2001 Dodge Intrepid

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INTERIOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHILE THE VEHICLE IDLED THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM CAUSED THE FAILURE. APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE FAILED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A REBUILT ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE ENGINE FAILED AGAIN. AS OF JANUARY 3, 2008, THE MECHANIC HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS 124,680 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,800. UPDATED 01/29/08 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY 2 MECHANICS THAT IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT THE OIL PUMP HOSE WERE TOO SMALL FOR THE VEHICLE AND WAS CAUSING ENGINE PROBLEMS.

NOTICED THE OIL LIGHT FLICKERING ON AND OFF AT STOP LIGHTS. LOOKED FOR PROBLEMS BUT SAW NONE. A FEW DAYS LATER NOTICED A VERY QUIET TICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. UNFORTUNATELY NOT BEING A CAR KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON I DID NOT TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY ENOUGH. A WEEK LATER DRIVING TO A DESTINATION I HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE. ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. UPON ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE SOME TIME LATER THERE WAS MORE KNOCKING AND REFUSAL TO TURN OVER. CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE WHERE I LEARNED THE TINNING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND DAMAGED A NUMBER OF THE PISTONS AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE. ONLY RECOURSE WAS EITHER INSTALL A NEW ENGINE OR BUY A NEW CAR. AS I AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR I OPTED TO PURCHASE AN ENGINE. ENGINE HAS BEEN INSTALLED AND I HAVE JUST GOT MY CAR BACK TONIGHT AFTER NEARLY A MONTH WITHOUT A VEHICLE. NOW I HAVE TO FIND SOME WAY TO PAY FOR THIS MESS AS I HAD TO BORROW IT SHORT TERM FROM A FRIEND. I AM IN A VERY BAD FINANCIAL SITUATION BECAUSE FOR THIS. I AM ATTEMPTING TO APPLY TO CHRYSLER FOR THEIR REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM WITH LITTLE HOPE OF SUCCESS SINCE I DID NOT KEEP THE OIL CHANGE RECORDS AND RECEIPTS RECORDS THEY REQUIRE. *TR

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF 2.7 LITER ENGINE IN 2001 DODGE INTREPID. MY MECHANIC EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO POOR OIL CIRCULATION IN THE ENGINE WHICH WAS POORLY DESIGNED. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS KNOWN TO CHRYSLER SINCE THE LATE 90'S. THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM SHOULD NEVER HAVE PASSED OFF THIS VEHICLE AS A GOOD USED CAR WITHOUT ADDRESSING THIS FAILURE. SINCE THEY ARE A DODGE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE MAINTAINED THE CAR VERY WELL AND THERE WOULD BE NO REASON FOR SUCH A FAILURE HAD THE ENGINE BEEN DESIGNED WITH BETTER CHANNELS FOR THE OIL TO FLOW. I STILL OWE OVER $2,000 ON THE CAR AND THE REPAIRS WOULD COST OVER $5,000. THIS IS FRAUD ON THE PART OF CHRYSLER. *TR

2001 DODGE INTREPID, I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL GOT HARD AND THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING...L HAD MY CHILDREN WITH ME...LUCKILY WHEN THAT OCCURRED THE FREEWAY WAS CURVING AND I PULLED A SIDE BECAUSE AS I LOOKED LEFT... OF COURSE PANICKED... A HUGE SEMI TRUCK HAD JUST PASSED ME....THE FREEWAY MERGING... I JUST THANKED GOD FOR THAT CURVE. I TURNED ON THE CAR AND I HEARD LOUD KLACKING NOISE. NOW THE MOTOR IS MESSED UP AND IS COSTING ME AN ARM AND A LEG SO THE CAR IS JUST SITTING THERE COLLECTING DUST. *TR

OUR CAR STARTED MAKING KNOCKING NOISES DURING ACCELERATION. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT IN TO A AUTO SHOP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THE ENGINE IS BLOWN AND WILL COST MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH TO FIX IT, APPROXIMATELY $5,000. THE CAR HAS ONLY 88K MILES ON IT, HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES. APPARENTLY, THE ENGINES USED IN THIS PARTICULAR CAR HAVE THE TENDENCY TO PRODUCE ENGINE OIL SLUDGE, RUINING THE ENGINE OFTENTIMES WELL BEFORE 100K MILES. THAT WAS WHAT THE MECHANIC TOLD US AND WHAT WE HAVE SINCE FOUND DOING RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM. WE ENDED UP HAVING TO SELL THE CAR FOR SCRAP BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX IT. *TR

HEADING TO CALIFORNIA FROM NEVADA MY CAR STARTED TO ACT STRANGE BEFORE THE LIGHT OF CHECK ENGINE TURNED ON, I DID SLOW DOWN AND PULLED OVER, JUST A SECOND BEFORE THE MOTOR SHUT OFF, I HAD TO CALL MY INSURANCE WHICH DID NOT COVER THE TOWED BACK TO MY HOME WHICH COST ME $600 ( SIX HUNDRED), I STILL TRYING TO FIX MY CAR, DUE THE HIGH COST OF A NEW MOTOR, AND IS BEEN HARD TO FIND A USED ONE IN GOOD CONDITION, THIS IS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM TO ME, I STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY A NEW ONE. *TR

I PURCHASED WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE THE LAST VEHICLE I WOULD OWN. I PUT VERY LITTLE MILES ON MY CARS. I PURCHASED A 2001 DODGE INTREPID IN DECEMBER OF 2001. IN SEPTEMBER 2006, WITH BARELY 28,000 MILES ON MY CAR, THE ENGINE SLUDGED UP, BROKE THE TIMING CHAIN AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT MY ENGINE NEEDED REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGE BUILDUP AND THAT THE CAR MANUFACTURER KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. MY CAR, WHICH I WAS STILL PAYING ON AND CARRYING INSURANCE ON, IS SITTING IN A GARAGE BECAUSE I AM UNABLE TO AFFORD A NEW ENGINE. THE COMPANY I HAD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH DOES NOT COVER SLUDGE DAMAGE AND CHRYSLER ALL BUT HUNG UP ON ME WHEN I CALLED THEM TO VOICE MY COMPLAINT. I FEEL THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO REPLACE THESE ENGINES THAT WERE FAULTY STRAIGHT FROM THE FACTORY. CONSUMERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME RECOURSE FOR THINGS LIKE THIS. *TR