CAR RUNNING PERFECT WHILE BEING DRIVEN.CAR RAN HOT .COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON.PULL OVER TURNED ENGINE OFF.LOCATED WATER AND ADDED TO COOLING SYS.STARTED DRIVING AGAIN.ABOUT 3/4 MILE SAME PROBLEM.CALLED TOW TRUCK.DELIVERED TO MECHANIC SHOP.WE DISCUSSED PROBLEM TOGETHER.AND MADE DECISION ON WHAT TO DO.IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A COOLANT LINE THAT GOES FROM THE FRONT TOP OF ENGINE DOWN UNDER AND TERMINATE AT REAR OF ENGINE DEVELOPED LEAK.THE INTERIOR AND BODY WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE TO ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION.DECIDED TO REPAIR.TO NICE OF A CAR TO JUNK.ENGINE REQUIRED HEAD REMOVAL AND TRUED.NEW GASKET SET,WATER PUMP,CAMSHAFT SENSOR,CHAIN TENSIONER,THERMOSTAT,NEW COOLANT,TWO OIL CHANGES.NO SLUDGE WAS NOTED DOING TEAR DOWN AND INSPECTION.OIL CHANGES ABOUT 3000 MILES FROM TIME OF PURCHASE.WATER PUMP REPLACED AT 78000 MILES.WATER COMING FROM WEEP TUBE.INDICATION THAT WATER PUMP IS DEFECTIVE.800.00 REPAIR COST.WHICH I FEEL WAS VERY REASONABLE.DEALER WANTED 1500.00.PERSONAL MECHANICS CAN WORK WONDERS.NOW MY CAR WORKS NEAR PERFECT.GREAT FOR THE ROAD .I LOVE THIS CAR.MAY I OFFER THESE POINTERS FROM WHAT I HAVE LEARNED.PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOUR DODGE INTREPID IS TRYING TO TELL YOU.IF TEMP START TO INDICATE ABOVE CTR LINE ON THE GAUGE SOMETHING IS PROBABLY NOT NORMAL.KEEP ALERT.CHANGE OIL REGULARLY.IF AFFORDABLE REPLACE WATER PUMP.I INSISTED ON AFTERMARKET PART.I BELIEVE THEY ARE MAN WITH BETTER QUALITY.ALSO PURCHASED A REPAIR MANUAL AND A COMPUTER CODE READER.CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS MEAN SOMETHING.DO NOT IGNORE.IF IS WAS NOT FOR ENGINE PROBLEMS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE PERFECT FAMILY CAR WITH SEAT BELTS FOR FIVE PEOPLE.REMEMBER DO NOT LET PROBLEMS CREEP UP WITH YOUR DODGE INTREPID. THANKS FOR READING..

This not being the first problem I've had with this car, so far it has been the most expensive I've had to deal with. I go to start my car and nothing...so I try again, it turns on. Then as I'm driving only a few miles to go home I smell something...I notice a little smoke coming from the radiator just before I get home. I park the car let it sit awhile, check the coolant, its fine, check the oil, its fine, drive to my friends house who lives less than 10 miles from mine and the car starts shaking...I think to myself damn the radio is pretty loud but the last time I checked I never installed a system with beat that loud to make the car shake like that...so I turn off the stereo and the check engine light comes on, the cars shaking but only when I have to stop and brake. So I'm almost to my friends house, I push the car to get there, go baby go, please....just as I turn the corner she lives on my car completely shuts down. I try and start her, no deals...so I end up pushing her to the curb just a short distance from my friends house. Once the car was in a decent parking spot against the curb I immediately popped open the hood...sh*t she's steaming...I check the oil again and brown gukky sludge. I call a shop and I'm advised not to try and drive her home. Luckily my friend had AAA and I got a free tow home. I pulled money outta my ass that I didn't even have to fix this car and I'm still paying for it...in problems and in payments to pay off the loan I took out to have it fixed...

if this problem happens to a problem of yours, get rid of that lousy piece of sh*t immediately, better yet sell the damn car before you get any problems. She's a beauty but she stings...trust me!

Dear dodge..suck my ass u worthless f*cks. You should have put out a recall on these motors. I will and never will tell anyone to buy any dodge vechicle..Bought car brand new and had serviced every 3000 miles and still sh*t the bed. I,d like to meet your ceo so i could f*ck his face wit my fist. Its a lemon motor wit the same problem wit everyone and 'they' didnt do a f*cking thing to correct it wit a recall. Maybe the american cars wouldnt need bail outs from the goverment if dealers like dodge didnt put crap out ther to buy..i plastered this on facebook,,myspace for thousands to know that dodge intrepid and ther 2.7 is worthless and that dodge pulled a fast one on ther own american people..die like my motor did u f*cks

I bout this car for $5,000, paid cash. It started shifting really hard after about six months. I spent $800 to fix it. The oil light came on a few months later and the engine started knocking when it would warm up. The engine blew up shortly after that. I have $7,000 into a vehicle that did not even last me a year. I would love to find a class action suit against Dodge. If anyone knows of any petitions on this vehicle, let me know. I have read about SO MANY other 2002 Dodge Intrepid vehicles that have crapped out, too bad I didn't do more research before I purchased it.

My Parents Bought this car in 04 with 20k on it, never had a problem. this car had made several 1000mi (round trip) adventures. This Car was AWESOME, just handled like a dream, havent found a car that handles better than this one. Water pump went out at approx 120k and put 7k on it and the engine would warm up and die, and wouldnt start back up until it cooled down. so it ended up being towed to a mechanic, who diagnosed the SLUDGE issue..... and said the engine was toast..... :( i want this car back.....

I bought my 2002 Dodge Intrepid 2.7L in November of 2006, it had about 40,000 miles on it. I had to repair the A/C once and a minor electrical problem, but for the most part it ran good, that is until about 6 months ago. I noticed a rattling sound when I would accelerate, and it continued to get worse. Finally, last week the engine went out on the car just short of 80,000 miles! I still had a year left to pay it off, and I had the car serviced religiously (oil changes, etc...) because I knew these cars had a problem with the engines. All to no avail, the engine gave out anyways! I can't believe that Dodge can get away with something so blatently poor, and then continue selling the same bad engine for years with no modifications!! Never, ever buy one of these cars. Ever.

Purchased a 2002 Dodge Intrepid with 14,600 in 2002. Beautiful car. Loved driving it. Paid off my car in 2006. So happy NO MORE CAR PAYMENT! March 30, 2007 heard a clicking sound under the hood in engine. 34,582 miles. I don't drive much. Just around our town. On vacation once a year. Called dealership and was told to have it towed in. I have extended warranty which is good until 2010. Warranty will cover tow. Dealership called on April 3, 2007 and told me the engine was sludged and warranty will not cover cost to put a new engine in. Dealership states it was neglect on my part because my husband changed the oil and it was not done properly at the dealership. Oil has been changed at required time but I don't have the cash to give them to change it when my husband is perfectly capable of doing the job himself for cheaper. They said they could replace the engine for the tune of $9,000+. Where the heck am I supposed to come up with that kind of cash. Was told my car was worth probably $200.00 if that. Had to have my car towed back home. And pay for the tow in. Now here it sits a yard ornament. I have called the local tv stations to see if maybe they can investigate all the complaints that I have and ones I've seen online. I have also made complaints with CAS, NHTSA, Daimler Chrysler, Better Business Bureau and anyone out there that will listen. I think I will put flower arrangements on it and a big sign that says DODGE S**KS ASK ME WHY on the front. Maybe lights for Christmas? Thanks for letting me vent. I feel alittle better until I go outside and see my car sitting there not being able to drive it. I'll never buy another DODGE!

