1997 Dodge Intrepid Base from North America - Comments

OK, where do I start? Acquired the vehicle in 1998 with 37K miles on it. Later on I found out that it had been a rental.

Vehicle ran fine for the six months and then the nightmare started: first, it overheated in the middle of December in Florida!! Turned out to be a defective water pump. Vehicle didn't have 45K miles yet. Cost me about $300.

In 1999, I moved to California. All the way through, the vehicle kept running very hot. Of course, it was the middle of September, so it was still pretty warm, especially in the desert. After getting to California, the overheating problem continued and had a friend mechanic look at it. Once again, the water pump was out. Vehicle had around 55K miles. Again, I shelled out another $300.

Same year, just a couple of months later, the tie rod problem (which apparently is very common) appeared. The part is not very expensive, but because of where it is located, it cost me 6 hours of labor to get this fixed. Another $500.

Throughout this time, the overheating problem continues, even during the cool weather.

Then in 2000, yet another $200 in repair because of an O-ring leak (another common problem).

Late last year, the timing belt had to be replaced and once again, due to the design, almost 9 hours of labor because the engine physically had to be removed to get to the timing chain. Repair cost close to $1000.

Now in 2002, yet another water pump and finally, the car was on its last legs: just last week on our trip to Las Vegas, the engine finally gave up. A rod blew in the engine at 100K miles. Approximate repair cost: $4400. As you can imagine, the car has been sent to a salvage yard. The one thing that hurts even more is that I had just spent $200 on "maintenance fees" (smog check, AC check up, etc.) the week before.

About the only good point on this vehicle is the way it handles--when it ran, it definitely was a smooth ride.

The changing of the belt needs no engine deposit. It should have costed about 300 $ at most and 2 h of labor. You were just ripped off by your dealer.

I have nothing but problems with my car. I haven't had for a year yet! I bought the car at 35,000 miles and a year later the timing chain went. This is completely unacceptable for Dodge. My family and I will never buy another one.

I have replaced the belt and waterpump myself. The engine does NOT need removed. You were ripped off!!

The 1997 Dodge Intrepid was my first car. I have had all of these problems plus some. The brakes need to be replaced like twice a year. Tires every 30,000 miles. I currently have a rod knock and am very interested in getting rid of it as soon as possible. It's hard though because everything is practically brand new. Nobody should ever buy a 1997 Dodge Intrepid. I can't honestly sell it to anybody without having a guilty conscience.

I currently own a 1997 Intrepid and have none of the problems mentioned in these articles. The car currently has 112,000 miles and is still going strong. I think a lot of ignorant people get ripped off from the dealer or mechanic they use when minor problems arise. People complain about a battery going bad or leaky water pump... these things happen with any car. I would definitley buy another Intrepid or recommend it to anyone; it's a great car.

I bought a '97 intrepid in '99 which had 61k miles on it. It belonged to CVS pharmacy and ran great at the time only it had the check engine light on. After asking around (friends and another intrepid owner I knew) I concluded that the check engine light came on most cars that had the light whether there was a problem or not. Myself not being a mechanic bought the car and immediately had problems. Within the first 3 months of ownership I had to have the pistons cleaned out ($717) and the left fuel bank checked which is what registered as the problem on the computer. After about 6 trips to the Dodge dealership, they replaced the O2 sensor and determined the left fuel bank was NOT running rich and that it was a glitch in the computer. Since then I have had to replace the EGR valve ($272), a trailing arm on the left rear wheel which broke completely in half ($279). I also had a problem with the water pump which had a broken bolt and it had fallen into the pulley on the timing belt and tore a hole in the belt. Both were replaced ($300+). In a vain attempt to solve the overheating problem since about 3 months after purchase of the lemon, I have had the radiator rodded out, the thermostat replaced twice which I did myself, all the hoses replaced and just the right balance (if there is such a thing with this car) of water and antifreeze added many times. I foolishly tried to purchase radiator flush to flush the radiator myself. Now as I mentioned I am no mechanic, but I do know how to flush a radiator and I could not come anywhere close to the radiator plug. It takes a special tool known only to citizens of the planet Zactron apparently. My most recent trip to a local fast food drive through proved costly as I spent my entire lunch hour and more sitting in a nursing home parking lot waiting on the car to cool and the owner of the home gave me water to add to it as I saw my perfect balance of water and antifreeze flow over onto the ground. Since purchasing the car we have spent approx. $2500 to $3500 on towing and repair. One of the people who posted stated that he had no problems with his intrepid and determined that it was primarily ignorant people getting ripped off by mechanics. My response to such an unfounded comment is that I am smart enough to read up on each part in my repair manual for this car that I purchased BEFORE having the car repaired. I ask around with different mechanics and former owners BEFORE the repair. I discuss with the mechanic (not the office clerk) what they expect, what they find and what they did. I hate getting ripped by mechanics as much as the next guy, but in all the repairs made to my intrepid, I can honestly say that I have never got ripped by any mechanic I have used. There have been instances where the problem was not fixed, but the car was taken back until the problem was resolved (except of course for the ongoing overheating problem). Overall, the car rides great and is the most roomy car I have owned or ridden in and I am 260lbs. and 6'4" so I know a roomy car when I see it. Unfortunately, our income tax we expect to receive in the next two weeks is going to repair the steering, front end alignment, tie rod and another attempt at fixing the overheating problem. If we have any left, we'll purchase a couple tires for the car. It currently has 160,000+ miles and we hope it makes it another year or two for us, but the money we keep putting into it is just the right amount that we can't justify purchasing another car, but it still hurts to hand over hundreds of dollars every other month to fix a lemon. FYI: EVERY mechanic I've taken the care to, EVERY SINGLE ONE, has made the comment "Well, that's a Chrysler for ya!" Enough said. And to the guy that claimed ignorance was the problem, may every other car on the highway pass you by as you stand there on the shoulder watching your wonderful intrepid overheat. Here's a suggestion, throw some jugs of water in the trunk cause it's not safe for ignorant people to be stranded on the side of the road!

