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.
4.0
definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
30,008 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
2002 Dodge intripid blew it's engine 2.7 on 07/002/05 on hwy 50 while I was driving with my daughter in the car. It has been 14 days and the car is still at the dealers not fixed. We are still in a rental while they decide if my car will be fixed. We had to drive apx 2 miles as slow as 5-15 miles per hour to get off the hwy. The service writer says the problem is oil sludge. I think the engine is a hazard to human life and any other vehicle on the highway.
I was driving to church on May 15, 2005 while I was approaching a stoplight the water temp. Gauge began to move to the dangerously high temp. Side and then the engine began making a ticking sound and white smoke came from the engine, then the engine shuts down completely. The thermostat & water pump failed which led to the oil getting hot inside the engine, which led to oil sludging because of narrow oil ports within the engine, which cause the timing chain to fail and the cylinder heads to become damaged. I called Chrysler about this engine defect and they placed the blame on me instead of fixing the defect. I will now have to replace the engine for $4,000 or let it be repossessed. I have a 2002 Dodge Intrepid SE with 2.7L engine.
- Fayetteville, NC, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Shingle Springs, CA, USA