2001 DODGE INTREPID Complaints

OUR 2001 DODGE INTREPID WITH A V6 2.7 LTR ENGINE BEGIN TO MAKE EXTREMELY LOUD NOISES, COMING FROM THE ENGINE. WE MANAGED TO DRIVE IT AT LOW SPEED FOR ABOUT 5 MILES, SINCE IT SEEMED TO HAVE NO POWER, TO OUR LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP. *JB WE WERE TOLD THE NEXT DAY THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN AND NEEDED REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $6000 PLUS PA TAXES. WE HAVE NOT YET MADE A DECISION AS TO WHAT TO DO. WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER THROUGH ITS 800 CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO HELP IN ANY WAY, CITING LACK OF SERVICE RECORDS BEFORE OUR PURCHASE OF THE CAR AS A USED VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 16, 2004. WE INDICATED THAT LACK OF SERVICE RECORDS DO NOT INDICATE THE CAR WAS NOT SERVICED SINCE NOT ALL OWNERS USE THE DODGE AND CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS FOR SERVICE. WE CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE TWICE AND HAD THE SAME RESPONSE TWICE. WE ARE NOW FACED WITH DECIDING WHAT TO DO WITH THE CAR. WE HAD SINCE LEARNED THAT ENGINE FAILURE IS A PROBLEM IN THESE CARS AND THAT CHRYSLER HAS BASICALLY TOLD ITS CUSTOMERS TO GO "POUND SAND". WE ALSO ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND THOUGHT THAT OUR GOOD EXPERIENCE WITH IT AND SERVICE RECORD WITH THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED IT MIGHT HELP IN GETTING CHRYSLER TO HELP US. THE INTREPID HAD BEEN TOWED TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP ONLY FIVE DAYS EARLIER ON APRIL 14, 2005. THE NEXT DAY THE DEALER REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT SENSORS WITH NO INDICATION TO US THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE WRONG WITH THE CAR. PRIOR TO THIS, SINCE THE INTREPID'S PURCHASE IN OCTOBER 2004, WE HAD TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AT A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT. BOTH TIMES, THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXED BY OUR LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP WITH NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS ANY OTHER OR POSSIBLE FURTHER PROBLEM. WE ONLY PUT 3110 MILES ON THE CAR. WE ARE ANGRY AND FEEL HELPLESS AS WE SEARCH THE INTERNET AND SEE WHERE CHRYSLER IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR FIX THIS PROBLEM IN ITS VEHICLES.

@ 44,000MILES WNET TO GET OIL CHANGE AND PLACE REFUSE TO DO BECAUSE OF SLUDGE IN ENGINE. TOOK TO ANOTHER SHOP AND HAD ENGINE FLUSHED. @ 56,000 MILES ENGINE BEGAN KNOCKING AND LOST HALF IT'S POWER. HAD TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY CALLED AND SAID ENGINE WAS SEIZED UP AND NEEDS REPLACED. WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSED TO COVER EVEN THOUGH I TURNED IN ALL SERVICE REPORTS FOR OIL CHANGES @ 3000 MILE INTERVALS SINCE I BOUGHT NEW IN 2001.*AK

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ENGINE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW AND HAVE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF IT, INCLUDING REGULAR OIL CHANGES. ENGINE SEIZED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED ON HIGHWAY WHILE COMMUTING FROM LOS ANGELES. I WAS LUCKY TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY WITHOUT INCIDENT AND BASICALLY COASTED OFF THE NEAREST EXIT AND INTO A GAS STATION. DEALER?S MECHANICS SAY OIL SLUDGE BUILDUP DUE TO OWNER NEGLIGENCE CAUSED BEARINGS TO BE PUSHED OUT OF PLACE RESULTING IN THROWN ROD. I CAN PRODUCE MOST RECEIPTS FOR OIL CHANGES BUT NOT ALL, SO THIRD-PARTY EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PURCHASED WITH THE CAR WILL NOT BE HONORED. I WAS NOT NEGLIGENT IN MAINTAINING THIS CAR AND IT SHOULD NOT BE DEAD AT 63000 MILES. THE DEALER NOW WANTS $1056.00 FOR JUST DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM, AND THE REPAIRS (ENGINE REPLACEMENT) ARE ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN $6000 - $8000. THE CAR EVEN THOUGH MAINTAINED INSIDE AND OUT VERY WELL WAS ONLY WORTH APPROXIMATELY $8000 - $9000. THE BALANCE ON MY LOAN FOR MY NEW PAPERWEIGHT IS APPROXIMATELY $12000. THE CAR IS NOW SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR RESOLUTION. I WILL BE PURSUING LEGAL REMEDY.*AK

WHILE TURNING AT AN INTERSECTION ENGINE SHUT DOWN . OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND OWNER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE HAD A BUILD UP OF SLUDGE. OWNER STATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE SLUDGE BUILD UP THE WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSED TO PAY THE REPAIR COSTS FOR THE ENGINE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, DRIVER BEGAN TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY AT 35 MPH AND VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE MOTOR SLUDGE BUILD UP CAUSED THE MOTOR TO SHUT DOWN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED, AND THE DRIVER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT VACUUM HOSE DISENGAGED. MECHANIC PLACED THE VACUUIM HOSE BACK ON. A FEW DAYS LATER. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER,WHO DETERMINED THAT ENGINE HAD SLUDGE BUILD UP IN IT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF ENGINE SLUDGE. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK