Problems with 2000 Dodge Intrepid ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 70 mph, the contact heard a knocking sound coming from the engine. suddenly, the vehicle stopped in the middle of the highway. he took the vehicle to a mechanic, but the cause of the failure could not be diagnosed. the mechanic could not determine if the failure originated from the top or bottom of the engine. the current and failure mileages were 136,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 60 mph, the vehicle began to vibrate, stall, and the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. when the contact attempted to pull to the side of the road, the vehicle suddenly shut off and could not be restarted until thirty minutes later. prior to the failure, the contact noticed that the oil light would illuminate periodically. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 152,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 50 mph, the contact heard a banging sound coming from the engine and the vehicle began to lose power. the vehicle did not shut off during the failure. prior to the failure, she noticed that the vehicle would lose power while beiing driven. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed for complete engine failure. the current and failure mileages were 63,000.

I have a dodge intrepid 2000 i have a loud motor knock, with no warning of engine light coming on at all. i was taking it down the street to the repair shop and it just died, no it will not start. i am told the engine is shot, that the timing chain tensioner failed, which caused it to knock while driving it. the dealer said the engine problem is not covered under warranty because of oil sludge build up. i only have 110,000 miles on this car, and it is already the 2nd motor that chrysler replaced. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. the contact stated that there were issues with her vehicle involving the engine motor. the timing chain tensioner failed, which caused the engine to knock while driving 40 mph. she consulted the dealer and they stated that the engine in that particular motor was the worst motor ever produced by the manufacturer. the contact took the vehicle to a mechanic and was informed that the parts alone would cost $400 in order to complete the repair. the current and failure mileages were approximately 116,000.

My car engine on a 2000 dodge intrepid 2.7 engine blew a motor. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 40 mph, the motor began making a knocking noise. within minutes, the motor completely failed. the contact managed to restart the vehicle and pulled over at a gas station. he checked the oil in the vehicle and noticed that it barely had any oil. he added oil to the vehicle, hoping it would correct the failure, which it did for 3 or 4 miles. the contact then had to pull over once again for the motor noises. the vehicle was towed to a shop and the mechanic stated that the motor was shot due to a spun main bearing. the vehicle is currently at the dealer from where it was purchased and has not been repaired. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 60,000.

Traveling down i-77 south going through west virginia i smelled burning oil the car lost power then shut off completely pulled off the highway and tried to restart but all it did was click. *tr

Had mild tapping sound from engine a few months ago, took vehicle to the mechanic and that is where i learned the reputation of the 2.7 liter engine. he advised that we should look for another vehicle before we became the latest victim. unfortunately, on the way home from work one afternoon the engine started developing an even more pronounced clattering, knock and vibration; as if it were about to tear itself apart. pulled over to avoid subjecting engine to even more damage. had to have it towed home. will not spend another dollar on this vehicle until chrysler hands me a check from a lawsuit settlement. *tr

Engine and transmission and a/c failure of dodge intrepids. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving between 60-65 mph, the ignition light illuminated and the vehicle shut off. the vehicle restarted in approximately half an hour to forty minutes, which allowed him to continue onto his destination. the dealer stated that the motor dropped due to sludge. the previous day, the ignition light illuminated. the failure mileage was 102,000. updated 09/10/08 *bf updated 09/19/08. *jb

