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.

9.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$790
Average Mileage:
112,700 miles
Total Complaints:
6 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (3 reports)
  2. i would love to see Dodge go down for this!! (2 reports)
  3. rebuild top end of engine (1 reports)
2002 Dodge Intrepid engine problems

engine problem

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2002 Dodge Intrepid Owner Comments

problem #6

Nov 012013

Intrepid SE 2.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 149,014 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I bought my 2002 Dodge Intrepid SE in April 2013 with 139,000 miles on the odometer. The car ran great and my wife and I loved the car. Now come November 2013 I began to hear a tick,tick,tick like there was a f*cking time bomb in the engine waiting to blow up at any moment. A noise of any kind isn't a good situation so like a normal person, I was concerned. I brought my car to a mechanic and he said that one of my lifters had collapsed (oh sh*t). Two days later and over $600.00 spent my car comes back to me but the mechanic also warned me of something too."I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this sir but you have a vast accumulation of oil sludge in your engine". That statement right there was when the nightmare began.Stay tuned!

- David C., Oldsmar, FL, US

problem #5

Oct 062010

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 105,000 miles

First off about the end of SeptemberI had to get the Rack bushings replaced and also the battery. The battery was never replaced. When I bought my car 4 months ago at Hanigan's in Emmett Idaho I was told they inspected the car at their shop and the car was running fine. This last month all I have been doing is trying to come up with money and get it fixed! Now, I'm paying $175.00 a month on a car that is all screwed up. Finanlly had a mechanic come out to my home and now the engine is knocking. I think this is bullshit!!!

I'm a single mom with two kids and I used this car (2002 Dodge Intrepid) to go on family drives, go to my sons Karotie classes, to go back and forth to school. I have read all of your comments. I think we all need to get together and start a class action lawsuit. If you really are tired of the Dodge Coorporation doing this to the cusumers, lets stand and make a statement. You can email me at conniecoxpollock@yahoo.com Let me hear that your done with our governmnet screwing us over.

- Connie P., Baker City, OR, US

problem #4

Aug 222009

Intrepid SE 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 115,000 miles

This had been a good car for my family. I wasn't aware of the issues with the 2.7L motors until after I had purchased the vehicle. Unfortunately, the ticking, rattling, knocking that is happening with this motor is only repairable by rebuilding the top end of the motor. I feel like Chrysler/Dodge should have warrantied the motor in this car. They knew when it was sent through the production line that there were design flaws, yet proceeded to send them out anyways. How can a company that wants the american citizen to support them, buy purchasing their vehicles, expect continued loyalty when they provide a substandard motor and knowingly screws over the consumer

- Shawn J., Fresno, CA, US

problem #3

Sep 112009

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Manual transmission
  • 80,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ok, my mom bought a dodge intrepid in 2004. Solid black, solid black tinted windows. She wanted a new car, I was a junior in Highschool and had a full time job. She agreed to give me the car so she could get a new one and i would continue to pay it off. While she was driving the car, she had replaced the fan belt. That is all. Well I had heard that Intrepids had problems with water getting into the oil. My father told me to watch out for it. Well I was watching for the wrong thing. One day I was on my way to work, and the car stopped going. Little to be known the damn transmission went out. So that was 2,500 dollars right there.

Later on The engine started ticking when I would start it. So I got the oil changed. That day the oil plug broke. I got it replaced, the oil changed and everything. The ticking subsided. Then my tire kept blowing, tire after tire I would pay for. So I got it alligned which was a bigger pain in the ass. More money. The ticking started coming back. It got really really bad. One night I was driving back to the ball field to drop my boyfriend off at his car, we heard a really big popping noise, then the steering wheel locked and the car stopped. We opened the hood to find a huge hole in the engine. It had blown. So I replaced it. with several thousand.

