1999 Dodge Intrepid

1999 DODGE INTREPID ES: WHEN TEMPERATURE IS TURNED UP ON CLIMATE CONTROL AND DEFROSTER IS TURNED ON THERE IS A FLUTTERING NOISE THAT CAN BE HEARD FROM DRIVERS SIDE DASH WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER VENT. THIS EXCESSIVE NOISE/FLUTTERING NOISE IS OFTEN A DISTRACTION WHEN DRIVING. NOISE IS ONLY WHEN TEMPERATURE IS TURNED UP OR TURNED TO HEAT ON CLIMATE CONTROL. NOISE CHAGNES WHEN TEMPERATURE IS ADJUSTED. NOISE SOUNDS LIKE BROKEN DAMPER IN VENTILATION HAYWARD AUTO CHRYSLER-JEEP DEALERSHIP STATES THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. I DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM FOR SERVICE MANAGER GREGORY MARTIN. HE PUT A CARD ABOVE IT TO VERIFY THAT IT WAS BLOWING AIR THEN STATED "THAT'S AIR BLOWING THROUGH THE VENT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT". HE STATED HE'D HAVE THE TECHNICIAN CHECK IT OUT WHEN THEY REMOVE THE DASH ASSEMBLY OFF TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE DASH MIDRANGE SPEAKER. THEY NEVER DID, THEY NEVER DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NONE OF THE SIMILAR DODGE INTREPIDS I TEST DROVE DID THIS.*AK

1999 DODGE INTREPID ES: TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN OVERHAULED THREE WEEKS AGO BECAUSE OF INTERMITTENT BUMP, SURGING IN AUTOMATIC, ROUGH SHIFTING IN LOWER GEARS. THERE WAS ALSO A ONE TIME SLIPPAGE, A JAM IN FOURTH GEAR AND TRANSMISSION ONCE SHIFTED BACK IN FOURTH RAPIDLY IN LOWER GEARS. TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED, INPUT/OUTPUT SPEED SENSORS, TORQUE CONVERTER, DISC CLUTCH REPLACED. TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO WORK BETTER SINCE OVERHAUL AND REPLACEMENTS THREE WEEKS AGO. PROBLEMS ARE NOW SLOWLY STARTING TO COME BACK. TRANSMISSION DOES NOT FUNCTION CONSISTANTLY AS IT SHOULD. RECENT EXAMPLES: 11/19 MADE U-TURN, LET OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL THEN PRESSED PEDAL FOR MEDIUM ACCELERATION, TRANNY HESITATED THEN BUMPED THEN FINALLY WORKED. 11/20 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK I STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT THEN LIGHTLY PRESSED ACCELERATOR PEDAL, TRANNY SEEMED TO LOCK DOWN HARD AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED VERY QUICKLY, FASTER THAN USUAL. VEHICLE ALMOST SMASHED INTO CAR IN FRONT OF ME. ENGINE DID NOT REV AS LIKE IT WAS A THROTTLE REQUEST. THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE OR TWICE SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP SAYS TRANSMISSION IS FINE AND SHIFTS FINE. I ASKED DEALERSHIP TO CHECK FOR FAULT CODES, THEY STATE THAT NO CODES WERE FOUND. I WILL BE TAKING IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. *AK

