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.
bought the car used, and within 2 months of buying the car, it no longer blew cold air. Took the car to the mechanic to get the a/c refilled, and when they tested the a/c, they found a leak in the evaporator. they told me it will cost $3,000 to fix, and the car is not even worth that much.
When I bought the car, it had 20K miles on it. I noticed that the air wasn't really blowing cold, but they put some freon in it and it seemed better. Well...that was a temporary fix. After a 3 years of cool air instead of cold air (and if you live in Texas you know the difference!) I took it to an air condition expert who said it would take $1200 to fix. The problem was something about a valve/flap not opening when you switched from heat to A/C. The only other solution was to disconnect the heater hose during the summer and that is what I did for several years. Then in the winter I would have it hooked back up. Cost about $12 each time. Talk about a difference in the A/C temperature! It was COLD after bypassing that heating thingymabob! But then, about 6 years and 100,000K after I bought it, it started leaking freon, we got by with putting some in it every now and then but for the past 1 1/2 years, NO A/C! I gave it to my daughter who drove it for about 2 months but it died.
- Suzette T.,
Lufkin, TX, US
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
bought the car used, and within 2 months of buying the car, it no longer blew cold air. Took the car to the mechanic to get the a/c refilled, and when they tested the a/c, they found a leak in the evaporator. they told me it will cost $3,000 to fix, and the car is not even worth that much.
- colinlinton, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada