2000 Dodge Intrepid

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE INTREPID THAT I BOUGHT IN OCTOBER OF 2003, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2004 THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULDN'T GO OFF. AFTER SPENDING $900.00 AND 2 TOWING BILLS THE DODGE DEALER FINALLY GOT THE LIGHT TO STAY OFF BY REPLACING THE CAM AND CRANK SENSORS. APPROX 6 1/2 MONTHS LATER IN APRIL OF 2005 WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MILES PER HOUR THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLICKING NOISE. I TOOK IT TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC THAT TOLD ME A ROD HAD BLOWN IN THE ENGINE.HE TOLD ME IT WOULD PROBABLY RUN ME AROUND $5000.00 TO REPAIR. HE ALSO SAID HE'S HEARD ABOUT ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE ENGINES. I THINK DODGE SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ESPECIALLY AFTER I SEE BY YOUR COMPLAINT LIST I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. I STILL OWE ALMOST AS MUCH AS THEY SAY IT WILL COST ME TO REPAIR IT.

KNOCKING SOUND IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT 65000 MILES. TOLD BY LOCAL DODGE DEALER THAT I HAD A CASE OF CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE - PRICE FOR NEW ENGINE & LABOR $6500. HAD A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACE ROD BEARINGS AND SO FAR, IT IS HOLDING TOGETHER, BUT I AM CONCERNED WITH THE NUMBER OF ENGINE FAILURES I HAVE SEEN. CHECK OUT "DONTBUYONE.COM"

WHILE DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD AT 30 MPH VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. AFTER TOWING THE VEHICLE HOME, MADE CONTACT WITH THE TOW DRIVER, AND WAS TOLD THAT ENGINE BLEW OUT. *AK HAVE NOT HAD CAR REPAIRED DUE TO COST ON A NEW MOTOR AND LABOR. THERE ARE NUMBEROUS REPORTS OF THE DODGE INTREPID THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM BLOWN MOTORS, BUT DODGE DOESN'T WANT TO FIX THEM. *BF *NM

MY 2002 DODGE INTREPID STARTED TO MAKE A KNOCKING SOUND. MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE/REPAIR WIYH MY LOCAL MECHANIC. APPT WAS FOR MAY 5, 2002. MY CAR NEVER MADE IT TO THE APPOINTMENT. ON MAY 4, 2002, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A DR. APPT @ ABOUT 4:30 P.M. & MY CAR LITERALLY SHUT OFF WITH NO WARNING. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN A NO PASSING ZONE APPROACHING A METAL GRATE BRIDGE WIDE ENOUGH FOR TWO CARS TO PASS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. I WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER THE BRIDGE SAFELY & HAD TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (RT#322 HEADING WEST-FROM WEST CHESTER, PA. APPROX. 1 MILE OUTSIDE OF DOWINGTOWN, PA.) & WALK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (NO SIDEWALKS) FOR APPROX. 1/4 MILE WITH CARS WHIZZING BY ME, TO NEARBY WAWA STORE. HAD THE CAR TOWED ($45.00 PAID BY ME) TO MY MECHANIC WHO PROMPLTY TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING BELT HAD SNAPPED & GONE THROUGH THE TOP OF MY ENGINGE. UNFIXABLE! CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE CAR - "CARSENSE" LOCATED AT 21 POTTSTOWN PIKE, UWCHLAND, PA 19480. THEY SAID TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED UP TO THEM ($85.00 PAID BY ME AGAIN). FINALLY THE NEXT DAY THE SERVICE REP TOLD US THE CAR WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $5,600. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 42,000 MILES ON IT! I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS YET. I STILL OWE $7,000 ON THE CAR. CAR SENSE WILL NOT BEAR THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBLITY FOR THE REPAIRS. DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET BY TYPING IN THE SEARCH WORDS: DODGE INTREPID ENGINE PROBLEMS & LOCATED MANY SITES DESCRIBING THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME. CAR QUITS WITH BARELY A WARNING & DEALER WILL NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS, BUT INSTEAD, BLAMES THE "LACK OF PROPER MAINTAINANCE" ON THE OWNER. WEBSITES SHOW ME OTHERWISE. ALSO KNOW OF 2 PEOPLE PERSONALLY, WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE THE SAME SCENARIO. THESE CARS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE & I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MANY PEOPLE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. THIS PROVES A REAL SAFETY HAZZARD FOR MANY DRIVERS OF THIS CAR & OTHER DRIVERS NEAR THIS CAR WHEN IT QUITS.

WHILE DRIVING HOME APRIL 20, 2005 MY CAR BEGAN SPUTTERING AND STALLED OUT. I GOT IT HOME AND CALLED MY MECHANIC TO COME OVER AND CHECK IT OUT. HE IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME THAT I HAD A ROD KNOCK, AND THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE CAM SENSOR. ON APRIL 22, 2005 I HAD THE SENSOR INSTALLED, $37.00 FOR PART. THE CAR WAS THEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES AND THE KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE GOT INCREASINGLY WORSE UNTIL IT WENT BANG AND WOULD NO LONGER RUN. THE ENGINE HAD THROWN A ROD. NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT A REPLACEMENT ENGINE, AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $3,500.00 TO $5,000.00. THIS FOR A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 44,000 MILES. IT SHOULD BE JUST BREAKING IN AT THIS POINT, NOT BREAKING DOWN, ESPECIALLY FROM A BLOWN ENGINE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED, HAVING HAD THE OIL CHANGED REGULARLY AT 2,500-3,000 MILES. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL POSTINGS REGARDING THIS ENGINEERING FAULT CREATED BY CHRYSLER IN THE 2.7 LITRE ENGINE AND IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO OFFSET THE MAJOR EXPENSE CAUSED BY THEIR DESIGN.

CONTACT STATES: CONTACT HAS HAD THE ENGINE REDONE TWICE. THE VALVES TO THE ENGINE MADE A NOISE. THE FIRST TIME THE ENGINE FAILED THE CAR STOPPED COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THE DEALER SAID ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. IT HAS ONLY BEEN 12 MONTHS SINCE THE LAST ENGINE WAS REDONE. WHEN VEHICLE SHUT OFF ON THE FREEWAY IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK