 MILES ON IT, THE SERVICE REP. TOLD ME NO. MY HUSBAND CALLED THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP ON THURSDAY AND ASKED IF ANYTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT THE PRICE. THE OWNER TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND GET BACK TO HIM. ON FRIDAY THE OWNER CALLED AND INFORMED MY HUSBAND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO LOCALLY (AFTER 50,000 MILES THE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED) AND GAVE HIM A 1-800 NUMBER TO CALL THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER. I HAVE RECORDS OF EVERY SERVICE PERFORMED ON THIS CAR. THE OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES AND ALL MAINTENANCE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NEW TIRE INSTALLATION) HAS BEEN PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP. *JB

EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE INCLUDED FLICKERING OIL LIGHT, LOUD KNOCKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE FAILURE RESULTED IN COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE ENGINE. MY MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE ONLY REMEDY WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ENGINE. I TRADED THE CAR IN AT A SEVERE FINANCIAL LOSS. *NM

MY DODGE INTREPID, 65000 MILES, PURCHASED BRAND NEW, HAD ITS OIL LIGHT COME ON AND A KNOCK START IN THE ENGINE. AFTER BRINGING IT TO A DEALER, WAS TOLD THAT I NEED A NEW ENGINE FOR $5700.. OUT OF WARRANTY, CLAIM THROUGH DAIMLER CHRYSLER WAS DENIED, CITING FAILURE TO FOLLOW SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. I SUPPLIED DATES AND MILEAGE AND RECEIPTS SHOWING ALL BUT ONE OIL CHANGE DONE UNDER THE RECOMMENDED 7500 MILE LIMIT. NOW BEING TOLD IT SHOULD BE EVERY 3 THOUSAND MILES. THIS IS NOT WHAT THE WARRANTY BOOK SAYS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED HOWEVER, WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED THE LIGHT WENT OFF. THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *NM

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK. IT WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE SOLENOID IN THE POWER DOOR LOCKS. THIS DEFECT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL DOORS IN THE VEHICLE ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *JB