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.
8.0
pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,710
Average Mileage:
97,400 miles
Total Complaints:
24 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
not sure (8 reports)
new engine (6 reports)
engine flush (4 reports)
mechanic removed as much sludge as possible (3 reports)
I HAD PURCHASE A 2002 DODGE INTREPID IN 2003. IT WAS THE PRETTIEST CAR I THOUGHT. UNTILL 1 DAY I WAS DROPPING MY FRIEND OFF AT HOME. I CAME UP TO A RED LIGHT AND MY CAR BEGIN TO LOSE POWER AND I HAD NO IDEA WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING. SO THE OIL LAMP BEGIN TO FLICKER AND THEN THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. SO I HAD TO GET TWO GUYS TO PUSH THIS WHAT I KNOW NOW A PIECE OF SH** OUT OF THR ROAD. I SAT THERE FOR A MINUTE UNTIL A GUY CAME BY AND HELP ME WITH MY CAR. THEN I CUT THE CAR BACK ON AND THE IT MADE A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A DAM 757 JET. THE MOTOR RATTLED AND THE CAR KEPT ACTING LIKE IT WANTED TO CUT OFF. THEN IT HAPPENED THE DAM THING CUT OFF ON ME. I HAD TO PULL MY CAR IN A TURN LANE AND WALK ALMOST 2 MILES TO GET TO A PAY PHONE. BECAUSE BOTH OF MY CELL PHONES WHERE DEAD. AND NOT 2 MENTION I HAD 2 WAIT 2 LONG HOURS ON TOW TRUCK TO TOW THIS PIECE OF SH** HOME. SO I CALLE DTHE DODGE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME TO REPLACE AND MOTOR IN THIS CAR IT WOULD COST ME $5,000-$10,000 DOLLARS JUST TO REPLACE THIS MOTOR. THATS NOT INCLUDING THE LABOR ON IT. THE DAM CAR AINT EVEN WORTH THAT MUCH IN MY EYES. SO DUE THIS DAMING MOTOR MY CAR GOT REPOED. AND NOT TO MENTION THEY SOLD IT FOR $2,000 DOLLARS LOL. SO NOW I'M STUCK WITH PAYING FOR A CAR THAT WAS A PIECE OF SH** FROM THE GET GO. THAT I DON'T EVEN OWN, AND ALL THE DEALER CAN SAY IS THAT IT WAS MY FAULT BECAUSE I DIDN'T TAKE OF MY CAR. I BABIED MY DAM CAR, BECAUSE THAT WAS MY ONLY MEANS TO GET AROUND. BUT I WILL NEVA EVA BUY ANOTHER DAM DODGE. AND I HOPE THEY GET WHAT THEY DESREVE. BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT KIND OF PROBLEMS THAT THEY CARS HAVE.
I've had my Dodge for approximately 3 yrs. I bought mine in October 2003. I Like many of the other Dodge owners had always heard about how badly Dodge sucked and that they were very problematic. I was positive that it was all BS because I hadn't had any problems with my vehicle. Until July of last yr, my car overheated and caused the coolant to explode all over, it was indeed a mess! I took it in to repair and it cost me $980.00 , and that was supposed to be a deal! So I was sure that I wouldn't be having any more problems, then like a month ago I started to hear a knocking sound in the engine so I took it to the shop and the Technician mentioned that he knew of many other Dodge owners having the same problem and that the engine failed around the same miles as mine. He recommended that I buy a used engine and have it replaced. He said that would be my best bet, but now after reading all of the other complaints I realize that eventually it will end up happening again to the used engine! Also My fiance and I are in the process of buying our 1st new home and we still owe $9,000 on this peice of s*t vehicle, now I find myself in dept because of the simple fact that I don't have $4,000 in my budget to spend on the repairs for this vehicle. I'm just waiting for the engine to blow up on me any f*kn min......... I WILL NEVER AGAIN BUY A DAM DODGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Car was running fine. Engine light came on one morning. Took car to reputable service center and was told car engine if full of sludge and timing chain needed to be replaced. BAM!!!! $2400 bill. I still owe over $5000 on this car and it is only 4 years old. If I trade this vehicle in for another car, I won't even get the payout on the loan to break even. Chrysler flooded the market with this vehicle by selling them to rental centers and used car lots - why? Again, an American consumer gets taken!!! That's not all though. After paying to have sludge removed and timing chain replaced, two weeks later, engine light comes on again!! This time it's the transmission. BAM!!!! "What will this cost?" $2200 Ma'am!!! "What the hell?" With the money spent in less than a month, I could have practically paid off the balance on this car loan!!!!!!@@@##$%% Thanks again Chrysler! Your corporation knows this problems exists and you choose to do nothing. Well, this is what I choose to do - NEVER will I buy a Chrysler/Dodge product again and I will tell everyone that I know that knows someone else what has happened to me. Somehow, I hope this will make a difference to your profit line. Buy American - yeah, right!
