2003 Dodge Intrepid

THE 2.7 LITER ENGINE ON OUR 2003 DODGE INTREPID SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE ON THE ROAD. WE WERE ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY ON A BRIDGE WITH NO SHOULDERS, IN-BETWEEN TWO LARGE MOTORHOMES TRAVELING AT 60 MPH WITH NO POWER STEERING AND LIMITED BRAKING ABILITY. WE WERE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO COAST ACROSS THE BRIDGE AND GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 62,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE ENGINE SEIZED BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE SLUDGE BUILD-UP DESPITE REGULAR OIL CHANGES THAT OCCURRED AT LESS THEN THE FACTORY RECOMMENDED INTERVAL OF 7500 MILES. *JB

PURCHASED 2003 DODGE INTREPID 6/3/05, AS USED. WHILE DRIVING A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP WHILE STILL UNDER DEALERSHIP 30 DAY WARRANTY. INFORMED CAR HAD FAULTY O2 SENSOR AND SENSOR WAS REPLACED. AUGUST 9TH, DRIVING WITH YOUNG DAUGHTER AT NIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, CAR MADE 'POP' SOUND, ENGINE AND OIL LIGHT BOTH ILLUMINATED, CAR ENGINE DIED, BUT WAS ABLE TO VEER ONTO SHOULDER OF ROAD WITHOUT BEING HIT BY OTHER CARS. CALLED DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT BACK. CAR WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAULTY CAM SENSOR. CAM SENSOR WAS REPLACED-AT MY EXPENSE. ALMOST OUT OF THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WAS DRIVING THIS CAR ON THE 26TH, ONCE AGAIN WITH MY YOUNG DAUGHTER WHEN ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CAR FELT AS THOUGH DOWN SHIFTED HARD THROUGH ALL GEARS, THEN TRANSMISSION ACTING AS IF NOT PROPER SHIFTING. CLOSE TO LOCAL AUTO ZONE WHICH I HAD THEM RUN DIAGNOSTICS ON. FOUND "TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FAILURE." THE COMPUTER OF THE CAR WAS RESET AT AUTO ZONE. CALLED LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN THE NEXT MORNING. WAS INFORMED THAT BECAUSE THE COMPUTER HAD BEEN RESET THEY COULD NOT REPEAT, NOR FIND THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS "MORE THAN LIKELY 2 SENSORS," AND TO CONTINUE DRIVING THIS CAR UNTIL THE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN, THEN NOTIFY THE DEALERSHIP. SO, NOW I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF DRIVING A CAR THAT I KNOW IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER WILL HAVE SOME SORT OF "SENSOR" FAILURE, IF NOT OUTRIGHT MAJOR TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. DID I MENTION I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS CAR SINCE JUNE? I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS NOTIFIED OF SERVICE BULLETINS. I WOULD THINK THAT AS MUCH AS I OWE ON THE CAR (OVER $10,000.00), THE YEAR (2003), THE MILEAGE (43,000 MILES) WOULD AT THE VERY LEAST GUARANTEE ME A ROAD WORTHY, SAFE VEHICLE. MY SON OWNS A '99 DODGE NEON CLUNKER THAT I JUST BOUGHT FOR $1000.00 THAT IS BECOMING APPARENTLY MORE RELIABLE THAN MY PRICEY LUXURY RIDE. *JB

MY 2003 DODGE INTREPID ENGINE FAILED WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING IT IN OCTOBER 2004. THE ENGINE HAD APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES ON IT. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT STARTED MAKING A HORRIBLE KNOCKING SOUND. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN TOLD US THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY SLUDGE. THE OIL HAD BEEN CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES. THE DODGE TECHNICIAN SAID THE SLUDGE COULD NOT HAVE BUILT UP TO THE POINT IT WAS EVEN IF THE OIL HAD NEVER BEEN CHANGED. WE CONSULTED AN INDEPENDENT TECHNICIAN WHO SAYS THE SLUDGE IS A RESULT OF MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE ENGINE. THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE WOULD BE AROUND $6000 WHICH WE CANNOT AFFORD, AND IS IN FACT ABOUT THE SAME AS THE TRADE-IN VALUE OF THE VEHICLE IF IT WERE WORKING, WHICH IT ISN'T. EVEN IF WE COULD AFFORD IT, OUR RESEARCH INDICATES THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE YET AGAIN BEFORE THE CAR IS EVEN PAID FOR. WE BELIEVE THERE IS A MAJOR DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE ENGINE, RESULTING IN FINANCIAL AND EMOTIONAL INJURY TO OUR FAMILY.

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE INTREPID. SHE STATES THAT ENGINE WILL NOT WORK. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY SAID THE ENGINE WAS FILLED WITH SLUDGE. THE ENGINE WAS KNOCKING REALLY BADLY WHILE WAS DRIVING. SHE STOPPED THE VEHILCE AND THEN THAT IS WHEN SHE TOOK IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP. VEHICLE HAS 50000 MILES ON IT. *AK