I own a 2000 dodge intrepid and have had the oil sending unit pressure switch and a few other things replaced on my vehicle and yet the oil light still comes on in my vehicle and i can't keep affording to take it in to a shop and i maintain the oil changes before the 3000 miles if not exactly on the 3000 miles. i would really like to find out if they have any kind of recall on this type of situation. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. the engine failed while turning into a parking lot. the contact coasted the vehicle into a parking space and pushed it the rest of the way. when he restarted the vehicle twenty minutes later, he heard a knocking sound coming from the engine. he shut off the vehicle and later had it towed to the chrysler dealer. the engine was replaced 9,000 miles prior to this recent failure. the dealer stated that there was no oil in the engine and, as a result, the failure was not covered under warranty. the contact called the manufacturer's costumer service hotline and they stated that they would have the dealer diagnose the failure again. he is still awaiting their response. the contact discovered thousands of complaints on other websites related to this engine failure. the speed was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 87,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving between 65-70 mph, the contact's son noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. he attempted to pull over, but the brakes malfunctioned and would not stop properly. the contact was forced to coast to a stop. he exited the vehicle and notified the police. flames began to appear from under the engine and hood. the police and fire departments arrived, stabilized the fire, and towed the vehicle. the insurance company then towed the vehicle to their salvage yard to investigate. the contact has still not heard back from the insurance company. a police report was filed. the current and failure mileages were 130,400.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 60 mph, the contact noticed smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. he depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle would not stop. he was forced to coast to a stop. the contact exited the vehicle and noticed flames underneath the hood and the undercarriage of the vehicle. prior to the failure, the contact noticed that the vehicle overheated occasionally. the fire department arrived to extinguish the fire and the vehicle was towed to a storage area. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. updated 09/15/08 *bf updated 09/18/08. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 55 mph, the engine failed and the vehicle lost power and steering ability. the vehicle would not restart. the contact was able to coast to the side of the road. there were no warning indicators prior to the failure. the vehicle will have to be towed. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 82,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. the contact stated that while attempting to make a left hand turn the engine stalled. she had the vehicle towed to a local mechanic. the mechanic informed the contact that there was a build up of sludge in the engine. she then contacted the dealer and they were unable to provide any assistance because the vehicle is no longer under warranty. the vehicle has not been repaired as of current date. the failure and current mileage was 103780. (sc) updated 07/29/08. *lj updated 08/06/08

2000 intrepid 2.7l engine started with frequent oil loss starting at 1.5l between oil changes and ending at nearly 6l between oil changes. no signs of burning, or leaking, and no oil was found in the coolant. then a noise could be heard in the engine a, rattling noise, engine quit before noise could be diagnosed. a few weeks later it was discovered that the cam sensor was out, replaced it car run. the noise persisted and was diagnosed as the crank bearing was shot. the engine failed critically shortly after. 1998 concord, purchased to replace intrepid, engine already failed and was replaced with a new engine from chrysler by the time i bought it the new engine had roughly 85 000 km on it. this concord has a complete service history through our local mechanic since day of purchase in 1998. the previous owner kept up to date on all oil changes up and until i received the vehicle. i have been driving the vehicle for about 1 or 2 months and recently had its oil changed at the 6000km mark. only a day or 2 ago the car on start up has been making a rattle noise for about 2 sec then stops. that means i have between 2 cars seen 2 2.7l catastrophic failures and am probably going to see a third. one i could admit to maybe being my fault in some way, 2 is defiantly stretching it, 3.... there is a problem and its not the fault of the consumer, something needs to be done. chrysler needs to resolve this issue for all impacted customers. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 35 mph, the engine hesitated, but did not stall. the contact pulled over and the vehicle stalled. she had to make several attempts in order to restart the vehicle. once it was started, she could not drive far because the vehicle stalled once more. the vehicle was unable to be restarted and was towed to her residence. a mechanic stated that the failure was common with that vehicle, but it has yet to be inspected by a mechanic or dealer. the vehicle is currently at the contact's home and has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 117,000.

the check engine light sensor was replaced at 29709 miles. at 31900 miles the oil light sensor was replaced. both said to be faulty. on fri eve mar 14, 2008 with 39,250 mileage & with no warning, the engine began making a terrible clanking noise. the oil cap was full of sludge. i had the timing chain tensioner replaced. the tensioner failed after 11 days. my mechanic, per chrysler, put in 2 additives to make the tensioner work properly. only days later the engine seized. i had the car towed to the dealership where they determined the engine had to be replaced. it would cost me $5400. chrysler was "kind enough" to offer me a new engine for $3500. i was able to prove with receipts that the oil & filter had been changed 5 times in less than 10,000 miles. i do not have the money to have this car fixed. when i spoke to carol, a rep at the chrysler corp, trying to make her understand my frustration about this issue, she had the audacity to tell me that i "needed to take responsibility for the problems in my own life." this problem was not something i brought on myself. incidentally, if the car had to have both the "check engine" light & the "oil sensor" light replaced, why did neither give me any warning of a problem? *tr

Purchased car last week (april of 08'). on my way home ( 100mi drive) from picking up car the motor started knocking then locked up in the middle of the interstate. had to have car towed back to my dads house and are now trying to sale the car we just bought. it will be hard to sale a car with a locked up motor. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 30 mph, the vehicle shut off. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic shop and they stated that the failure was caused by antifreeze mixing with engine oil. no repairs have been made to the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 100,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 60 mph, the engine failed and the contact pulled the vehicle off the road. the vehicle was towed to his residence. the contact experienced issues with the check engine light prior to the failure. a mechanic stated that a new engine was needed, which would cost approximately $2,000. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 100,000 and failure mileage was 90,000.

