Problems with 2000 Dodge Intrepid ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

On 3/17/04 we had our 2000 dodge intrepid (mileage 45700 )2.7 liter engine repaired at iron river chrysler, inc.. they removed & replaced the timing chain tensioner reinstalled intake manifold & valve cover. i paid $703.91 for repairs. on 10/31/04 ( with 55260 miles) the chain tensioner failed again. iron river chrysler fixed it and this time it was covered under warranty . on 12/21/05 the car would not start and was towed to a different station. they told us it was the timing chain again. they called us a day later and told us the bolt that held the timing chain backed out and there was no loctite on the threads. when the bolt backed out the timing chain let loose and caused extensive damage to the valves and heads. we then went back to iron river chrysler and told them about the car. they told us there are issues about the 2.7 liter engine which is in our car and that the timing chain was no longer under the 12,000 - 12 month warranty. i feel that this problem was due to the cause of negligence of iron river chrysler garage. *jb

Events leading up to the failure included flickering oil light, loud knocking from the engine. the consequences of the failure resulted in complete destruction of the engine. my mechanic advised that the only remedy would be to replace the whole engine. i traded the car in at a severe financial loss. *nm

Dt: the contact had the oil changed, and less than a week later she heard a knocking in the engine. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop, and the mechanic determined that the oil change caused sludge from the oil pan to get into the engine. this caused the engine to blow out. the vehicle needed a new engine. no repairs have been made due to the expense. *ak

I purchased my 2000 dodge intrepid in late 2005, had it two months and the car quit while driving on interstate highway. i immediately had it towed to a mechanic, they had it from before christmas until this month(june). they were rebuilding the engine, couldn't get it to stay in time, etc. we have now had to tow it to another mechanic and he looked at it and said he couldn't fix it. i have made seven payments without being able to drive it. i am disabled and it is a hassle when i need to go to the doctor and i have to see if i can get a ride. *jb

2000 dodge intrepid 2.7 liter engine failed twice (two engines) due to lack of oil even though there was oil in the crankcase. a dodge service manager told me their is a design problem were sludge can restrict the oil flow back to the crankcase. both occurrences were at 85 mph. *jb

I have had a problem with sludge build up in the oil since i bought the car. i have had the engine flushed, had regular oil changes with premium oil and maintenance with no avail. on december 15, 2005 my engine locked up on me while driving almost causing me to have an accident. now i must pay $5000 for a rebuilt motor on a car that only had 111,000 miles on it. *jb

Engine is bad. loud knocking. originally thought it was main seal that went out but upon further investigation and several mechanics, the engine is gone. second thought was the oil pump went bad, no luck there either. no known reason for engine to go out and no warning signs. no "check engine" lights or anything else. car has less than 52,500 miles. up to this i never had any problems with the vehicle, other than the weather stripping around all four doors keep coming off, even after it was replaced at dealership. *nm

Dt: the contact stated while driving heard a clanking noise underneath the hood. he immediately drove the vehicle to the service dealership for inspection. the service dealer determined that the timing chain stretched and released metal shavings into the engine, resulting in a complete engine failure. the engine was disassembled to estimate the damages. the final diagnosis concluded that the engine would have to be replaced. no repairs have been performed. *ak

Dt: the contact stated engine locked while driving. he had the vehicle towed to the dealership. they dropped the oil pan and found the oil was sludge, and there were metal shavings from the bearings. they stated the problem was due to improper maintenance, although they were at the service center, where maintenance was performed. the vehicle needed a new engine, and no repairs were made due to the expense. *ak

I own a 2000 dodge intrepid with a 2.7l engine. i was driving down the highway when the oil pressure symbol popped on . the engine started to make a knocking and pinging sound that got worse as i went down the road. the motor finally stop running so i pulled on side the road. i tried to restart it but it would not turn over. i had to have it pulled to the house . i had made it a habit to change the oil every 3,000 miles and to make sure the oil level was full every time i left the house. i don't know of anything that i did or didn't do that would have cause the motor to seize up. i do know that there are a lot of complains about the 2.7l engine and that it is not a very dependable motor that will quit and seize up for no reason t all. i believe that this motor should be recalled and that the consumers should be compensated with a new or rebuilt 3.2l or 3.5l engine to replace the 2.7l engines in these vehicles. *nm

I own a 2000 dodge intrepid 2.7 engine that has failed at 76,000 miles after searching the internet, i have noticed there are a lot of 2.7 engine owners that have failed as well. please help and lets stop chrysler from ripping the general public off by selling an engine that is not reliable. thanks for any help, even the chrysler dealership tells me that the 2.7 engine is junk and was junk when it was new. *jb

