Problems with 2000 Dodge Intrepid ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I own a 2000 dodge intrepid with the 2.7 l engine. in january of 2003 a tapping in the engine occurred, but every time i took it to the dealer it would stop. it had gone on for quite awhile as the dealer couldn't do anything until he heard the noise. when they finally could hear the noise, first they said the engine had blown, then called back to say the timing chain tension had broken apart. they repaired this. in january 2004 the same thing happened again. we went through the same sequence of events with the noise as the first time. it was march 2004 when they were finally able to detect the noise and made an appointment to have it repair in four days. their comment to me when i asked if i should be driving the car was, "we wouldn't let the car go if we didn't think it was ok." i drove it the next day and the tapping was present; the following day it wouldn't start. they towed the car in. the prognosis was, the engine had blown. the rods went through the pistons. this was at 80,000 miles. the car was out of commission for over a month. i have the 100,000 mile extended warranty and they wouldn't cover the cost of repair. the car was only worth $5,500 and repairs extended beyond that. i had the engine rebuilt from a private business. a dodge mechanic later informed us that they have replaced many of these particular engines along with the mechanic who rebuilt mine. i guess now i know why the dodge intrepid can't hold it's value. only 4 years old and with a depreciation of $5,000 per year. i was told to keep all the old parts in case a recall occurred. *la

I have a 2000 dodge intrepid with the 2.7l engine heard loud chattering noise coming from front of engine. took to mechanic and had to have all rocker arms replaced and a timing chain haven't had any problems since. i was told sludge was the problem and i was told not to use any oil with paraffin wax in it which is most of your oil change places. i also hear a clunk in the right front tire area hope it is just a strut and not my rack and pinion system. *jb

While driving at an undetermined speed the oil light appeared on the dashboard and the vehicle stalled. the consumer was able to steer the vehicle to the side of the road where she restarted the vehicle. *ak

While driving at an undetermined speed vehicle stalled, causing the driver to drift off the road. mechanic determined that the engine failed.*ak

Dt: the contact stated while driving vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to a local dealership. they replaced the timing chain, intake manifold, coolant tube, and serpentine belt. the vehicle was driven home. the vehicle drove fine for awhile. the vehicle then experienced the same problem. it was taken back to the dealership, and they replaced the chain tensioner. the vehicle drove fine again for awhile. then it started experiencing the same problem. it was taken to an independent repair shop. they found that when the previous dealership had replaced the chain tensioner they had not tightened the bolts properly. this caused the valves and the head to be warped. no repairs were made.*ak

While driving 45 mph a loud noise was heard coming from underneath the hood; vehicle stalled. consumer was able to pull over to the shoulder, and tried to restart vehicle. then, driver had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that motor blew out and needed to be replaced. *ak

When driving the vehicle there was a knocking noise. the consumer is concern that a rod may break in engine and cause the engine to lock up. the dealer has been contacted. please provide any further information. *nm

Engine failure at 51000 miles chrysler says sludge caused engine failure due to maintenance. this engine is known for this problem but chrysler refuses to acknowledge. result 6300.00 for new engine. *jb

2000 dodge intrepid 2.7 litre dealer replaced timing belt 67000($1130.00) engine seized at 71000 miles car is sitting at dealership & i don't know what to do with it.the veil of silence when speaking to anyone from chrysler.thousands of people are driving these cars & have no clue the engine is going to fail. shamefull behavior by daimler chrysler. *ak

2000 dodge intrepid engine failed two days after oil change at dealership. technician stated sludge in engine due to lack of oil change (not true) warranty company refused to pay. dealer installed new engine at cost of $6485.00.*ak many many complaints about chrysler 2.7 engine with same problem and get the same results from chrysler. anything you could do would be greatly approiated.

I have a 2000 dodge intrepid that has about 91,500 miles. i purchased it from a dodge dealership as a program car. my wife and i have maintained the regularly scheduled maintenance on the vehicle for as long as we've had it. on 3/2/04 my wife took the vehicle to have the oil changed and the fluids checked. on 3/3/04 my wife noticed the engine making a strange "knocking" noise. we took the vehicle back to where we got the oil change done on 3/5/04 and they stated that the noise had nothing to do with the oil change. we parked the vehicle until 3/6/04, and when my wife went out to start the vehicle and take it to the dealership, it wouldn't start. i then had the vehicle towed to the dealership on 3/8/04. the vehicle sat at the dealership from 3/8/04 to 3/12/04. on 3/12/04 i went to the dealership to find out what was going on and they said it "sounded" like the timing chain was broken. i told them i would take my vehicle to another mechanic to get a second opinion, and they gave me a diagnostic sheet with "engine failure" and a quoted repair cost of $3,100. i had the vehicle towed back home on 3/12/04 where it sat until 3/15/04. the vehicle was then towed to another mechanic where he took the time to open the engine and tell me exactly what the problem was. he advised that the timing chain tensioner was broken, which in turn threw off the timing and caused the valves to bend. he stated it would be cheaper to get another engine than try to fix this one. the cheapest used engine he could find for me was $3,650. i called the dealership back and told them my findings and they claimed it could have been because of poor maintenance. i asked how much a new engine would cost and he stated between $6,000 and $7,000. i then called the 800 number for customer service and then stated that then couldn't help. while looking through my owners manual, the timing is not scheduled to be checked until 100,000 miles. *nm

