Problems with 2001 Dodge Intrepid ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2001 dodge intrepid r/t 3.5l with 111,422 miles. while driving on the tollway, the heater began to blow out cool air. later there was no acceleration and the car just died. got the car to the side of the road while in traffic. had to be towed. engine is locked up. new engine estimate $5000-$7500. no check engine lights or warnings. prior to this event we had a new radiator, thermostat, etc. put in along with fixing oil leakage problem. that was july 28, 2011 with 107,809 miles on it. we always changed our oil regularly and took care of it. we bought this 2001 r/t intrepid new. the only other real problem was @ 106,939 miles it wouldn't go back into drive once you put it in reverse so we put in a used control module to fix that problem. i have read about a lot of complaints with the 2.7l engine but can't find much information on the 3.5 r/t model. so scary to think how many 2001 intrepids are just dying on the road with no advance notice. very dangerous. i am so glad that my son was driving it and knew what to do instead of my newly-licensed daughter. it was her car for only 4 1/2 months. dodge should be ashamed. we got more mileage out of a chevy cavalier. are there any class action law suits out there? *kb

I was told my motor 2.7 was totaled because of sludge. *tr

I was on my way to aldi's and before i pulled up into the parking lot the car shut off and did not start again fluids were running from underneath i had it towed and they told me it was the water pump and the result of that made anti freeze mix with the oil in the engine and i took it to a second mechanic and they said pretty much the same thing except they added that they did a compression test and it failed so it needed to be rebuilt at some point of time . *tr

I have a 2001 dodge intrepid. 2.7l engine. the oil light came on and stayed on and now the engine is ticking. i was driving and then the car just cut off. the oil dip stick was at the right level. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. the driver stated that she was at a traffic light attempting to make a turn when the vehicle made a clicking noise. the driver shifted the gear in park, then drive but the vehicle shut off completely. the vehicle has not restarted since the failure occurred. smoke was visible on both sides of the hood. the failure mileage was 114,000.

My car has very low mileage and it just suddenly started coughing and choking and revving up and slowing down - it was completely out-of-control! i had to pull over on a major freeway (interstate 5 in oregon) and waited on the side for a tow. when i got it home i was told to drive it a couple of blocks to get the engine analyzer on it, but it sounded horrible, the valves were knocking fiercely and it sounded like it was out of oil, which i check frequently. the guy that checked it really didn't have much of an answer except a relay switch. we replaced it but to no avail. i took it to a local mechanic and he wanted about $4500 to replace the engine - where they found metal shavings and some sort of bolt that they couldn't get to down in the valve. i cannot afford to replace anything on this car and i am amazed and disgusted that chrysler would put this kind of engine out to the public. i have read hundreds of complaints now about the 2.7 l engine - with people in the same predicament. and it's not just online - i have a neighbor with one that has the alternative engine and he's heard the same thing. his car runs great because he doesn't have the 2.7l....chrysler should pick up the pieces for all these poor people who have faulty cars and at least replace the value of their car as it stands today. please help. *tr

My car stalled out. took it to a repair shop. the diagnosing mechanic said there was a failure of the water pump which allowed antifreeze to become mixed in with the motor oil which caused this to destroy my entire engine. *tr

I was driving my 2001 dodge intrepid se and with no warning the heat went out and the car began to smoke and cut off and i had to coast over to the side of the road on a dark road and wait till the engine cooled down. it took about fifteen minutes before the car started again. i just purchased this car in july and it died on me in november. the engine is a 2.7 and is known for these issues. i took the car to a mechanic and they told me that the antifreeze is mixing with the oil,the headgasket is gone and he gives it a month before the motor goes. i googled the 2.7 and read similar stories. *tr

Engine shut down.....the oil light came on, followed by loud noise in engine.....got off to the side of the road....shut off and "died" on the spot !! luckily it was late at night with no other cars on the road !! had the car towed, looked at by a mechanic..who found the engine coated with oil sludge on the inside. needs a new engine . *tr