Now its not holding oil. 4 months out of the shop from the damn engine being replaced and now the oil wont hold. so here I am driving a new pontiac car. I have a full time job and so does my boyfriend in a different town. We live together. We are having problems getting to work because of the stinking car. I'm trying to decided wether or not it's worth towing and trying to fix it again. It's very very very frustrating to the both of us. Plus theres a crack in the coolant tank now!!! WHAT IN THE HELL is wrong with these cars. I'm soo tired of it. The damn thing broke down before it was even paid off!!!

I believe that something needs to be done about this. Dodge needs something!!! I could go on and on. How could a car that looks soo good and drove soo smoothly great for travel, be parked in a barn not even being used. the car is my baby. I can't bring myself to get rid of it. But do I have the choice, or the money not to.......

- lizarkansas, Mountain Home, AR, US

problem #2

Feb 032009

Intrepid V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 118,000 miles

Peace to all 2002 Dodge Intrepid owner's and previous owner's,

I want to share my experience with the world,

I was car hunting for my first car, when i found Auto Traders on line and decided to give it a try. I went out to one of dealer's to check out a car which I had purchased the next day with cash. A 2002 Dodge Intrepid, beautiful, I fell in love. When I went to the service station to take a look at the car, I drove back to the dealership in it with the transporter and asked him what was the slight knocking sound coming from the engine; he replied "it was probably something rubbing on the front tire" I didn't think nothing of it, so I paid, signed all paper's and drove off home with the car, mind you all that was given to me was the registration for the car and of course insurance. As I was driving on the highway the car turned off on me, once again i didn't think nothing of it. Two days later I noticed the oil light on the dash was turning on, so on my lunch break I took it to a mechanic which he told me to take the car back because the bearings of the engine were shot and that oil was dripping from the head gasket. He did not even pull the car into the lot to check it. He opened the hood and was able to tell. I was so upset when I heard that. I went back and told my Executive Director what the mechanic had told me, thats when she asked me for the warranty and papers to the car to see if i had any warranty........ O no, I did not get any paper's to the car! I went back to the service station and was able to obtain copies. What a relief. Warranty stated I had 30 days. So I waited another day to return the car with someone by my side that will help me through this. When I went back to get the service they told me they couldnt see the car because they were over booked. So by this time the engine was knocking even harder and oil was coming out from under the car. I explained this to the owner of the shop and he told me either I can swap for another car or go home with the car and return on Monday so the engine can be replaced I decided to go look at another car, and just my luck my insurance broker's office was closed, so I couldnt swap insurance to the other car I had picked. So I had no choice but to go home with the car so the owner to the shop gave me about 3 container's of oil and told me to keep filling the engine with oil. As I was leaving I made it about 5 blocks before the car shut down on me again, I looked under the car and o boy, ALL of the oil came out. By now I was overwhelmed so I called the service station and they sent out a tow truck to tow it back to them. It was about 6:00 pm I had to take a bus and 3 trains to get back home to my children. Now you tell me did I share it with the world or what?

I honestly think that this experience was one of the worst experiences ever. Talk about Good Quality Brand. 2002 Dodge Intrepid's body looks really good out and in but offially now can say that DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER!

- Saira A., Bronx, NY, US

problem #1

May 092008

Intrepid SE 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 109,000 miles

I have 109,000 miles on my se 2.7 and so far the only problem I have is a small ticking but I only hear it when Its getting closer to get my oil change. I have been using 10w/30 with lucas additive but recently I changed to 5w/30 with lucas additive, I was told the lighter weight oil will slow down the sludge build up in the 2.7. Ive been reading alot of reviews and everyone has the same problem and Im starting to feel like Im jinxing myself here and Im next for engine failure, to also include my oil pan gasket has also went out and im now being told my rear main seal also went bad and its supposed to cost $1,400 for the repair but the parts cost $20. I would do the repairs myself but you have to take part of the suspension out to replace the oil pan gasket and the rear main seal you have to take out the engine and transmission to replace that $15 part. Im not gonna give up yet on this sporty good looking car, im gonna go as far as my wallet will let me. If anyone has any suggestions regarding stopping or slowing down the sludge build up Im all ears.

- Jeffery B., Havelock, NC, US

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