Problems with 2001 Dodge Intrepid ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Engine blew with only 70,000 miles on it. 2.7 liter v-6. dodge intrepid se 2001. no indication of any problem then sitting at stop light it blew. had to get towed to dealership then they say the engine is blown will cost 6500 to repair. *tr

i have 2001 dodge intrepid. i have been experiencing a oil loss..i have to add oil once a month for last 4 months. i have no ideal where the oil is going,neither does any mechanic that looks at my car know... *tr

The engine failed to turnover during a start. the timing chain is not working and has caused major damage to fuel injectors and the basic functioning of the car. many things have been changed or repaired on the car but, i always get a check engine light that comes on constantly within minutes or days of a repair. the car sounds like a diesel truck engine when it idles, or is stopped at traffic lights. the belts make lots of whining noises. the car in this respect has cost me lots of $$ and is just sitting in a parking lot undriveable. *tr

2001 dodge intrepid. oil light began flashing. checked the oil it was full. about 2 days later a light ticking noise occurred. on 2/16/2007, i started the vehicle and ticking noise, turned into knocking noise. mechanic stated that the car experience an oil failure and through a rod in the engine. $4,500.00 to fix. *tr

My car seized on route 3 in pa on my way to take daughter to see surgeon on her first trip allowed to be sitting in a car to get her staples removed after major back surgery. the oil light came on and within 2 seconds the car shrugged twice and died. with no warning beside the 2 second interval of the oil light i lost all steering and braking abilities to get my car safely off roadway. this was especially scary because it was the first day she was allowed to sit in a car and only to see her surgeon. i am told by my mechanic that my timing chain is bad and it is impossible to replace, they are on back order because so many people have had the same problem. my dodge dealership told me they are unaware of anyone else having a problem with timing chains at all. my car is undrivable, useless, crushing blow for a single parent of 3 kids. *tr

I purchased my 2001 dodge intrepid in october of 2006 and have had no major problems with this vehicle until recently. in the last 30 days i have spent roughly $1200 in repairs for a timing change, the replacement of the crankshaft sensor, camshaft sensor and some other preventive repair measures like a tune up, serpentine belt, etc. the problem that i am most concerned about is the fact that when i am reducing speed the oil light flashes and when at a complete stop and the car is idling the oil light comes on. i took the car to chrysler and they advised me that the oil sending unit was leaking and needed to be replaced. however, i have had this part replaced in the vehicle is still having this problem. an outside mechanic advised me of related issues with this vehicle and told me to do some research regarding this issue. in my research i have found that this problem usually leads to engine failure and this concern me greatly. for the number of vehicles that has had this same problem something needs to be done! *tr

First the oil light came on then the engine shut off while i was in an intersection on city streets. i got the car restarted and it seemed to be fine. i checked the oil and ensured that it had plenty and even scheduled it for an oil change even though i only had approx 1500 miles on the previous changed oil. then i ws on the fwy driving to work and when i was changing lanes the same thing happened. the oil light came on and the engine just shut off on me. i was barely able to get the vehicle off the fwy and thankfully there was an exit close by where i was able to exit without further damage or injury. this is a 2.7l dodge intrepid and i am now being quoted by the dealership of a repair bill exceeding 850+ dollars. *tr

Oil sludge has built up in the engine, leaving the engine without the ability to circulate oil through the block to lubricate the parts. a mechanic has diagnosed the problem and noted that driving the car will cause parts to break and the engine to fail. the mechanic took photos of the inside of one of the valve covers to show how thick the oil sludge is. where the inside of the valve cover should be clean and shiny, it is coated with a half-inch of sludge. the problem occurred at about 121,000 miles. i noticed that the oil-pressure warning light came. a check of the oil showed it was full and clean. before this incident, i had no problems with the car. it performed very well. with the exception of this significant engine problem, there are no other problems with the car -- no accidents, no dents of body damage, no rust, clean interior and everything else works. consequences are that an otherwise perfectly good car cannot be driven. it has been parked for two months while i contact the manufacturer, file reports with the appropriate agencies, including the nhtsa and the center of auto safety, and research what can be done and at what cost. my preference, of course, would be that the manufacturer, daimlerchrysler, pay to rebuild or replace the engine. having the manufacturer admit to a known design flaw, as alleged in hebert v. daimler chrysler, would be nice, but not essential. getting the car back on the road at no cost or minimal cost to me is my goal. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 74 mph with the cruise control feature activated, smoke appeared out of the back of the tail pipe. the contact pulled off the road, opened the hood, and found the oil dipstick to be dark brown in color. the dealer stated that the engine was blown and needed to be replaced. the vehicle is currently under an extended warranty; however, the manufacturer stated that there was no guarantee that it would be used for this sort of failure. the failure and current mileages were 84,000.

