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.
Okay so my dad bought an ES to replace the Dodge Caravan whose transmission failed out once at 75K, and again at 101K. Now personally I think the 3.5 SOHC motor is a much better motor but from what you're about to hear, you'll probably never wanna buy a Dodge or Chrysler product ever again, or at all if you're looking for a solid used car.
I bought a 2000 Intrepid from a dealer and it had around 80000 miles on it. Personally I found it to be in decent condition. As I finally got my license, I was allowed to drive it part time and gradually full time. So really, I only put about 1500 miles on the car in the 6 months that I owned it.
It was an especially cold morning in January 2004. I went out to start my car and I thought it smelled like gasoline after it was running for about 30 seconds. I didn't think anything of it because I figured that because of the cold weather, the gas wasn't oxidizing properly or something which would cause the pungent smell of petrol. Well anyway, I was on my way to school on Route 101 when I thought I started to notice white smoke coming from underneath the hood. Because of how the sun was angled on the car and because I had the defrosters on to get rid of the moisture, I wrote this off as evaporation.
As I was driving and got to another set of lights, I could definitely sense something was wrong, because the sunlight was blocked by trees, and the smoke had taken a black tone. I turned on my hazard lights and put my foot on the brakes, only to find that my foot sank completely to the floor, as if I had put my foot on a sponge. I was surrounded by cars and without a proper way to stop. I made a game time decision to veer into the breakdown lane without looking, while slamming on the E-Brake and successfully stopping the car into a snowbank, threw it into Park, and shut off the car.
As soon as I shut off the car, I could see orange flames starting to erupt and here is where I truly started to shat myself. I was pretty scared. I knew that I would have to grab whatever I could out of the car quickly and bail, because I wasn't sure if the car was going to explode or not. Very conveniently for me, the car fire happened literally right next to the fire station. Talk about amazing luck...well maybe not amazing with the car fire and all. All my friends from high school were asking me if I was toasting marshmallows over it. But anyway, the fire engulfed the entire front end of the car, rendering it totaled. Insurance actually gave me more than what the car was worth and I bought a new one with the insurance money.
I didn't know there were so many complaints about this car and that I thought my problem was actually one of the rarest things that could happen to a used car owner. But apparently Dodge has got a plethora of problems with the Intrepid. Mine's been doing quite well at 51,000 so far, but I think I'm gonna trade it in and starve myself so I can buy a BMW instead. To the interested parties that were considering a Dodge car, read all of the complaints on here and take my story to heart. It can happen to you. Go buy a Honda or Toyota.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Okay so my dad bought an ES to replace the Dodge Caravan whose transmission failed out once at 75K, and again at 101K. Now personally I think the 3.5 SOHC motor is a much better motor but from what you're about to hear, you'll probably never wanna buy a Dodge or Chrysler product ever again, or at all if you're looking for a solid used car.
I bought a 2000 Intrepid from a dealer and it had around 80000 miles on it. Personally I found it to be in decent condition. As I finally got my license, I was allowed to drive it part time and gradually full time. So really, I only put about 1500 miles on the car in the 6 months that I owned it.
It was an especially cold morning in January 2004. I went out to start my car and I thought it smelled like gasoline after it was running for about 30 seconds. I didn't think anything of it because I figured that because of the cold weather, the gas wasn't oxidizing properly or something which would cause the pungent smell of petrol. Well anyway, I was on my way to school on Route 101 when I thought I started to notice white smoke coming from underneath the hood. Because of how the sun was angled on the car and because I had the defrosters on to get rid of the moisture, I wrote this off as evaporation.
As I was driving and got to another set of lights, I could definitely sense something was wrong, because the sunlight was blocked by trees, and the smoke had taken a black tone. I turned on my hazard lights and put my foot on the brakes, only to find that my foot sank completely to the floor, as if I had put my foot on a sponge. I was surrounded by cars and without a proper way to stop. I made a game time decision to veer into the breakdown lane without looking, while slamming on the E-Brake and successfully stopping the car into a snowbank, threw it into Park, and shut off the car.
As soon as I shut off the car, I could see orange flames starting to erupt and here is where I truly started to shat myself. I was pretty scared. I knew that I would have to grab whatever I could out of the car quickly and bail, because I wasn't sure if the car was going to explode or not. Very conveniently for me, the car fire happened literally right next to the fire station. Talk about amazing luck...well maybe not amazing with the car fire and all. All my friends from high school were asking me if I was toasting marshmallows over it. But anyway, the fire engulfed the entire front end of the car, rendering it totaled. Insurance actually gave me more than what the car was worth and I bought a new one with the insurance money.
I didn't know there were so many complaints about this car and that I thought my problem was actually one of the rarest things that could happen to a used car owner. But apparently Dodge has got a plethora of problems with the Intrepid. Mine's been doing quite well at 51,000 so far, but I think I'm gonna trade it in and starve myself so I can buy a BMW instead. To the interested parties that were considering a Dodge car, read all of the complaints on here and take my story to heart. It can happen to you. Go buy a Honda or Toyota.
- Nicholas D., Bedford, NH, US