Problems with 2001 Dodge Intrepid ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

My 2001 dodge intrepid with the 2.7 liter engine is now smokeing grayish white smoke it is useing way too much oil and gas i have to put oil in it aat least twice weekly i have consulted with dodge dealearships in my area they tell me taht that type of engine was no good from the factory and that no one is willing to work on it and that it is a matter of time before the engine have total failure without warning and that it will be too costly to try and repair it not counting the amount of work it will take

Driving uphill in indio, ca at 113 degree heat, the engine falied. the cap came off and i lost all coolant and my engine seized. i had my 3 year old daughter in the car and i barely was able to get it pulled over.

We have a 2000 dodge intrepid with 68000 miles on it. we were in north carolina on vacation and the car just quit for no reason. we had it towed twice and the last time was to dodge dealer on told us it would cost around $900.00 to fix it but could not give us their word that this would fix the problem. the felt that the engine could be damaged. we ended up renting a u-haul with a car dolly to get this car back to ohio. we were in this u-haul for 14 and half hours. it was very hard to pull in the mountains of nc,virginia and wv. i feel that this was a very traffic hazard considering that would could not get it up the mountains past 50 miles a hour on busy highways. no one seems to want to help us with the car. we have spent $1000.00 to just get this car to our home and now we find out that we are not the only ones having problems with these 2.7 liter engines. we have not fixed the car yet because we now do not have the resources to put a complete engine in this car, which seems to be the norm for these cars. so therefore we are paying for a car that is not running. dodge is trying to say that people did not take care of the mantaince on these cars and we are at fault for the engine being junk. this is bs. please look into this matter for lots of people that have these 2.7 liter motors.

Dt: the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. the engine seized due to sludge. this occurred during normal driving. the engine did not restart the vehicle had to be towed to a dodge dealership. the dealership stated that it would cost over $7000 dollars to repair. this is the first incident with this vehicle. the transmission is an automatic. *nm

I ave a 2001 dodge intrepid and at just under100k the engine seized up and blew the head gasket. i then purchased another engine that cost me $2500 14 months ago. this new engine had 40k on it. that engine has now seized up and blown the head gasket. i was in a parking lot and a lady came up to me and asked if i have had any problems with my intrepid because she has the same one and just had to replace the engine. when are they going to be responsible for producing such a poor product that they charge tens o thousands of dollares for. when it wasgetting towed the guy said that he tows a ton of these. i have done some research and the 2.7 liter engine has had tons of problems.

Dt: 2001 dodge intrepid. the consumer states the engine on the v blew out because there was sludge built up. this engine was maintained by mechanic. therefore, there should not have been any sludge. the vehicle was working fine prior to this. it happened on june 15, 2005. the vehicle did not catch fire, the engine died after being driven. then, it would not restart. the vehicle was towed to the mechanic ,and he stated that engine needed to be replaced. the heater inside the vehicle was not working properly before this happened. when he added water the heater worked. the consumer found out this was part of the problem. *ak

We have a dodge 2001 intrepid with the 2.7 liter motor. according to other mechanics and personnel within the dealership, there are defects with this motor that chrysler refuses to address. it has to do with internal components and causes the motor to basically blow up. our first motor blew up at 83,000 miles and the dealership installed a different motor with 58,000 miles which blew up again 3 weeks later. today, september 19, 2005, we were to take possession of our repaired car with its third motor within 2 months and were asked to pay a portion of the bill because the dealership claims that this repair was due to a faulty water pump even though the water pump and the timing chain assembly are one and the same on this vehicle. it is my opinion that these 2.7 liter motors are defective as thousands can attest on the internet, chrysler knows they are defective but dahmer refuses to act responsibly because they purchased the company after the defect originated. these 2.7 motors which are sitting on the shelf at junkyards across the country have become worse because the passage of time sitting on the shelf and are worse than the original motors put in them. furthermore, our extended warranty company, triad advantage, foreseeing the problems to come, shut down, went out of business and took the money and ran when these claims were becoming apparent. *nm

On june 13, 2005, my 2001 dodge interpid 2.7 l engine failed on an interstate highway. the car would not start again. the car was towed to a local dodge delaership where it was to be looked at. the mechanic supervisor informed me that there was sludge in the engine and that the engine would need to be replaced--costing several thousands of dollars. he told me that the delaership had replaced four or five 2.7l dodge engines already. i was told that the 2.7l has lots of flaws and defects that i was not told of upon purchasing. i still owe money on the car and it is difficult to trade a vehicle in when it won't even start. right now, i am out a vehicle as well as money.

