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Problems with 2002 Dodge Intrepid ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

On average, the 2002 Dodge Intrepid starts to “feel” problems with the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING and its various aspects after 91 155 miles.

Components Affected by ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING Issues

We have classified the 82 complaints from 2002 Dodge Intrepid about ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING into the following categories.

ENGINE 90 COOLING SYSTEM 15 EXHAUST SYSTEM 1

Recently reported ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING problems on 2002 Dodge Intrepid

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. the contact stated that while having repairs on the vehicle, she was advised by the technicians that the valve gasket was covered in oil sludge. the mechanic advised that the valve gasket cover needed to be cleaned and the oil needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 186,000. updated 02/0812 *bf updated 03/16/12

Noticed antifreeze leaking from under center area of car, attempted to pit in antifreeze, leaked out right away. i checked the oil and it was full of antifreeze. the motor is shot. there was no warning no service lights the car has not been over heated, it was very well maintained by a local dealer.

2002 dodge intrepid 2.7 engine car sudenly overheated. anti freeze went out on ground and into oil. repalced water pump, tensioner, timimg chain, several sensors, gaskets and more.always maintained oil changes at 300k and oil filters. bad engine- parts saved. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. the contact was driving 50 mph when the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that there was an internal engine failure but was unable to provide a concrete diagnosis. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 105,675.

Engine coolant: car ran hot without warning. temperature gauge blew off of radiator and coolant exploded all over the engine. *tr

Bought a dodge intrepid the engine has been replaced twice it's an 2.7 v.6 .... the car stalls , the light flickers on an off as well as my radio!! my sensor are faulty because it give my car faulty reading to the wrong errs not only, that i have had build up in both engines grime and broken down particles! my speed is off sometime my car picks up speed by it self or it don't gain speed at all! the car also loses power for no reason at all! drain my battery four times! over heat without warning! had my thermostat replace twice!!! to many problem keep occurring and i can keep up with any of this!! texas dmv told me about this site told me about that these cars are not any good!! please help what do i do with this car? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. while traveling 30 mph, vehicle would no longer accelerate. within seconds, the vehicle stalled and smoke was seen coming from under the hood. there was also coolant leaking from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the head gasket and water pump would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired and there were no prior warnings of the failure. the current and failure mileages were 103,000. updated 11/19/10. *lj the consumer stated the engine needed to be repalced. updated 11/2/410

Due to engine sludge in my 2002 dodge intrepid the engine has locked up and needs to be replaced. many other complaints and issues with this engine. very unfair to the consumer not to correct the defects of this engine.

I have a 2002 intrepid with the defective 2.7l. i just had the timing chain tensioner break without prior warning and with nothing wrong with the car. i was told it will be $900 to fix the problem or $2000 to replace it with a non defective engine. *tr

Car just started dying and never gave a warning, oil started blowing out on top of the motor , white smoke started coming out of the car . the car has a 2.7l engine in it . this is the first time we had ever had this problem with the car, the oil has been changed regularly in the vehicle . *tr

Water pump failure caused by oil sludge on a 2002 intrepid seeped water into crankshaft of motor causing further damage to motor. poor design for water pump. *tr

I own a 2002 dodge intrepid with a 2.7 liter engine. engine oil light keeps flickering. also, sometimes the check engine light comes on and then off again. i did a code check to find it was the camshaft position sensor and oxygen sensor. i took this vehicle to the dodge dealership. when i spoke to the service adviser and a mechanic, they stated that there is not much i can do, this is an on-going problem with these engines. i was shocked, way to go dodge! even your own employees don't have any faith in your products! i regularly change the oil myself every 3,000 miles with synthetic. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. while exiting a highway at 65 mph, the vehicle stalled. he was able to safely shift the vehicle into neutral and coast to the side of the road. after one day of being parked, he noticed oil leakage under the vehicle. the vehicle has not been inspected or repaired by a technician. the current and failure mileages were 110,000.

