Problems with 1999 Dodge Intrepid ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine made loud whistling noise then started ticking . lifted up hood on car to find the valve cover had an hole in it. oil was shooting out. took car to shop ,and was told valve shot out and punctured valve cover. when this happens engine would need to be replaced. *ak

Tl*- while driving on the highway at 60 mph the contact saw the engine oil light turn on in the 1999 dodge intrepid. the contact also heard a ticking noise which came from the engine before the vehicle stalled. the contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but was not able to get it started. failure mileage was at 86,400. *ak the consumer stated exited the vehicle once the area was safe to discover the engine had seized. the consumer stated repairs exceeding $5,300. updated 08/27/07 *tr

I bought a 1999 dodge intrepid with 86140 miles. drove 14 miles and oil light came on and noise started. i pulled over, checked engine oil level, and it was full. i towed the vehicle home and there it sits. i found many concerns on the net about the dodge intrepid,1999 as a all but 1 test a.s.e technician i pulled the valve covers off and found sludge in areas. i was still wondering if there will be a recall, so i haven't done anything yet.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge intrepid. while driving at 55 mph the vehicle began to vibrate and produced a knocking noise. the contact stated that acceleration decreased and the engine stalled. the check engine light has been intermittently illuminating for approximately one year. the vehicle was brought to local mechanics on several occasions, and the vehicle was never diagnosed as having engine failure. during this time,the mechanics replaced the cam shaft and the crank shaft regulator. the mechanic stated that the engine was breaking down, and the crank shaft seal was deteriorating. the vehicle had undergone routine maintenance since the time of purchase. the failure mileage was 140,000. *ak

I heard a knocking noise. so i took it back to the place i had my oil changed at, as i was turning into the the side street a belt broke. after my car sat for three nights on the parking lot of this business, it was then towed to the shope. it was then i was informed that i was not the first person who has had sludge build upthis. engine needs to be replaced, due to sludge build up. my car is now sitting in my drive way, because i can not afford to pay 5,000 + to have my car fixed.i have no car to drive back and forth to school. now i feel so disquestedwhen i think about this car. i think chrysler should at least give me half, considering they were aware of this problem

Engine on 1999 intrepid blew out last month at 80,000 miles. oil changes and maintenance were done regularly. we are now paying $4760.00 to have another engine replaced. *ak

I purchased my 1999 dodge intrepid a 1 1/2 ago with 80,000 miles. about 3 months after purchase the cooling fans went and had to replace $400.00. then about 2 months ago the crank shaft sensor went. now the engine is gone. oil light flickering on and off, check oil level is fine. went from a tapping noise in engine to the engine sounding like its going to blow up. cant drive piece of junk and still owe 7,000.00 on it. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge intrepid. while driving 45mph, the vehicle began to hesitate. the engine warning light was illuminated. the local mechanic replaced the water pump, gaskets, oil, filters and seals. the cost to repair the vehicle was $1,000. the vehicle began to make loud noises, he lost control of the steering and he had to cross three lanes to avoid a crash and stop the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the mechanic. the contact advised the mechanic to diagnose the failure prior to starting the vehicle or making repairs; however, the mechanic started the vehicle and the engine failed. the dodge dealer replaced the engine at the contacts expense. the current and failure mileages were 91,954.

Hi, i'm someone who also has been beat up my chrysler intrepid. on wenesday feb 7, 2007 i was at an auction and saw this great looking 1999 chrysler intrepid with only 78,000 miles on it. my girl needed a good dependable car to get to work, man i didn't want another car payment, so i was very happy when i won the bid. the car ran very well, quite, 78,000 and a dodge, you could not do better than that (smile). well that's not true, my smile quickly turned into resentment after having the car only 9 days and the motor blew up. when i first got the interpid, i took it and got the oil changed the very next day, we road good for 9 days. after the motor blew i had it taken to the dodge dealership not knowing why the car had just stopped and would not start again. i'm telling myself that it couldn't be the motor, because it only had 78,000 miles on it and everyone knows an engine like that is in great shape. well i was in for a rude awakening. as the service dept took me to my car the employee told me that i should look at getting another car. i said why is that? his answer was your engine is blown and the company wont let us work on them. what! isn't dodge the maker of this car, why is it that you can't work on the car that your company made. his answer was the company just don't want us to touch them. if that isn't a dead give away on a bs engine what is, can someone please help me on what my rights or what i can do about this? *jb

i had to replace the engine on my 1999 dodge engine in 2007. the engine failed and the dealer who replaced the engine said it was due to oil sludge. i subsequently found out that the problem is due to a design problem with the car. and the 2.7 liter engine. *tr

