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:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
0 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 ES: When temperature is turned up on climate control and defroster is turned on there is a fluttering noise that can be heard from drivers side dash windshield defroster vent. This excessive noise/fluttering noise is often a distraction when driving. Noise is only when temperature is turned up or turned to heat on climate control. Noise chagnes when temperature is adjusted. Noise sounds like broken damper in ventilation hayward auto Chrysler-Jeep dealership states they could not duplicate it. I duplicated the problem for service manager gregory martin. He put a card above it to verify that it was blowing air then stated "that's air blowing through the vent, I don't know what we can do about that". he stated he'd have the technician check it out when they remove the dash assembly off to replace the defective dash midrange speaker. They never did, they never did anything about it. None of the similar Dodge Intrepids I test drove did this.
While driving out of driveway vehicle accelerated at full speed, causing loss of vehicle control, brakes failed to stop vehicle. Consumer turned ignition switch off to gain control. Rear brakes locked causing the vehiclce to skid. The front brakes could not over come the full acceleration of the vehicle. The vehcile has heater and window motor problem. The consumer believes the problem was caused by electronic failure.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- San Leandro, CA, USA