I was just driving my 2001 dodge intrepid to work on the highway. no indication what so ever of engine problems. cold air started to run through the heater vents inside the car, then i had no acceleration. i looked in the rearview mirror and saw white grayish coming out the rear and front of car. i pulled over immediately, but it was too late. i had the car towed to my mechanic and he told me the engine had blown and failed a compression test. i never had a problem with this engine before and always changed the appropriate fluids. i bought a used car and my intrepid is still sitting broken in my driveway. *tr

I bought this car from my brother-in-law about 5 months ago. i changed the oil less then 3,000 miles ago. i began noticing some weird engine noise over the last week. the sound got alot worse today on a 30 mile trip to pick up my 3 year old daughter from her grandma's house. the car began making a loud banging or knocking sound when you let off of the gas while driving. the car then just died while driving down the road. luckily, i was able to pull the car over without any problems, but who knows what would have happened if i was driving on the highway. i had the car towed to my house. i tried to start it at home and it would turn over and start, but it sounds like the engine has rocks or something in it and only idles for a second or two before dieing again. i hope that this problem has some way of getting fixed and that the ways you described really do help. i am now left with only one car to share with my wife and try to find a way to get to my full time job and my classes (i am also attending classes 4 days a week). i have always heard about the problems with the 2.7 liter engine, but i thought they were just horror stories that were always told as "i know this guy who had problems with that engine" or "those engines are junk, and its only a matter of time before mine will blow". i really didn't expect this to happen because not even 3000 miles earlier i changed the oil and it was clean. i also drove the car up north which was a 3hr drive each way. no problems and the bang, knock, crunch its all over. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 chrysler intrepid. while driving 70 mph, the engine began to knock loudly. the contact had the vehicle towed to a mechanic and was informed that the engine failed. the engine had never been serviced prior to the failure and there were no warning lights illuminated. the engine oil and fluids were checked and replaced three weeks prior to the failure. the dealer and manufacturer have not been notified. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 80,000.

Our 2001 dodge intrepid seized up on us while driving on sunday. it was fine, then it wasn't, we did everything to maintain the vehicle, oil changes and repairs when needed. *tr

On june 4, 2009 i paid my 2001 dodge intrepid off. on june 20, 2009 while traveling on the interstate i heard my car making a knocking sound. as i pulled over to get off on the exit the car died and i almost lost control of the vehicle as i came off the exit. i had to put the car in park to get it to stop. this is scary being that my young children were in the vehicle with me. on yesterday the mechanic has advised me the engine is gone. i've had the oil sending unit replaced, the timing, the cam and crankshaft sensor, the water pump, the serpentine belt, not to mention the $600 just spent about 2 weeks ago to have the ac fixed. when the oil light first began to flicker the mechanic advised me that this would be the outcome. something needs to be done about this! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 chrysler intrepid with a 2.7 liter engine. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph the engine backfired without any prior warnings. as a consequence, the risk of a vehicle crash and a fire were increased. the vehicle was towed his place of residence for inspection and a mechanic concluded that the engine was a manufacturers defect. the vehicle identification number was unavailable. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage and current mileages were 60,000.

2001 dodge intrepid 2.7 v6 had oil light flicker on and off at stop signs. checked oil, it was fine. took in for an oil change. i did oil changes regularly as suggested by dodge. car started making knocking noise. took car to mechanic. he ran compression tests and said timing chain was bad and valves were bent. it needs a new engine. *tr