I bought this car used in 2002. after a minor accident and repair at the body shop, the engine failed on a busy four lane road with three of us in the vehicle, one of which was our two year old son. after calling mechanics and dodge service shops, we were told that the timing chain needed replaced, and the cost would be anywhere from 1500 to 2500 dollars. we paid for and my husband replaced almost the entire top half of then engine. this has taken a very long time, as parts are expensive, and time to work on the car is limited. after finally getting the engine running, the engine again failed. this time it was on a major interstate highway while we were in the left lane. we only barely managed to pull the car off the road before being hit by the semi's on the road. after having it towed home, now the engine is shot again, and the estimated diy cost for us is more than $2000. we still owe that much on the car. *nm

I was exiting the highway on the way to my residence. as i was exiting the highway the engine began to knock loudly and in the matter seconds it seized and stopped running. nearly causing a collision on the exit ramp. fortunately myself, my girlfriend and newborn son were not injured. *nm

Tl* - the contact stated that while driving at 20 mph, she applied the brakes on her 1999 dodge intrepid, the vehicle shuttered right then lost power. the contact was able to restart the vehicle, while driving the vehicle continued to shutter and smoke started coming out of the engine. the contact took the vehicle to jiffy lube and they stated that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. the contact can provide copies of invoice repair. the failure mileage was 76000. *nm the mechanic showed the consumer where anit-freeze had mixed with the oil. updated 04/30/07. *jb

Tl* - the contact explained that the check engine light of her 1999 dodge intrepid turned on in 2002, after owning the vehicle for about 3 weeks. the contact was not able to drive over 10 mph. the contact took the vehicle to northtown dodge. the dealer replaced speed sensors on the vehicle, causing the engine light to turn off. sometime during 2004 the engine light turned on again, and the vehicle was not able to be driven over 10 mph. the contact had a personal mechanic contact the dealer and verify the need to replace the speed sensor again. the speed sensors were replaced and the vehicle was operational. in november 2006 the check engine light turned on for a third time. the contact took the vehicle to her personal mechanic, who verified that it was a speed sensor issue and replaced it. on january 10, 2007 the check engine light turned on for a fourth time, but did not loose power. the contact continued to drive to a mechanic who found no problems. the oil light turned on, as well. no loss of power was experienced at this time like in previous failures. the contact explained that once the vehicle was moving the oil light turned off, but turns on when the vehicle is at a stop. the contact took the vehicle to transitown dodge, but they asked for 100.00 to diagnose the vehicle. *nm

While driving on the highway at a speed of 55-70 mph, the check engine light came on the 99 dodge intrepid. while getting off the highway contacts vehicle began to stall shutting off completely on the side of the road while hearing a clicking sound on the engine. contact was able to restart vehicle and drove for a quarter of a mile before car shut of completely. at that point contact had vehicle towed into dealership. jrb

i would like to file a complaint about the 1999 dodge intrepid. the engine blew out at 110000, in perfect condition, i had the oil changed every 300 miles, and had recently just flushed the transmission fluid. i kept it in peak condition. one day while driving to work it made loud noises. i was close to my mechanics shop and just drove it there. as i pulled in i heard a loud pop and the mechanics confirmed that the engine blew out, and how horrible this engine was. would like to receive some type of reimbursement for this. i heard there was a class action lawsuit, which i would surely like to sign up for, any insight would be helpful. *ak

On a trip last week it started skipping and quit running on the expressway, we waited about 30 minutes and it started running again. after running about 100 miles it did it again 4 more times. *jb