1999 DODGE INTREPID ES 34000 MILES: STEERING INTERMITTENTLY IS VERY LOOSE AND AWKWARD, STEERING SOMETIMES IS TIGHT LIKE IT SHOULD BE. STEERING WHEEL HAS LIMPED TO THE LEFT SEVERAL TIMES WHILE STOPPED OR DRIVING SLOW AND STEERING FEELS REALLY STRANGE. WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND FOURTH QUICKLY ONLY FROM LEFT TO CENTER WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED THERE IS SLIGHT KNOCK OR BUMP SOUND IN STEERING. STEERING WHEEL JERKS TO THE RIGHT DURING MEDIUM TO HARD OR HARD ACCELERATION SOMETIMES IN AUTOMATIC USUALLY IN AUTOSTICK. WHEN STEERING WHEEL DID NOT FUNCTION AND RETURN AS USUAL A COUPLE TIMES I ALMOST WOUND UP IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE SOMETIMES ALSO SWAYS FUNNY WHEN STEERING IS ACTING UP. THE STEERING'S SENSITIVITY AND ATTITUDE INTERMITTENTLY CHANGES. SOMETIMES THERE IS A SLIGHT VIBRATION FELT IN STEERING WHEN BRAKING OR DRIVING. THERE IS SOMETIMES EXCESSIVE MOVEMENTS IN STEERING. BROUGHT VEHICLE INTO HAYWARD AUTO CHRYSLER-JEEP DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED SEVERAL TIMES. DEALERSHIP FOUND MISSING LEFT STRUT WASHER, REPLACED. DEALERSHIP SEEMS TO NEVER BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR FIND PROBLEM. TECHNICIAN (SUPPOSED SHOP FOREMAN) DID ADMIT HE FELT THE SLIGHT VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEN BRAKING WHILE ON TEST DRIVE BUT DID NOTHING ABOUT IT AND COULDN'T REALLY EXPLAIN IT. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY'D PUT IT ON ALIGNMENT MACHINE AND CHECK FOR ANYTHING LOOSE WHEN I BROUGHT IT BACK FOR SPK REPLACEMENT. THEY JUST TOLD ME IT WAS FINE WITH NO DATA FROM SUPPOSED ALIGNMENT. THE CAR HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASING IT WITH 28000 MILES AND I FEEL THEY ARE SICK OR SEEING IT. I STRONGLY BELEIVE THEY DID NOT PUT THE VEHICLE ON THE ALIGNMENT MACHINE OR CHECK FOR ANYTHING LOOSE SINCE THEY ARE SICK OF SEEING IT AND BELEIVE THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD OTHERS DRIVE MY VEHICLE WHEN THE STEERING IS AWKWARD AND THEY ALL VERIFY THAT IT DOES NOT FEEL RIGHT. I HAVE TEST DRIVEN TWO SIMILAR DODGE INTREPIDS AND BOTH OF THEM DO NOT DRIVE OR STEER LIKE THIS. I AM TAKING THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP SOON.

I AM EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED AND AND DISATISFIED WITH MY DODGE VEHICLE AND THE SERVICE I HAVE BEEN PROVIDED FROM HAYWARD AUTO CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH-JEEP. SINCE PURCHASING THE 1999 DODGE INTREPID ES FROM HAYWARD AUTO WITH ONLY 28,000 MILES THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE LOST 5+ QUARTS OF OIL IN 2215 MILES AND THE ENGINE BLEW UP SHORTLY AFTER PUCHASING. I HAD THE OIL AND FILTER CHANGED JUST 2 MONTHS PRIOR W/RECIEPT. I JUST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER IN APRIL 2001. DEALER ALMOST DID NOT REPLACE ENGINE TRYING TO BLAME ME FOR IT'S FAILURE. I REGULARLY MAINTAIN AND INSPECT MY VEHICLE. THERE IS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO CAUSE THIS FAILURE AND I FEEL INSULTED. THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO FAIL AND WAS OVERHAULED, SPEED SENSOR AND TOURQE CONVERTER REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. COMPONENT FELL OFF OF LEFT LOWER SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM, REPLACED. SPEAKERS BLOWN, REPLACED, REAR POWER WINDOW FAILS, REPLACED. ONCE, DEALER DID NOT SEAL TRANNY CORRECTLY WHEN BROUGHT IN FOR TRANNY SERVICE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND RELEASED VEHICLE WITH TRANNY POURING OUT FLUID WHEN I GOT HOME. STEERING FAILED TWICE, STEERING BEHAVIOR CHANGED DRAMATICALLY AFTER EACH INCIDENT. WHEN SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED ME HE TOLD ME TIRE PRESSURE WAS OUT OF WHACK. THEY ADJUSTED THE TIRE PRESSURE THE LAST TIME IT WAS IN! I OVERHEARD TECH ON PHONE YELLING WITH BAD ATTITUDE AS IF I HAVE THE PROBLEM FURTHER INSULTING ME. I TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER/OWNER, TRIED TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING I HAVE BEEN THROUGH WITH THIS VEHICLE. MR. GREGORY MARTIN DIDN'T LET ME FINISH, TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE REPLACED, PLACED THE BLAME ON ME. " WELL, YOU HAVE A NEW ENGINE?" I HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY PATIENT WITH THIS CAR AND THESE PEOPLE. THEY SHOULD BE APOLOGIZING TO ME AND THANKING ME FOR MY PATIENTS INSTEAD OF TREATING ME LIKE I AM RETARDED. I GUESS YOU HAVE TO BUY A BMW TO GET A DECENT CAR AND SERVICE. I AM VERY DISSAPOINTED AND LET DOWN WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THEN ADDITIONALLY THIS SERVICE.*AK

