2000 DODGE INTREPID Complaints

OUR 2000 DODGE INTREPID WITH THE 2.7 L ENGINE WAS PURCHASED WITH A REBUILT ENGINE AND 122K MILES. WE WERE METICULOUS ABOUT MAINTAINING THIS CAR, AND HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES. AT 135K MILES, THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE WITHOUT WARNING. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED ON A WELL-MAINTAINED VEHICLE. THE COST TO REPAIR IT WILL BE AT LEAST $2000. MY SON USES THIS CAR AS HIS PRIMARY VEHICLE AND DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR IT, SO HE IS WITHOUT A VEHICLE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. I FEEL THAT DODGE SHOULD RECALL AND REPLACE THE 2.7 ENGINE WITH A 3.2 OR 3.5. *TR

I BOUGHT THIS 2000 DODGE INTREPID, V-6, 2.7 LITER ENGINE, NEW FROM A DEALER IN DECEMBER, 1999. IN 2003, WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON IT, THE ENGINE SEIZED UP. THE DEALER CONTACTED CHRYSLER, AND THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AS IF IT HAD BEEN UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. INTERESTINGLY, THE DEALERSHIP FOUND NO INDICATION OF EXCESSIVE SLUDGE BUILDUP, WHICH APPARENTLY IS THE BASIS OF MOST COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ENGINE. I PAID ABOUT $200, AND WAS SATISFIED AT THAT POINT. SINCE THEN, I'VE HAD LOTS OF (RELATIVELY MINOR) REPAIRS DONE ON THIS CAR, AND I WOULD RATE IT BELOW AVERAGE FOR RELIABILITY. THE CAR NOW HAS ABOUT 81,000 MILES ON IT, WHICH MEANS THE CURRENT ENGINE HAS ABOUT 41,000 MILES. THE ENGINE HAS FAILED AGAIN. THE ONLY WARNING WAS AN INTERMITTENT (NOT CONSISTENT) CLICKING SOUND, WHICH MY MECHANIC FELT WAS COMING FROM THE HOUSING OVER THE FRONT PART OF THE ENGINE (WHERE THE TIMING GEAR/BELT IS LOCATED). THUS FAR, CHRYSLER HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST FOR COVERAGE AS IF IT WERE UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE REVIEWED MANY OF THE ON-LINE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 2.7 LITER ENGINE; I HAVE TALKED TO AT LEAST THREE LOCAL (NON-DEALERSHIP) MECHANICS, EACH OF WHOM WAS FAMILIAR WITH SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC FAILURES OF THE 2.7 ENGINE, AND ONE OF WHOM SAID HE PERSONALLY KNEW OF SEVEN SUCH FAILURES IN THIS LOCAL AREA. NONE OF THOSE INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WOULD TOUCH THIS REPAIR JOB. THIS IS PROBABLY AN $8,000 REPAIR JOB, IF I CHOOSE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. IT MAKES NO ECONOMIC SENSE, WHEN THE TRADE-IN VALUE OF THE CAR IS LESS THAN $2,000. EVEN IF I REPLACE THE ENGINE (AGAIN) I WOULD NOT SELL THIS CAR TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT DESCRIBING THE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. I'VE READ ENOUGH, AND HEARD ENOUGH, TO BELIEVE THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD BE FORCED TO INITIATE SOME SORT OF REPLACEMENT AND COMPENSATION PROGRAM, AT LEAST FOR THOSE OF US WHO BOUGHT OUR VEHICLE NEW, HAVE OWNED IT CONTINUOUSLY, HAVE MAINTAINED IT PROPERLY, HAVE NOT ABUSED IT IN ANY WAY, BUT CAN'T AFFORD TO PROSECUTE A LAWSUIT. *TR

