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.
9.2
really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,800
Average Mileage:
83,700 miles
Total Complaints:
8 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
Chrysler should pay for engine oil sludge damage (4 reports)
timing chain is on the outs NO ONE wants to fix it!!!! all they want to do is sell me a new motor. they say the 2.7 motor is a piece of crap. looking at all the complaints you would think chysler would want to fix it. I need a class action suit to join can anyone help me?
Bought a 2000 dodge intrepid with a 83,000 miles. Drove for a few months and one day it started making a tapping noise and the next day it did not run at all. So it set in the back yard for a year until i could get it paid off $3,695. I finally got the money to take it to a repair facility and they said oil sludge had built up and the timing chain tensioner broke and damaged the valves. Recommended replacing the engine $6,000. I don't want another 2.7L put back in . I have heard to many stories about a defect in the engine causing sludge. I had read about a conversion to a 3.2 L. Its not worth it, to many thing have to be changed starting with the starter, alt, computer, power steering, rad, ecm, ebx,cbx,acl. all wiring on eng to dash and components, all brackets, engine mounts and bolts, all hoses and belts. So you can imagine how costly this would be. So now its back in the yard as a nice ornament. Hell maybe at Christmas will decorate it with lights.
Chrysler Canada is a criminal organization that sells deffective products with serious design flaws and evades any responsibility !!!
1) Transmission differential failed catastrophically at 45,000KM. Cost of repair =$5500.00
2) Engine sludge related: timing chain tensioners failed at 75,000 KM Cost of repair= $2000.00, mechanics won't guarantee problem will not return.
3) Chrysler dealer recommended engine replacement >$10K (P. Off.!!!)
4) Chrysler Canada denies sludge problem despite wide spread failures globally.
The Car was exceptionally well cared for, regular oil changes etc... Although the style and performance of this car is impressive, quality is poor, and Chrysler customer care beyond abysmal. I will never buy another Chrysler product and I would like to see a class action lawsuit against these bastards !!!. I recently watched the proceeding of a lawsuit against Chrysler at the Supreme Court of Canada, and I was horrified at the way Chrysler executives lied and squirmed trying to deny any responsibility for several cars which spontaneously caught on fire. Chrysler lost, and the Supreme Court severely condemned their cavalier attitudes. MJS, B. Sc. Eng. Wpg.
- mjswpg,
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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There's nothing like being stranded on the side of the road with two children in August. I had taken the car to dealer 4 times in 3 months asking them to find out what the noise I was hearing was about. They could find nothing wrong. When my engine locked up, they told my the car cost too much to fix. I'd have to buy a new car. Not from them ! They also told me this was a common problem with the 2000 Intrepid. The oil pressure causes the timing chains (there are 5 chains) to run loose, beating up the entire inside of the engine. Why couldn't they have told me this when the car was still running! I got a total of $450. for a car I still owe $3,000. on. I just want everyone to know how cheated I feel.
I bought this car used and still owe on it. I am not going to put anymore money into this piece of sh*t car. I really liked Dodge before this all happened, but I will never buy another Dodge vehicle again. They know this problem exists and they have not done anything about it. They act like it isn't even a problem which pisses me off even more.
I will never purchase another Dodge or Dodge-related vehicle again.
When the tensioner failed the first time, it cost me $850. That was in November of 2003. The Service Mgr blamed the problem on my lack of oil changing. (I barely missed one oil change.)
In January of 2006, the timing chain has broken rendering the car completely useless. The Dodge dealer recommends a new engine. The engine costs ($8000) more than the Blue Book value of the car.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The secondary timing chain tension er fkn failed. Blew the steel cylinder thru the top of the valve cover
- chino bling, Phoenix, AZ, US