Dodge intrepid oil sludge and timing chain. *tr

Initially my 2000 dodge intrepid began making a clanking noise under the hood as i was driving about 30mph. i have always maintained regular oil changes of 3000 miles or less, but when i checked the oil, it was about a quart low (which it had not ever been low before.) when i opened the crankcase to add oil, the cap was full of sludge. i took the car in to have the engine flushed with oil, replaced the oil and filter, and also had lucas added to the engine. the noise continued. i then took the car to my mechanic. it was determined that the timing belt tensioner had to be replaced. all parts were ordered directly from chrysler. less than 125 miles later, the noise began again. i took the car back to my mechanic. he contacted chrysler, then, per chrysler, added two separate additives to the crankcase. this was supposed to make the tensioner work properly. however, the noise continued to get worse in the few days that followed. (i was told to drive the car to see if these additives would work.) the engine stopped without warning. i had the car towed to my mechanic. he eventually was able to determine that the engine failed due to low oil pressure. after notifying chrysler, i had to have the car towed to the local dealership for a diagnostics. the dealership said that the rod bearings were bad and the engine has to be replaced. the dealership says it will be $5400 for a new engine. i do not have the money to get this fixed. i have already spent $1300 on the engine plus the cost of two tows. i still owe on this car and cannot use it. the car only has 39k miles on this original engine. i will never drive, rent, or own another dodge or chrysler vehicle again because i truly believe that chrysler knows that they have a serious problem with these engines and have no integrity to make it right. *tr

Dodge 2.7l timing chain broke due to engine oil sludge. 87,000 miles on the car with regular oil changes. unfortunately with this engine it doesn't matter how often you change the oil. it's going to blow on you anyway. if this has happened to you contact impartial services group (isg) at (866) 332-3746. apparently they will work with chrysler corp to get you a settlement out of court. i am in the process now and hope to get about $1800 out of them. it's still far short of the $3000 for a new engine. also, i have learned that the 2.7 can be replaced with the 3.2 which my mechanic is looking into. if you put the 2.7 back in it will just happen again because it is a design defect with the engine. for more information see here http://www.dodgechryslerengineproblems.com/. *tr

I was driving to work, low oil pressure light came on. car stopped working had and extended warranty, took it to a mechanic. mechanic found that the timing chain had broke causing the motor to go out. per tech sludge cause the timing chain and motor to go out. not covered under warranty due to lack of maintenance. have only had car less than 4 months. i know their is alot of class act lawsuits on dodge intrepid for motor failing. pls help!! per tech stated that their was lots of sludge in the car. i have read all the complaints on this car and they all state about the same failures. sludge making motors and timing chains go bad. *tr

My daughter owns a 2000 dodge intrepid with the 2.7l engine. it was acting up on her and on her way to the dealer it stopped running. after their mechanics worked for two hours just to get it into the shop they said the engine was seized and she would need a new one. *tr

There have been several problems with my 2000 intrepid 2.7l. i have had to replace all the door lock motors at different times, starting all the way back from 1/8/04 and the final one was just this month (february.) i was having an issue with the car stalling out while i was driving it. some times it would start back up while it was still coasting, other times it would take a long time before it would start again, leaving me sitting on the side of the road. when hooked up to a diagnostic machine it would not show what caused the malfunction. my mechanic had to change random censors until we found the correct one. which turned out to be the crank sensor. this problem was occurring around february/march of 2007, with only 60,121 mileage when the first one was replaced. then this past wednesday, 2/27/08, the engine started to make a knocking sound. we thought maybe it was due to the extremely cold weather we were having. it did not due it after the car was heated up. when i was driving home from picking up my kids today, friday 2/29/08, the engine started knocking very loudly and lost power. i did make it to my driveway but just barely. i still owe quite a bit for the car and now i don't have anything to drive and can't even trade the vehicle in. after searching the internet to try to find a replacement engine i have found that this is a very common thing with this engine. i have 73,945 miles on the car. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 45 mph, the contact attempted to bear to the right and the vehicle suddenly shut off. the contact was unable to restart the vehicle. there were no warning lights illuminated prior to the failure. the dealer has not diagnosed the failure. the current and failure mileages were 145,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. the contact attempted to start his vehicle, but was unsuccessful. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic and the diagnosis was engine failure. the current and failure mileages were 90,000.