While driving engine seized and shut off. engine needed to be replaced. *ak

Approximately 15 months after purchasing our used intrepid, the engine locked up. up to that point it was almost perfect, other than the crazy noise that came from the window mechanism. while driving to work about 4am the car just quit. i lost power steering and brakes when it went. i was able to avoid the other vehicles on the road and made it to the side of the road and hit a road sign, which damaged the hood of my car. i went to get an opinion and an estimate, i was told this was a common thing happening with the 2.7l engines in the intrepid and i needed a new engine! $5,500.00, not my idea of possible. it is still sitting in my driveway an eyesore and a financial burden. i maintain the payments and the insurance on the car although i can't drive it, and like most of the other people affected by this mess, i had to get another vehicle to replace it. i personally, am ready for a fight. *nm

The car was found with no oil, no signs of leakage found. next day engine broke down. the pannel warning lights of "check oil" or "check engine" never turned on, all pressure appeard normal. always kept with regular maintenance and oil change. no warning sigs from the vehicle at any time.*ak

While driving at any speed consumer heard a noise coming through the engine. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the technician determined the need for a new engine at consumer's expense of $8,800. the consumer checked the web site and found many similar complaints. *ak there was also a loss of power. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they suggested that there was a problem with the rod bearing. *sc

Engine faliure while driving- no warning. *jb

Engine oil sludge due to malfunctioning of oil pump (and thus low oil pressure) combined with an overheating manifold. engine rendered useless. car was just 3 years old, 64,000 miles and properly maintained. no current recall in effect on the part though there ought to be.*ak

At any speed consumer heard a rattling noise coming from the engine compartment. dealer examined the vehicle and found a build up of sludge in the engine. replaced the engine. *ak

Timing chain broke @ 69,000 miles. 2.7 l engine needs to be replaced.*ak

2 yrs. ago i had bought a 2000 dodge intrepid, now the engine is about to blow, there is a loud knocking noise, sometimes the car gets hot and shuts down, check engine light goes on all of the time, oil changes are done regularly with synthetic oil. engine sounds very rough and idles very high. started doing this at about 75,000 miles - just in time for my warranty to be up. i have seen a lot of complaints on line about the same thing. i tried to trade it in, no one wants it because they say the engine is about to blow and i still owe too much, way more than they say it is worth. i can't afford to buy a whole new engine. this is my only form of transportation. please help. *jb

2000 dodge intrepid. timing chain failure at 79,000 due to oil sludge. vin# [xxx]. dealer and dcx not supporting. reviewed on case by case basis. *ak updated 07/27/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

The timing chain tensioner in my 2000 dodge intrepid (2.7 liter dohc v6 engine) went bad, causing the timing chain to get loose. it started slapping against the housing, making a horrible racket. i got the car to my mechanic before the timing chain broke. he replaced the timing chain and timing chain tensioner. he also found oil sludge all through my engine, which was the likely cause of the timing chain tensioner going bad. my engine did not need replaced at this time. i had 58,026 miles on the car when this happened. the oil had been changed every 3,000 miles. my mechanic said that this should not have happened at that low a mileage. i did not take this to a dodge dealer, as the car was out of warranty. i took it to an independent auto repair facility. the owner has extensive experience in major auto repair and engine rebuilding and replacement. i have just this past week traded this car off, and no longer own it.*ak

Engine stopped while driving at 55 mph. vehicle was taken the dealer, who stated engine needed to be replaced.*ak

While driving at 45mph engine locked up, causing the driver to pull off the road. *ak

While driving 55-60 mph engine dropped to 30 mph. consumer was able to pull out of the road where the vehicle stalled. vehicle was towed to the dealer, and mechanic determined engine needed to be replaced. *ak

My 2000 intrepid with only 77,000 has a blown engine. there was no warning lights, and only driving 15 minutes loud knocking noises ocurred which i pulled over to investigate and then could not restart the car. after towing to my mechanic, he advised me my engine was so hot he didn't know how it didn't start on fire. the repair cost is $6000 which i still owe $5000 for the car. we did all the required maintenace such as oil changes, filter changes, etc. there is no reason for such a vaulty motor to be allowed and with 89 complaints on this web site alone plus all the motors complaints there must be out there,something needs to be done here. i am sure if someone contact every chrysler's customer of these 2.7 liter motors i am sure there would be a class action suit. please advise me on how to have my motor repaired by chrysler. *ak