2.7l engine failure... the the rod bearings shot, do to oil starvtoin from poor engine design. *tr

My 2001 dodge intrepid had complete engine failure at 85,000 miles. it cost me $6,000 to have the engine replaced. the car was always maintained with oil changes etc. as recommended by chrysler. this has put tremendous strain on my family's finances. through research and speaking with mechanics i have since found out that this is a very common event with 2001 intrepids. i feel chrysler owes me for the amount of the repairs. *tr

Sudden engine failure on a 6 year old car that was regularly maintained 2001 dodge intrepid (known to be an issue on all 2.7l engines). this vehicle is worth nothing to anyone at this point, only 100,000 miles. *tr

I am the original owner of a 2001 dodge intrepid. it has 89,000 miles and i have religiously changed the oil and filter every three months since i purchased the vehicle. the night of december 28, 2007 my wife was driving the car home and when she stopped at an intersection the car died. i came and helped her push the car home. the next day i had a mechanic come to the house and he determined that the engine had in fact seized. i have got two different estimates to fix this failure and both are higher than the kelly blue book value of this vehicle. when i contacted chrysler they referred me to the impartial services group who in turn requested a mountain of information to determine whether my case would be deemed worthy for reimbursement. so far i have heard nothing. *tr

Have a 2001 intrepid, 2.7 engine. engine failed while driving putting my life and more importantly the life of my 8 year old daughter in danger. seems a known issue with this engine and chrysler. now upside down in the car and only financial pain in my immediate future. what's needed: the us government should hold chrysler responsible for selling a clearly defective engine. *tr

Catastrophic failure of 2.7 liter engine in 2001 dodge intrepid. my mechanic explained to me that the engine failed due to poor oil circulation in the engine which was poorly designed. after some research, i found that this problem was known to chrysler since the late 90's. the dealership i purchased the car from should never have passed off this vehicle as a good used car without addressing this failure. since they are a dodge dealership. i have maintained the car very well and there would be no reason for such a failure had the engine been designed with better channels for the oil to flow. i still owe over $2,000 on the car and the repairs would cost over $5,000. this is fraud on the part of chrysler. *tr

Our car started making knocking noises during acceleration. we immediately took it in to a auto shop to have it looked at. the engine is blown and will cost more than the car is worth to fix it, approximately $5,000. the car has only 88k miles on it, has had regular oil changes. apparently, the engines used in this particular car have the tendency to produce engine oil sludge, ruining the engine oftentimes well before 100k miles. that was what the mechanic told us and what we have since found doing research on the problem. we ended up having to sell the car for scrap because we cannot afford to fix it. *tr

I had set up an appt. to take my 2001 dodge intrepid in for an oil change and to have the engine light checked because it had recently come on. within a few days of making that appt., my oil light started coming on every time on put the brakes on. i was able to bring the car in earlier. we had to rent a vehicle for the weekend which we couldn't afford. by the time this was all said and done, our mechanic told us we had an anti-freeze leak and an oil leak. they refuse to repair either one because the last time they fixed an oil leak on a dodge intrepid, the car still broke down and they got sued. they can't get to the anti-freeze leak without taking the engine out which in turn will cause more problems with our engine. we're constantly putting oil in it and anti-freeze. we're still paying on this car. we're not the only people with this same problem. there are a couple of class action law suits out there and chrysler should give people their money back. we have a child in the latter stages of kidney failure and this is suppose to be our reliable vehicle to get her back and forth to albany. *tr

Noticed the oil light flickering on and off at stop lights. looked for problems but saw none. a few days later noticed a very quiet ticking sound coming from the engine. unfortunately not being a car knowledgeable person i did not take this seriously enough. a week later driving to a destination i heard a loud knocking in the engine. arrived at my destination and shut the engine off. upon attempt to restart the engine some time later there was more knocking and refusal to turn over. car was towed to a local garage where i learned the tinning chain had broken and damaged a number of the pistons and other components of the engine. only recourse was either install a new engine or buy a new car. as i am still paying for this car i opted to purchase an engine. engine has been installed and i have just got my car back tonight after nearly a month without a vehicle. now i have to find some way to pay for this mess as i had to borrow it short term from a friend. i am in a very bad financial situation because for this. i am attempting to apply to chrysler for their reimbursement program with little hope of success since i did not keep the oil change records and receipts records they require. *tr

