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.

8.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,290
Average Mileage:
115,800 miles
Total Complaints:
17 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (12 reports)
  2. replace cam and crank sensors (3 reports)
  3. replace crank & cam sensors (1 reports)
  4. rust removal for plugs/fuses area (1 reports)
1999 Dodge Intrepid engine problems

engine problem

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1999 Dodge Intrepid Owner Comments

problem #17

Sep 102012

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 163,900 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This car is demon possessed, I have named her Reagan, the little girl from the Exorcist.The car will not start 9 times of 10, and when it does it will die in traffic, even when driving, not just at lights. it usually will not restart foe 3 to 5 hours, I replaced the cam sensor and auto shut down relays and it is just getting more frequent. Sometimes tapping on the relay box or fiddling with the relays helps sometimes not, After 4 hours of not starting on Friday finally got it going but the gas gauge was flipping ,speedometer would not work and car would not shift,all of the sudden it down shifted and all returned to normal, got home parked and would not restart. locks work randomly as well, and there is a recall on the floor shifter/ ignition the car rolled backwards at the grocery last week the shifter will move with or without key in ignition and you can remove key in gear and running, the door and ignition hey will work either one, and the car smokes like a coal plant. this is the biggest piece of JUNK I have ever bought !!

- mrhoden, Springfield, MO, US

problem #16

Apr 232002

Intrepid ES 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 134,000 miles

Well i bought this car in 2002 at a local dealership in my hometown. The car ran great for about a year then it started stalling out, dieing and not restarting anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. I had to have it towed home numerous occasionbbbs. There was this spot under the back of the car near the trunk that seemed if my bf beat on it would start? Maybe knocking some sh*t loose out of the cats? Everyone seems to think it needs new cat conv. some people say you can cut em out and replace a sensor, others say car will not run without them. Either way i need to get this beast back on the road again. Im a single mother with little help and no knowledge on engines. I suppose i could start trial and error and be out extra money or scrap it?? Help if you can. Any advice or tips would so be awesome.

Thanks

Kansas

Mom in distress

- Terri N., Girard, KS, US

problem #15

Dec 282011

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,890 miles

Since our government won't protect us from crooks like Chrysler, send the occupy wall street gang over to have a long chat with the scumbags. Why do we as paying customers have no rights and have to take this crap? Like everything else in this country it's all about the money!!!!! May you all burn in hell.

- darrelln, Omaha, NE, US

problem #14

Jan 032012

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 112,233 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

i never know if the car is going to restart or not, scared to use it

- stanczyk, West Fargo, ND, US

problem #13

Sep 092011

Intrepid SE 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 102,000 miles

Can someone please help me no mechanic can because the stupid check engine light won't come on. I replaced the fuel pump figuring that was it but no such luck so far $200 in the hole and I still can't drive the car. I hate this POS that's what I get for buying a DOdge and not a Ford.

- pajbrod, Manitowoc, WI, US

problem #12

Jul 152011

Intrepid ES 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 145,229 miles

I like my car. Bought it 2 yrs ago and it has given me good service and it is very comfortable. Problem began in June and the only code I ever see is p1684 "battery has been disconnected within the last 50 starts". When the car is ready to start, there is a distinct smell of gas (after multiple pushes on the gas pedal). I was thinking it was a fuel pump but I'm just not sure.

- Dan F., St Clair Shores, MI, US

problem #11

May 012011

Intrepid

  • Automatic transmission
  • 118,900 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

we purchases a used 1999 intrepid about a month ago, about two weeks later the car would just cut off while in idle mode like waiting at a light. we would have to put the car in park, and restart it, it would come on but the check engine light would also then come on. we took it to auto zone who adivsed of bad censor, possible wiring or timing belt. our mechanic fixed the censor, checked the wiring, checked the timing belt and all seems fine but then the problem won't go away. what else could it be? I don't want the car to stop in the middle of traffic and cause an accident.