Fortunately my problems are not with the motor. (YET!) My Intrepid is only a 2001 with 50k miles. I've had it for 1 1/2 years. I had to take it to the dealership 3 times for paint problems to the extent of physically handing the service man a piece that had come off, about half the size of my hand. The lock on my trunk had to be fixed, and for the 2nd time in about 12 months both regulator's for the power windows have to be replaced. The brakes have needed cleaned, but were OK, but they sound terribly loud. I have always driven Chevy up until now. This many problems with this new of a car, I think it's time to go back to Chevy!

'97 Dodge Intrepid with 150k.

I think the guy who got his timing belt repair was ripped off with nine hours of labor. I paid my cousin yesterday for 4 hours of labor and that included a round trip of an hour to go the parts store and replace all belts and hoses.

I called the dealer and they charge 4.5 hours to replace timing belt and water pump. It is ridiculous that shops can often times charge you more than what the dealer wants.

I had no choice, but to pay a shop $1,100.00 for tie rods and a rebuilt rack and pinion which is common. All I wanted was an estimate and before I knew it they had it all apart. Too make a long story short, before I could take it to the dealer and or a relative, I would have had to pay them $200.00 just to put it back together. The dealer was going to charge the same price with new genuine parts. All around, the Intrepid has been a good car. I have fixed everything from O2 sensors, to spark plugs and wires, struts, and brakes on this car. Theses items are going to have to be replaced at some time or another on a car. Rack and pinion, water pump, and fuel rails are the major problems with this car. You really can't complain for the money. My car has been paid off for a long time now. I feel I have gotten every penny's worth out of this car.

I bought my 1997 Dodge intrepid in 2000 and it is my belief that the dealership ripped me off. There was 60km on the odometer and not a week later the check engine light came on and the car idles rough. Last year I lost the air conditioning, the door seals keep coming off and my check engine light is still on today (they say it was O2 sensor, but the light was still on when changed) Not only will I not buy another dodge intrepid, I will not ride in one, look at one or even drive another dodge.

I bought my 1997 Intrepid in 2001 with only 13,000 miles on it from a dealer. The car runs great...but.

Following, are the repairs made up until about 90,000 miles.

1. Two sets of front brakes

2. a/c evaporator

3. 2 water pumps

4. rear bearing

5. oil pan gasket

6. 2 oil dip sticks!

7. left and right headlight assemblies (not the bulbs)

8. rear struts need to be replace, but two different mechanics told me that the bolts are frozen on and have to be cut/drilled off.

9. oxygen sensors need to be replaced.

10. tie rod (I think that's what is was... definitly something in the steering).

11. some valve? on the a/c system

12. rear engine mounts

13. the paint overall is beginning to oxidize (this car has spent 5 years in the north and the last two in FL.)

I was told today (108,0000 MILES) that I need a new rack and pinion steering system.

14. needs head gaskets.

Finally, I'm not the kind of person who just says yes to an auto mechanic. Often I will check out two people to get a second opinion! I also research the problems myself.

A car is really a bunch of assembled parts. If the parts are of lower quality (gaskets, pumps, mounts, etc.) they just will not last.

I have always wanted the Intrepid. I found one with 90K miles, tie rod problems and the check engine light on. I bought it for $1,750, found a place to do the tie rods for me for $200.

For lees than $2k I have a great ride. None of these problems so far. Thank you all for the information, it has helped me get a nice ride and know what to expect. By the way does anyone know what the "ES" really stands for?