2000 Dodge Intrepid

IN JAN 2004, OUR 2000 DODGE INTREPID EXPERIENCED 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHERE WE WOULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND AFTER ABOUT 2/3 STEERING WHEEL TURN, IT WOULD STOP. WE WOULD TURN THE WHEEL BACK TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT NOTING THAT IT WOULD THEN TURN AS IF NOTHING WAS WRONG. WHEN WE WENT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THAT THE RACK AND PINION WOULD NEED REPLACING. I DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM ON A NEWSGROUP AND IT WAS SUGGESTED TO CHANGE THE POWER STEERING FLUID. WE DID (SINCE IT WAS CHEAPER) AND THE PROBLEM DIDN'T REOCCUR. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO, WE WOULD NOTICE AN OCCASIONAL RATTLE FROM THE FRONT END. I INITIALLY ATTRIBUTED IT TO NORMAL SUSPENSION WEAR SINCE IT WAS APERODIC AND NO CONSISTANCY TO IT. AS TIME WENT ON, THE RATTLES WOULD OCCUR MORE OFTEN. IT WOULD DO IT GOING OVER ROUGH ROADS OR RAILROAD TRACKS. FINALLY, I COULD GET THE RATTLE TO OCCUR REGULARLY WHILE DRIVING BY PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE AND LETTING THE CAR PERFORM A "JERK" AS THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED. THAT PROMPTED ME TO TO A SEARCH ON ALLDATA FOR TSB INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUSPENSION. I CAME ACROSS TSB 19-01-00 THAT MATCHED MY EXPERIENCE TO THE LETTER. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR (RACK AND PINION). REPLACING IT ALSO "CURED" A "KNUCKLING" SOUND THAT I AGAIN ATTRIBUTED TO JUST AN "AGE" NOISE. *MR

2000 DODGE INTREPID WITH 47,000 MILES JUST GOT 2 MONTHS AGO. STEERING WHEEL HAD 2" OF PLAY IN IT BUT STILL DROVE OKAY AND I THOUGHT I COULD LIVE WITH IT UNTILL I COULD SAVE ENOUGH $$ TO GET NEW RACK AND PINION. *AK WAS TURNING LEFT AND STEERING LOCKED UP, HAD TO SLAM ON THE BREAKS BEFORE I HIT SOMEONE WALKING!!! GUY THOUGHT I WAS TRYING TO KILL HIM AND HE GAVE IT TO ME. I YANKED ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND GOT THE HECK OUT OF THERE. NOW WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR I EXPECT THE LOCK UP AND ABLE TO CONTROL IT BUT IS VERY SCARY BECAUSE ITS GETTING WORSE AND I CANT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED AND ITS MY ONLY CAR. OH WELL JUST HAVE TO DIE TO GET ACTION. THANKS FOR NOT HELPING US OUT HERE.

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING THROUGH THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THE NEED FOR A NEW ENGINE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE OF $8,800. THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE WEB SITE AND FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. *AK THERE WAS ALSO A LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ROD BEARING. *SC

MY 2000 INTREPID HAS A STEERING PROBLEM THAT CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK-UP INTERMITTENTLY, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT. DODGE SERVICE TOLD ME THE CAR NEEDS A STEERING RACK, ALONG WITH STABILIZER LINKS AND BUSHINGS COSTING $1,500. THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY ( AND I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANT) BUT IT AS LESS THAN 25,000 MILES. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE (CASE # 12074847)AND SPOKE TO DAMON WHO SAID THAT HE COULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. HE SEEMED TO BE FIXATED ON THE FACT THAT SEVERAL DAYS AFTER MY PURCHASE, I DROPPED MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. IN MY MIND, THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT I HAVE NO EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE, AND IT SHOULD NOT MATTER WHEN I MADE THE DECISION NOT TO HAVE THIS COVERAGE. I DROPPED IT BECAUSE I WAS RELYING ON DODGE STANDING BEHIND A QUALITY PRODUCT AND THAT THE CAR WOULD LAST WITHOUT A MAJOR REPAIR FOR AT LEAST 50,000 MILES. I DID NOT PLAN ON KEEPING THE CAR MUCH LONGER THAN 5000-0 MILES. MON REFUSED TO CONSIDER PROVIDING ME WITH ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITH THIS REPAIR. I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH 50% OF THE COST OF THE PARTS. STILL FRUSTRATED THAT A 3 YEAR OLD CAR WITH UNDER 25K MILES SHOULD NEED THIS KIND OF SAFETY-COMPROMISING REPAIR, I CALLED THE NHTSA AND LEARNED THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING STEERING RACK PROBLEMS ON THIS CAR AND THAT THEY WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN INSPECTING STEERING RACK THAT FAILED PREMATURELY. SO I'VE ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO KEEP IT FOR ME. THEY DID NOT AND SAID THE CORE HAD TO RETURNED FOR REMANUFACTURING. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT DODGE IS NOT WILLING TO DO THAT RIGHT THING AND ACCEPT SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPAIR. *AK