Dt: transmission went out about month ago. just had transmission redone, however, vehicle overheated. took to a mechanic and was informed 2 fans were working properly. next day was stuck in rush hour traffic when the car overheated. tried to maneuver through traffic and engine started knocking. parked car in parking lot, and steam began to pour out. did not open hood. called mechanic and tow truck, and was informed that, engine was totally shot. it was poorly designed. called dodge with no success, they offered no remedy. *ak

Dt the motor quit on the highway. no for warning, no noise, no lights. had it towed the dealers, and they said a couple of sensors went out. they replaced the two sensors, and got it back, then, heard a knock in the motor when starting it. took it back to dealer,and they said it was the timing chain, and vehicle needed a new motor. this started on june 5, 2005. *ak

dt: contact states while driving 2001 dodge intrepid, the engine failed. there were no warning lights illuminated, the only evidence that something was wrong was was a gray mist that came through the air condition vent inside vehicle. the vehicle was towed at the beginning of june, and the service dealer stated the engine needed to be replaced. the head gasket was blown on the engine, and the water pump was ruined. the engine block was cracked. dealer had no explanation as to why the engine failed. they did say this happened due to sludge build up in the engine from conventional oil being used in the vehicle. consumer did not know to use synthetic oil in his vehicle. *the consumer does not have the address for the dealer where the vehicle was purchased.*ak

2001 dodge intrepid engine blew as a result of the timing chain breaking.***no answer required***.*mr the consumer stated the warning sign that the engine was about to blow was rust colored oil sludge on the inside of the oil cap. the consumer had an oil change 2 weeks before the engine blew, however no one mention that there was a problem, even though the rust colored sludge was in plain sight. *jb

Dt:consumer was driving 60-65 mph in 2001 dodge intrepid when he heard a noise like a hose bursting or breaking. immediately looked at temperature gauge ,and it went to hot. consumer turned on the heater, and the vehicle temperature went back to normal. consumer pulled off the road, and looked under the hood, and saw that was oil leaking. consumer parked the vehicle at that point and there was a steady flow of oil, at some point it did stop. consumer was having the vehicle towed. *ak

dt: contact states while his wife was driving vehicle stalled, there was smoke coming from under the hood. there were no power steering or power brakes. there were no warning lights before this happened. the service dealer said the motor needed to be replaced. upon inspection, it was found that a plastic part of the water pump broke off. the vehicle has been regularly maintained.*ak

Dt: the engine has blown. *tt

With no warning the engine failed. the consequences of this failure was a catastrophic engine loss due to timing chain failure engine sludge buildup. there was nothing done to correct this problem, and the cost of a new engine was in excess of the value of the vehicle. *jb

Car stalled on hwy and would not start had to be towed and was told motor was blown up. *jb

Consumer states: engine malfunctioned. called chrysler and replaced transmission 9 months ago. the engine just shut down, the timing chain broke. no lights came on when the engine shut down. acted like it wanted to cut off, it started shaking ,and just died and wouldn't start back. it acted like it wanted to turn over, making a noise. mechanic said internal engine damage caused by timing chain, and fluids got mixed in with the oil. just had oil changed week prior to this.*ak

Bought 2001 intrepid with 53000 miles on it, i changed my own oil in it every 3000 miles, at 83000 miles i heard a slight rod knock, took it to dealer they said it needed a new engine, i have an extended ford warranty but was not honored because they said it had an oil leak and the oil and filter reciepts and the credit card bills from napa was not sufficient proof the oil had been changed.the car never leaked oil , they are using that as an excuse and it is there word against mine, meanwhile i have a 2001 intrepid that they want me to pay for tearing it down, and i get my car back in peices or pay them twice as much and they will put it back the way it was. or pay the 7000 dollars to put an engine in it when they said the whole car was only worth 4900

I bought my 2001 dodge intrepid in april of 2001 and had problems with it. a year later, when the transmission failed. fortunately. it was covered under an extended warranty, and my costs were minimal. i changed the oil and filter every 3000 miles, but now my oil check light began to come on when the car was at idle. i will bring my care to my mechanic on monday, may 2, 2005 to have him investigated whether or no i have an oil sludge problem. *ak

Engine began making a tapping noise. took vehicle to dealer and was told that motor was full of sludge and would have to be replaced and that chrysler extended warranty would not cover the repair. had vehicle repaired by an independent auto repair shop - replaced timing chain, tensioner, oil pump. cost of repair approx. $2450. old parts are not available. *nm

