CarComplaints.com Notes: The Dodge Stratus, Intrepid & 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.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
78,000 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.
I bought my 1999 Dodge Stratus 2.4L in September 2006 from the original owner with 145,000 miles. In May 2007, I had the valve covers and cam sensor wiring replaced due to oil leakage and rotted wiring (unrelated to one another). The car seemed to slowly leak power steering fluid but the mechanic was unable to identify a problem. On 7/29/2007 after a 50 mile drive, the car caught fire under the hood in front of the driver's passenger compartment after being parked for a short time. The vehicle is a total loss.
1. during a regular motor oil change on a specialized center, they noted a low level of power steering fluid, and suggested me to fill the power steering canister. 2. power steering leak over the manifold, white smoke came from around the hood after a trip. When I arrived home, a lot of white smoke and pieces of don't know what were on fire under the car. The mechanism to open the hood failed and we were not able to extinguish the fire. 3. no time to correct failure, the hood.
- Trujillo Alto, PR, USA
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- Little Rock, AR, USA