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.
This car was purchased new by my Mom for her retirement. At 11,000 miles she made a trip to a neighboring town 20 miles away in which she heard a loud Bang under the car "hood". On the return trip she noticed the Check Engine light and the car began to run erratically. She did make it home but had done so on battery power alone because the belt was not turning the alternator. Upon my inspection I found the idler pulley for the accessory belt was missing along with the bolt that had backed out and the belt had been chewed on the crank pulley. The dealer would NOT warranty because the car was over the time of warranty so she purchased an new pulley, bolt and belt that I replaced for her although I did use blue loctite on the new bolt to try to prevent this from happening again. That was at 11k and it is still holding although now at 28k the transmission has hung in first and I am trying to diagnose this problem.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
This car was purchased new by my Mom for her retirement. At 11,000 miles she made a trip to a neighboring town 20 miles away in which she heard a loud Bang under the car "hood". On the return trip she noticed the Check Engine light and the car began to run erratically. She did make it home but had done so on battery power alone because the belt was not turning the alternator. Upon my inspection I found the idler pulley for the accessory belt was missing along with the bolt that had backed out and the belt had been chewed on the crank pulley. The dealer would NOT warranty because the car was over the time of warranty so she purchased an new pulley, bolt and belt that I replaced for her although I did use blue loctite on the new bolt to try to prevent this from happening again. That was at 11k and it is still holding although now at 28k the transmission has hung in first and I am trying to diagnose this problem.
- timray, Barnardsville, NC, US