Driving to have maintenance performed on my 1999 dodge intrepid. while driving down the highway, engine suddenly died. i had no braking or steering control once this happened. had the vehicle towed and was told i would need another engine. i have researched the price and it ranges from 1700 (used) to 5499 (remanufactured and installed). *nm

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge intrepid. he stated that the oil pump caused all of the components associated with it to fail. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but the failure remained. the failure initially began approximately four months ago and occurred while driving 45 mph. the current mileage is 68,000, and failure mileage was 51,000.*ak

I was on my way to work & my car started to make a clicking noise. i have always taken great care of this car! i was concerned, but i was on the highway so there wasn't a place to pull over! i was only about 20 min to town & thought i could get there to check this out. i was on a stretch of the highway that the only exit is another major highway. all of the sudden the car went from 65 mph to 0 mph. i was driving during rush hour traffic with cars speeding by me! the cars behind almost ran into me! i managed to get the car pulled over on the narrow shoulder. i was terrified to get out of my car due to all the speeding traffic and on the other side was such a narrow space between the car and the median. i called for a tow truck so i could get it to our mechanic. the mechanic shop said that the engine was dead/ locked up. it only had 81k miles on it! i have done an extreme amount of research of the 2.7l engine that chrysler put in my 1999 dodge intrepid. the engine is defective! it is the poor construction of this engine that is causing it to sludge up causing it to lock up all the sudden, leaving you with a car you can't drive! i have had an oil analysis done on my oil, several things that were found concerned them, but the one thing that is prominent is that there was moisture/ water in the oil. it is alarming that there are so many consumers that have had this exact problem, and there's no recall on this engine! due to the moisture causing it to "sludge up & die" i think if one of the cars behind me would have hit my car (like they almost did) then i could've been pushed in to traffic and seriously hurt. this was a terrifying experience. i don't want this to happen to another person. i feel that this is a severe safety issue & somebody needs to address this matter soon! i am not able to afford another engine & installation at this time (priced at about $6k+). i own a car that i can not drive. it's chrysler's fault putting this engine in, not mine. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 70 mph, an odor of smoke was noticed. when the vehicle was slowed and pulled over to the right lane, the contact saw smoke coming from under the front hood. the vehicle was pulled off the road and the engine compartment burst into flames. the contact exited the vehicle, moved to a safe distance and called 911. the police and fire department responded to the call and reports were taken by both departments. also, photographs were taken and the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence.

My 1999 dodge intrepid stopped on me on the highway. there was no indication of a problem. i was in stop and go traffic and reached over to turn on more heat. the car just died. i could not get it restarted. i had it towed to my home and had a mechanic come to the house to look the car over. his findings was the water pump was gone and the timing chain was gone. i have a 2.7 engine in my car. i called the dealership to ask the price of repair. the person on the phone knew before i said what type of engine, type car and year of my car. i told her it was a piece of junk. i have read many complaints on the internet about this engine. i will never buy another dodge product. in fact i will be buying foreign cars. i would be interested in any type of class action suit that has been filed or will be filed. *jb

The timing belt has broken and the car won't start. *jb

Dec 1, 2006 - mileage: under 78k - problem: it was time for routine tune up on my car, once i popped the hood i went directly for the oil tank/engine first thing. pcv valve needed replacing, upon taking said valve off i noticed a lot of heavy gunk or "sludge" if you will. put on brand new pcv valve kit bought from mopar and continued on with the rest of the tune-up. thinking back to all the sludge i found on the old pcv valve i began to really wonder as this amount of sludge was not normal for a car that's kept up with exactly how the owners manual dictates. upon research i found that "oil sludge" is the number one problem with the dodge intrepid 2.7l engine and possible signs and symptoms of said problem included: "heavy amounts of sludge found on pcv valves, slightly noticeable grey/blue smoke from exhaust and over all diminishing performance" all of which my car has/is showing signs of. from all that i've read and all "signs to look out for" i would have to say this engine is more then likely ready to blow if not this year then early next year. from the same amounts of complaints i've seen on this engine i really feel this should be chryslers responsibility to recall this engine as it does pose a very serious, highly dangerous threat as the motor will stop at any given moment with no warning and no immediate noticeable cause. it's not fair once this faulty engine dies that the consumer gets slapped with the repair bill! *nm