Our 2001 dodge intrepid with a v6 2.7 ltr engine begin to make extremely loud noises, coming from the engine. we managed to drive it at low speed for about 5 miles, since it seemed to have no power, to our local dodge dealership. *jb we were told the next day the engine was blown and needed replaced at a cost of approximately $6000 plus pa taxes. we have not yet made a decision as to what to do. we contacted chrysler through its 800 customer service number. they have refused to help in any way, citing lack of service records before our purchase of the car as a used vehicle on october 16, 2004. we indicated that lack of service records do not indicate the car was not serviced since not all owners use the dodge and chrysler dealerships for service. we called customer service twice and had the same response twice. we are now faced with deciding what to do with the car. we had since learned that engine failure is a problem in these cars and that chrysler has basically told its customers to go "pound sand". we also are the original owners of a 1997 dodge grand caravan and thought that our good experience with it and service record with the local dodge dealership where we purchased it might help in getting chrysler to help us. the intrepid had been towed to the same dealership only five days earlier on april 14, 2005. the next day the dealer replaced the camshaft and crankshaft sensors with no indication to us that there was anything else wrong with the car. prior to this, since the intrepid's purchase in october 2004, we had two incidents where the oil light came on at a stop sign or red light. both times, this problem was fixed by our local dodge dealership with no indication that there was any other or possible further problem. we only put 3110 miles on the car. we are angry and feel helpless as we search the internet and see where chrysler is refusing to acknowledge or fix this problem in its vehicles.

2001 dodge intrepid 2.7l engine stalled with 76,000 miles on odometer. i had purchased the extended warranty, but was told it expired at 75,000 miles. my wife contacted dealer and was told that it would cose about $8500 for an engine replacement. dealer insinuated that the problem was not having the oil changed. after checking the nhtsa website, i found that there are nearly 50 similar complaints on this vehicle with varying mileages reported.

Dt: caller had a slight ticking in engine for about 2 months. then it started knocking. a mechanic said there was no cam signal. when they did a diagnostic had a knock in motor. caller was told needed a new motor. manufacturer has not been contacted yet. *ak

While driving at highway speed engine blew out. consumer managed to pull over, and had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

While driving vehicle stalled, and the driver saw smoke coming from underneath the hood. driver was unable to restart vehicle, and had it towed to the dealer. mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. *ak

2001 dodge intrepid engine is creating a knocking sound when driven.*mr *jb

While driving on the highway at approximately 60 mph, driver began to exit the highway at 35 mph and vehicle shut down. owner had the vehicle towed to the dealer, and was informed that the motor sludge build up caused the motor to shut down. *ak

2001 dodge intrepid with 90,000 miles. engine failed on 3-24-2005. service garage reports sludge (oil), timing belt issue, lifter damage, and that most feasible correction is new engine. *jb

I purchased the vehicle in march 2002. right from the beginning i begin having oil and sludge problems. i have have the sensor replaced several times. now i noticed a knocking in the engine. the dealership says i need a whole new engine.*ak

Consumer was driving and heard a noise coming from the engine. consumer made it home, checked the oil, and found it was almost empty. what was left had a sludge build up. consumer searched the internet to find the sludge build up complaints.*ak

@ 44,000miles wnet to get oil change and place refuse to do because of sludge in engine. took to another shop and had engine flushed. @ 56,000 miles engine began knocking and lost half it's power. had towed to dealership. they called and said engine was s

While driving at any speed vehicle stalled. driver was unable to restart the vehicle, and it was towed to the dealer for inspection. mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. *ak

My 2001 dodge intrepid engine started failing at 40,000 miles and has now completely failed. it sits in my drive way while i still pay a monthly note on it. like many intrepid owners with the same problem (failed engine) i cannot afford the $4,000 to $8,000 replacement cost i hope with your help daimler chrysler will be held accountable. i will never buy another chrysler vehicle. *jb

My 2001 dodge intrepid w/ 70,000 miles started out with a small knocking noise, then as i was driving one day, it lost all of it's power & started making a horrible noise. when i was calling around asking garages how much it would be to have them look at the car, a few of the garages told me what the problem was before i even told them, they only needed the year & make of the car & they knew that it was the engine due to oil sludge. one garage told me that it was not gonna be worth it to get my car fixed because it would likely be more than my car was worth. another garage told me he wouldn't even work on intrepids with this problem because it would be such a mess. i even had a garage tell me not to waste my money on a tow truck because the 2.7l engine intrepids are junk & it wouldnt be worth it. i finally found a guy that is basically making his living on just working on these 2.7l intrepid engines. the cost was $2,300 to have the engine cleaned/soaked to get all of the oil sludge build-up off & have a any parts that were broken replaced. my dad, boyfriend & brother had to take the engine out & bring it to the garage & the garage did the work on the engine & then my dad, boyfriend & brother had to put the engine back into my car. so w/ that price of $2,300 i didn't even get a rebuilt engine & my family had to do alot of the work. i was making my monthly payments of $175 on a car that i couldn't drive for about 2 months all together.

