2000 Dodge Intrepid

DT: 2000 DODGE INTREPID BOUGHT IN APRIL USED WITH 11,000 MILES. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN IN SHOP 9-10 TIMES, MOSTLY CONSISTING OF STEERING PROBLEMS, SUCH AS RACK AND PINION AND THE STEERING COUPLER. THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES, BUT THIS WAS THE MAIN CONCERN. ONE WEEK AGO THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, FRONT END IMPACT FOR WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. NO REPAIRS AFTER THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE THERE WAS OVER $6,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE. *AK EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE WAS LOOSE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE IT WAS NOT CONNECTED. THE DEALER REPOSITIONED/REASSEMBLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE KEY WOULDN'T COME OUT OF THE IGNITION BECAUSE THE SHIFT INTERLOCK CABLE BROKE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING TO THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *NM

INTERIOR LIGHTS TURNED ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHICH OFTEN SCARED AND DISTRACTED THE DRIVER FROM THE ROAD, INCREASING THE CHANCE OF A CRASH. TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS THREE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS GO ON AN OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS NOT RUNNING. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED AT TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE REAR DOOR LOCK HAS A BUZZ NOISE IN IT. THE HORN AND ALARM GOES ON AND OFF. *TC

DOWNSHIFFTED DURING COURSE OF DRIVING. RPMS WENT TO 3500. UPON SLOWING DOWN, MOTOR SHUT OFF. ALL ACCESSORIES TURNED OFF. NO WARNING. *JB RE-STARTED VEHICLE TO DRIVE OFF THE STREET. ALL SYSTEMS SHUTDOWN AGAIN. FINALLY RESTARTED MOTOR LONG ENOUGH TO PULL INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. HAD TOW TRUCK DELIVER VEHICLE TO HOME. *JB

THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK MECHANISM HAS FAILED ON THRE OF THE FOUR DOORS OF MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID. THE LAST TIME THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE THE CLAMP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD DOES NOT CLEAR THE OPENING IN THE WHEEL WELL LINER AND LOOKS LIKE IT COULD HANG UP ON THE METAL EDGE. ON MY CAR IT ABRADED THE INSULATION OFF THE BATERRY CABLES THAT RUN RIGHT THROUGH THIS AREA. THIS SEEMS LIKE IT COULD START A FIRE OF SHORT OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. DEALER SAID THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. *AK

SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR ON OCTOBER OF 1999, I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 31 TIMES TO FIX THINGS. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR 100 DAYS. I HAVE PAID OUT OF POCKET $3,137.64. I AM NOW ON AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I STILL OWE $8,000.00 ON MY CAR. IT HAS 60,000 MILES. I HAVE MAINTAINED IT EVERY 3,000 MILES AS SUGGESTED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. I ONLY USE 97 OCTANE GAS. I AM A VERY CAUTIOUS DRIVER. I TAKE CARE OF THE CAR BUT THE CAR HAS LEFT ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAYS PUTTING MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MY PASSENGERS IN DANGER. I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE CAR IS GOING TO BREAK DOWN AGAIN AND WHERE SO I AM ALWAYS UNDER TERRIBLE STRESS. I PRAY AS I DRIVE THAT I MAKE IT TO MY DESTINATION. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A LEMON SINCE I BOUGHT IT. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE ENGINE BLOWING. MY BROTHER IN LAW WAS DRIVING AND I WAS THE PASSENGER ON SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY (US1) IN SOUTH MIAMI WHEN WE WERE AT A RED LIGHT AND THEN STARTED TO GO WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS, NOISES, OR ANYTHING THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING. IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE LANE. WE HAD TO PUSH IT TO THE SIDE. IT WAS RUSH HOUR AND THIS HIGHWAY IS FILLED WITH VERY AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS. THEY WERE ALL CURSING, BEEPING, SIGNALING, AND DRIVING SO CLOSE TO US AS TO ALMOST TOUCH US. I WAS PETRIFIED. I THOUGHT A CAR WAS GOING TO HIT US. I PAID FOR THE ENGINE REPAIR OUT OF MY POCKET, BECAUSE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY TOLD THE DEALER THEY COULD NOT COVER IT BECAUSE THERE WAS SLUDGE BUILD UP. THEY SEND AN ADJUSTOR WHO REPORTED IT TO THEM. THE DEALER TOLD US TO FIGHT IT BECAUSE THE SLUDGE WAS NORMAL FOR THAT TYPE OF ENGINE. WE PROVIDED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ALL THE RECEIPTS FOR THE MAINTENANCE THAT WE RELIGIOUSLY DID ABOUT EVERY 3000 MILES. WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER MECHANIC GO IN AND LOOK AT THE CAR. THE OTHER MECHANIC SAID THAT THESE TYPES OF ENGINES ALWAYS HAD THE PROBLEM OF SLUDGE BUILD UP AND THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE ENGINE AND THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SHOULD COVER IT.

I PURCHASED A NEW 2000 DODGE INTREPID APRIL 15, 2000. WHILE ON MY WAY TO THANKSGIVING DINNER, ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON & 2 SECONDS LATER THE CAR STOPPED. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO MOVE IT TO THE RIGHT LANE (THERE IS NO EMERGENCY PARKING ON THE VAN WYCK) WHEN ALL LIGHTS INCLUDING MY HAZARD LIGHTS WENT OUT. MY FAMILY AND I ALMOST DIED ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER THAT NIGHT AND AFTER REPEATED CALLS TO THEM THEY RESPONDED SIX DAYS LATER TELLING ME THE STARTER NEEDED REPLACING AND I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY. WHEN I CALLED TO FIND OUT WHEN IT COULD BE PICKED UP, THEY TOLD ME I HAD A SEASED ENGINE AND THEY DID COULD NOT TELL ME WHY. MY WARRANTY WAS FOR 7 YEARS OR 50,000 MILES; HOWEVER, I NOW HAD 60,000 MILES THERE FORE I AM NO LONGER COVERED AND MUST PAY $7000 FOR A NEW ENGINE. I OWE $13,000 ON MY CAR NOTE, THE DEALER TOLD ME TO PAY OF THE NOTE AND COME BUY ANOTHER CAR. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND NUMEROUS CASES OF SEASED ENGINES ON THE MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION, MY FAMILY WAS ALMOST KILLED AND I AM SURE THERE HAVE BEEN CASES WHERE THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN FATAL. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. *LA