Engine failure on 2002 dodge intrepid se 2.7l v6. per mechanic - timing chain failure and other engine damage due to poor oil flow/overheated oil causing sludge and subsequently clogged oil ports and excessive degradation of oil. this happened even though used full synthetic for entire life of car and changed oil regularly (~ every 5-8k miles) oil. *tr

Engine just died. estimates to replace/repair start at $4500, just for the engine, not including labor! i have already had the 2nd rebuilt transmission put in about 3 months ago. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. while the contact was driving approximately 45 mph, the engine completely stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the technician stated there was metal in the oil. the vehicle was inoperable and had not been repaired for the malfunction. the failure mileage was 160,000.

Stopped at a stop sign, engine failed with no warning. *tr

I have a 2002 dodge intrepid. it has 90,000 miles on it. i have taken good care to change the oil on a regular basis. due to oil sludge the engine failed while i was driving. it now needs a new engine at a cost of $4,000. i still owe $3,000 on the car. it is not worth it to fix it. this car is known for engine failure at 80-90k miles. i almost got in an accident. *tr

The intrepid has had to serviced about every 3 months. first it was the engine light came on due to the 02 sensor going out. then it was the fan that belt broke on the car. then it was the tires the would wear the tread really easily. then it was the passenger door handle it broke on the inside. the it was the transmission that started skipping gears then it would make the rpm's go up. now the whole transmission has gone out. we have only had this car for two years and we have taken good care of it. *tr

Bought the car in 2007 and 3 weeks after having the car the transmission went out had to get it replace $400 with a extended warranty, a year later radiator went out had to pay $768 , just problem after problem with this engine 2.7 liter 2002 dodge intrepid , now theirs another leak of the antifreeze. *tr

Engine & oil light repeatedly came on. idled low and would cut off. i was in the middle of traffic and car just cut off when i attempted to slow. car behind me almost hit me and man had road rage. luckily the car restarted and got me into my apt complex where it cut off for the last time. i had completed oil changes as recommended and was told there was no problem. this is a common problem as stated per guy that attempted to look at the car. now i need a motor on a car that is barely worth the value of the car. there may not have been an accident or death, but this is too common a problem for dodge to ignore. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. while driving 20 mph, the engine hesitated and lost power completely. the contact pushed the vehicle to the side of the road. the vehicle would not restart. he waited two hours before the vehicle managed to restart and then drove it to a mechanic. the contact was informed that the oil reservoir was full of coolant and antifreeze, which was common for his type of vehicle. he took the vehicle to another shop and was informed of the same thing, including that the engine needed to be replaced. the manufacturer stated that they were not responsible for the defect. the contact feels that a recall should be issued. the current and failure mileages were 84,000. updated 6/01/09 *cn updated 06/02/09.*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. while driving 10 mph, the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle shook and downshifted into third gear. the mechanic could not remedy the issue. the contact feels that the vehicle is unsafe to drive. the current and failure mileages were 74,000.

We bought a 2002 used in 2005. it ran okay, thoughe h the oil pressure light and engine light would come on when idling. we were assured by the dealer we bought it from that it was just sensor and not to worry. had some small problems with it, nothing too major. they just seemed to happen all the time. then in 3/09 the alternator and water pump went out for the 2nd time, and even after repair the car would over heat out of no where and without warning. continued to have the problems with the oil pressure light and engine light. should have gotten rid of it then, but didn't have the money for a new car. then in 11/09 the car did the overheat for no reason while my husband was going 70 mph on the highway, thank god there wasn't an accident. the gauges didn't indicate anything, all of them including the spedometer went to 0. it started gushing water and antifreeze. the engine is shot, it is now a gold lawn ornament. we maintained the car, oil changes every 3000mi etc. was told its due to "sludge" in the engine and that its a common problem with dodges 2.7 engines. wish i would've known this before i bought the car, and i wish someone would do something about the ton yard ornament i now have.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. the contact heard a knocking noise in the engine and took the vehicle to the dealer. he was informed that the failure was due to an oil flush and a metal flashing, which was caused by a defect from the factory. the dealer stated that there was no guarantee that they could correct the issue. he has found numerous complaints online for his make and model vehicle relating to the engine. the dealer stated that it would be best to purchase a new engine. the failure mileage was 75,000 and current mileage was 79,541.

