2001 Dodge Intrepid

1. I LEFT WORK TO GO TO LUNCH AND MY CAR WOULDN'T START. THE MECHANIC COULDN'T GET IT STARTED SO I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE MECHANIC'S GARAGE. HE GAVE ME THE BAD NEWS STATING THAT IT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE. 2. PREMATURE ENGINE PROBLEMS IN MY 2001 DODGE INTREPID ENGINE WITH OIL SLUDGE AND TIMING CHAIN FAILURE CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE AND FAILURE. 3. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 08/2005. I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED SERVICE CONTRACT THAT COVERED MOST REPAIR COST, EXCEPT $625.78. THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THE TWO TOWING COST THAT I HAD TO PAY. I WAS ALSO WITHOUT A CAR FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS AS THE DEALERSHIP WOULDN'T GIVE ME A LOANER AND MY INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER A LOANER. WE HAVE NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN OUR SMALL COMMUNITY WHICH REALLY CREATED A HARDSHIP. *NM

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND WITHIN ONE BLOCK FROM HER OFFICE, SHE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT HER VEHICLE WAS IDLING ROUGH. SHE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE 6 MILE TRIP IN SHE COULD NOT GET ANY HEAT TO COME OUT OF THE HEATER. AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN TO GO SHE MADE THE TURN AND WAS ABLE TO CLEAR THE INTERSECTION WHEN SHE LOST POWER AND THE CAR DIED. SHE TOLD ME THAT THE CAR LOST STEERING AND SHE COASTED IT OFF OF THE ROAD 1/2 BLOCK FROM HER OFFICE. SHE STATED THAT THE ONLY WARNING SHE HAD WAS IT WAS IDLING ROUGH. SHE STATED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS NORMAL. I ARRIVED ON SCENE AND DISCOVERED ANTI-FREEZE IN THE OIL. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DODGE DEALER IN TOWN AND WAS LATER TOLD THAT A HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THERE IS ANY DAMAGE TO EITHER HEAD OR BLOCK. WE HAVE BEEN QUOTED ANY WHERE FROM 2000 TO 7600 TO FIX. WE HAVE 15 MONTHS LEFT ON THE LOAN AND THE CAR HAS 67,000 MILES. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND LEARNED THAT MY WIFE HAD THE SAME MYSTERIOUS HEATER PROBLEMS HAS OTHER INTREPID OWNERS. A CLOSER LOOK AT THE OIL CAP DOES SHOW SIGNS OF POSSIBLE SLUDGE. WE HAVE SERVICED THE VEHICLE EACH AND EVERY TIME IT WAS NEEDED AND HAD JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED ONE. THE SCARY PART OF ALL OF THIS IS THE FACT THAT SHE COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35MPH THE ENGINE STALLED AND OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED. A BANGING NOISE CAME FROM THE ENGINE FOLLOWED BY WHITE SMOKE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A FIRE. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED TO INDICATE A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REMOVED THE OIL PAN AND DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 4/14/2006 - THE STEERING PROBLEM BEGAN ON 1/05 AND FLUCTUATED BETWEEN BEING STIFF WHEN MAKING TURN TO BEING VERY LOOSE WHEN MAKING TURN. EVENTUALLY THE STEERING LOCKED UP ON 3/28/05. *NM

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN IT SUDDENLY STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. IT WAS IN THE AFTERNOON ON A MODERATELY BUSY STREET. BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO STOP AND SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CAR DIED. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND WAITED IN TRAFFIC FOR THE TRUCK TO COME AND TAKE ME TO THE MECHANICS. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A USED ENGINE BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT'S ANOTHER INTREPID ENGINE - SO, IS THE SAME THING GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. OUR CAR IS A 2001 AND HAD ONLY APPROX. 73000 MILES. IT WAS A NEW CAR PURCHASE AND WE STILL OWE MONEY ON THIS CAR. NOW WE OWE MORE. *NM

AFTER PURCHASING 2001 INTREPID IN JANUARY OF 2006 EIGHT DAYS LATER ENGINE MADE LOUD SCARY NOISES WHILE VISITING FAMILY 250 MILES AWAY- I DROVE HOME AND TWO DAYS LATER ENGINE FAILED- WAS TOWED TO THE USED AUTO DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT. LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, THE ENGINE HAD NEW CHAIN, TENSIONER GUIDES, CLEANED INTAKE VALVES, COVERS ETC. APPROXIMATELY $1100.00 IN REPAIRS. I GOT THE VEHICLE BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 06. ON MARCH 22, 2006 THE ENGINE BLEW WHILE I WAS GOING TO WORK. THE WARRANTY COMPANY WILL NOT TOUCH IT- THE FIRST TIME THEY REFUSED AND THE SECOND TIME IS YET TO BE DETERMINED- I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND AM PURSUING LEGAL OPTIONS INCLUDING OPTING IN TO A CLASS ACTION, PA ATTORNEY GENERAL, CONSUMER PROTECTION BUREAU, PRIVATE ATTORNEY SINCE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON WHEN I DROVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE LOT IN THE FIRST PLACE ( A COLD WINTER NIGHT, I HAD TWO OF MY CHILDREN WITH ME AND HAD TO GET THEM HOME, I CALLED THE DEALER UPON MY ARRIVAL HOME TO INFORM HIM OF SAME). *NM

ENGINE FAILURE. AS I WAS STOPPED AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE MOTOR SUDDENLY MADE A VERY LOUD CLANKING SOUND. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY ONLY 72,200 MILES ON THE CAR. I JUST BOUGHT IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR AND EVEN A FEW DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL PURCHASE, I HAD RETURNED IT TO THEM INFORMING OF THEM OF TROUBLE AND THE SALES MGR ASSURED ME HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. THEY WOULD RETURN IT TO ME UNTOUCHED AND NOT INVESTIGATED UNBEKNOWNST TO ME AT THAT TIME. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MGR, HE WAS ADVISED BY THE SALES MGR NOT TO EVEN LOOK AT IT. THEY HAD THE CAR IN THEIR POSSESSION MORE THAN I DID UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN THIS OCCURRED. *JB