2001 DODGE INTREPID Complaints

WITH LESS THAN 85000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE RACK AND PINION STEERING IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT PER MY LOCAL MECHANIC. THE FAILURE OF A PART THIS CRITICAL THIS SOON IS UNACCEPTABLE. *LA

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE CONTAINED SLUDGE BUILD UP AFTER HAVING THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CHANGED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE ENGINE FLUSHED TWO TIMES TO IMPROVE THE SLUDGE PROBLEM. AFTER THAT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BLOWN AND CAUSED ENGINE DAMAGE. THE TIMING CHAIN WAS CHANGED AT THE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE TIMING TENSIONER. THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS CASES OF THIS PROBLEM IN CHRYSLER VEHICLES. (THE TUBE THAT BRINGS THE OIL UP INTO THE ENGINE CLOGS UP, RESULTING IN AN UNDER-OILED ENGINE, SHOWING THE FAULT BEING THE OWNERS) THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT CHRYSLER COVER THE COST OF THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. ALSO, THE BRAKES PULSATED AND THE TRUNK LOCK WAS BROKEN. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEAR A NOISE. HE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS A VALVE TRAIN NOISE, AND THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM IF HE HAD THE OIL CHANGED. ONE WEEK LATER, THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED, AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE OIL PUMP CRACKED WHICH ALLOWED METAL DEBRIS INSIDE THE ENGINE. *AK *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING 60-65 MPH, THE CONSUMER SMELLED HEAT AND SAW SOME SMOKE. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AND THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A WATER PUMP FALLING APART INTERACTIONS WITH THE MOTOR. *JB ENGINE WAS FILLED WITH COOLANT WHICH THE OIL TO BLOW OUT THE DIP STICK AND ONTO THE EXHAUST, WHICH LED TO THE FIRE. *LA

CONSUMER STATED THAT ENGINE FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE MOTOR. *AK

3 YEAR OLD DODGE INTREPID, BOUGHT NEW, WITH 75,000 MILES HAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL BEFORE DIRECTION CHANGE OCCURS. INDICATIONS ARE STEERING RACK NEEDS REPLACED. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS CONDITION, BUT NO RECALL. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER FOR ASSISTANCE, BUT THERE POSITION IS WARRANTY IS OUT. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A STEERING RACK GOING OUT THIS QUICKLY, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS POSTED ON THE INTERNET FOR FAILURES AS LOW AS 38,000 MILES. MY OTHER VEHICLE IS 11 YEARS OLD , WITH 145,000 MILES AND HAS NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE STEERING ON THIS VEHICLE, AND OTHER MODEL CHRYSLER WHICH IS LEADING TO THE EARLY FAILURE RATES, AND CHRYSLER KNOWS IT, AND SHOULD HELP OWNERS REPAIR. *JB

DRIVING ON THE (VERY BUSY)FREEWAY IN PHEONIX, AZ, WE STARTED HEARING VERY QUIET CLICKING NOISE IN MY '01 DODGE INTREPID. WE ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOWS, HEARD LOUDER CLICKING, AND STARTED LOSING POWER. WE MADE IT TO THE NEXT EXIT, AND THE CAR DIED NOT HALF WAY DOWN THE ONRAMP. WE DID STEER IT TO THE SIDE, AND AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS A SMALL PIECE ON THE REAR OF THE RADIATOR, FRONT OF THE ENGINE THAT HAD LIFTED OFF. THERE WAS A GASKET, BUT NO SCREWS, CLAMPS, OR OTHER SECURING DEVICES. THIS APPARENTLY HOUSES THE THERMOSTAT. THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED, WITHOUT THE GAUGES EVER REGISTERING A HEAT UP, AND WE WERE LEFT ON AN OFF RAMP WITH NO MOTOR, AND ALMOST NO WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP WANTED $8K FOR A NEW ENGINE, AND CLAIMS THAT IT WAS DESTROYED BECAUSE OF SLUSHING, AS A RESULT OF INFREQUENT OIL CHANGES. IT HAS 90K MILES ON IT, AND WE STILL OWE $13000 ON IT.

NO OIL OR ENGINE LIGHT. ONE DAY ENGINE STARTING MAKING A LOUD RACKET. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT SPUN A BEARING DUE TO OIL SLUDGE OR NO OIL. I HAD THE OIL CHANGED REGULARY AT WAL-MART AND SUPERLUBE SINCE I COULDN'T GET UNDE THE CAR TO CHANGE THE OIL MYSELF. CAR HAD 80,000 MILES WHEN THIS HAPPENED. NOW IT JUST SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD A 6500.00 BILL TO REPLACE MOTOR AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF WE STILL HAVE 2 YEARS TO PAY ON IT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. THERE ARE TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING FOR DODGE JUST TO IGNORE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER PULLED VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD, AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK