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.
Since I bought this car on October of 1999, I have taken it to the dealer 31 times to fix things. I have been without a car 100 days. I have paid out of pocket $3,137.64. I am now on an extended warranty. I still owe $8,000 on my car. It has 60,000 miles. I have maintained it every 3,000 miles as suggested in the owners manual. I only use 97 octane gas. I am a very cautious driver. I take care of the car but the car has left me stranded in the middle of highways putting my life and the lives of my passengers in danger. I never know when the car is going to break down again and where so I am always under terrible stress. I pray as I drive that I make it to my destination. This car has been a lemon since I bought it. The biggest problem is the engine blowing. My brother in law was driving and I was the passenger on South dixie highway (US1) in South miami when we were at a red light and then started to go when the light turned green and without any warning lights, noises, or anything the car stopped running. It died in the middle lane. We had to push it to the side. It was rush hour and this highway is filled with very aggressive drivers. They were all cursing, beeping, signaling, and driving so close to us as to almost touch us. I was petrified. I thought a car was going to hit us. I paid for the engine repair out of my pocket, because the extended warranty company told the dealer they could not cover it because there was sludge build up. They send an adjustor who reported it to them. The dealer told us to fight it because the sludge was normal for that type of engine. We provided the extended warranty all the receipts for the maintenance that we religiously did about every 3000 miles. We also had another mechanic go in and look at the car. The other mechanic said that these types of engines always had the problem of sludge build up and that it was normal for the engine and that the extended warranty should cover it.
- Miami, FL, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Miami, FL, USA