2002 Dodge Intrepid

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE SLOWED AND ANOTHER LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD. IT WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ENGINE RESTARTED; HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE AND WOULD ONLY OPERATE AT 10 MPH. IT WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. ONE MONTH LATER WHILE APPROACHING A STOP, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE COASTED OFF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED FOR JUST A FEW SECONDS WHEN THE ENGINE SEIZED. IT WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE WATER FROM THE RADIATOR WAS IN THE ENGINE. THERE WAS WATER IN THE OIL, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

I DRIVE A WELL MAINTAINED 2002 DODGE INTREPID. MY ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS INJURED. I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING ONLINE FOR ANOTHER ENGINE AND FOUND SEVERAL WEBSITES WITH POSTS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH INTREPID OWNERS. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO BUY A NEW ENGINE AND KEEP THIS CAR IF THERE IS A FLAW IN THE 2.7 LITER ENGINES. IF THIS IS SUCH A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES, WHY IS CHRYSLER NOT RECALLING THEM. I WILL BE LOOKING INTO THE CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST CHRYSLER. *JB

MY USED 2002 DODGE INTREPID WITH A CHRYSLER 2.7 ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING LIKE CRAZY AFTER STOPPING ON ME SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST EXPENSIVE "REPAIR" TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM WAS REPLACEMENT OF A FUEL PUMP AND A "FUEL PUMP CONT MODULE CARTER ELECTRIC FUEL ASS" WHICH HAD CRACKED (345.00 FOR THE PART, $600.00 FOR THE "REPAIR"). TWO WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE WAS KNOCKING EVEN MORE LOUDLY AND I WAS INFORMED BY PEP BOYS THAT THE ENGINE WAS SHOT--LOCKED UP--AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE IT TOWED TO A DODGE DEALER. $172.00 LATER, THE DODGE DEALER HAD TOWED MY CAR AND TOLD ME THE SAME THING. THE WARRANTY COMPANY DEMANDED OIL CHANGE MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS WHICH WE COULD NOT PRODUCE AS WE HAVE FRIENDS WHO CHANGE THE OIL FOR US. WE WERE TOLD BY SEVERAL ENGINE REPAIR COMPANIES WE CONTACTED (TRYING TO FIND AN AFFORDABLE OPTION) THAT THE 2.7 ENGINE HAD A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW OIL TO PASS THROUGH AND BE BURNED PROPERLY, CAUSING SLUDGE TO BUILD UP AND DESTROY THE ENGINE. OF COURSE DODGE AND THE WARRANTY COMPANY "BLAMED" IT ON OUR "POOR MAINTENANCE"--WE STILL OWE 9,000 ON THE CAR!!!--THE CURRIE MOTORS DODGE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE $750.00 TO "TEAR DOWN" THE ENGINE, THEN SAID THEY COULD PUT IN A REFURBISHED ENGINE FOR $5300.00!! NO APOLOGIES FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE ENGINE. NO CONSIDERATION WHATEVER. THEY SEEMED GLEEFUL THAT THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE SO MUCH MONEY FROM OUR DISTRESS! EACH ENGINE REPLACEMENT COMPANY WE CALLED TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE COST OF REPLACING AN ENGINE ASKED, BEFORE WE EVEN TOLD THEM, "IS IT A CHRYSLER 2.7?" THE DODGE CHRYSLER COMPANY SHOULD RECALL ALL AUTOS WITH 2.7 ENGINES AND REPLACE THE ENGINES FOR FREE WITH AN IMPROVED 2.7 MODEL. I KNOW AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE THAT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE OR CHRYSLER OR ANY OTHER MODEL MARKETED BY THESE DEALERSHIPS. I REGRET THAT I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT DODGE INFERIORITY BEFORE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I DIDN'T DO MY "HOMEWORK," I GUESS. *JB

RADIATOR PRESSURE VALVE FAILED.TWO MONTHS LATER THE WATER PUMP FAILED. AT THIS TIME THE OIL SENSOR LIGHT WOULD COME BLINK, BUT NOT THAT OFTEN. WHEN I WENT TO GFET THE WATER PUMP FIXED THE TOLD ME THE TIMIMG CHAIN WAS LOOSE. I DIDNT REPLACE IT BECAUSE I DIDNT HAVE MONEY AT THE TIME. TWO MONTHS LATED I TAKE MY CAR TO THE SHOP TO GET THE BELT REPLACE. THEY TOLD ME THAT WHO EVER REPLACED THE WATER PUMP FAILED BENT SOME NUT CONNECTED TO THE PULLY. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE THEN SPUTTERED, THE ENGINE DIED, AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THE NEXT MORNING THERE WAS ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. *NM UPDATED 2/7/2006 - *NM