I have a 2000 dodge intrepid and i bought it from extreme dodge in jackson mi in 2001. in june 2005 i was driving and it started make this awful noise so i pulled of into a parking lot and turned it off called my husband and when he got there the car wouldn't start so we had the car towed home and had our mechanic come over to check it out and he told us the timing chain when out. so we bought the parts and had him take care of it. then i drove it for about 6 months and it happened again so this time we took it to the dealer and had them fix it this time. again drove it for about 18 months and now it is broke down again same thing. i cant afford to keep putting timing chains in this car every 8 to 10 months at 1,800 to 2,300 dollars a pop. and i hear so many people say how bad the interepids are known for this problems. well i wish i would have know this before i bought the car because i never would have bought it. *tr

I bought my 2000 dodge intrepid in october of 2000. within 2 years i had the inner tie rods and weather stripping/door trim replaced. whenever i would take my car in for an oil change every 3000 miles, the mechanic would notify me of sludge build up. now the engine is gone. beyond repair with only 94,000 mile left on the car. this was just after i paid to replace an evaporator coil that was leaking and the inner tie rods for the second time. i also paid over $200 to replace the weather stripping for the second time. i have replaced a radiator that was leaking and a shift cable that had seized up preventing my car from shifting into gear. i figure those were due to normal wear and tear but the engine is what really blows my mind with such low miles and regular maintanence. please help. *tr

Engine failure. *tr

While driving the 2000 dodge intrepid, it shut down, failed to start and had to get to the side of the road and call for assistance. *tr

I own a 2000 dodge intrepid that has 57,000 miles on it. i left work at 12pm on 1/4/08 to run an errand. i pulled into the parking space and my car was clanking under the hood. i shut the car off, ran in to complete my errand, came back out to my car and it would not turn over. i had my car towed to the mechanic and was 45 minutes late back to work. the mechanic ran extensive diagnostic tests and the conclusion was engine sludge. the mechanic stated "this is the worst engine i have ever seen". the mechanic had me come to the chop to visually see the sludge. i was shocked at the sight of sludge buildup. after extensive research, this is a known issue with the chrysler/dodge 2.7 engine and there are thousands of complaints on the internet for the same exact problem. dodge refuses to admit to a manufacture defect and refuses to fix or assist in the replacement of an engine. *tr

Knocking in engine. crank bearings damaged. replaced. 40k mi later clanking in engine. hydraulic timing chain tensioner failure.-both failures due to poor engine oil circulation and sludge. *tr

Purchased a 2000 dodge intrepid new from dealer. take amazing great care of my car and have records to prove that. just hit 59,000. miles and my motor blew up. im now looking at spending $4000. to replace motor or purchase a new car. listening to all the problems with these motors that are well documented i have decided to purchase a new car a honda. i will never again buy american made. how can they be let to get away with this. every consumer should be compensated for there lose. we all do the right thing, pay our taxes, our monthly car payments with high interest rates, but when it comes to crappy products we just have to eat it. that's why there people out there trying to beat the system. i say then go for it. i want $3500.00 for my useless car. that's what my book value is. i also want $3500.00 i have to spend for the down payment for my new car and two weeks of begging family and friends for rides, and all the stress related to this mess. someone needs to take responsibility for these poorly made motors. they know there crap and there aloud to get away with it. *tr