1999 DODGE INTREPID ES: 11/07/01: WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE DOWN CITY STREET AND AFTER SLOWING DOWN TO ABOUT 10MPH WHILE PREPARING TO MAKE A TURN, EASING HANDS OFF STEERING WHEEL WHILE WAITING FOR TRAFFIC, STEERING WHEEL WENT LIMP TO THE LEFT. STEERING CONTROL BECAME EXTREMELY POOR. BROUGHT VEHICLE HOME FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED QUARTER TURN TO LEFT, LEFT WHEEL REMAINED STRAIGHT. STEERING BECAME VERY AWKWARD AND DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY BROUGHT IN, TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE HOWEVER FOUND MISSING BOLT OR WASHER FROM LOWER LEFT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM AND REPLACED. STEERING CONTROL IMPROVED AFTER. AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE AS NORMAL FOR ONLY ABOUT ONE WEEK BEFORE, THIS SECOND STEERING RELATED FAILURE OCCURRED. VEHICLE STEERING NEVER FELT RIGHT IN FIRST PLACE EVEN PRIOR TO BOTH FAILURES. STEERING HAS ALWAYS FELT LOOSE AND FLIMSY. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED. TECHNICIAN DROVE VEHICLE AT TIME AND STATED IT WAS NORMAL. MY VEHICLE IS AGAIN AT THE DEALER OVERNIGHT. SERVICE ADVISER ASKED ME "DID YOU HIT SOMETHING?" WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN 11/08/01. ABSOLUTELY NOT. I FEEL THAT THEY THINK I AM CAUSING THESE PROBLEMS SOMEHOW OR SOMETHING. I AM VERY CAREFUL AND I AM A GOOD DRIVER. I AM ONCE AGAIN GREATLY INCONVENIENCED AND WITHOUT MY VEHICLE. I AM ALMOST HAVING TO BRING MY VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER FOR SOME TYPE OF REPAIR SERVICE EVERY TWO WEEKS. AT 33685, MY ENGINE BLEW UP AND HAS BEEN REPLACED, TRANSMISSION FAILED AND OVERHAULED, TOURQUE CONVERTER REPLACED, MORE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, SPEED SENSORS REPLACED, SPEAKERS FAILED AND REPLACED, SPEAKERS FAILING AGAIN, COMPONENT FELL OFF LEFT LOWER SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM, STEERING FAILURE, STEERING FAILURE AGAIN. AGAIN, JUST 33685 MILES. ISN'T THERE A LEMON LAW? UPDATE: AS OF 11/08/01 1:15 DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE STEERING PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN SOUNDS VERY DEFENSIVE AND I COULD HERE HIM IN THE BACKGROUND YELLING THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT VEHICLE.*AK