Today the engine failed on my 2001 dodge intrepid this is the 2.7 liter engine that i have now discovered has so many issues lodged against it. i have not taken it to a shop yet for estimate/repairs. *nm

While driving consumer noticed smoke coming from the tail pipe of the vehicle. the check engine light illuminated. consumer took the vehicle into a mechanic, and mechanic stated that the vacuum hose had come loose. the mechanic placed the vacuum hose back onto the vehicle. a couple of days later, engine light illuminated again. that's when the consumer found out there was sludge build up in the engine. *ak

Driving home from work, speed approx. 65 m.p.h. on interstate. engine made a sharp "bang", no warning lights, bells, nothing to indicate a problem. appeared to lose power, but never stalled out. managed to "limp" home (less than 2 miles). parked vehicle and the engine shut down, on its own. raised the hood, found nothing to be unusual. tried to restart the vehicle, it would not restart, only a loud clunking as the engine turned over. had the car towed to the dealer i had purchased the vehicle from. was informed that the timing chain had "jumped" and that all of the valves were bent. was given a "verbal" estimate of $7000.00-$7500.00 to repair/replace engine and associated components. i declined. this vehicle had been maintained as required by the manufacturer. all required fluid change intervals had been performed and documented. at no time was i ever informed that this particular engine had issues associated with it. i still have this vehicle, sitting in storage. it has not been touched since being brought back home from the repair facility. i have, and still maintain that this engine failure was not something i could have foreseen and or been responsible for. now i have been made aware that this is an issue that chrysler, has been aware of and has denied any liabilities. i was informed by the dealership that offered the costly repair, that chrysler would not assume any responsibility to repair my car. now i have been informed by a local repair shop, that chrysler has been making "selective reparations". *tr

I bought this car new and have taken good care of it, including regular oil changes. engine seized while traveling at high speed on highway while commuting from los angeles. i was lucky to get off the freeway without incident and basically coasted off the nearest exit and into a gas station. dealer?s mechanics say oil sludge buildup due to owner negligence caused bearings to be pushed out of place resulting in thrown rod. i can produce most receipts for oil changes but not all, so third-party extended warranty that i purchased with the car will not be honored. i was not negligent in maintaining this car and it should not be dead at 63000 miles. the dealer now wants $1056.00 for just diagnosing the problem, and the repairs (engine replacement) are estimated at between $6000 - $8000. the car even though maintained inside and out very well was only worth approximately $8000 - $9000. the balance on my loan for my new paperweight is approximately $12000. the car is now sitting at the dealership waiting for resolution. i will be pursuing legal remedy.*ak

Driver was pulling out of the parking garage and vehicle stalled. driver was unable to restart vehicle, and had it towed to the dealer for inspection. mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to cam shaft and pistons blowing out. *ak

Driving 55 on highway engine started knocking and quit timing chain blew up engine. my mechanic said it looked like a stick of dynamite was put in my engine. reported it to chrysler and they said bring the suit on it's all your fault. sludge is from poor care. *jb

I was driving and saw the oil light flicker which i thought was strange as i had just had oil changed less than 1000 miles before. then heard a rattling noise in the engine was close to a mechanic so i pulled in and he informed me that he had 5 of these engines with the exact same problem looked at my paperwork found that i had a 7 year 100000 mile warranty as i am only at 78000 had my car towed to a dealer. *jb

The 2.7l engine seized while driving 45 mph. dealer and manufacturer were notified.*ak

Oil light came on for about 15 seconds then the engine started knocking and seized up.*ak

While driving 40 mph the engine seized without warning. the cause has yet to be determined. please provide additional information. *jb

Consumer noticed smoke coming from the tail pipe. the check engine light illuminated. consumer took the vehicle to a mechanic, who determined that vacuum hose disengaged. mechanic placed the vacuuim hose back on. a few days later. the engine light illuminated again. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer,who determined that engine had sludge build up in it. *ak

While driving at highway speed vehicle stalled. consumer pulled over, and had the vehicle towed. dealership informed the consumer of engine sludge. the problem was not resolved. *ak

Vehicle tends to stall unexpectedly while being driven at various speeds. taken to dealer for checkup, but the cause is undetermined.*ak

While driving at highway speeds vehicle overheated then stalled. consumer pulled over and restarted the vehicle. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak *bf *nm

Oil light came on as wife was driving home from church. she stopped, checked the oil level(in the acceptable range on dipstick) and called me. i had a friend tow me to my house. took the car in to our local dodge dealer who told me that the engine was sludged and that the extended warranty would not cover. he first told me that they could do an engine flush, the second call was that he could not flush the engine as it is about to totally go out. i have receipts for oil and filters and when i installed them. i bought the car used with under 40,000 miles and have drove approximately 10,000 since.*ak