ENGINE IN 2000 CHRYSLER INTREPID STARTED TAPPING NOISE AT 58017KM BROUGHT TO DEALER WITH COMPLAINT, TOLD THEY WOULD NOT TAKE ENGINE APART TO CHECK NOISE. I TOLD THEM I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT THE 2.7 ENGINE HAD PROBLEMS WITH SLUDGE THAT PREVENTED THE OIL FROM CIRCULATING PROPERLY. THEY STILL REFUSED TO CHECK ENGINE. AT JUST OVER 62000 KM ENGINE BECAME NOISY. BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER WHO KEPT THE CAR FOR TWO WEEKS, THEN TOLD ME ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $6500.00 AND THERE WOULD BE NO WARRANTY COVERAGE OR GOODWILL. I GAVE THEM A COMPLETE HISTORY OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWING THAT PROPER MAINTENANCE WAS DONE WITH IN THE REQUIRED MILEAGE AND TIME. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE INVOICES DO NOT CLEARLY IDENTIFY MY 2000 BLACK INTREPID AND THAT IT COULD OF BEEN ANOTHER CAR. I ONLY OWN ONE 2000 INTREPID. THE INVOICE SHOWS THE WORK THE MILEAGE AND MY NAME AND DATE. NEXT ME THEY TOLD ME THE INVOICE NUMBERS WERE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. THE WORK WAS DONE AT FOUR DIFFERENT GARAGES. THEN THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS SLUDGE THAT SHOWED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PROPERLY MAINTAINED. THEN THEY ASKED ME THE BRAND OF OIL THE GARAGES USED AS IT MAY HAVE BEEN FAULTY. END RESULT IS THAT THEY REFUSE TO CHANGE THEIR POSITION IN REGARDS TO WARRANTY COVERAGE OR GOODWILL REPAIRS AND I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE AN ENGINE THAT WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW IN MAY 2001. I AM FRUSTRATED AND DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO TURN. ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

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.

STEERING DEVELOPED 'PLAY' IN LATE 10/03. BY 11/12/03 IT WAS CLUNKING, WHEEL WAS COCKED TO THE RIGHT. STEERING WHEEL WOULD STICK/LOCK UP. CONTACTED DEALER IN SANTA ROSA, CA. WAS QUOTED $175 ESTIMATE. LATER, SAME DAY LEARNED THAT RACK WAS BROKEN AND PUMP WAS LEAKING AND COST WOULD BE A MINIMUM $2000 TO REPAIR. I OPTED TO GO TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND HAD THE CAR TOWED AWAY FROM THE DEALER SHOP.

THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE STEERING WHEEL STICKING AND MAKING LOUD CLUNKING NOISES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE TURNS. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC WHO COULDN'T IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE PROBLEM GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE STEERING WAS SO LOOSE, I COULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL FROM THE 10 O'CLOCK TO THE 2 O'CLOCK POSITION AND THE WHEELS WOULD NOT EVEN MOVE. ON NOVEMBER THE 19TH, I TOOK MY CAR TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP WHO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS THE RACK AND PINION.... A PROBLEM THAT WOULD COST ME OVER A $1000 TO REPAIR. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO COME UP THE MONEY OR RISK KILLING MYSELF OR SOME ONE ELSE DUE TO STEERING FAILURE. MY CAR IS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 68000 MILES. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE PROPERLY ADDRESSED. UNDOUBTEDLY A RECALL IS IN ORDER AND A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS. *LA