Dt: the contact stated the engine stalled intermittently. this was an ongoing problem. the vehicle was taken into the dealership multiple times. they have been unable to duplicate the problem. *ak

I was driving on the freeway at a speed of 60 mph when the engine on my dodge intrepid 2000 2.7l failed. i had to stop on the freeway with heavy traffic, a dangeruos situation because there was not much space to stay on the side of road. my life was at risk staying on the freeway and waiting for towing. *nm

I was on my way home, after work 6:30pm when my engine star sounding funny (tapping noise) then a loud noise, and the car stop, i'm not a mechanic so all i did was call a toll truck, and bring the car to the shop, the next day i got a call from the shop, they told me that the timing chain was broken and the valves bend, (i need a new engine) i was told that with labor and parts it'll be around $4500.00 dls. i pull the car out of the shop and bring this to my garage, where is been sitting for the last 2 weeks. *nm

Dt: the contact heard a ticking noise coming from the lower end of the engine. approximately a week ago the contact's son told him the oil light was flickering on and off. when he changed the oil he found a metallic shimmer in the oil with larger flakes of metal. the vehicle has been routinely maintained. the vehicle has not been inspected by the dealer to determine the problem. *ak

My car suddenly began to stall. i drove it to the dealer today. it stalled several times on a busy road on the way to the dealer. luckily, the car was followed by someone who was giving me a ride home. the dealer told me that my car, a 2000 dodge intrepid, had an engine full of sludge and needed to be replaced for $7300. chrysler will only help if i can provide proof of oil changes every 3000 miles. i did change the oil regularly but often had it done here at home and have no such proof. this stalling was dangerous and could have resulted in an accident. *nm

I bought a new 2000 dodge intrepid for 22k, nice car but pc of crap engine. i was aware of the 2.7l piece of crap engine one before my engine died.. i check/change the oil regularly around 2800-3000 miles... dodge denies consumers do this though.. for the last year or so, every 1500 miles i was always down a quart of oil...? no leaks, can't see any smoke.. my engine sensor light came on. within the next few days my car was acting like i had no oil in it.. no power with engine. i was on the highway right next to a dodge dealer which was convenient. they had diagnosed that my crank and cam sensor were "no good".. and replaced them for $400.. a month later i was coming home from work and my oil light came on...? i pulled over into a parking lot to check the oil.. i was only down maybe a pint. the next morning i checked/added the oil and went to work. i never made it to work. about 1/4 mile from work the engine sounded like i was out of oil?? i brought to the repair shop near work. they said it was internal and would touch it after draining some oil and saw metal flakes... i spoke with my mechanic and he told me all about the lovely 2.7 engines.. i went on the internet and have read horror stories about this engine, as well as dodge dealers would do nothing for the consumer. i've been telling everyone i see with a dodge 2.7 to get rid of it fast. and never to buy a "dodge/chrsyler" product until they recall and replace this engine.. *jb

I bought my 2000 dodge intrepid in very good condition. had all fluids changed on a regular basis. started noticing bluish/gray smoke. took vehicle to repair shop for diagnosis. was unable to determine cause of problems. was driving the car and had complete engine failure. good thing i live in a small town, some one could have been seriously hurt! i had no idea this motor was this poorly engineered. also know first hand of three other cases with this motor right here in my hometown. sadly, i am unable to make the engine replacement at this time because i am still making payments on the vehicle. *jb

Engine made noise. took to dealer who stated the car needed a new engine. the car has 85,000 mile, used by experienced drivers. serviced fairly regularly approximately every 4000 to 5000 miles. dealer says car has lot of sludge. we fail to understand why a serviced car should have lot of sludge. was the service done properly? is the intrepid designed badly?*jb

2000 dodge intrepid engine failure twice. replaced engine at less than 50, 000 miles with another dodge engine. it failed at 118,000 same problem. *jb

I do not have the date of my very first incident. i was sitting at a stop light and the engine cut off. it started up with no problem so i continued my errands. at my next stop, when i came out to leave, the car would not start. i had to call for roadside assistance thru my insurance company. the person was able to start my car. on the night of october 29th at about 9 pm my daughter and i were both in the car when all of a sudden the rpm guage went to zero and the engine quit right in the middle of the road. the power stearing went out but i was able to get us to the side of the road before being hit by another car. i tried at least eight times to start the car without success. so we sat there hoping we would not be side swiped by the cars coming up behind us. i tried to start the car one more time before i called for roadside assistance and the car started. we went down the road and turned around to head back home. about a mile from our home the engine died again. i just thank god that again i was able to get us over to the side of the road without being hit by another car. this time the engine started on the third or fouth try and we were able to make it home without incident. the car has been parked every since. i plan to take it into the local dealer for service on 11/04/05 and was doing research online about the problem i was having with the car and discovered a website that described my incident exactly. now i know it is an engine problem.