- Shawn W., Calumet City, IL, US

problem #10

Sep 012010

Intrepid ES 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 150,000 miles

We have had this car for almost a year now! Nice car! But recently it just stalls while driving and sometimes it starts right away and sometimes it don't! No check engine light at all... Took it for a diagnostic check and no codes came up...WTF?? We can't figure it out, this is our only vehicle to get the kids to school and my husband to work. Does anyone know what this could be?????? Please help! Sressin' big time......

- tmartinez, Colorado Springs, CO, US

problem #9

Feb 072010

Intrepid EX 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 155,000 miles

It was a good car for a couple of years,but this our first and last Dodge,if someone gave me one today I would sell it for half price .too many problems,no wonder the bums are broke.

- Johnny M., Zephyrhills, FL, US

problem #8

Dec 182009

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

I have a 1999 Dodge Intrepid. Love the car, rides great, very comfortable and believe it or not, much better in the snow than my Volvo. Car started hesitating and then later the engine would stall. It would usually start back up but then it got worse and was harder to start. Battery is new, spark plugs not too old. I bought a new cam positioning sensor for $40 and put in in myself, super easy. The sensor is on the front of the engine, high, I needed one wrench and a scre driver to push it out of the hole, done in 30 minutes. The car started right up, runs smooth and the engine light turned off.

Word of ecouragement: don't give up, read what other people have tryed, the try it yourself. I have had the terrible knocking sound come from the engine, which some people think is a death sentence for the engine. It was not for mine, I just removed the spark plugs, cleaned them well, cleaned any oil I saw on them or around them and the noise never came back. I always use the synthetic oil. Nurture your car, don't give up, make it last an extra mile. good luck.

- Gisli O., Seattle, WA, US

problem #7

Apr 042008

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I bought this car from a dealer that got out of the business. I bought it March 12th 2008. On April 4th of 2008 not even a month later, the car starting making a ticking noise. I got it "fixed", put a bunch of money into, new tires, new brakes, having the transmission fluid drained and everything your supposed to do when you buy a used car! Spent about $1800 "fixing" it!

Now after a year of owning the sh*t of crap it needs a new engine. Please Dodge like you dont know that the engine is a piece of sh*t, but you kept making it! WHY???

Now I have spent the money to buy the bucket of crap, and $1800 into it, and Ive had it for just barely only a year and its garbage!!!

Seriously, I cant believe that Dodge would put their name on it!

It starting ticking, then loudly ticking, now it is BANGING!!!!

It sounds like the engine wants out. It stalls out all the time. Sometimes it goes and sometimes it doesn't. You never know when your going to be able to drive somewhere or not! Very unsafe to have with my kids in the car. It even stalled out on the highway one time, a month after I got it, when my kids were in the back seat as well as a baby that wasn't even mine! Could you imagine if we got hit and I had to explain to that mother that I got her new baby killed! THANKS DODGE!!! YOU SUCK!!!!

- ohiomommy77, Coshocton, OH, US

problem #6

Nov 042008

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 86,886 miles

My ''99 Intrepid (2.7L) that is stalling after driving about 1 hours on the highway and will turn over but not start for a few minutes. The car will operate fine, then hesitates, check engine light comes on and the car just stalls (hasn't happen during city driving, only highway). i read the other post about this and i have changed the cam sensor but it still has the problem the only codes it pulls are misfire for cylinders 1,2,3 and multiple misfires

today it did stall during city driving and it finally restarted but only ran for a mile and a half the when it finally restarted it would only run for a block or 2 at a time till i finally turned onto my street when it decided not to die anymore but ran rough i put my code scanner on it and only got cylinder 1 & 2 misfire codes this time i have since cleared the codes and it started running better i have since changed the plugs and coil connectors it still does this it has had different misfire codes the last time it had misfire on 1,2,3,4,5 and the time before that was just a misfire on 3 also when i changed the plugs i switched the coils from one bank to the other to see if it was them