Dodge intrepid 1998 to latest model year. engine 2.7l problem engine failure due to sludge. there is a design flaw in this engine caused by the water pump. the weep (vent) hole is located between the heads in the "v" valley of the engine block. the weep hole is to alert the owner or mechanic of a early sign that the water pump is about to fail. the problem is that the weep hole is located in the engine valley and cannot be seen. any engine coolant that drains in the valley evaporates due to engine heat and time. as time goes on the front and last seal in the pump fails and coolant leaks into the engine oil causing sludge and engine failure. the weep hole should have been routed to the front of the engine so the owner mechanic can see a coolant leak. a water pump should never be in a location where it's failure could cause coolant to mix into the engine oil, this is the design flaw! this is why i feel that these engine fail with mileage of little as 30,000 miles. water pumps can fail at any time with little or no warning. in this case with the 2.7l engine there is no warning what so ever. the car i have, i purchased with a failed engine and will repair the 2.7l engine and alter the weep hole with a small copper pipe and route it so it can be seen if coolant leaks. i have photo's of the weep hole if you need them. *jb

There were events or warning signs leading up to this event. my daughter and i were driving when all of the sudden my oil pressure light came on, followed by immediate engine shut-down. we almost wreck trying to get the car off the road and stopped. we were stranded in the cold, until my mom could get there to pick us up. after i had my car towed to the shop, and the mechanic diagnosed my problem i was in tears. the mechanic informed me that my engine was blown due to build up of sludge, and yet i change the oil every 3000 miles. he told me it would have to be replaced, and that it would cost anywhere from $4000-8000 to get it back on the road. i am a single mother with a very small income from a part time job, attend college full time, and am trying to raise my 4 year old daughter by myself. there is no way that i will be able to fix this car, nor do i want to so it can do it again so that the exact same thing can happened a few thousand miles later with junk motors. i can not afford to buy a new vehicle, so my daughter and i are on foot. this infuriates me, because the money greedy people at daimler chrysler would not adhere to the repeated recommendations to recall these motors. it is unbelievable to me that they can act so recklessly and put the lives of many innocent people intentionally in harms ways by ignoring you, me, and the thousands like us. this is ridiculous and they should have to pay for our junk motors as well as some restitution for the serious financial and emotional hardships they have intentionally inflicted upon us. i will never ever buy another dodge/chrysler product nor will i allow anyone who will listen to me. i think that we should get everyone to boycott them, and plaster the links to these websites to as many people as possible. they deserve to be warned at the catastrophes that lie in their future. if we get a lawsuit please let me be one of the first to know. i wish everyone of my fellow victims the best of luck with this nightmare. *jb

On tuesday november 14, 2006 i was driving along a secondary highway when my 1999 dodge intrepid started to buck on me. it sounded like the engine was skipping and unbeknownst to me smoke came out of my exhaust when it bucked . i brought the vehicle to a local computer tune and lube for a diagnostic and they informed me that i would need a new motor in the car to the tune of 6500 dollars. i became angry and limped my car back to the dealership who told me that since i had a warranty i could get the engine fixed the engine is a 2.7 litre. i was told to bring it to a dodge dealership who proceeded to break down the engine. they informed me that they had contacted the warranty company and i should forward all maintenance receipts to the company. now earlier this year in february my car broke down and eventually they said it was the fuel pump. when they were done the checked out my fluids oil and other items and that settled that. i only put 5000 miles on the car between then and now and from what the described you would think i ran the car into the ground. i take pride in my cars and have kept a consistent record of running them for ten years. the warranty company is sending out an inspector but they are going to avoid paying as much as possible. i just bought this car last year and already it's in worse shape than any of my previous cars @ ten years. i would appreciate any advice you can give me as to a possible recourse to this dilemma. *nm

