My engine blew at 48,000 miles due to oil sludge with no prior warnings. Dealer is telling me it is my fault when the car has been well maintained.
I really loved my Dodge Intrepid when I first purchased it, it is so roomy and perfect for my family. But with no warning whatsoever the engine blew. The car had always been very well-maintained having oil changes every 2500 miles and Chrysler is blaming me for this problem saying I didn't change the oil correctly. I have been quoted 7200.00 to have the car fixed and still owe 10000.00 on the car. Every dealer that I have talked to has told me that Chrysler knows there is a problem, but the independent dealers can do nothing without their OK. There is no reason why this should have happened to a car that is only 3 years old. The dealer has also informed me that there are no replacement engines for the 2.7 only a upgrade engine which eliminates the problems my 2.7 had so in return tells me they know the engines are junk. I just want Chrysler to acknowledge their wrong doing and correct my problem. I don't feel it is my place to have to pay for it. I would definitely be grateful to anyone who can offer any information on how to start or join a class action suit against them for this.
The first comment is correct. I have a 2001 Intrepid and I have only had the thing for 5 months. I took it for an oil change and the engine was full of sludge also. I now have no vehicle and I certainly can't afford to fix this. If I had that kind of money I never would have purchased a Dodge in the first place. I would have stuck to the good old Chevy which is exactly what I am going back to now!!!
There is a problem with the 2.7 engine. My 2000 Intrepid has 37,400 miles on it with an oil change every 3000 - 3500 miles. Nothing but problems with this car. Timing chain tensioner went at 36,800 causing "extensive" damage to the engine. The dealership repaired it as good will, but it went bad again 4 days later. In the shop 8 times in 2 yrs for "check engine" and 6 sensors replaced. This car is a lemon!!
I have a 2000 Dodge Intrepid, and I am very unhappy with it.
I have only 56,000 miles on it and have had to have the rack and pinion replaced, the air bag light is on. The horn doesn't work, the air conditioning has gone out. And now of all thing (and this is within months of each other) the engine has given away on me, with absolutely no warning.
I am disgusted and I understand totally how everyone feels.
I feel like someone has gotten one over on me.
I owe more than this car is worth and I cannot trade it because no one is going to give me a 30,000 dollar loan for a 16,000 dollar car.
And in the condition that it is in, my Intrepid isn't worth more than 2000 dollars and I owe 16,000 dollars on it.
What can I do. Who can I turn to. I need help.
Thank you,
Ocelee Qualls.
****Anyone have luck with getting their engine replace or paid for? I really need help finding a key person or place to contact. This really isn't right that some many people are out some much money due to a motor and broken promises.
Unhappy.
I'm also a victim of the 2.7 engine jinx. I kept my car well maintained, even bought an extended warranty no worries right?, wrong!! I have 56,000 miles on my car and one day I heard a slight ticking sound in the engine. I took the car to the dealer and later found I had a bad piston. My engine was on its way out. Now for the extended warranty. They denied my claim because they said I neglected the car. Now my car is a 2001 Dodge Intrepid. I fighting with the extended warranty company to no avail. My repair bill is around 4,000 with a used engine and 8,000 with a new. I found a website that has a class action suit going on and the site is 'www.bigclassaction.com/automotive.html' but the actual website is called 'www.datatown.com/chrysler/. Let's hope this will help. signed unhappy.
I also purchased a new 2000 Intrepid on April 16, 2000 along with an extended warranty 7 years or 50k miles. On Thanksgiving night this year, I was driving on the expressway in the middle lane when the car cut off, there was no emergency lane. All lights including the hazard light went out, I was left on a dark expressway with no lights in the right lane. By the grace of God to policemen came to my rescue before I was hit from behind. The dealer informed me that I had a seized engine which had to be replaced, costing 7 thousand my mileage was 60K. I am total agreement about the manufacture having knowledge of this problem. There are 69 complaints with the Better Business Bureau. I would like to join a class action against them.
I seem to have had a bit more luck than most in getting 107,000 out of my 2000 Intrepid with the 2.7. Now with a defective timing chain tensioner, my engine is gone. They replaced the tensioner, but cannot get oil pressure due to blocked oil passages. I loved this car and it was trouble free for the most part for 4 years of highway driving, my next car will not be a Chrysler product.
Just yesterday my 2000 Dodge Intrepid left me stranded on the way home. I was lucky to be able to manipulate off the highway after all power shut down suddenly with no warning. I had it towed to a dealership. They informed me today that the "engine seized up"...said the oil had not been changed enough. Does this sound familiar? It sounds like several comments that I just read. My car has 85,500+ miles on it. My guess is that the bill for repairs is more than the car is worth!
