2001 Dodge Intrepid

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATES AND SHUTS OFF BETWEEN 5 AND 35 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHILE TURNING AND DECELERATING TO STOP. THE OIL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL JUST BEFORE THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP AND THE OIL PUMP, TIMING BELT, AND WATER PUMP WERE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE INTREPID. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE DRIVING FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT EITHER THE RACK AND PINION OR AN UNKNOWN COMPONENT COULD BE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE SOME CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

I WAS SIMPLY DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY CAR MADE A NOISE LIKE AIR WAS BEING RELEASED (SOMETHING BEING DEPRESSURIZED) AND THEN MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I HAD TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT AND COAST TO A SPOT WHERE I STOPPED. I OPENED THE HOOD AND MY ENGINE HAD A HOLE AND A HUGE CRACK THROUGHOUT THE TOP OF THE VALVE COVER. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 75,000 ON THE ENGINE AND HAS ALWAYS HAD THE OIL CHANGED AT LEAST EVERY 3000 MILES. I ALSO NOTICED SOME SLUDGE MATERIAL ON THE INSIDE OF MY OIL CAP WHEN I WAS LOOKING AROUND. I CAN SEE INTO MY ENGINE THROUGH THE HOLE. REPAIR MAN SAID REPAIRS COULD BE IN EXCESS OF $6K. CAR IS STILL AT GARAGE AS I PONDER MY CHOICES, SINCE I STILL OWE OVER $3K ON IT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY DODGE INTREPID, THE ENGINE FAILED AND SEIZED ON ME. THE LAST REGULAR OIL CHANGE I DID, I HAPPENED TO NOTICE THAT THE OIL WAS A LITTLE CHUNKY. AFTER THAT OIL CHANGE, THE OIL LIGHT STARTED TO FLICKER WHILE CAR WAS IN IDOL. ASKED MECHANIC FRIEND TO COME LOOK AT MY CAR, AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. LATER THAT WEEK MY CAR STARTED TO KNOCK VERY LOUDLY. FEAR OF A BREAKDOWN, I PARKED MY INTREPID AND ATTEMPTED TO FIX. WHEN I TOOK THE VALVE COVER OFF THERE WAS A THICK COATING OF SLUDGE ON EVERYTHING. I REPLACED A BEARING ON THE CRANK FOR THE #1 PISTON ROD. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, IT RAN FINE. I DROVE IT FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES AND THE ENGINE SEIZED WHILE I WAS ON A BUSY 2 LANE HIGHWAY. NOW I NEED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. WHEN A CALLED A SHOP AND DESCRIBED THE SITUATION, HE TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE TIME TO FIX MY CAR THAT WILL JUST BREAKDOWN OVER AND OVER. PLUS, I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDOW SWITCHES, AND A/C CONTROLS. BOTH PROBLEMS I TRIED TO HAVE A DEALERSHIP FIX AND THEY WOULDN'T COVER IT WITH MY WARRANTY! *TR

WE PURCHASED A 2001 DODGE INTREPID FOR OUR SON ON MAY 21,2007 FROM A REPUTABLE GOSSETT DEALERSHIP IN MEMPHIS TN. WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY HAD NO LIABILITY FOR THE VEHICLE AFTER PURCHASE. THE 2.7L V6 ENGINE FAILED DUE TO OIL SLUDGE ON 07/12/2007. THERE WAS NO WARNING! THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED THE DAY OF PURCHASE AND NO LIGHTS OR SENSORS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM OF ANY KIND. WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WHEN THE CAR STALLED A COUPLE OF TIMES THEN STOPPED SUDDENLY. THE ENGINE OIL LIGHTS FLASHED ONLY AT THE TIME THAT THE VEHICLE QUIT. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE GARAGE. THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT THE ENGINE WAS GONE AND THAT THE OIL WAS LIKE SLUDGE. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS FOR A JASPER ENGINE $5926.04 AND FOR A USED 2.7L ENGINE $3992.30. I CALLED A RELATIVE WHO WORKS FOR THE US CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION. WE BOTH WORK FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THROUGH CONTACTS AT UCPSC AND NHTSA DISCOVERED INFORMATION REGARDING DEFECTS WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE AND PROBLEMS THAT CONSUMERS WERE HAVING WITH GETTING ISSUES RESOLVED. THERE ARE EVEN FORUMS DEDICATED TO ENGINE FAILURES FOR 1999 - 2001 DODGE INTREPIDS WITH THE 2.7L ENGINE. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING EVEN IF THE ENGINE IS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER 2.7L WE WILL BE DEALING WITH THIS SAME ISSUE OF ENGINE FAILURE AS THE PRODUCT IS FAULTY. IT IS ALSO OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE JASPER ENGINE IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE CORRECTED VERSION OF THE 2.7L ENGINE FOR THIS VEHICLE TYPE. I WAS ADVISED TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE ENGINE ON THIS WEBSITE AND THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY. I AM VERY BOTHERED BY THIS SITUATION AND THE DUPLICITOUS NATURE OF CHRYSLER PLACING AN INFERIOR PRODUCT ON THE MARKET WITHOUT PROVIDING RECOURSE SUCH AS A RECALL OR ADVISEMENT/WARNING. GIVEN HORROR STORIES THAT I HAVE READ ON THE WEB, I FEEL FORTUNATE BUT HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE FOR THE CHRYSLER PRODUCT LINE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS BEING PURSUED OR INITIATED IN THIS MATTER. *TR