Without any warning the engine just quit and would not start again while waiting for a stop light. upon taking it to an auto repair shop it was determined that the engine had failed and required replacement. cause of failure was oil sludge. a rebuilt engine was purchased and installed at a cost of $5,000.00. *tr

Heading to california from nevada my car started to act strange before the light of check engine turned on, i did slow down and pulled over, just a second before the motor shut off, i had to call my insurance which did not cover the towed back to my home which cost me $600 ( six hundred), i still trying to fix my car, due the high cost of a new motor, and is been hard to find a used one in good condition, this is been a big problem to me, i still paying for this car and i can't afford to buy a new one. *tr

6 weeks ago, i started hearing a slight ticking noise. i immediately scheduled my oil to be changed the next day at a dealership, as always. on nov 4, i was on my way to a meeting, my engine light came on while sitting at a stop light next to a gas station...i pulled in and shut my car off. i checked my oil and it was a little low, i added enough oil to bring it back up to the max line and the engine light went off. i drove about a mile and half up the rode when i all the sudden heard a loud bang and very loud fast ticking. i pulled over and had my vehicle towed to a dealership where it is still sitting unfixed. chrysler will not cover this under my warranty even though they are very well aware of this problem in the 2.7l engine. i have always had very positive feelings about chrysler and now i don't know what to think. they need to make this right to me and i can't even get them to listen to anything...they are so incredibly cold hearted and really truly don't care at all. i still owe $5,000 on this car and can't drive it. the dealership is telling me it is going to be close to $8,000 to fix. the dealership is also telling me this is a big problem with the 2.7l engine. the engine builds up oil sludge and can't circulate causing a lack of lubrication. he said chrysler is very aware of this and is not helping anyone in this situation. they actually quit making this engine due to the problems and have now redesigned the 2.7l to put it in the 2008's again. *tr

Timing chain goes out with out notice due to a manufacturer defect had two go out this year then the oil sludge is so bad it makes the engine seize. the deal is that i live in a small town and there are so many with the same problems that repair shops wont fix them any more cause it is a big hassle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 50 mph, the vehicle completely stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop and the mechanic stated that the engine failed and caused the vehicle to stall. the engine needed to be replaced. the manufacturer referred her to an authorized dealer. the vehicle has not yet been repaired. the failure mileage was 54,000 and current mileage was 95,000.

The 2.7l v6 engine in my 2001 dodge intrepid failed. this vehicle had only 70,000 miles and is in good-to-excellent condition. it has had regular oil changes over the life of the vehicle and is well maintained. upon mechanic examination, they determined that the entire engine needed to be replaced due to extreme internal damage that caused the oil and water to mix in the block. they also tested for floro-carbons in the exhaust, which was off the charts. the vehicle is out of warranty and the out of pocket expense for this repair is nearly $5,000.00. *tr

I had been noticing a noise coming from my engine and was about to bring it to my mechanic, but while on the freeway, my car just died. i was able to pull off to the side and then get towed to my auto mechanics. the next day he had me come and look at my engine and showed me the timing chain and how much damage the chain did and how much sludge was built up in the engine. after doing some research, i came to find out that this engine was known for sludge build-up. i have to replace the engine and will not be putting a 2.7 back in. i really like my car and am looking to put in a 3.2 engine in so i can keep my car. this is something that should not have happened. this problem should have been taken care of by dodge. my car is a 2001 intrepid and only has 68,000 miles on it. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 30 mph, the vehicle completely shut off and was towed to the contact's personal mechanic. the contact stated that the vehicle made a rumbling noise before shutting off. this would be the second time replacing the engine. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 110,000.

I had my car oil changed regularly, while driving 55 mph, i heard a loud knocking sound. i took it to an independent shop, who informed me that the timing chain tensioners broke, after they got the engine apart, it was so sludged up and impossible to fix. said this was the reason, there was no other warning that something was wrong. my warranty had expired 6 mos. previously, when i called chrysler they said it was not their problem. i was lucky to be able to borrow funds to pay $6,000.00 for a new engine, as i have a physical handicap i require a vehicle,and had this happened in the country , it would have been worse because i cannot walk any distance. the mechanic told me these were a faulty engine and should have maybe had a recall. *tr

