1999 DODGE INTREPID Complaints

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE, AND INSTALLED A NEW ENGINE. *AK *PH THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT DUE TO A FAULTY TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR. *NM

WE BOUGHT A '99 DODGE INTREPID 11/22/99 AS A PROGRAM CAR W/ABOUT 30,000 MILES ON IT. WE BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRANTY TO COVER 'SURPRISES'. ON SATURDAY, 7/19/03 THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. WE TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY TO THE CLOSEST DEALER AND FILLED OUT THE AFTER HOURS PAPERWORK. ON MONDAY 7/21 THEY CALLED & SAID THE ENGINE WAS 'SHOT' AND THE CAUSE WAS SLUDGE. THEY SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY NOT HAVING REGULAR OIL CHANGES SO IT VOIDED OUR WARRANTY. ESTIMATE $8,000 ON A CAR WITH A BLUE BOOK VALUE IS $5,000. MILEAGE ON THIS CAR IS NOW 62,080. *AK MY HUSBAND CALLED AN ENGINE REPAIR PLACE & THEY GAVE AN ESTIMATE OF $4,500. HE SAID HE DID QUITE A LOT OF THESE DODGE/CHRYSLER PRODUCTS BECAUSE THEIR ENGINES FAIL FREQUENTLY. IN FACT THE DEALERSHIP WE HAVE OUR CAR AT HAD JUST CALLED AND GOT THE SAME $4,500 DOLLAR ESTIMATE FROM HIM FOR A '99 DODGE INTREPID. COINCIDENTAL?! AND THEY'RE QUOTING US $8,000. SO THEY'RE MAKING ADDITIONAL PROFIT OFF OUR PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY SINCE MY HUSBAND CHANGED THE OIL OR WE WENT TO 'JIFFY LUBE' TYPE PLACES SO WE HAVE VERY FEW RECEIPTS TO PROVE WE CHANGED THE OIL REGULARLY. THE STICKER ON THE WINDSHIELD INDICATES WE HAD THE OIL CHANGED ABOUT 1,000 MILES AGO. SINCE WE ARE LEASING THIS CAR SO IN 15 MONTHS WE EITHER HAVE TO TURN IT IN IN GOOD WORKING ORDER OR BUY IT NOW FOR $8,549.51.

1999 DODGE INTREPID. CHANGE OIL REGULARLY. WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN THE OIL LITE CAME ON FOR LESS THAN 5 MIN. THEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. NOW THE DODGE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THEY'RE NOT SURE, BUT IT APPARENTLY LOOKS OUT OF OIL. WHICH IS OBSERD! AND NOW OF COURSE, THEY AREN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING, BUT CHARGE $4800 FOR A USED ENGINE?! *AK

ON OCTOBER 31, 2003 MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY INTREPID ON THE FREEWAY NEAR CANTON, MICHIGAN. UPON PRESSING THE ACCELORATOR THE ENGINE HESITATED, THEN THE OIL LIGHT FLASHED ON FOR ONE SECOND JUST BEFORE SHE HEARD A POPPING SOUND. THEN SHE LOST ALL POWER. SHE COULD NOT STEER OR BRAKE THE CAR VERY WELL AT ALL. SHE WAS GOING 65 MILES PER HOUR AND NEARLY GOT INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. SHE GOT THE CAR ONTO THE SHOULDER BUT COULD NOT START THE ENGINE. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE ENGINE WAS SEIZED AND IT WOULD COST $5,000 TO $6500 TO REPAIR. IT HAS BEEN ONLY 3000 MILES SINCE MY LAST OIL CHANGE.

TOTAL ENGINE OF OUR 2.7L DOHC ENGINE IN OUR 1999 DODGE INTREPID WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT A SPEED OF 45MPH RESULTING IN COSTLY BILLS THAT WERE MADE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE.*AK

1999 DODGE INTREPID ENGINE FAILED AT 92,000. ENGINE WAS STARVING FOR OIL, AND BROKE DOWN WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING (SLUDGE BUILD-UP). I HAVE BEEN QUOTED 6500.00 TO FIX BY AUTO PLACE. TOOK TO DEALER, THEY COULD ONLY OFFER APPROXIMATELY 1- 2 GRAND, AND USE 4000.00 INCENTIVE TO HELP COVER COST, BUT STILL OUT 4 GRAND ON LOAN. CALLED CHRYSLER, AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT HELP ME, BECAUSE I AM WAY PAST THE 56000 MARK. THIS SEEMS TO BE A FARCE, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME MANY PEOPLE REPORTING ENGINE FAILURES ON THE DODGE 2.7L ENGINE - SAME REASONS.. SLUDGE. OFTEN FAIL WITHOUT ENOUGH WARNING TO PREVENT MAJOR FAILURE. *AK

OIL LIGHT FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANG THEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE HIT A CURB AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE TIMING BELT BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE LOSS OF POWER. *AK

PURCHASED THIS 1999 DODGE INTREPID (2.7 L ENGINE) FOR SON 2 MONTHS AGO WITH 98,000 MILES. RAN PERFECTLY FOR 4000 MILES THEN IT WOULDN'T START. ONCE WE GOT THE TOP END TORN DOWN FOUND THAT ONE OF THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDES HAD DISINTEGRATED, CAUSED THE TIMING CHAIN TO JUMP, AND WOUND UP BENDING ALL OF THE INTAKE VALVES. INSPECTION OF THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE REVEALED AN EXTREME SLUDGE PROBLEM, ALMOST LIKE IT WAS FULL OF TAR! AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB IT APPEARS THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEMATIC ENGINE. THE PARTS GUY AT DODGE DEALER INDICATED (OFF THE RECORD) THAT THESE 2.7 ENGINES HAD PROBLEMS IN HOT SOUTHERN CLIMATES DUE TO RUNNING HOT INTERNALLY AND BURNING THE OIL. *LA

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ENGINE FAILURE. VEHICLE MADE RATTLING AND KNOCKING NOISES, AND THEN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO A NEAR BY SERVICE STATION. *AK THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME. HE NOTED THE VEHICLE HAD ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND SHOULDN'T HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS AT 74K MILES. *PH