B.S. 20 miles before the warrenty was up the car's heat went out. I took it to chrysler and they told me that it was the water pump. They also recommended that I fix the timing chain. The timing chain was not covererd because it was not broke. I declined. Lucky for me I still had a warrenty. I later took the car to get the belts replaced. The shop told me that the 2.7 engine was dog sh*t.
- Carlos E.,
Addison, IL, US
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I HAD PURCHASE A 2002 DODGE INTREPID IN 2003. IT WAS THE PRETTIEST CAR I THOUGHT. UNTILL 1 DAY I WAS DROPPING MY FRIEND OFF AT HOME. I CAME UP TO A RED LIGHT AND MY CAR BEGIN TO LOSE POWER AND I HAD NO IDEA WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING. SO THE OIL LAMP BEGIN TO FLICKER AND THEN THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. SO I HAD TO GET TWO GUYS TO PUSH THIS WHAT I KNOW NOW A PIECE OF SH** OUT OF THR ROAD. I SAT THERE FOR A MINUTE UNTIL A GUY CAME BY AND HELP ME WITH MY CAR. THEN I CUT THE CAR BACK ON AND THE IT MADE A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A DAM 757 JET. THE MOTOR RATTLED AND THE CAR KEPT ACTING LIKE IT WANTED TO CUT OFF. THEN IT HAPPENED THE DAM THING CUT OFF ON ME. I HAD TO PULL MY CAR IN A TURN LANE AND WALK ALMOST 2 MILES TO GET TO A PAY PHONE. BECAUSE BOTH OF MY CELL PHONES WHERE DEAD. AND NOT 2 MENTION I HAD 2 WAIT 2 LONG HOURS ON TOW TRUCK TO TOW THIS PIECE OF SH** HOME. SO I CALLE DTHE DODGE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME TO REPLACE AND MOTOR IN THIS CAR IT WOULD COST ME $5,000-$10,000 DOLLARS JUST TO REPLACE THIS MOTOR. THATS NOT INCLUDING THE LABOR ON IT. THE DAM CAR AINT EVEN WORTH THAT MUCH IN MY EYES. SO DUE THIS DAMING MOTOR MY CAR GOT REPOED. AND NOT TO MENTION THEY SOLD IT FOR $2,000 DOLLARS LOL. SO NOW I'M STUCK WITH PAYING FOR A CAR THAT WAS A PIECE OF SH** FROM THE GET GO. THAT I DON'T EVEN OWN, AND ALL THE DEALER CAN SAY IS THAT IT WAS MY FAULT BECAUSE I DIDN'T TAKE OF MY CAR. I BABIED MY DAM CAR, BECAUSE THAT WAS MY ONLY MEANS TO GET AROUND. BUT I WILL NEVA EVA BUY ANOTHER DAM DODGE. AND I HOPE THEY GET WHAT THEY DESREVE. BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT KIND OF PROBLEMS THAT THEY CARS HAVE.
- Moneka O., Nashville, TN, US