I was going to lunch and i went out to start my car and it wouldn't start. i had my car towed home. the mechanic and dealership said it was the engine. the car dealership mechanic said the engine are defective that are coming from chrysler and they are aware of it and are not doing anything but letting the consumer absorb all these fees to get it fix. the dealership had just fix one and the mechanic stated he didn't want to do fix another engine repair. to me that is pretty bad. i think chrysler need to pull or have these call recalled. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. the contact stated that the instrument panel and interior lights illuminated while the vehicle idled then the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to the mechanic and he stated that the computer system caused the failure. approximately three weeks later the engine failed. the mechanic replaced the engine with a rebuilt engine. while driving 15 mph, the engine failed again. as of january 3, 2008, the mechanic had not repaired the vehicle. the failure was 124,680 and current mileage was 124,800. updated 01/29/08 *bf the consumer was informed by 2 mechanics that it was a known problem that the oil pump hose were too small for the vehicle and was causing engine problems.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while accelerating into a parking space, the engine seized and the vehicle would not move. the failure occurred without warning. the vehicle would not restart after the engine failed. the vehicle currently remains in the parking lot and is waiting to be towed. the speed was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 83,000. the consumer stated chrysler refuses to assist and the mechanic stated this had nothing to do with the oil level however, the consumer stated this is the exact same failure as stated online. updated 10/11/07 *tr

I got my intrepid new as a company car, and subsequently bought it when the division had layoffs (less than 10k miles, i was the original owner). it has been a dependable car, until it 'stalled out' last week. turns out there's water in the oil, so the suspicion is a blown head gasket. the temperature gauge was 'normal' (not overheated) and there was a trail of oil that had come out the oil filler tube (dip stick 'popped' due to pressure). the car is driven about 5 miles each way to work and back each day, and for occasional errands in the evenings/weekend. i took it to a local mechanic to get a further diagnosis and estimate for repair. the vehicle was in good condition (38k miles), serviced regularly, and up until now, considered reliable. *jb

The chrysler 2.7 engine (failure). sludge-related. *tr

October of 2006 i noticed my oil light was staying on while the car was in idle at stop lights, signs, etc got it check out it seemed to be ok. which made another engine failure resulting from oil sludge.... car was very well maintained with regular oil changes (3,00 miles) and only had 69,000 miles on it. the body is in excellent shape. my car only has about 77,000 miles on it. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. the hose from the radiator lifts up and connects with the hose from the heater, which caused the motor to fail while driving 35 mph. the vehicle was towed to the contacts home and he repaired the part that separates the water that travels from the radiator to the heater. the water pump has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 94,500. *updated 12/12/07 *bf updated 12/12/07 *tr

Car engine failed me on a 4 lane highway with busy traffic. updated 01-16-08. *kb the water pump failed which caused the engine to fail. updated *jb

My 2001 dodge intrepid, with the 2.7 engine, just started making terrible noises in the engine, dodge dealership says it needs a new engine...at around $5,000! it has 99,500 miles on it, i just bought the car last month! *tr

Engine knock and no power, engine failure, engine needs to be replaced. *jb

My 2001 dodge intrepid blew due to sludge buildup under 100,000 miles. while driving it the temp. light came on. on the way to the hospital to have our baby. we turned on the heater to cool the engine down but no heat came out. then my car died smoke was rolling out the back. *jb

(1) regular maintenance and oil changes were performed frequently (2) engine locked up on interstate without any warning (3) engine failure due to oil sludge although regular oil changes were performed. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 30 mph, the engine shut off. the failure was due to the timing change in the gearbox in addition to the water pump. the dealer stated that the water pump was not working because the water was mixed with antifreeze, which caused the vehicle to shut off. the repair would cost $3,000. the current and failure mileages were 170,000.

I was simply driving down the road and my car made a noise like air was being released (something being depressurized) and then my car would not accelerate. i had to turn into a parking lot and coast to a spot where i stopped. i opened the hood and my engine had a hole and a huge crack throughout the top of the valve cover. my car has less than 75,000 on the engine and has always had the oil changed at least every 3000 miles. i also noticed some sludge material on the inside of my oil cap when i was looking around. i can see into my engine through the hole. repair man said repairs could be in excess of $6k. car is still at garage as i ponder my choices, since i still owe over $3k on it. *tr