My wife found this car at Holly Kia in Selbyville Delaware. We purchased the 2002 Dodge Intrepid from them. Less than 9 months later the engine failed. Left us both stranded on US113. We reported to Holly Kia that the oil light came on and off constantly (flickering). They said it was a sensor, changed that and gave the car back to us. The same problem continued until the vehicle lost power and stopped. We towed the vehicle to One-Stop a mechanic shop in Milford Delaware. They checked the vehicle then told me the motor was shot. It had a lot of sludge in it and that caused all kinds of problems which resulted in the engine failure. Chrysler and Holly Kia of Selbyville have lost my business for ever. Now I have to continue to pay for a car that does not run. We owe over $5,000 on this car. What a rip off.

My son bought this clunker a year ago and is still making payments, the oil pump failed and we replaced it, then the timing chain broke and that was replaced. The car wouldn't start because the valves were damaged. My son had the heads repaired and finally thought that was it noooo. after driving the car 5 miles now the engine is knocking at the lower end of the engine. Probably the connecting rod or 2 is shot. If I had seen this website I would have told my son to forget it. My guess is the crankshaft and rod bearings and pistons has to be replaced. Whole interior engine. I hope Chrysler goes under for not standing up and protecting consumers for their mistakes in design.

Done with Dodge

Have a Caravan that will be going away soon ---- but not soon enough

The Intrepid was 4 years old with easy highway miles - lot of 200+ mile trips on the interstate. Used synthetics after the first couple of changes, but the oil light came on anyway. Then the growl of the waterpump, and then the timing chain - those were $2200. Only to follow with a precarious catastrophic engine failure 5 or 6 months later while passing a trucker at midnight on an open 2 lane highway in the middle of nowhere.....Sent the paperweight to a salvage yard and had to pay 5 more months of payments....I'm over it - but Dodge owes me and you and you and you and you..........so keep complaining!

Just bought a 2002 Dodge Intrepid (Manufacture Date on door is 2001) but is the 2002 2.7L V6 Auto and is a piece of junk. I wish I had read this forum before purchasing this car. I first tried to replace the heat exchange unit because water was getting into the oil. Further investigation revealed water/oil/sludge everywhere. I can not believe that Dodge will not step up to the plate and sort this out! It looks like it was the waterpump that gone and is sending water directly into the system. Very poor design, but I am sure they are aware. I am not telling this forum anything new, but I hope it helps others and forces Dodge to do something. Last Dodge I ever buy! Estimated cost to get this sorted is "at least $5000". Makes a nice addition to the front lawn. I can't even bring myself to sell it to someone, I would love to get a good trade-in price from Dodge!

HI, all fellow intrepid owners. I have the same f....ing problem that you all have. I just bought mine in Aug. 2007 and it broke down at my kids daycare on a rainy day wit no waring what so ever.

I got it towed to a dealership who told me the same song and dance they told you guys. that the engine way done and, it was going to cost over $8000 to get a new one. like any one just ha 8 grand in there back pockt. I though my war. was good. ya right. get the sh*t.

I have to have the engine broke apart to see if the part in covered under the damn warranty. If it is not I will have to pay $615 for them to brake apart a damn engine they can't fix. After reading all th other complaints. I know now that i will be paying for the brake down of the bullshit as 2.7 engine.

We all need to get together and do dodges something real good. they have read these complaints that why they stop making the damn car. NOW I SEE WAY WE BUY FOREIGN CAR. Dodge you real dropped the ball and will get that ass. By, the way i only had the car for 10 weeks and owe 10,000 on it only made two car payments. DODGE THIS IS A BITCH ASS MOVE ON YOUR PART. PEOPLE LETS TAKE IT TO THE TOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DON'T LET THEM TRY TO SAY IT WAS FROM NOT CHANGING OIL BECAUSE THAT IS BULL. SLUDGE KILL THE 2.7 AND THEY ARE USE POOR ENGINE CARE ON OUR PART TO GET BY. WE NEED TO STOP THIS SH*T. ALL THIS CAR IS GOOD FOR IS KILL YOUR CREDIT IF IT ALREADY HASN'T!!!!!