1997 DODGE INTREPID Complaints

THERE WAS A GAS ODOR IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE AIR VENTS WERE ON. THIS WAS DUE TO THE FUEL LEAKAGE RECALL 98V184000 BUT THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS OUTSIDE THE REMEDY SCOPE. AT 112,000 MILES THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO REMOVE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING IN PARK. THIS WAS THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN THE FLOOR SHIFT IGNITION SWITCH RECALL 04V021000 BUT THIS VEHICLE HAD A COLUMN SHIFTER AND THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS OUTSIDE THE REMEDY SCOPE. *JB

TRANSMISSION SLIPS, SHIFTS ROUGH, SOMETIMES WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR AT ALL,SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR.

IN OCTOBER THE DRIVER AND REAR CATALYTIC CONVERTERS BECAME CLOGGED IN TURN HEATING UP THE TRANSAXLE AND CAUSING UNREPAIRABLE DEFECTS. IN DECEMBER, I BEGAN SMELLING GAS FUMES AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL INJECTOR RAIL IN THE PASSENGER REAR OF THE ENGINE. WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED IN MAY 2002 AND AGAIN IN DECEMBER 2002. IN DECEMBER A PULLEY AND PISTON WERE ALSO REPLACED

I KEPT SMELLING SOMETHING HOT WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON. WHEN THE LOW BEAMS QUIT WORKING, I REMOVED THE COVER FROM THE STEERING COLUMN SINCE THAT IS WHERE THE SMELL SEEMED TO ORIGINATE AND IT OFTEN FELT HOT. I FOUND THE WIRE TO THE LOW BEAM TERMINAL OF THE DIMMER SWITCH HAD OVERHEATED BURNING OFF ABOUT AN INCH OF INSULATION AND DAMAGING BOTH THE SWITCH AND THE CONNECTOR ON THE WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE PURCHASED A NEW SWITCH AND AM PREPARING TO REPAIR THE CONNECTOR. *CB

THE VEHICLE'S FUEL RAIL CRACKED CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL CATCH ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RECALL AND REPAIRED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD RECALL REPAIR... RECALL NO. #98V189000 FUEL SYSTEM GAS LINE: THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL ONTO THE GROUND AND THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF GAS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED, BUT NOW THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED AT LEAST 8 TIMES SINCE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *PH

THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING. UPON CLICKING THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH THEY WOULD COME BACK ON. INTERMITTENT WIPERS STARTING NOT WORKING ALSO. HIGH BEAM SWITCH STOPPED WORKING (NOT STAYING IN PLACE) DAY PRIOR TO MELTDOWN. WHILE DRIVING HOME ON 11/22/03 THERE WAS A SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. I CHECKED UNDER HOOD AND AROUND OUTSIDE OF CAR WHEN I GOT HOME. SMELLED NOTHING OUTSIDE. GOT BACK IN CAR AND AT THAT POINT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK. BROUGHT CAR TO MECHANIC AND THE INSIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN (MODULE FOR HIGH BEAM/SIGNAL/WIPER AND WIRING HARNESS) COMPLETELY MELTED. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS ANY FIRE. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS. *NLM

MY 1997 DODGE INTREPID TRANSMISSION HAS GONE 3 TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED IT I PURCHASED IT IN EARLY 1999 WITH 48000 MILES THE 1ST TIME THE SHIFTERWOULD NOT GO ALL THE WAY IN TO PARK AND AT 62000 MILES IT WENT AND ALL I HAD WAS REVERSE. I HAD A WARRANTY THROUGH THE CAR DEALER WITH A 250.00 DEDUCTIBLE. THEY REBULIT TRANSMISSION AND AT 84000 THE SAMETHING HAPPEN 13MOS. LATER AND OF COARSE NO WARRANTY SO I HAD TO PAY FULL SHOT THIS TIME AT THE SUM OF $ 1,300.00. NOW IT SEEMS THAT IT IS STARTING TO ACT UP AGAIN .WHAT TO DO? OTHER THAN THIS THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST DEPENDABLE RUNNING CAR AS FAR AS ANY THING ELSE GOES I HAVE EVER HAD. AND YES I DO HAVE THE FILTER & FLUID CHANGED WHEN IT SHOULD. ONE MORE THING I'VE HAD THE CAR CHECKED A COUPLE OF TIMES FOR WHEN I START OUT FROM A STOP WETHER SLOW OR QUICK THE CAR SOMETIMES SEEMS LIKE THE UNIVERSALS ARE BAD(LIKE ON A REAR WHEEL DRIVE CAR) BUT I WAS TOLD CV JOINTS AND ALL ELSE WAS FINE SO I ASUME IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION.*AK

WHILE BACKING-OUT AND TO THE LEFT FROM A PARKING SPOT, A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE, A 1997 4DR DODGE INTREPID WAS UNDRIVABLE. AN ASSESSMENT BY A QUALIFIED MECHANIC CONCLUDED A SERIOUS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL AREA. THE LOW CONTROL ARM WAS RIPPED AWAY FROM THE ENGINE CRADLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP IN PARIS,TENNESSEE. (PEPPER'S DODGE ATTN. LORI 731-642-5661). DIGITAL PICTURES OF THE RIPPED METAL AND DAMAGE AREA ARE AVAILABLE AT [email protected] FOLLOW-UP REPORTING TO CHRYSLER HEADQUARTERS ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS EVENT CONCLUDED THAT, "SENIOR STAFF DECLINE ASSISTANCE." (CHRYSLER FILE # KMM590568V86801L0KM / REF# 11849430). MY INSURANCE CARRIER (USAA 1231595) SAID THAT THEY WILL BEGIN AN INVESTIGATION THIS WEEK. PEPPER'S DODGE HAS BEEN ADVISED AND SAID THEY WILL WAIT FOR USAA TO CONCLUDE THEIR REPORT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TWO MECHANICS THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE VERY RARE AND DANGEROUS, AND COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. I AM REQUESTING A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER BY THE NHTSA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. *LA

CONSUMER STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL. SHE STATED THERE WAS A SMELL OF FUEL WHILE DRIVING, AND STATED THIS IS A HEALTH HAZARD. SHE STATED SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED ON 2/11/99, AND WILL NOT BE REPAIRED AGAIN ON A RECALL. SHE SAID THAT THE RECALL WAS FOR THE O-RINGS AND THE FUEL SYSTEM GAS LINE & FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. SHE FELT AS THOUGH, THIS SHOULD NOT APPLY WHEN IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE O RINGS WERE CHECKED AND NOT REPLACED. PLEASE HELP. *JB