I was driving down hwy i75 south bound coming home from work in the middle of rush hr traffic. my car was at 70 mph and was doing great, then it just stopped running with no warning, didn't get hot, nothing just done in one minute, mechanics said i needed a complete rebuild. crank - cam - oil pump showed scars and metal fragments. costs of 3500 in parts and machine time, 600 in labor. we couldn't get over fast enough to get off the rd and was able to stop traffic and then push it off to the side, later when picking up the car with a tow dolly was hit by a car, side swiping my other vehicle and leaving me an additional 3000 in repairs. *tr

My 2002 dodge intrepid stopped running while i was headed uphill in traffic i managed to make it to the side of the road my mechanic towed it and ran a diagnostic check on it which cam back cam sensor and crankshaft sensor ... replaced both.. car still wont start.. was told that i possibly flooded the spark plugs while trying to restart it... replaced spark plugs... car still wont start after further investigation was told that the 2.7 engine is defective and needs to be replaced which if i can find a decent used engine will be atleast $3500 but i cannot find a used dodge intrepid engine because they are all bad! i still owe more than $2000 on the car and cannot afford a new engine.. i am behind on payments because i have no transportation to work... or to the grocery store.. or the doctor or to my 3 kids school for that matter. *tr

I bought used with 101898 miles on after 1044489 the head gasket blow and i only had the car for 2 weeks. *tr

My 2002 dodge intrepid se began have engine troubles at 125,000 miles. i had the engine flushed in an attempt to stop a new knocking sound from getting worse. while driving with my children on the interstate two days later the engine completely failed. i have been paying the finance on this vehicle for the past year and a half. i am unable to pay the excessive engine repair costs and so the car sits. *tr

The engine failure while my girlfriend driving. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. while driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to a dealer and they stated that the timing chain was the cause of the failure. the engine size is a 2.7 liter, v6. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 101,000.

2002 dodge intrepid thermostat radiator cap stopped working and i got that fixed and we were test driving the car and it worked fine, for a bit. as we were driving the car started shaking and then the engine blew. it stopped working in the middle of december 2008. we need to buy a new engine. it was sudden, and we took the car to get the oil change and the entire vehicle checked every 3 months. *tr

I own a 2002 dodge intrepid with a 2.7l engine. the car only has 45,850 original miles.at times it will make a knocking noise that will eventually go away. i was told that the 2.7l has a problem with sludge buildup causing vital internal engine parts not to become lubricated. i have my oil changed every 1500 to 3000 miles and have only driven it 23,000 miles since buying it in 2006 i have taken it to several repair shops , but most mechanics refuse to work on it because of the so called sludge problem and the high cost of the repairs. some suggested using full synthetic oil to combat the problem. others have stated that the only solution is to replace the engine completely. i have also questioned chrysler as to any recalls for the 2.7l intrepid but no answer. i have also noticed that there are several complaints about this problem across north america. if chrysler knew this was a problem with these engines, they should have informed us the consumers and taken actions to correct it. i think they decided to keep their mouth shut and flood our country with a worthless product. chrysler needs to own up to this defect. i have been a loyal customer of dodge for many years but is fading fast when it comes to american made vehicles. *tr

I own a 2002 dodge intrepid always did regular oil changes. oil light came on, started hearing a knocking sound from the engine. the dealer says i have to replace the engine, otherwise it may seize while driving, causing a serious condition. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. the contact turned the ignition key and the engine failed to completely turnover. immediately, there was an ignition misfire. there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. roadside assistance was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the failure was related to engine sludge. the vehicle is currently inoperable and has not been repaired. the contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. the vin was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 68,000.