- onorato, Tulsa, OK, US

problem #5

Jan 022007

Intrepid ES 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 189,518 miles

Car was stalling while driving along and would restart after a couple of minutes to a couple of hours after. if you are having a clean cut in power it is not the fuel pump. Every mechanic even the dealer that was the first solution that they had. The car would buck/sputter if the fuel pump was the problem Forget the dealer there was no help there at all except to take my money with their bs diagnostics replace Cam and crank sensors that is what worked for me other possible sources that cause the same problem with no error code are ASD and the O2 sensor. To check if it is the ASD, check if your fuel pump turns on ( you would hear a little whir when you turn the key on) when you try to start the car and it does not start. I hope this helps I promised myself I would post a solution here if I ever found one Other then the stalling problem had no other major issues with the car. I used to stall 3-4 times a week to no stalls in the last 2 months. I hope people would add to this thread and let me and others know my information was any help to them

- Claude T., Ajax, ON, Canada

problem #4

Jul 102007

(reported on)

Intrepid 2.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 73,786 miles

Moisture accumulated in plug/wires area, caused rust & bad connection. Changed out plugs/wires, removed rust.

- tinker27, Inver Grove Heights, MN, US

problem #3

Feb 132007

(reported on)

Intrepid 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 127,000 miles

I have one of these 1999 Dodge Intrepids and I had to replace the transmission at 80,000 miles because a sensor module was not working properly and without warning the car just stopped moving because the transmission was shot. Now I have a problem with it burning oil and it just started to spit and sputter yesterday on my way home from college. I broke down several miles from home and I am pissed that I need to put more money in this vehicle. I am laid off permanently and have no job as of yet and I can not afford to keep putting money into something that I will not get any return from. It will cost more right now than the car is worth. The Big Three are only concerned about their profits and not about the consumers. Them knowing about the problems that they have with their engines and transmissions says they could give a sh*t about the consumer when they allow these cars with these issues on a car lot. That is the problem with big corporations, they think that they are the almighty and no one can make them do anything. Well I have news for them and more than likely others like us here in the Auto Beef complaint department are choosing the foreign brands over the American brands. Thats why Toyota has jumped in the lead because of these arrogant bastards that think they have the world by the balls. You see adds now saying that GM, Ford and Dodge is giving 5 years or 50,000 miles warranty, KIA and Toyota just to name a couple of foreign companies have been doing this for years except they offer 10 years and 100,000 miles warranty. It just goes to show that not even the Big three have faith in their product line quality, they wont even meet or beat the foreign car industry. I hate Dodge, I hate Ford and I hate GM because they treat the little guy as if we don't matter, well wait till there stock go even further down because of there lack of sale because of poor quality work. They will be like some of the Fast food chains that did very well because the service was good until it went to sh*t, then someone new came into town and offered the people something better for what we were paying for.

- Larry F., Sheridan, MI, US

problem #2

Jan 172007

(reported on)

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

Check Engine light came on and the car would barely run and I had to stop at a red light and the engine stalled. The car would barely restart and then I barely got it to the side of the road and called a tow truck and had it towed in to the dealer. I just bought this car and between the oil sending unit and the crank and cam sensor it is costing me $670.00. When they got the car restarted they discovered a knocking in the lower part of the engine and discovered the piston bearings were shot and they need to replace the engine. They told me the engine had been bad for a while. But not to worry they said because that is covered under your warranty. Well, the warranty company doesn't want to cover it. They are taking their sweet time coming to inspect the engine. This car needed to last me one year. It has lasted me two months. I don't drive like a bat out of hell. Are these cars just this terrible? I thought Dodge/Chrysler had improved their product and were making a good car. I wish I had known this before I had bought this car. I would never had bought it.

- Sheila P., Cordova, TN, US

problem #1

Jan 112007

(reported on)

Intrepid 2.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 45,000 miles

On A Trip It Started Skipping And Quit Running. Waited About 30 Minutes And It Started Again. It Did The Same Thing 4 More Times On The Trip.

- William B., Cleveland, GA, US

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