While turning at 25 mph vehicle stalled. consumer managed to pull over, and had the vehicle towed, but dealer could not resolve the problem. *ak

2000 dodge intrepid with 2.7l engine engine failure due to oil sludge buildup at 84,000 miles. *ak

engine failed at 39,000 miles due to sludge.*ak

While driving timing belt failed and damaged the engine. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and technician replaced the engine at consumer's expense of $7,500. *ak

On february 2, 2004 car began to make a clacking noise - sounded like oil was not getting into the crankcase. had car towed to a mechanic the next day. timing chain broke when mechanic started the car to diagnose. diagnosed as engine sludge problem - mechanic said that he has seen this problem on this type of engine at much lower mileages. need to replace the engine - approximately $5000.*ak

Car would not start - now the dealer is telling me my engine needs replacing - have 26,500 miles on it .*ak

Similar to an extraordinary amount of complaints, the engine in my 2000 dodge intrepid has siezed, due to oil sludge, per many auto mechanics. because i have seen the numerous similar complaints, i am to believe that this is not just a coincidence or my car in particular. i believe at this time that it is a manufacturer defect and that the consumer should not be made to suffer because of it.*ak

2000 dodge intrepid blew an engine at 49,000 miles and needs to be replaced. clearly the engine is faulty. the dealership who sold me the car will not offer much assistence, nor will daimler/chrysler.

The engine blew and the vehicle stalled. this occurred when the accelerator pedal was depressed to increase speed upon changing lanes. the consumer was able to coast over to the median. the dealership indicated that the crank shaft bearing had seized up which stop the flow of oil to the engine. *nm

Upon pulling into a parking space there was a knocking noise coming from underneath the hood, then, vehicle stalled. engine locked up because of oil sludge. this occurred because engine overheated, per dealer. *ak *nm

While driving vehicle stalled. consumer had vehicle towed to the dealer for analysis, and mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to sludge build up.*ak *jb

Dodge intrepid motor locked up due to sludge. *ak

The timing chain broke on my 2000 dodge intrepid as i was driving down the road. as a result, the timing chain and guide and all the valves had to be replaced resulting in a bill of over 6,000 dollars. this happened within 100 miles of the factory warranty expiring. the manufacturer nor the retailer would do anything whatsoever to assist in the repairs.*ak

Consumer complained about engine problems. vehicle was taken to a dealer, where the mechanic found sludge on the timing chain. this caused internal damage to the engine, and the engine had to be replaced. *ak

motor blew while i s was driving causing me to almost go into the ditch . i lost all power and then it had to push it away from the highway. i then find out the warrenty magicaly does not cover it and diamond crysler was not helpfull at all.. i have proof that the moters are faulty made ...please help me. *ak

Vehicle would not start. it had to be towed to dealer, and dealer stated that o-rings failed, causing loss of pressure. this, in turn, caused the timing chain to jump. motor needed to be replaced due to bent valves.*ak *mr

while driving at an undetermined speed engine check light appeared on the dash, causing the vehicle to stall. consumer contacted dealer on two separate occasions, but the problem still occurs. *ak

Contact states: contact has had the engine redone twice. the valves to the engine made a noise. the first time the engine failed the car stopped completely while driving on the highway. took vehicle to the dealer, and the dealer said engine needed to be replaced again. it has only been 12 months since the last engine was redone. when vehicle shut off on the freeway it almost caused an accident. *ak

While driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled. the driver tried to restart the vehicle and was not able to do so. the vehicle was towed home. the consumer was informed by the dealer the that the engine needed to be replaced. please provide further details. *jb

I purchased a used 2000 intrepid in may of 2001 at about 28000 miles. in january of 2004 the engine died. there was oil sludge build-up, and the timing belt fell causing great damage to the car. i called the dealer that sold the car to me and he basically said "too bad, come in and trade it in and buy a new dodge." i have been on 3 other sites with hundreds consumers with the same complaint. *ak

While driving engine failed without warning. dealer stated that sludge build up in the engine which caused it to fail. *ak

We have a 2000 dodge intrepid. the engine failed just past our warranty. the dealership where we purchased the car and chrysler corporation both dismissed our complaint as quickly as possible. after talking to several auto industry workers and researching this engine online, we have come to realize that this is a huge problem that has probably affected thousands of intrepid owners. *ak

While driving 60 mph vehicle stalled. vehicle was towed to the dealer, and technician indicated that engine needed to be replaced.*ak

Engine oil sludge problem caused eninge failuer and manufacture refuses to honor warranty. only had car for 10 months and only has 48000 mile on it. i purcashed the extend plus warranty along with the car.