Sludge engine failure. *tr

My 2000 dodge intrepid 2.7l dohc engine needs to be replaced. i heard a noise that could be described as a "diesel engine" sound while my car was idling and running at lower speeds. i had several friends listen to it and they could not diagnose the problem without getting "inside the engine". i planned on taking my car to the shop the next day, and while my car was parked and in idle, the car died. when trying to restart it, it would run for 5 to 10 seconds and then die again. i had the car towed to a repair shop and the mechanic spent three hours diagnosing the problem and creating an estimate. the bill was $280.00 including the tow and labor. the mechanic indicated that the timing chain broke and subsequently cracked the valve cover and damaged the valves, among other components. the estimate to replace my engine is $4500.00 including parts and labor. i had approximately 70,000 miles on my intrepid. upon researching this issue on the internet, i found that many other vehicle owners with this same engine came into the same problem, most losing their engine between 30,000 and 70,000 miles. i have not had the work done to my car yet, due to the outrageous cost, and i have to decide now if it is worth it to repair it myself or just purchase another vehicle. something should be done about this if many other people have had the same problem. *tr

At 81,000 miles, the vehicle timing chain broke on highway causing it to lose all power, including power steering, and making it difficult to safely pull over. the owner's manual says to replace the timing chain at 100,000 miles. and the oil has been changed every 3,000 miles. according to my mechanic it is definitely a defect of the engine as he noted evidence of sludge build-up. *tr

I was driving home, stopped at a light, the car hesitated and knocked then went. i drove a little further and it began knocking and loosing power. i was traveling up a hill with no shoulder. pulled over in a safe location and called for help. i had the car towed to graphs automotive. they informed me the engine blew due to the #4 piston. i towed the car back home. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 40 mph the vehicle began loosing power and slowing down. the contact was able to safely maneuver the vehicle to the emergency lane. no warnings lights illuminated when the failure occurred. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was determined that the motor failed and the repair cost would be $7,000. no repairs have been made. the manufacturer informed the contact to take the vehicle a different dealer to be inspected. the failure mileage was 78,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 55 mph, the vehicle began making a loud noise. the contact drove directly to her mechanic, who stated that there was sludge in the cylinder and the entire bottom half of the engine. additionally, the timing chain was stretched and failed. the powertrain was unknown. the current mileage was 32,114 and failure mileage was 32,110.

Car was exiting highway and while on exit ramp a popping sound was heard in the engine compartment. car was immediately pulled over on the side of the ramp and engine was turned off. the car was towed to a repair garage. the mechanic stated that one cylinder had no compression and the top of the engine was disassembled. the mechanic found that the piston was detached/broken from the crankshaft and would require a major engine overhaul or engine replacement. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving at an unknown speed, the engine sputtered. the contact drove to a gas station and turned off the vehicle. when she attempted to restart it, there was no power. the vehicle was towed to a dodge dealer. the dealer would not provide her with a rental vehicle to drive while they had her vehicle. the transmission type was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 73,000.

My 2.7 v-6 engine in my dodge intrepid blew up because of a timing chain failure do to sludge in the motor due to a engine design defect. the car was well maintained. all service records are available for review. i was left stranded on the road at night in a bad neighborhood. *tr

While driving my 2000 dodge intrepid to work on a busy interstate, i noticed a loud knocking noise coming from the engine and the accelerator not responding properly. the engine then started bucking and racing while i tried to wrestle it to the next exit. the car got as far as the end of the exit ramp before it stopped running and would not restart. the vehicle was then towed to a local repair shop. later that day, i was informed by the owner of the shop that the timing chain broke, resulting in bent valves and the engine needing replacement at a cost of approximately $4000!! i just finished paying off the vehicle in september. with only 69,000 miles and the manufacturers routine maintenance schedules adhered to, this vehicle's engine should not have failed this early in the game. *tr

Engine blew up. *tr

We bought a 2000 dodge intrepid, used, has 112k miles on it. engine is ticking, about to blow a rod. my husband is a mechanic, he did some research on the engine and found the problem to be sludge build up. jumped online and found tons of issues with these 2.7l engines. i've emailed, called, written letters to chrysler / dodge and have had no luck obtaining a response back from them. i think it's ridiculous that they created a disposable car. according to the previous owners, the engine began having heating problems, then the noise began around 95k, the parked the car and put it up for sale. that's when we bought it. we had planned on fixing it and then having another family vehicle. now that we realize we'll have to sink about $2,000 or more into it, we're not happy. *tr