2002 Dodge Intrepid SE Police review from North America

Turn signal switch replaced under warranty.

Driver's seat adjuster replaced due to movement when braking (warranty).

Upper front strut mounts replaced due to clunking (warranty)

Passenger seat recline lever broken, replaced under warranty.

Camshaft position sensor replaced.

Oxygen sensor replaced.

Front pads and rotors replaced constantly. These rotors are awful!

Valve cover gaskets replaced (leaked)

Transmission valve body replaced (car stuck in 2nd gear)

Steering wheel never did point straight ahead, even after alignment.

Both front window regulators replaced (noisy)

And finally, the engine self-destructed at 96,000 miles.

I fell blindly in love with the looks and room of the Intrepid. I traded in my Toyota Tacoma, and never looked back. I always found myself looking back at the car as I walked away, even after years of ownership. There isn't a single line I would change about the styling. This was my first domestic car, and I would always defend it when people mentioned poor Chrysler quality. It had a few problems, yes, the most major being the valve body failure.

I meticulously maintained this car, changing all the fluids and filters right on time, and fixing any leaks as soon as they appeared. This car didn't even have any interior rattles after 96,000 miles. I changed the oil every 3000 miles, using only expensive Mobil 1 synthetic oil and a Mopar filter.

I drove this car everywhere from New York City, to Chicago, to San Francisco and Los Angeles. It served as my hotel room on several cross-country trips, and it returned 27-28 miles per gallon on the highway. I was very happy with my Dodge, and would have bought another.

Then the engine blew up. Why did this happen?? I used only the best oil, and changed it all the time. What kind of modern car can't even hit the 100K mile mark without an engine failure? This was my first domestic car, and it will be my last. I will run, not walk, back to Toyota or Honda. I'm sorry, Dodge, but you have a long way to go before being a serious contender in the passenger car business. I see Dodge diesel Rams all the time with 400-500,000 miles. Why did my car blow up so soon? Never again.