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. Also the 2.4L engine doesn't have the oil sludge problem.
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.
So I am not going to lie, I LOVE my car..not the car I have always wanted but it has definitely grown on me (: BUT as soon as I started driving it constantly lets just say it started having issues. The same mechanic has been working on this car since it was brand new, so I trust him and thats probably the main reason why my car is still running great. Although, my damn heater is pissing my off now...it only works on high...and im determined not to pay for it to get fixed so I have been dealing with it. BUT its to the point where I'm freezing and it only works maybe 35% of the time soo I'm thinking about going to find a part at pick and pull and fixing it myself!!
The heater and AC only worked on high. I researched around and this is a very common problem with this car. Most people would assume it is the resistor but it usually isn't. The coil in the motor burns out and then the motor draws too much current through the resistor and it burns out as well.
This wasn't so bad in the summer because having the a/c on High in New Mexico dry heat was great, but in the fall when it was either BURN ALIVE or FREEZE, well, that sucked. I don't know if Dodge has a problem with the way they make their a/c but the other Dodge I have has ANOTHER a/c problem and it was at about 95000 miles. What's the deal?????
- lusciouslyana,
Hobbs, NM, US
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Over the summer, the blower would only work on high setting. Eventually, the high setting crapped out too. It turned out to be a bad blower motor resistor - corroded after 7 years and 145,00 miles. The resistor is a $30 part at the local CarQuest shop. Took about 10-15 minutes to install at home.
All we had to do was pick up a replacement AC/heater control panel from a local junk yard (we are cheap) and install it. It was a pain to install (so my husband said) but it corrected the issue.
I bought this car 1 year ago with only 59,000 miles on it. The fan worked fine then one day it just worked on high. I live in MN and the weather changes from day to day. Last week it was 95 today it is 54. When your fan only works on high it is a real pain. If you run the a/c you freeze to death and if you run the heat you roast. I saw it cost an average of $220.00 to fix this has anyone found it cheaper because I can't afford $220 but I don't know how long the fan will keep working at all. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I came out to use my car on the so far coldest day of the year and the heater blower motor would only work on high. The day before I had the oil changed, radiator serviced and washed at a car wash. I don't know if that had anything to do with it but It was the first time since I got the car brand new that anybody but myself had touched it
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The Heater does not work, it doesn't throw any heat at all .
- jaslate, Carthage, NY, US