Engine sludge dec 2007, engine sludge october 2008, resulting in vehicle malfunction. the car stopped on a major highway in rush hour traffic. the oil light came on and the car immediately died. luckily i wasn't rearended. the oil is changed every 3000 miles. chrysler should be replacing the motors on these vehicles before someone is killed. right now the car is sitting, non-working. i cannot afford to replace the motor. *tr

My daughter was driving home from college when our 2002 dodge intrepid engine failed while crossing trolley tracks in our local town. *tr

A/c evaporator, ac receiver dryer, heater core had to be replaced for my 2002 dodge intrepid. the car had less than 64,000 miles on it. the repair was extensive as the steering wheel and dash board had to be pulled out. hours of labor apprx= 8. this was a problem described in the technical service bulletin # 2400204a. apparently this part has a history of failure. cost of repair was 897.00. the main reason for this repair is because the air conditioner stopped working. i really thought we should of been reimbursed by chrysler for this repair as it was so extensive, and there was so many other complaints pertaining to this part. i researched silent warranties on this problem but could not really turn up anything to help. *tr

Sludge build up, overheated, water pump out, timing chain broken.*tr

2002 dodge intrepid with 2.7 engine. engine failed due to oil sludge as 16yr old driver came to stop sign at a major highway. cost to replace was 5200.00. *tr

I have a 2002 dodge intrepid with 2.7 engine the oil was changed every3k miles as should. in 2008 the car just shut off later took it to dealer with thought that warranty would cover it and they would not. the failure was because of oil sludge. there are very many complaints and mechanic inputs on this engine.. dodge thinks the owners are at fault when in my case everything was done at the right time to keep it in good shape. the engine is no good there needs to be a recall on this product. it causes the engine to just shut off where ever you are. some have shut off on highways which could cause serious wrecks. http://www.carcomplaints.com/dodge/intrepid/2002/engine/oil_sludge_resulting_in_engine_failure.shtml this site has many users that have complained about the car. could you please look into this. *tr

Blown motor. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. while driving 35 mph, the contact experienced issues with his vehicle and took it to an auto repair shop. the crank, fuel, and oil sensors were replaced. the same day, the engine failed. he took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the engine was clean and found no failures, other than the bearing. recently, the vehicle was taken to the dealer to install an idler and the transmission failed. the estimated repair cost for the transmission was $3,300. the extended warranty would not cover the repair costs. the manufacturer has not been notified. the current mileage was approximately 85,000 and failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. the contact took the vehicle in for inspection and an oil change. afterwards, while driving 50-55 mph, the vehicle began making a loud rattling noise inside the engine. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the valve cover gasket was removed. the mechanic found built-up oil sludge, which destroyed the engine. the contact purchased a new engine from an independent dealer and informed him that there had been several issues with the chrysler and dodge 2.7 liter engine. the failure mileage was 67,000 and current mileage was 67,350. updated 09/16/08. *lj updated 09/17/08. *jb

I replaced an engine in a 2002 dodge intrepid last year and i am replacing one again this year. this engine is less than 80,000 miles and now the engine has locked up again. i am researching and finding other consumers are having engine problems with dodge intrepids. this is very costly! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. while driving 55 mph, the engine began making noise and the vehicle shut off in the middle of the road. the weather was not a factor. the contact took the vehicle to be repaired and the dealer stated that they had to wait on an inspector to investigate the failure. three weeks later, the inspector stated that there was sludge build up and the oil filter looked rusty. the vehicle is still at the dealer to be repaired. the failure mileage was 78,900.

2002 dodge intrepid with oil leak. consumer states that the vehicles engine has a design flaw which produces high levels of engine oil sludge. *kb after the oil leak was repaired, the check engine light illuminated two months later, the consumer was told the vehicle had a transmission leak. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. while driving 25 mph, she heard a knocking noise then the vehicle shut off without warning. the dealer stated that sludge inside the engine caused the failure and recommended a new engine. as of may 12, 2008, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 76,000.

I own a 2002 dodge intrepid...i have to replace the motor...it only has 76,000 and dodge will not do anything about it... *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. while driving between 45-50 mph, the engine light illuminated. the temperature in the vehicle was fine and the contact pulled over the vehicle. when he turned the vehicle off, he discovered that water leaked everywhere. the following day, he changed the oil and found water in the oil. he also found water in the engine and stated that the engine gasket failed. the vehicle has not yet been taken to the dealer. the failure mileage was 118,000.

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