2001 Dodge Intrepid

WIFE WAS DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DIAL WENT TO HOT AND CHIMED. WITHIN 2-3 MINUTES OF THE CHIME NOTIFYING MY WIFE OF A PROBLEM, THE ENGINE SEIZED AND STALLED WHILE DRIVING. MY WIFE ROLLED PARTIALLY ONTO A NEARBY DRIVEWAY AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. MY WIFE HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND DOWN THE ROAD IN TRAFFIC ABOUT 1/4 OF A MILE, TO A NEARBY HOTEL PARKING LOT TO AWAIT A TOW HOME. THE OWNER OF THE HOME REFUSED TO BE OF ASSISTANCE TO MY WIFE. IN THE PROCESS, MY WIFE RE-INJURED HER LOWER BACK BY PUSHING THE CAR AND SIMULTANEOUSLY HOPPING INTO THE VEHICLE TO NAVIGATE/STEER/BRAKE WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. SHE WAS CURRENTLY UNDER A DOCTOR'S CARE AND BEING TREATED FOR THIS LUMBAR INJURY. THE INTREPID WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE WATER PUMP FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE SEIZING. THE MECHANIC ELABORATED IN SHARING HOW THERE WAS NO WAY FOR MY WIFE TO KNOW AT ANY POINT THAT THERE WAS A UNDERLINING PROBLEM WITH THE FAILING WATER PUMP AND THAT IT WAS TYPICAL FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD BE $6,000 TO REBUILD THE ENGINE AND THIS PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR AGAIN LATER IF WE OPTED TO MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE IT REBUILD. IT WAS SUGGESTED TO SELL TO A JUNK YARD OR DONATE TO CHARITY. IT'S A 2001 DODGE INTREPID SE. IT SITS IN OUR DRIVEWAY. *JB

TL*- WHILE AT A STOP SIGN WITH THE2001 DODGE INTREPID CONTACT SMELLED AN ODOR, ONCE THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE AT 10 MPH AND SMOKE STARTED COMING IN THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING A/C VENTS, AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED. THE CONTACT HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 65000 MILES.*AK

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 2001 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS TRAVELING AT 65 MPH WHEN SHE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONCE SHE PULLED OVER THE CHECK OIL LIGHT TURNED ON. THE VEHICLE CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 83,000. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE WA S DIAGNOSED AS THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THE REPAIR SHOP ADVISED THE CONTACT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

I JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT A 2001 DODGE INTREPID WITH 80,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON MY WAY FROM THE DENTIST WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. THERE WAS SMALL RATTLING KNOCKING NOISE AND THEN THE ENGINE JUST WENT OUT. I HAD NO PRIOR SIGNS OF THE ENGINE GOING IT JUST WENT, CAUSING MY LIFE AND MY CHILDREN'S LIFE TO BE IN FULL DANGER. *NM

I BOUGHT A USED 2001 DODGE INTREPID 2.7L WITH 61,000 MILES. I GAVE IT REGULAR OIL CHANGES. WHILE DRIVING ON 114 HIGHWAY MY ENGINE SEIZED CAUSING MY POWER STEERING TO FAIL AND CAUSE GREAT DIFFICULTY FOR ME TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY ENGINE IS JUNK AND MY WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS, CHRYSLER WILL ALSO NOT TAKE FAULT, EVEN THOUGH I TOOK ALL THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR MY CAR. I AM AFRAID THAT SOMEONE ELSE IN MY SITUATION MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD LIKE I WAS, AND MAY RESORT IN A FATAL ACCIDENT. I HAVE READ ONLINE AND THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY MANY PEOPLE WITH DODGE ENGINES YEARS 1997-2003. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT WAS ON THE DAIMLER-CHRYSLER'S WEBSITE. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE INTREPID. THE VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS. ALL STATE INSURANCE COMPANY MECHANICS DETERMINED THE VEHICLE'S FAILURE AND AGREED THAT THE REMEDY WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. *AK UPDATED 03/15/07. *JB

COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AT ONLY 80K MILES DUE TO OIL SLUDGE. WELL MAINTAINED, OIL CHANGES REGULARLY; OIL LIGHT CAME ON WHILE ON HIGHWAY, GOT OFF LESS THAN 1/2 MILE AWAY AND WENT 1/8 MILE TO AN AUTO SERVICE PLACE. HAD ENGINE FLUSHED, OIL CHANGED, AND 30 MILES LATER, ON HIGHWAY, ENGINE SEIZED. NOW HAVE TO PAY $6K FOR A NEW ENGINE. *NM

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 06/02/06 HAD AN OIL CHANGED ON THE 2001 DODGE INTREPID. AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE SHE STARTED HEARING A TICKING NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT 2 DAYS LATER SHE TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAS ALWAYS TAKEN HER VEHICLE FOR OIL CHANGES, AND COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE ENGINE COULD GO WITH SO FEW MILES AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THE CONTACT HAS FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER, AND WILL HAVE FILE # AVAILABLE FOR THE HARD COPY.