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.
Reading all these complaints is really hard to do cause its like reliving my life on that awful day that my engine quit. If only i had knew and totaled the car a week earlier i would have gotten something for it. The dealer said that it was worth 200 to 500 dollars now. And to think that a week later i was going to pay it off. Basiclly i had the same thing happen to me that everyone else had.
This engine has been nothing but problems. Constant knocking and running badly. I have gotten seven years of use but, I always changed the oil & maintained as written in the vehicle book. I heard that this engine was bad. I never believed it until yesterday. The resulting problem was internal. Now I have to see if I will replace the engine or just junk the car. The coolant was coming up the air intake. Just a blown engine. I was planning to buy another Dodge. Now I will reconsider. Maybe I'll sell my other two vehicles. I own a 2004 HD2500 Quad & a 2005 Neon. I think I'll go with Chevy.
The engine blew and now it isn't running at all and is going to cost money to replace with a new engine that I am being told to replace with a 3.2L or 3.5L vs. putting back in a 2.7L and that will require some extra parts to convert it over which of course means more money
Guess I'm going to be 194th complaint. Funny, saw on the news (KC) that Dodge Intrepid was the most STOLEN car in Kansas City, MO. I know why...thieves can get a bundle for engines...they are in HIGH demand. I called National Highway Traffic Safety Institute 1-800-424-9393...everyone who has had an engine failure while driving (how else would they?) MUST CALL this number and start a case! It's CRITICAL to getting dodge to acknowledge the defective engine. Also, call dodge 1-800-992-1997 and open a file too. Don't worry that you will be speaking to a rep who not only does not speak English, but is programmed to tell you that it's perfectly normal for a car need a new engine with less than 100K miles! That's outrageous...another funny thing was that when I went to the dealership the morning after my car was towed there, I noticed an entire counter filled with pamphlets on how to get a new engine...never saw that in the hundreds of car dealerships. The mechanics there were willing to admit that they've seen many many of these 2.7L engines fail...why is it that dodge won't do anything about it? It's all about money...they released 1 million intrepids (maybe more) and if they had to pay $5000 per car, well, you can do the math. When I mentioned http://www.datatown.com/chrysler/ he said in his broken english: "That's just people blogging"...if I had not just lost my car, I would have laughed this remark silly. I see that NJ has a pending class action suit, I hope that we see more...much more! No wonder dodge is in trouble financially, it has NOTHING to do with gas prices...everything to do with ripping people off, and blaming them for defective/inferior engines.
The engine blew up in the middle of a busy interstate while driving. The car had to be navigated to the shoulder which happened to be right next to an on ramp very busy and close to the Louisville KY Airport. This was a very dangerous situation to be placed in. I then had to have the car towed back to my home in Indiana - at my expense of course for several hundred dollars. The mechanic told me the engine blew up - cannot be fixed - only replace to the tune of $4500 - $5000 and that is with a used engine...and it would take at least 3 weeks to get the engine. The car had less than 70,000 miles on it. I ended up trading it in for a new car and got a whopping $500 for the car that would have traded in for $4000 + had it not blown up. The mechanic mentioned that this is common for the Chrysler 2.7L engines...you don't know if you have one until it blows up - obviously I had one. Thankfully I had the car paid off - but still took a loss in towing expenses and maintenance. This happened in May of 2008 - there was only one other engine problem - the car died and could not be restarted...it turned over you could hear it and it wasn't the battery because electrical was working. The car died at a stop sign at the top of a steep hill. I had to have it towed to a dealership who "couldn't find the cause of the engine failure" They changed belts, hoses and oil and oil related components and did not ever mention once about the problems the 2.7L engines were known for having - I would have traded it in right then and got a new car had I know what was only in store for me later. After that and $700+ later it blew up in May. I had that car serviced all the time - regularly - I don't have my receipts - who keeps those for 5+ years? This company should be held responsible for the monetary loss and the danger that these engines put people in. When this many people have the very same problem - it isn't the owners who are at fault for a defective design - it's the company!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Reading all these complaints is really hard to do cause its like reliving my life on that awful day that my engine quit. If only i had knew and totaled the car a week earlier i would have gotten something for it. The dealer said that it was worth 200 to 500 dollars now. And to think that a week later i was going to pay it off. Basiclly i had the same thing happen to me that everyone else had.
- poz00, Toledo, OH, US