NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
656 reports86,358 miles · Dec 27, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
ON 11/30/03, ON MY WAY TO WORK, MY CAR STARTED MAKING A TICKING & KNOCKING SOUND. AS I PULLED OFF OF THE EXIT, IT CUT OFF. I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT & HE SAID IT WAS THE ENGINE -- THE CAR ONLY HAD A LITTLE OVER 86,000 MILES ON IT; & IT'S ONLY 2 YEARS OLD! I CALLED THE DODGE'S CUSTOMER CARE LINE; THEY SAID TO TAKE IT TO THE…
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ON 11/30/03, ON MY WAY TO WORK, MY CAR STARTED MAKING A TICKING & KNOCKING SOUND. AS I PULLED OFF OF THE EXIT, IT CUT OFF. I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT & HE SAID IT WAS THE ENGINE -- THE CAR ONLY HAD A LITTLE OVER 86,000 MILES ON IT; & IT'S ONLY 2 YEARS OLD! I CALLED THE DODGE'S CUSTOMER CARE LINE; THEY SAID TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TO CHECK OUT ($65 TOW, $80 DEALER DIAGNOSTIC). BEFORE THE SERVICE PERSON LOOKED AT IT, HE ASKED IF I HAD PROOF OF MY OIL CHANGES, I SAID I DID NOT -- BUT THAT I DID HAVE THEM DONE EVERY 3,000 MILES. NATURALLY, IT TURNED OUT THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE IN MY ENGINE (MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DID NOT SEE ANY EVIDENCE OF IT) & THAT IT WOULD COST $6900 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE! IT SEEMS TO ME THAT DODGE IS RUNNING A SCAM. I HAVE NOW DISCOVERED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2001 INTREPID. THERE ARE 20 SUCH COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE ALONE! I HAVE 4 YEARS LEFT TO PAY ON THIS CAR! IT IS RIDICULOUS & UNACCEPTABLE THAT DODGE IS ALLOWED TO IGNORE & REFUSE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSTALLING FAULTY ENGINES IN THE INTREPID!*AK
NHTSA ODI #10051172
81,000 miles · Dec 10, 2003
Air BagsCrashInjury
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. UPON IMPACT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SPINAL INJURIES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10050373
67,000 miles · Dec 8, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10050200
Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
I PURCHASED MY DODGE INTREPID JANUARY 2001, I HAD A LITTLE PROBLEM, I THOUGHT WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, BUT THAT PROBLEM STOP IMMEDIATELY. I DID WORRY ABOUT IT THEN I NOTICED-- I WAS LOW ON OIL FROM TIME TO TIME BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. I HAD IT CHECKED WHEN I CHANGED MY OIL, BUT THEY COULDN'T TELL WHERE IT WAS BURNING FROM. …
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I PURCHASED MY DODGE INTREPID JANUARY 2001, I HAD A LITTLE PROBLEM, I THOUGHT WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, BUT THAT PROBLEM STOP IMMEDIATELY. I DID WORRY ABOUT IT THEN I NOTICED-- I WAS LOW ON OIL FROM TIME TO TIME BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. I HAD IT CHECKED WHEN I CHANGED MY OIL, BUT THEY COULDN'T TELL WHERE IT WAS BURNING FROM. THEN THE WORST HAPPENED NOV 25, 2003 THE CAR START BURNING OIL AND SMOKING LIKE CRAZY, STILL COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT, NOW I DO BELIEVE THAT MY MOTOR IS GONE. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY A CAR NOTE AND PAY REPAIR BILLS OR REPLACE A MOTOR AT THE COST OF $2000-6000 AND STILL OWE A $10,0000 BALANCE ON THE CAR. I HAVE MADE TWO COMPLAINTS ON OTHER SITES AND HOPE THAT THIS WILL HELP ALL OF US THROUGH THIS ORDEAL. I NEED TRANSPORTATION AND AS OF RIGHT NOW I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY DOWN ON ANOTHER CAR. I WILL HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING IN REASON FOR THE SAME COST OF THE REPAIR. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10049283
70,136 miles · Dec 2, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THANKSGIVING AT MY SISTERS THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND CAUSED DAMAMGE TO MY CAM BEARINGS CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DUE TO ENGINE SLUDGE...WITH A PROPERLY MAINTAINED CAR...IMPOSSIBLE! NO ONE WAS INJURED THANK GOD!*AK
NHTSA ODI #10049019
48,000 miles · Nov 27, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
2001 DODGE INTREPID WITH 48,000 MILES HAS BLOWN ENGINE (2.7L) DUE TO "SLUDGE BUILD UP IN ENGINE." OIL CHANGED AT 46,496 MILES. DEALER STATES LACK OF OIL CHANGES CAUSED ENGINE TO BLOW. ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR, $4,000. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10047679
Mileage unknown · Nov 25, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE ROD SHEARED OFF AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NLM
NHTSA ODI #10048697
71,000 miles · Nov 19, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
BLOWN ENGINE, WITH ONLY 70,000 MILES, ON A CAR THAT'S ONLY 2 1/2 YEARS OLD; OIL WAS CHANGED JUST 5 DAYS BEFORE . *AK
NHTSA ODI #10047214
50,000 miles · Nov 18, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY INDICATED THE NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10048158
Mileage unknown · Nov 14, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10047967
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