I was driving neighbor and grandson down interstate to destination 25 miles. away. approximately 20 miles into trip began to feel car pulling back as i tried to maintain highway speed of 60 mph. car stalled as i exited interstate and every time i had to stop. made it to destination and car completely shut down as i pulled in. checked oil and radiator, oil down x1qt. barely made it home, after resting car approx. 15 minutes using emergency lights the entire way home. stalled 10 times after i exited interstate. took to reputable mechanic, had to drive slow because car refused to accelerate. found out timing chain broke, estimate $1,500.00 to repair. received call 2 days later, engine shot due to piston and possible risk pin damage done to cylinders. it would cost much more money to diagnose exactly due to fact engine needed to be torn down. we bought car from individual in 2002, currently has only 93,000 miles sounds like chrysler owes many people a great deal of money! will never buy chrysler or dodge car again.*jb

There were no events leading up to this failure..it happened suddenly and without notice. my 4yr old daughter and i were driving down the road, when all of the sudden my oil pressure light came on and the engine shut down. all functions of the car were lost, i almost got into a wreck while trying to get the car to the side of the road. i had it towed to a dealer, who in return told me that my motor was trash, and that it needed to be replaced. i changed the oil every 3000 miles every time and the previous owner, whom i knew very well, took excellent care of the car as well. the mechanic told me that the pistons blew due to build up of engine sludge, and that the motor was not worth fixing, and that i should buy a rebuilt or new motor. i began to research this data on the internet when i came across your website and many more like it. i quickly became infuriated with the dodge company, as they are aware of their faulty engines, yet they continue to blame the consumer and refuse to recall these motors. my daughter and i could have been seriously injured had we been traveling much faster or been in a different location, such as train tracks near our house. this is completely absurd, dodge is aware of the problem,yet refuse to back their products. i will never ever buy another dodge or chrysler product again, and i will not let any friends, family, or anyone else reading this do so either. if you know that you are producing junk motors, shouldn't you provide your consumers with the respect to warn them of the hazardous conditions that await them. if there are deaths because of this, can you really get an honest nights rest??? i have lost all respect for dodge that i once had. i now have a car sitting in my driveway that is worthless and cannot be driven because i can't invest 4-8k into the car for the new engine needed...why bother anyway when that motor would do the exact same thing in a matter of time..because it is absolute junk. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 20 mph, there was a loud banging noise, and then the vehicle was pulled over. the vehicle was turned off and it would not restart. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop, where it was determined there was oil sludge build up and the engine needed to be replaced.

Oil sludge in the engine starved the bearings of oil. ruined the crankshaft and the rods on the engine. only 62,420 miles on the well maintained engine. *jb

The rod in the engine is knocking due to the oil return being built with 2 90 degree angles not allowing oil to get back into the engine. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the timing chain fractured and went through the engine valve. the vehicle has not been to a service dealer.

I have a 1999 dodge intrepid, everytime i come to a stop light the engine shakes, the check engine lights stays on, the oil light flickers also when at stop light. 109,000 miles. i took my car to the shop and i was told that this is the early stages of the engine blowing. cost $5000. *nm

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge intrepid. while driving on the interstate at 55-60 miles per hour, the engine shut off. the manufacturer is familiar with the 2.7l engine failure. he filed a claim with the manufacturer, it was denied and they did not give him an explanation for the denial. the failure mileage was 154,000 and the current mileage was 167,000.

I have a 1999 dodge intrepid that blew a rod at 72,000 miles with no warning. we replaced the engine for about $3,000 and two weeks ago at 102,000 miles i started to hear a rapping sound that was probably another rod, but before the engine could blow another rod something in the timing snapped, so now i am left with a lawn ornament that i can't afford to fix and i am still paying for. not to mention the various other items we have had to replace like the a/c condenser for $600.00 and the speed sensors, that was another $300.00. this car is the biggest lemon i have ever bought. *nm

Violent shaking of the vehicle. loud metal clanging type noise. sudden lack of acceleration. stalling and failure of power steering at 45 mph. i was returning home from my son's school in heavy traffic and we almost crashed into a brick wall. fortunately i was strong enough to maintain enough control of the steering wheel to somewhat safely stop the vehicle on the side of the road. *nm

2.7 liter engine failed due to oil sludge, needs new engine or rebuilt one with oil sludge problem corrected to stop from occurring again. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle began sputtering, and a small amount of smoke emanated from under the hood. the contact stopped the vehicle, and examined the engine. upon lifting the hood, another small amount of smoke was released. the contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. the vehicle was towed to a private repair shop, who determined that there was a crack in the engine block. the mechanic stated that the engine needed to be replaced.

