In 2001, my husband and I thought we were getting a great car. This past month (May, 2004) we found out very differently. With only 46,000 miles on our Dodge Intrepid we lost the engine without any warning signs. I started it to take our kids to school and heard a noise under the hood. I drove it 2 miles to the school and 2 back home. My husband then came out and listened to it and drove it straight to the dealership where we bought it. We were first told it was the tensioner that was stuck and making the noise. Later that day we got a call stating our engine was totally scored in side due to oil sludge at the ports. We also changed the oil on time and sometimes even before it was due to be changed. We were told by the mechanic who worked on it that it was really nothing we did to cause this problem. Getting Daimler Chrysler to admit to that was a whole different story! They admitted to nothing being wrong with the 2.7 engine. The district manager of my area did offer to pay 60% of the cost for a re-manufactured engine. It is still going to cost me $2,200 to replace it and and I still owe almost $8,000 on the car. As far as we are concerned Daimler Chrysler should eat the entire cost of the replacement since it is a defect in their engine. I find it almost funny that the 2.7 engine is one of the most highly sought after engine at this time due to the number of replacements needed and Daimler Chrysler is still saying it is not a problem engine. My husband is in law enforcement and has found out that the Dodge Intrepid is the #1 stolen car in Detroit right now for just the engine. I have found a website called Bigclassaction. com where you can register a complaint with them. I highly recommend everyone with this problem do so. I was even told by one mechanic that the 2.7 engine had been dubbed "the throw away engine".
Please go to Bigclassaction. com and register with them.
Against a hugh corporation like Daimler Chrysler, by ourselves we are small, but joined together we can be just as big as they are!
If you'd like, you can send an email to lpiche@shaperoroloff.com. Linda is a lawyer considering a class action suit against Chrysler regarding the 2.7L engine. I too have put thousands into engine repairs as described in your commentary.