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.
6.0
fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
13,333 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 failed to mention on my complaint 10003001 that I had taken my car in to be looked at due to 'popping' in the clutch. You could hear and feel this pop when switching gears. This issue would come and go - nothing was ever done about it. Why? B/C by the time I could get an appointment for my car the popping would stop. We never did get it where the mechanic could find the problem. This would occur on an irregular intravals - and would last maybe a day - maybe up to 3 days and then quit. Was able to get it to the dealership the first time it happened and the service guy and a mechanic heard it - but they could do nothing about it that day - gave me an appointment to return for them to look at it more completely - by then it had quit and they still looked it over - could not find anything that looked out of the ordinary.
On June 22, 2002 I was dirving my car to wv. Half way there the transmission 'popped' out of 5th gear. I pulled off at the next exit in search of assistance where I found the transmission would not remain in 3rd gear either. In this small town I was unable to find anyone who could/would look at my car so I proceeded to charleston where my dad and a cousin who could look at my car were. It was found that my transmission had no fluid in it - so this was replaced with fluid as close to the original as possible so we could get back to richmond. All 360 miles I had to drive holding my gear shift into 5th gear or 3rd gear when needed in order to make it home. The dealership was wonderful! they said my clutch cable was broken and I had several oil leaks! they repaired everything and it was all covered under the power train warrenty. Thank you for that warrenty! my car only had a little over 40,000 miles at the time.
Consumer experienced head gasket failure. Other failures included rear seat belt problems, no power on the back windows, egr valve failure, transmission shifting problems and speed sensor failure.
- Kawkawlin, MI, USA
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- Midlothian, VA, USA