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:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 1
Average Mileage:
48,372 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.
The contact owns a 1999 Dodge Intrepid. While driving 40 mph, the contact's vehicle was struck head-on by an oncoming vehicle and immediately caught fire. Another driver pulled over and removed the passenger from the vehicle before it ignited into flames. The driver was fatally injured. The passenger sustained closed head trauma, a broken pelvis and ribs, and third degree burns. The police arrived and stated that there could have been a possible gasoline leak that could have caused the flames to spread so rapidly. The passenger believes that a recall should have been issued. The vehicle was destroyed and a police report was filed. The mileages were unknown.
Violent shaking of the vehicle. Loud metal clanging type noise. Sudden lack of acceleration. Stalling and failure of power steering at 45 mph. I was returning home from my son's school in heavy traffic and we almost crashed into a brick wall. Fortunately I was strong enough to maintain enough control of the steering wheel to somewhat safely stop the vehicle on the side of the road.
We replaced the #6 injector and the fuel pump. Shortly thereafter the car stopped altogether. We had to have it towed to the dealer to have him tell us that it has a broken timing chain and it would probably cost us $5700 to replace the engine. We had it towed home.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Las Vegas, NV, USA