THE 2000 DODGE INTREPID ES 3.2L MODEL HAS A RACK AND PINION PROBLEM. MINE STARTED AROUND MAY OF 05 AT ABOUT 63,000 MILES. IT STARTED OUT JUST AS A CLUNKING NOISE. I HAD REPLACED ALL KINDS OF PARTS WITHIN THE PAST FEW YEARS LIKE LOWER AND UPPER BALL JOINTS, INNER TIE RODS (TWICE), FRONT END ALIGNMENTS, ETC., THINKING THAT THE NOISE WOULD BE FIXED. AFTER ALL THAT WAS REPLACED ON THIS CAR, I FIGURED THAT THE CAR WAS JUST MADE THAT WAY. AS OF THIS YEAR, THE STEERING STARTED MAKING A LOUDER CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING AND STRAIGHTENING THE WHEELS. AT THIS POINT IT JUST KEEPS GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER. I'VE HAD THIS LOOKED AT TWICE BY DIFFERENT MECHANICS. THE DEALER IN PITTSBURGH SAYS THAT THE REPLACEMENT IS $875.00 (WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE LABOR) AND THAT IT IS ON BACK ORDER AND THAT THE REMANUFACTURED ONES ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND AN UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT OF CONSUMERS HAVING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS WITH MANY CHYRYSLER/DODGE VEHICLES. IT SEEMS ALOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN SENT TO YOU. THE ONE SITE IS: HTTP://WWW.DONTBUYDODGECHRYSLERVEHICLES.COM/DODGE_CHRYSLER_STEERING_PROBLEMS.HTM THERE WAS ANOTHER SITE THAT I CONTACTED EARLIER THIS YEAR (WWW.DODGECHRYSLERSTEERINGPROBLEMS.COM) (WHICH AS I LOOKED TODAY ARE NO LONGER THERE) AND THEY SAID TO CONTACT YOU WHICH I AM DOING. PLEASE REPLY TO THIS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS, THEY SAID MY YEAR SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM! GUESS WHAT... IT DOES! AS I LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE LISTED BELOW, LUCKILY I CAN SAY I DON'T HAVE TO CLICK ON YES TO ANY OF THEM OR TO PUT IN THE NUMBER OF DEATHS.....AND HOPEFULLY I WON'T NEED TO. BUT FROM WHAT I'M SEEING, MY DAYS ARE NUMBERED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID. ON NOVEMBER 11, 2008, THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MILES WHEN IT BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. SUDDENLY, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO A CHRYSLER DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS; HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT GUARANTEE ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 125,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO AN ENGINE LOCK-UP. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 128,000.

I HAVE BEEN GETTING MY OIL CHANGED REGULARLY SINCE I BOTH THE CAR IN 2007. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR IT ONLY HAD ABOUT 65000 MILES. NOW IN 2008 IT HAS A LITTLE OVER 85000. I WAS DRIVING ONE DAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE. WITHIN A COUPLE OF MILES OF THE NOISE STARTED MY CAR COMPLETELY BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THERE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET NOT ABLE TO GO ANYWHERE. LUCKILY A COP CAME BY WHO CALLED A TOW TRUCK. AFTER TOWING THE CAR TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP, I WAS TOLD THAT MY ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO OIL SLUDGE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS. I HAVE LOW MILES, PROPER MAINTENANCE TO THE CAR, AND NOW I NEED A NEW ENGINE. *TR

DRIVING AT 60 MPH. VEHICLE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION. (WORKING ON) REPLACING DAMAGED PARTS AND OR ENGINE. *TR

I HAVE THE SAME OLD DODGE 2.7L ENGINE COMPLAINT. MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID WITH ONLY 90K MILES STARTED MAKING NOISE, THAN BOOM... THE END OF ANOTHER 2.7L MOTOR. FOUND IT WAS COMBO OF SLUDGE AND TIMING CHAIN. OUR LOCAL JUNK YARDS WON'T EVEN TAKE THE CAR BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO MANY AS IT IS!!! SO I GET TO STARE AT MY EXPENSIVE LAWN ORNAMENT FROM MY DOOR EVERY DAY. *TR

MULTIPLE LOW-SPEED STALLS/ENGINE SHUTDOWN; SOMETIMES ENGINE LIGHT OR OIL LIGHT PRECEDE THE STALL. UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THIS VEHICLE HAS BE GIVEN ALL REGULAR ROUTINE SERVICE, OIL CHANGES, ETC., BY DODGE/CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW. CURRENTLY ONLY 55, 450 MILES ON VEHICLE. PROBLEMS BEGAN OCCURRING WITHIN LAST YEAR. DEALER UNABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY TROUBLE CODES AFTER EVALUATION OF STALL COMPLAINTS. DEALERSHIP NOT FORTHCOMING WITH ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE WITH 2.7L ENGINE, ALTHOUGH MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FOUND ON INTERNET SITES INCLUDING NHTSA WEBSITE. APPARENTLY THERE EXISTS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT CHRYSLER CORP DOES NOT WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AS IT IS PERVASIVE FOR THIS MODEL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE DROPPED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE MADE KNOCKING SOUNDS AND BEGAN SMOKING AFTER IT WAS RESTARTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 136,000.