I am the owner of a 2000 dodge intrepid (2.7 model) while on my way to work my car began to make a strange ticking noise that grew louder i stop at a four way intersection to find out where the noise was coming from and that is when my car cut off and would not start back up and had to be towed to the dealership where the service manager after checking told me that my car slung a rod so to speak and would need a new engine an that a replacement would cost 4900 i am highly upset because i am still making payments on what i thought would be a decent american made car instead i am stuck with a piece of junk that still has not been fixed i will never buy another dodge or chrysler again. *jb

2000 dodge intrepid low oil warning light on even after engine flushing and numerous oil changes. *nm

dt: the contact stated that vehicle was making a ratcheting sound. there were no warning lights illuminating, indicating that there was a problem with the vehicle. upon inspection, a local mechanic found there was massive sludge build-up in the engine. the mechanic replaced the timing chain, timing chain cover, and the oil pan. the engine may have to be replaced, but at this time they were going to try to repair the vehicle. there has been routine maintenance performed on the vehicle.*ak updated 1/11/2006. the replacement parts did not resolve the problem and the engine had to be replaced. *nm

One morning in mid oct 05 after dropping my daughter off for school,the car was running fine. on the return trip home, the car engine just died. with no warning, no noise, no smoke and no engine lights. after making many attempts to restart engine, all fell. left with no other choice i had the car towed to a local mechanic shop. later to find out that the engine was blown. information from mechanic, it is a known condition with the 2.7 liter engine which i have. as of today, no action has been taking to correct the failure. the cost for repairs will run from 8.000 to 11.000. the engine has less than 40,000 miles. *nm

Engine seized. *jb

I was driving the car on a busy highway when the engine started to make a knocking noise. it stalled 2 times and then just died. i am disabled, a single mother of 2 and the car became uncontrollable for me to get it off to the side. we drifted down the road till we stopped at a better location. i called for a tow truck and help to get me and my 2 sons home. the car was towed to brown daub dodge where it was purchased new. they said the engine failed and it would cost anywhere from 5,000 to 8,000 to repair. they blamed it on maintenance. the car had been very well maintained. the service manager told me you had to use a special oil (5w30) instead of 10w30 because of problems with the 2.7l engines. i checked my records and during the warranty period i took the car to them every 3,000 miles and they were using 10w30 . the repair shop where i took my car to after the warranty was over was using 5w30 the correct oil. i am living on social security disability benefits to support myself and my 2 sons. i have no means of coming up with this money and should not have too. chrysler should be held accountable for the notorious engine/transmission failures in these cars. i have a friend who use to work for chrysler and said he couldn't work for a company where the were told to "say nothing" but what the told him to tell people in these situations. this could have been a potentially deadly accident for us. brown daub will accept no liability for using the wrong oil and i contacted chrysler and they won't do anything either. i am know under the emotional stress of being stranded without a car and have to rely on whatever help i can find to get myself to my doctor appts. to follow up on my disability and get my children where they need to be. *nm

2000 dodge intrepid engine failure - 82,000 miles. *nm

Traveling down the highway at 55 mph and car started missing and just died as we were going down the road. we barely managed to get it off of the highway. *jb

I have a 200o dodge intrepid. i am a maintenance freak, oil is always changed. on 10/10/05 i was driving my car and i started seeing the oil light flicker, i pulled over and the engine sounded terrible. oil was full. i proceeded to the closest mechanic and they told me the engine would blow soon and there was no fixing it, it would have to be replaced he would not work on the car so i asked him if it would hurt to drive, he said no, it was terminal engine failure. so i proceeded to dodge, where 5 miles later it blew. i never had any more than 8 miles of notification from the light on the dash. i bought another engine. 2100.00 later it runs, but they say this engine in horrible. i tried to trade it and they wouldn't even give me 1300.00, less than what i owe on the car. *nm

2000 dodge intrepid with 60,000 miles started knocking, then changed oil (had run synthetic life of car) and it was sludge. then, a few weeks later car died and showed oil light when off; making loud rod knocking noise. cannot drive. needs $5,000 engine, and still owe chrysler for 3 years. *jb

Timing chain of 2000 chrysler intrepid broke while traviling at highway speed on m84 between saginaw and bay city. *nm

