2000 Dodge Intrepid

OUR VEHICLE IS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID WHICH WILL NEED THE ENTIRE ENGINE REPLACED DUE TO "OIL SLUDGE" BUILD-UP IN THE 2.7 LITER ENGINE. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS ENGINE WITH ANOTHER USED ENGINE (WHICH MAY DEVELOP THE SAME PROBLEM) HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT APPROXIMATELY $4,000 AT THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER. TO REPLACE THIS WITH A NEW ENGINE WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL $1000-$1500. THE DEALER INDICATES HE MAY NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO FIND A REPLACEMENT ENGINE. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THIS WORK DONE, BUT HAVE NO CHOICE AND THE COST WILL TOTALLY DEPLETE OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT. THIS VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 76,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE LEARNED FROM SOME INVESTIGATION THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM THAT CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE. I HAVE CONTACTED DAIMLER-CHRYSLER DIRECTLY AND THEY HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR "SINCERE APOLOGY", BUT NOTE THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DO ABOUT IT. I HAVE READ COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM AS WELL AS OTHER WEBSITES. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2.7 LITER ENGINES ON MANY CHRYSLER VEHICLES (INTREPID, SEBRING, ETC.). CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THE COST OF A DESIGN FLAW. MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM ARE STILL MAKING PAYMENTS AND CANNOT EVEN AFFORD TO HAVE THE REPAIRS MADE! SOME HAVE HAD THEIR VEHICLES STOP ON THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM (VIA AN ENGINE "NOISE") BEFORE SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS OCCURRED. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ANYONE WHO HAS A VEHICLE WITH THIS ENGINE AND IT INVOLVES 1999-2003 VEHICLES. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. IT IS EXTREMELY WIDESPREAD AND DAIMLER-CHRYSLER SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELLING A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. *TR

2000 DODGE INTREPID, 2.7 ENGINE. OIL SLUDGE DEFECT AT 92000 MILES. NO WARNING. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 70 MPH AND TIMING CHAIN FAILED, CAUSING SPIN OUT WITH NEAR CRASH. VEHICLE WAS PERFECTLY MAINTAINED USING SYNTHETIC OIL AT 5000 INTERVALS. HAD TO GET HOTEL ROOM WITH 2 KIDS AT CHRISTMAS TIME, AND WAIT FOR REPAIR TO CAR, WHICH INCLUDED NEW TOP END AND TIMING CHAIN SET. $2600 SPENT. *AK

I PICKED UP THE CAR AFTER PURCHASING IT AND NEVER MADE IT HOME. THE CAR STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD JUST PULLED OFF BECAUSE I HEARD A SOUND AND THE CAR BECAME SLUGGISH. I TRIED TO START THE CAR UP TO NO AVAIL. I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, WHICH STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED AND FLOODED THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT, I WAS WITHOUT A CAR FOR AWHILE. THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD TO MAKE THE REPAIRS AT THIS TIME. I WAS UNSURE WHAT TO DO UNTIL A NEW COWORKER MENTIONED THAT SHE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND WAS ABLE TO GIVE THE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO TAKE. THE CAR WILL BE SITTING UNTIL I CAN SAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND STEAM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE COOLANT AIR BLEEDER FOR THE RADIATOR BECAME DETACHED. A MECHANIC AT DODGE INSPECTED THE PART AND STATED THAT IT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 101,000.

THE CAR WAS A FLEET VEHICLE WITH DOCUMENTED SERVICES COMPLETED. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY 2003 WITH APPROXIMATELY 60000 MILES ON IT. CONTINUED WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES AROUND 3000 MILES. WHEN THE CAR REACHED AROUND 100000 MILES THE OIL LIGHT STARTED FLICKING AT LOW RPMS. EVEN THOUGH I HAD JUST CHANGED THE OIL AROUND 1000 MILES BEFORE. I JUST FIGURED THAT THE CAR WAS BURNING SOME OIL SINCE IT HAD OVER 100000 MILE ON IT SO I JUST KEPT A QUART IN THE TRUNK AND CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL WHEN THE LIGHT WOULD START FLICKERING AND ADD SOME OIL IF IT WAS LOW. THEN COMING HOME FROM WORK ONE EVENING THE CAR JUST LOST POWER AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SINCE THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING AND I WAS IN TRAFFIC I TRIED TO GET IT TO A PARKING LOT WHEN IT DIED AT A RED LIGHT. GOT IT STARTED AND TO A PARKING LOT AND THAT WAS WHERE IT EXPIRED. *AK