CarComplaints.com Notes: The Dodge Intrepid, Stratus & other Chrysler sedans are infamous for oil sludge problems with the 2.7L V6 engine. If someone offers to sell you a 2.7L V6 model, it's only worth the price of the scrap metal it's going to shortly turn into.
NOTE: Only the 2.7L V6 has the oil sludge problem. Our "Avoid like the Plague" designation is ONLY for models with the 2.7L V6 engine. All other available engines are very reliable with no major problems.
Even with regular maintenance, the oil sludge defect eventually destroys the 2.7L engine typically around 80,000-100,000 miles. The only true fix we know about is to put in the larger 3.2L engine, which has a great reputation.
This issue was never deemed a safety defect by the Feds, so there was no recall. In the end, Chrysler got away with FOUR YEARS worth of defective 2.7L V6 engines in their sedans.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
72,048 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
1999 Dodge Intrepid water pump and timing chain failed. The vehicle would not start while at the gas station. The vehicle never ran hot or made loud noises and there were no indications of a problem. The consumer was informed per service dealer that the engines had serious problems. The consumer felt that maybe in was not necessary to replace the entire engine at 59,500 miles. Chrysler was not willing to refund the consumer some or all of the monies spent on repairs. The A/C evaorator coil, fan resistor and trunk lock master cylinder which were all in perfect working order pror to being serviced at the dealership failed to work properly after vehicle was pick up from service. Dealership claimed problems were unrelated.
1999 Dodge intrepeid--2.7L engine I was driving to work going 70 miles an hour when all of a sudden the car jerked and then the engine light came on and I coasted over to the side of the road. Once over to the side of the road, I tried to restart car and it was completely dead. Upon having my car towed to the dealership I was told the timing chain had broke and they were pretty sure that it had done extensive damage to the engine, which if I wanted to get it fix would cost me well over $5,000. I've also heard they have the worst A/C in the industry in their vehicles which my evaporator condensor went out and I had just paid $1,200 to get fixed.
The engine stalled while the consumer was on the freeway. The consumer was able to pull off on a shoulder of the road. The vehicle had the brakes and rotors replaced, and regular maintenance. The consumer took vehicle to the dealership and they told her that the engine had to be replaced. The consumer has not had the problem fixed.
- Earlton , NY, USA
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I attempted to start my vehicle and it would not start. I noticed a strange noise. I had the vehicle towed to a repair shop. The mechanic told me that the timing chain had broken and ruined the engine.
I have a 99 Dodge Intrepid with a 2.7L engine. The car has @ 79,000 miles. The engine started making a loud clanging noise while I was driving it. The engine did not make any other noises prior to its failure. I immediately pull over and had the car towed to a dealer. The dealer told me I will need a new engine at a cost of $6,400.
I drove the car to work and it worked fine. I finished my shift at work and when I tried to start the car to pick up my three kids I turned the key in the car made a clicking noise. It did this about five of six times. I had to tow the car to a dealer and get it checked out. They said the engine locked up and it would cost 4500 dollars to replace it. Plus the 75 dollars to check the car. The car still sits outside the service center at the dealership. All oil changes were done on time as required. We have to use one car for shuttling the kids to daycare and for two different shifts of work between me and my wife.
Engine was knocking, and I received recall notice for shifting column defect. While driving to dealership to fix recall, check engine light came on. When at dealership, asked them to investigate this as well. Dealer fixed recall problem and stated that there was sludge in engine and that engine would need to be replaced at cost of $6500. I do have documentation stating that this is what they found at dealership. Dealership said car would not last for the next few days and that I should get rid of it or let them fix it. I was driving car to my mechanic two days later and timing chain broke due to pressure on engine caused by sludge.
2.7L Dodge Intrepid engine failure. Engine running smooth while driving, and suddenly started running rough. Engine stalledand when restated it began knocking. Oil changed regularly. Had to install new engine.
1999 Dodge Intrepid w/a 2.7L engine. Engine failure at approx. 78,000 miles. Spun 2 rod bearings. I heard the rattle from the bottom end as I pulled into work one morning. Pulled the oil pan before it could get worse. I have used mobil1 synthetic 10W30, changed every 5000 miles. Car is driven alot of the time on the highway. Having been a mechanic for 18 yrs I rebuilt the engine myself. I replaced the main and rod bearings, rings, oil pump, water pump, timing chain tensioner and gasket set. Also the crank was ground and the rods resized, along with having all the engine parts cleaned. I took numerous pictures and kept the offending components. I was without my car for 3 weeks and had to pay for a rental.
The timing chain was getting ready to snap. Took vehicle to the dealer because the engine was knocking and making a funny noise. Dealer stated that if consumer had to drive much further it would snap while driving it. There was oil sludge built up in the engine. This happened on March 15, 2005.
The consumer complained about engine failure on 1999 Dodge Intrepid. Consumer were driving the vehicle when the engine locked and they did not have any power steering or power brakes. The speed was about 35 mph. This took place on July 13, 2005. Consumer had not any had trouble with the car before this. Took car to a Dodge dealership, who informed consumer that engine replacement would cost $6000. Consumer did not plan to replace the engine because the car was only worth about $7,000. The mechanic showed consumer that the valve spring broke, and the valve dropped down into the cylinder. Consumer understood that these motors were having a lot of problems. Consumer talked to the dealership and they had the car. The consumer called manufacturer. Mechanic wanted to know what kind of oil and filters the consumer was using, this was the cleanest engine that the mechanic had seen.
While driving, the consumer heard a tapping noise and stopped at a red light. The consumer proceed to drive for about 5 minutes or a mile in distance. The consumer drove to an intersection and the engine died. The tapping noise stopped after a loud noise. The consumer was unable to restart vehicle. He had to push the vehicle to the side of the road out of way and called for tow truck. The vehicle was towed home. A mechanic came by to check the vehicle and he suggested the bearing in the bottom of the motor broke. No repairs have been made as of yet. Suggested replacement for an engine costs $3,500.
Consumer was driving home on June 13, 2005 when vehicle began overheating. Smoke came from underneath hood, temperature light and oil light came on. Consumer pulled to side of freeway and shut off vehicle at about 5:30 pm. Consumer returned at about 8:30 pm to find that vehicle would not start. Consumer had vehicle towed to local garage, where mechanic checked to find no compression on cylinders. Mechanic told consumer engine needed to be replaced. Temperature at time of failure was over 90 degrees.
The engine started making a rattling noise as I was driving home from work. I pulled the car into a parking lot and the engine died and would not restart. I had it towed to a garage where they told me the timing chain had gone out because of engine sludge. They also told me that these 2.7 engines were nothing but junk. The motor beeds to be replaced but since I couldn't afford the $6,000 that will cost, I had to have it towed back to my home.
Contact states while driving heard a knocking noise when the engine stopped. The local service dealer could not find what caused the engine to blow up. (11/09/05) the cam sensor went out. About a week the knocking noise began.
1999 Intrepid engine blew up due to sludge problems. The engine blew up due to engine oil starvation from oil sludge ( the timing chain broke). It only has 78,399 km and in the maintenance schedule the timeing should be replaced every 160,000km.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Henrietta, NY, USA