Car engine locked up while driving my car, at 55 mph. i was very lucky that i had no traffic behind me. i came to a complete stop at the side of the road and had my car towed to a local garage. and i was told that the engine of my intrepid is dead. the problem is sludge build up in the engine. i just replaced this engine 1 year ago and only use synthetic oil. this engine only has 30k miles on it. *nm

2000 dodge intrepid 2.7l engine failure......2nd time. *jb

Dt: the contact stated the timing chain tensioner was replaced three times. it was replaced 500 miles ago, and is currently working correctly. *ak updated 12/27/2005 - each time it failed it caused the engine to seize and result in loss of power steering and power brakes. the timing chain has been replaced at 64306 miles, 72687 miles and 80982 miles. *nm

Dt: the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. purchased vehicle with 50, 000 miles on it. the next day drove car and felt vibration in front end. thought it may be tires. consumer had the tires balanced and that did not fix the problem. then, the oil light came on. the pressure gauge came on during idling. took vehicle back to dealership and they replaced the oil pressure gauge. but, problem still not fixed. the transmission acted funny , when applying brakes vehicle would not slow down , it was like it was still in gear .the steering made noises when turning it to the right or left, a clanking noise . the rear suspension clanked every time hitting a bump. the engine had a high pitched wining. this happened as soon as vehicle was purchased.*ak

My engine has sludge build up. my ex-husband and my 2 mechanics have all taken classes offered by dodge because of the defects in their 2.7l engine. they were told by a chrysler instructor during a training class for 5 star mechanics/dealerships that chrysler has identified 8 items needing upgrades in regards to the 2.7l engine and that the engine was faulty from the manufacturer. i have lifetime oil changes with the dealership that i bought my car from. i take it in regular according to my owner's manual. two days before i parked it (one week after my routine oil change) my car had a rattling sound from under the hood. i took it to my mechanic, he told me the above information. i went to my other mechanic and my ex-husband and all agreed with the above information. *jb

The car was driving good. i noticed a little jerking but was not too worried as i just had an oil changed recently. when leaving from my work for lunch, the car began to jerk and stall badly. i turned around and parked the car my engine light came on. the next day i took it to aamco thinking it was the transmission. they performed tests and the report said crank shaft sensor. i started the car up and the light was no longer on. i took it to my mechanic and he took off the oil pan and discovered scraps of metal in my oil. he stated that this is something to do with the engine. i drove the car for about 2 more weeks and decided to get another vehicle instead of taking my chances with this one since the repair cost is more than $5000. while getting my other vehicle serviced, i decided to drive the intrepid. while on the highway going at about 55mph, the car shut down completely. luckily i was on the right lane of the highway and pulled to the shoulder. if i had been going slower, it would have come to a complete stop. since i still owe for the car ($8000), it was hard to trade so i kept it and now have two car payments. after councel, i had no choice but to file for chapter 13 bankruptcy in order to counteract my living expenses with the two car payments. i am a single mother of four children, work full time, and presently in my last year of college for my bachelors degreee. i had no choice but find good transportation because i could not afford to repair the intrepid and go without transportation for 2 months while i paid it off. for repairs, i have been advised to upgrade the engine to a 3.5l and use a conversion kit from a reputable company to complete the job. the 2.7l are not good engines and they stated that if that one failed, another most likely would do the same in the near future. you know what i found interesting was that the 3.5l is actually 1/3 cheaper than the 2.7l! that is because the 2.7l are hard to find because they are always going out! *nm

I had a beautiful black 4 door intrepid that i maintained very well and at the bank it started to knock and by the time i got 2 miles to my repair shop it was done. i had the guys tear it apart and fix the problem to the tune of almost a $1,000.00. it was my only car and i just bought it so i had no choice but being a single mother of 3 kids it put a major dent in my pocket. at the repair shop they suggested i get rid of it considering they could not guarantee how long it was going to last but couldn't afford to do that at the time. 4 months later it was back in the repair shop they fixed it again and bought me a for sale sign. needless to say less then a month later it seized up, the people at the repair shop made me leave it there and took me home. they put it up for sale at their lot but in the end i couldn't make payments on something i couldn't drive and gave it back to the bank they are still trying to sell it at the auction. loved my car but it ruined my credit with all the extra repair bills i had to make on it, wish it could have been fixed the first time. *jb

Traveling at 70 mph when a light tapping followed by an immediate loss of power and steering causing an emergency pull off from the passing lane of the highway. several attempts at a restart resulted in a sound like bolts in a coffee can. engine oil filler tube showing severe sludge deposit. this car has been well maintained. *nm