I was driving down interstate 35 in southern mn and the engine lost power than quit. the engine seized and it had to be towed home. nothing has been done to correct the failure. *jb

Driving down the pa turnpike, 1999 dodge intrepid suddenly lost power then started knocking real bad. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65 mph on the highway, the vehicle stalled without warning. it was maneuvered off the road and towed to an independent repair shop where it was determined the engine needed to be replaced. the dealer was notified. updated 10/6/2006 - *nm

2.7 engine. *nm

I am one of hundreds who have had this 2.7 dohc give out. dailmer chrysler says that it is due to neglect but i would say with all the complaints i see on the internet that their is a severe issue that needs to be looked into. it is not just the 1999 2.7 engine their is a few years after 1999 and before 1999 that i have seen complaints about. we need your help in forcing them to do a recall on them. yes i purchased the car used but still 98000 miles and motor gives out. *nm

1999 dodge intrepid engine failure. *nm

First engine failed at 84367 miles on 03/18/03 and was covered by extended warranty. rebuilt long block was installed. second engine has now failed in september of 2006 with 154004 miles on the car. less than 70,000 miles on the second engine. timing chain has failed and is sticking through the valve cover. all of a sudden started rattling and then just died. it seems as if these engines are only good for 70-80k and they are done. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving on the toll way at 55-60 mph the vehicle started smoking. the engine suddenly stopped without warning. a puddle of oil was noticed on the pavement. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was determined there was a crack in the oil pan. after removing the oil pan the mechanic observed a rod had become detached and smashed the internal parts of the engine causing a crack in the oil pan. the engine needed to be replaced.

1999 dodge intrepid 2.7 engine...goes dead while going down the road. i have had the oil changed religiously @ 3k miles, but it just loses power & dies. i am afraid i will get hit one of these times because i am unable to get the thing off the road with no power. yesterday almost caused a serious incident. the engine died, the car lurched, i lost power but no lights ever came on. the tach needle hit zero and as i was trying to find somewhere to try & pull off while coasting, the stupid thing all of the sudden came back to life & took off. these incidents are getting more & more frequent and have been occurring about a year now. i've already had to have the water pump replaced, but i can deal with repairs...but after doing research today, i have found thousands of incidents like this are happening all over the us! is this not enough to get someone to pay attention & make dodge recall the engines before some terrible accident occurs?? *jb

Dodge intrepid 2.7l motor failed in oiling system. while driving on freeway, oil light came on. pulled over and there was tapping sound. motor has est 65,000 miles on it. towing to dealer, the dealer reported the motor is totaled and needs to be replaced. this was during our vacation, and the car is now over 1,500 miles from home. we have not resolved with the dealer how to dispose of the car. *jb

On august 18, 2006 i was driving my 1999 dodge intrepid with the 2.7 engine and it made a knocking sound under the hood and then the engine cut out. my husband towed it home and replaced sensors, plugs, air filter, and other things. the car still wuldn't start. talking to a friend who is a mechanic he informed us that more than likely our engine was blown. he said it is quite common in the 1999 intrepid's with the 2.7 engines. he said chrysler knows that there is a problem but chooses to do nothing about it. he also said that oil shops have disclaimers up stating that they are not responsible for oil sludge build-up in the 1999 intrepid's with the 2.7 engine. we were told that "if" we could get an engine it would be over $4500.00 and that they were far and few between. you can't get a rebuilt engine because you will end up the same problem. i have notified chrysler and they are "researching" the problem. i don't expect any help from them as i bought the car used but it is sad that this is the second dodge product that i have had with problems. i previously owned an 89 dodge grand caravan with the "lemon transmission." needless to say my next car will not be a chrysler product. *jb