I was driving on lagrange rd at 30mph speed suddenly with no warning the engine shut off try to restart the car with no luck. i towed the car to the( park plaza dodge dealer at 7911 w roosevel rd.,forest part, il 60130 tel. 708 366 1001)after he diagnosed the car stated in his report that (needs timing chain and water pump 1270.00,oil pan gasket leaking 365.00 oil and coolant mixed may have more damage internally). it is too expansive to be fixed i shopped with other mechanics they seems that they are very aware of the problem to the limit that they told me all about the problem soon i gave them the car information(dodge intrepid 2.7l24v_dohc_alum_black. they said all cars in this category has have the same problem (manufacturer defect that what they call it) the more i investigated the more i found people have the car with the same problem (and i also heard that in order to fix the car you need either to change the whole engine or to rebuild it and each one cost around four thousand which by the way cheaper to buy another car than to fix it. i sent an email to the dealer and he sent me back another email apologize that there is no recall on such problem yet but there is a different kind of recalls on this kind of cars. i was not satisfied by his reply because i felt cheated and i must do something about it. *tr

May 06 we had oil sludge in our engine. $850 clean-up bill for a cheap quick fix. july 07 the sludge is back and a valve is damaged. engine replacement is needed. *tr

My car initially started overheated got that fixed which was the water pump then the engine blown and i kept regular maintanance on this vehicle got the head gasket fixed then 3 days later the bottom blew and the timing chain tensor. *tr

We purchased a 2001 dodge intrepid for our son on may 21,2007 from a reputable gossett dealership in memphis tn. we understood that they had no liability for the vehicle after purchase. the 2.7l v6 engine failed due to oil sludge on 07/12/2007. there was no warning! the vehicle had been serviced the day of purchase and no lights or sensors indicated that there was a problem of any kind. we were driving down the street when the car stalled a couple of times then stopped suddenly. the engine oil lights flashed only at the time that the vehicle quit. we had the vehicle towed to the garage. the mechanic told us that the engine was gone and that the oil was like sludge. estimated cost of repairs for a jasper engine $5926.04 and for a used 2.7l engine $3992.30. i called a relative who works for the us consumer product safety commission. we both work for the federal government and through contacts at ucpsc and nhtsa discovered information regarding defects with this particular engine and problems that consumers were having with getting issues resolved. there are even forums dedicated to engine failures for 1999 - 2001 dodge intrepids with the 2.7l engine. from my understanding even if the engine is replaced with another 2.7l we will be dealing with this same issue of engine failure as the product is faulty. it is also our understanding that the jasper engine is supposed to be the corrected version of the 2.7l engine for this vehicle type. i was advised to file a complaint about the engine on this website and the center for auto safety. i am very bothered by this situation and the duplicitous nature of chrysler placing an inferior product on the market without providing recourse such as a recall or advisement/warning. given horror stories that i have read on the web, i feel fortunate but have lost confidence for the chrysler product line. this is a safety issue. i also understand that a class action lawsuit is being pursued or initiated in this matter. *tr

Oil light stays on at idle. have been informed this is a chronic problem with the 2.7 engine that leads to eventual failure. i have not yet had this issue but am hoping that any information will help me and anyone else. *tr

There was a tapping noise coming from the engine of the 2001 intrepid, after which the engine light came on. five minutes later the tapping became more intense. we stopped at a traffic light and the oil light came on and the car stalled. we drove it a few feet into a parking lot, and after that, the car was history. we had it towed to a service center, where they told us the engine had blown, and the car needed a new engine. all this happened within a time frame of about 10 minutes. we thank god we had just exited the nj turnpike and were on a country road. we could have all been killed. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 70 mph, the vehicle began to smoke and the power steering failed. the vehicle then shut off without warning. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed the cause of failure as sludge build-up. the current and failure mileages were 65,000.

Engine failed on interstate 70 in kansas city, kansas. fortunately occurred as we were approaching an exit ramp and i was able to steer (without power steering) onto ramp and get stopped (without power brakes) before entering a signal-controlled intersection. no warning signals came on. no warning lights or sounds were activated. the temperature gauge remained within normal operating range. engine smoked but did not catch fire. we waited in 90-degree heat for tow services. so far, mechanic has discovered destroyed thermostat, melted thermostat housing, damaged intake, bent cam shaft, warped cylinder heads, and engine must be replaced because warpage of heads and cam shaft is so severe. engine failure is an apparent known liability of this engine, a 2001 chrysler 2.7 liter v6. engine will be replaced to correct the failure due to concerns about damage to lower parts of oem engine as a result of extreme heat. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. the contact stated that the engine made a humming noise each time it was started. the noise was not heard while the vehicle was in motion. the repair shop stated that the engine needed to be rebuilt. the failure mileage was 50,000 and current mileage was 77,364.