Our 2000 dodge intrepid starting making knocking sounds. we brought it in and were told that there was sludge buildup and that a new engine is needed but it is not covered under the warranty that we purchased because the buildup is from poor maintenance. we told them that we had the oil changed regularly but this did not make a difference and we are currently trying to find a way to pay for a new engine in the car. i have checked this out on the internet and found hundreds of other people that have had the same problem and that their warranty is also not being honored. first there is an engine that is defective in the car and then they won't even honor a warranty that we paid for. i am very frustrated. *jb

Engine sludge, cooling system problems. was driving and without warning intrepid shut down. i was told this was the timing chain. *jb

First the oil light flashed. then the light became a constant. i was heading back home when at a stop light the car died without a sound. it kept shutting off at the lights. i never made it home. i made it to a parking lot, this became all to familiar to me, ( i had engine problems before with this car due to sludge, but it was determined that i had kept up with my maintenance after a long investigation and was fixed) i knew i needed to get a tow truck. the car was towed to south chicago dodge in chicago,il. after their initial inspection,the cost was already at $2417, it would cost me $360 definite labor just to continue the inspection to determine additional problems (this cost was just to take the part apart, i would have to pay $360 again to have it put back together. i am a single mother and i do not have that kind of money. a long story, short i am now stuck with a car that i have three more payments on and is inoperable. i was advised that i could get a used engine, but that only came with a 12 month warranty, or i could get a re-manufactured engine w/3 year warranty. however, they both cost too much. i have read that chrysler is not aware of the problem with the engine, this is a big cover-up. they know, or they are just not interested in a good customer product. i know about iso standards and the big 3 automobile regulators, my question is how did this engine meet regulations? what auditor let something like a engine with faulty valves get produced over and over again. i bought my car in good faith and the same was not delivered. yet chrysler can continue to produce expensive commercials with mr. iocola and snoop dogg etc. this problem needs to be attended to. americans who buy american made products, should receive a product they can trust. i have to borrow cars or take public transportation. if they do not want to recall the engine then they need to provide a lifetime vehicle warranty on the engine so we can at least get it fixed. *jb

I was on the interstate when the engine light came on. before i could reach my house it blew! the engine is ruined with no warning! the car had been serviced on a regular basis and i have proof of all services...according tothe dodge dealership, it was "sludge" and very common in the 2.7 liter engine! great...*jb

There was no warning as i was driving along the street and my car died and would not restart. i had it towed to hampton's auto. upon examining the car, he called and reported to me that my engine was gone. i had 82,000 miles on the engine and had changed my oil every 3,000 miles. i bought a used engine from bohannon's auto for $2,400 and paid $1,382 to bud's engine service to install it. i have been advised by several auto repairmen that this 2.7 engine is faulty. i have one more year of payments or i would not have repaired this automobile. i am very disappointed in the performance of a car that i intended to drive for several years more. *nm

Dt: on august 18, 2005 the engine stalled while the consumer was stopping at a stop light. she was able to get safely off the road. when she took vehicle to dealer for repairs they told her that the timing chain failed and would need a new motor. there had been no previous problems with the vehicle. there were no accidents. *ak

Dt: the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. the engine failed which spun a rod bearing into the engine. this happened on august 8, 2005. the dealership stated this would cost $600 to repair it. he has spoken to several other people that stated chrysler was having problems with the 2.7l engines and were not doing anything about this problem. the dealership stated that the engine failed due to sludge build up and not changing the oil like he should. the current mileage on the vehicle was 60,000 miles. he kept up on the maintenance, however he did not have service invoices available.*ak

While my husband was on his way to work from our home in yacolt wa. heading to salem or., the engine in our 2000 dodge intrepid quit without warning, he was on i-205 at 5:00 am in the dark he easily could have been killed as well as endangered others on the highway. this vehicle had been maintained very well and we have owned since 17,00 miles. i now am aware that there are hundreds of people that this has happened to and yet the daimler-chrysler corp. has not acted to inform the consumers that this is a problem or a safety issue. we have three children who up until two months ago were always in this vehicle with me because it was my daily driver. it could have happened quite easily while my children were in the car on a major roadway. *nm

Dt: contact owned a 2000 dodge intrepid and the engine seized while driving on 7-31-05. it just stopped. it had been making intermittent noises for about 1 week prior, but nothing constant. it sputtered before quitting. contact has not talked to the dealer but she planned on doing so. *ak

Had car 8 months with three oil changes drove 9,000 miles total, heard clicking noise when engine started that morning, two hours later car stalled and heard loud knock from engine, had car towed and inspected by ase certified mechanic, was told car need new engine couldn't be fixed, due to sludge in engine. *jb