My husband and I too are victims of the "Intrepid Curse". Bought our car brand new in 2000 after researching many kinds of cars. We thought it would be a good family car. This car was my husband's baby and he got regular oil changes and performed routine maintenance on it. At 80K miles he started hearing a knocking noise so he immediately brought it to our mechanic thinking it was a minor problem. WRONG! Our mechanic told us that there was sludge in our engine and that it would more than likely go out on us. Mechanic said the 2.7L V6 was a defective engine and that this was a known flaw. Then he told us not to take his word for it to do an Internet search for "Intrepid Engine Sludge". We did and were shocked at what we found!
Thankfully, our car was at least paid for. We have since basically given the car away for $2,000 just to get rid of it. We feel deceived and cheated by Dodge for putting out a car that has this kind of major problems! The car was three years old!!! I have a 10-year old Ford Escort that I spent HALF as much on that hasn't given me a lick of problems! Completely disgusted and will NEVER buy another Chrysler/Dodge vehicle again EVER!
Yesterday while driving home from work my '98 2.7 Intrepid started knocking really bad and I just did get it off the interstate before it expired. When I opened the hood, I was greeted with a nasty black sludge that was oozing out of the valve cover vent and smoking. I have religiously changed oil in this car every 3000 miles and kept up all the maintenance up on this car. I recently departed with my old chevy work car that had 210k miles and still going strong so I don't think my preventive work is at fault as eluded to by an earlier post. I typically keep a car 6-10 years and 150k or better. We've had this car since new and got 103k miles on it and until yesterday I would have sworn it was a great car. Now I feel fortunate I did as well as I did. I didn't have a clue this 2.7 engine was a total dud until I started looking for a replacement on the net. You can bet I'll never own another Chrysler product! I was seriously considering the new RWD 300 too. Now I know why the dealer wouldn't give me squat on a trade when I priced new cars last month. You can bet I'll have my name on a Class Action if nothing else, but for principle!
I have a 2.7 liter Dodge Intrepid year 2000. I bought it brand new from the Dodge Dealership. I live in North Florida. When my car reached 82,000 miles the motor seized up. I rebuilt the motor with an independent mechanic. The parts and labor was 1,500.00. The Dodge Dealership wanted 5,700.00 just for the motor. If you have the 2.7 motor the best way to clean the motor before it blows up is to run a de-greaser in the motor or I have even used kerosene and 1 quart of oil to clean out the sludge. If you want to drop the oil pan and clean the oil pump intake that would be a good idea too. Also use a straight 30 weight GTX or Rotella Shell motor oil. The mechanic said the thinner the oil the longer the engine will last. Good luck with the 2.7.
It has been my policy to replace the oil pump at 100,000 miles if I plan on keeping the vehicle. My 99 Intrepid 2.7 has 113,000 on it and it is now at my mechanics for oil pump, water pump, timing chain and hoses as part of my maintenance plan. The oil has been changed every 3000-4000 miles using either Mopar or Pennzoil. I got worried after hearing of this problem and took a look at the inside of this engine tonite. I AM 68 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN A CLEANER ENGINE. My 94 0ne ton van has 340,000 on it and is still going strong. We had sludge problems with the rocker arms on 57-59 Fords and only had a 3000 mile warranty. NO PROBLEM HERE.
OK after reading all of these comments...I'm scared to buy a Intrepid... What is the best car around that you can buy? I heard they were the best!
9th Apr 2003, 07:50 must be a Employee of Chyrsler... these engines have a poor history and a small search will show that... the problems deal in the thousands.
I have gone through the same thing and yous should know that the cost of repairing is usually higher than the worth of the car. Also if you talk with companies that rebuild this engine they will tell you that they will not put a warranty of 100,000 miles on this engine, one company told me they would put a 50,000 mile warranty on it another told me no warranty at all. Assume you spend the money to fix the car, you will only drive it for another 40,000 to 60,000 miles.
1999 Dodge Intrepid owner. I changed the oil every three months or three thousand miles, whichever came first. I have documentation to prove it. At 53,000 miles engine quit without warning on very busy highway with children on board. There is a lot of information floating around the Internet regarding the 2.7 engines, unfortunatley I have found myself looking for help in resolving my problem. I have received no assistance from Daimler/Chrysler. Currently own a Jeep Cherokee and Dodge Intrepid, was in the market for a Town and Country. I have been loyal to Dailmer, how about showing a little respect for their customers.