AT TIME OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE PROBLEM BECAME SERIOUS AND BECAME OBVIOUS ON 10/18/01. AFTER TRANSMISSION STARTED FAILING I STOPPED AT THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL AHEAD. AFTER STOPPING AND LETTING GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL THE STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LIMPED TO THE LEFT WITH VERY LIMITED CONTROL WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TURN IT. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH FLIMSLY/LOOSE STEERING THAT MOVES TO FREELY BUT THE VEHICLE WAS EVEN MOVE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND THE STEERING FELT REALLY STRANGE. I LIMPED IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE STEERING PROBLEM AND A TECH SAID THAT IT DROVE NORMAL BUT THEY FOUND A BOLT OR WASHER MISSING FROM THE LEFT LOWER SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM AND WILL REPLACE. THEY ARE CURRENTLY ORDERING THE PART AND I AM WITHOUT MY VEHICLE AT THIS TIME.*AK

SEVERAL DAYS AFTER HAVING THE 3.2L ENGINE REPLACED BECAUSE IT BLEW UP DUE TO UNEXPLAINED OIL DISSAPPEARANCE I EXPERIENCED CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. MY INPUT AND OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS IN FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT DUE TO ROUGH SHIFTING AND SURGING IN LOW GEARS AND INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION BUMP. VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO WORK SOMEWHAT SMOOTHER. TRANSMISSION KICKDOWN ISSUE WORSENED HOWEVER. VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE DRIVING AT 30-35MPH OR SLOWER FOR TRANSMISSION TO KICK DOWN HARD FOR MERGING, PASSING OR TO ENTER THE FREEWAY OR ACCELERATION WAS POOR. TRANSMISSION BUMP STILL SOMETIMES OCCURED. DURING ACCELERATION ACROSS INTERSECTION VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY SURGE BACK AND FOURTH AS VEHICLE WAS SWITCHING BACK AND FOURTH BETWEEN GEARS. THIS HAPPENED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS, I WAS READY TO KILL THE IGNITION BUT IT STOPPED. I STEPPED DOWN HARD ON THE ACCELERATOR TRYING TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM AND ENGINE REVED BUT VEHICLE ACELERATED VERY SLOWLY INDICATING TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE. THE SLIPPAGE ONLY OCCURED ONCE SHORTLY AFTER AND COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR PULL FAULT CODE. DEALER IS GOING TO PERFORM MAJOR TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL/REBUILD AT ONLY 33350 MILES. ADDITIONAL LOSSED TIME FROM WORK BECAUSE OF THESE CONTINUAL PROBLEMS.*AK

PURCHASED VEHICLE WITH 28,000 MILES. OIL AND FILTER CHANGE PERFORMED AT DEALERSHIP PRIOR TO VEHICLE PURCHASE ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP. CHECKED OIL ABOUT 2 MONTHS LATER, DIPSTICK WAS ALMOST DRY. HAD OIL AND OIL FILTER CHANGED. OIL WAS THOUGHT TO BE LEAKING FROM CHEAP OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED OIL FILTER SINCE NEWER VEHICLE WITH LOW MILAGE SHOULDN'T BE BURNING THAT MUCH OIL. CHECKED OIL EVER TWO WEEKS SEVERAL TIMES OUT OF CONCERN. OIL LEVEL WAS FINE. ASSUMED PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. AT 33,000 MILES ABOUT 1.5 MONTHS LATER ENGINE BEGAN MAKING KNOCKING NOSE AND RUNNING VERY ROUGH. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT ENGINE WAS BLOWN. HAD TO PROVIDE PROOF OF RECENT OIL AND FILTER CHANGE FOR DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT ENGINE HAD ONLY 1 QUART OF OIL AND THAT OIL LOOKED REALLY MUCKY. ENGINE LOST ABOUT 5 QUARTS OF OIL IN 2215 MILES. NO VISUAL SIGNS OF LEAKAGE ANYWHERE, NO SMOKE OR EXCESSIVE EXAUST. VEHICLE HAD BEEN CHECKED AND MAINTAINED WELL. DEALERSHIP CANNOT EXPLAIN AND STATES THAT THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TEAR DOWN AND INSPECT THE ENGINE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED ENGINE AT 33000.