While i was on my way to work my car started running really bad like i was going to stop. there was smoke coming from tail pipe. this had been going on for a while. i drove a little further the engine just died. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. the contact stated that the check engine warning light constantly illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an oil change and they discovered several oil leaks. the necessary repairs were performed and several seals and other components were replaced at the cost of $1,000. the contact paid for the repairs; however, the check engine oil light continued to flicker on and off on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but they could not duplicate the failure. on a separate occasion, the contact heard a loud banging noise while driving less than 65 mph, followed by the vehicle stalling. an independent mechanic stated that the rod inside of the engine failed. it could not be determined how the failure occurred. the contact paid $5,900 to repair the failure. the failure and current mileages were less than 85,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. the contact stated that intermittently while driving 30 mph, the vehicle will stalled without any prior warnings. this condition increases the risk for vehicle crash. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. the technician speculated that cam shaft or crank shaft sensor was the cause of the failure. no repairs were made. the failure mileage was 87,575. the current mileage was 87,634.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 chrysler intrepid. the contact purchased the vehicle in february of 2008. three days later, the shifter cable failed without warning. the dealer replaced the component. in approximately april of 2008, the ignition switch failed and was also covered by the dealer. in addition, the driver's side window would not roll back up properly. a month ago, the vehicle shut off and was taken to the dealer. the contact was informed that the vehicle's computer system had completely failed. the computer system was replaced at the contact's expense. the connector rod in the engine snapped, which caused the engine to fail. currently, the vehicle is inoperable. the contact feels that the failures were due to manufacturer defects. the failure mileage was 98,000. updated 07/01/09 *bf the pcm was replaced. updated 07/02/09.*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while at a red light, the engine failed. the vehicle was very difficult to restart. the dealer stated that there were three faulty coils and three faulty spark plugs. the contact believes the valve train is faulty. the check engine light was illuminated on the instrument panel and bluish-gray smoke appeared from the tail pipe, which was an indication of engine failure. in addition, the fuel consumption increased. the current and failure mileages were 88,600.

#2 cylinder, right side, rod bearing failure. piston hitting head. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 60 mph, the contact heard a popping noise in the engine. the vehicle lost complete power and had to be placed into neutral as it coasted to the side of the road. the vehicle was unable to be controlled. the engine failure occurred without warning. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic and then to the dealer, who stated that a piston rod blew a hole in the engine block. the repair would cost $5,750. the manufacturer stated that they would pay $1,000 towards the repair cost. the contact stated that she does not have the money for the repairs. the failure mileage was 73,000. updated 04/16/09.*jb

While idling at a stop light an officer of the law was behind me as the light change i made my way to my destination only to be stopped by said officer. he stated that when i pulled away at the light there was a big smoke trail leaving my exhaust. i informed him of the many troubles with the 2.7l chrysler engine he informed me that if i continue to drive i would be cited for epa violations. the car has 80,432 miles and has been burning oil at a constant rate. now the oil pressure sending unit is leaking also which by reading some complaints is what happens just before total breakdown. something has to be done about this will cost aprx. $2600 to rebuild engine. *tr

This is about a 2001 dodge intrepid. i change my oil on a regular basis and at about 99,000 miles my 2.7 engine blew up due to oil sludge. i heard of hundreds maybe thousands of the same engine blowing up without warning. *tr

2001 dodge intrepid se - 2.7l, lost power on the way to work. oil light began flickering (had scheduled oil change couple of days before) and coasted off the roadway. had car towed in to the local repair shop. diagnosed "catastrophic internal engine failure." motor needed to be replaced. all past repair work had been completed by the local dodge dealer. they have replaced two of the main brains in the car (@ 40k & 55k - both cost $850 ea.), oil pan gaskets (@ 35k, 45k, & 60k), generator (@ 60k), radiator (@ 65k), transmission radiator (@ 65k), rebuilt transmission (@ 98k), and now the motor has been replaced with a jasper rebuild. *tr

I purchased my 2001 intrepid with the hopes of finally buying a quality family car. in 2005 i spent $2800 to fix the cooling system, it drove well for three years until finally i had a leak; took it to a shop which then noticed a lack of oil pressure and finally discovered the sludge build up in the engine. i've been using synthetic for a while and this appears not to be the panacea for this contraption. my question is why no recall on this vehicle, how about a bail-out for those of us who demonstrated good faith for u.s. owned and built products only to be taken for a bad ride. the 2.7l engine is poorly designed and someone should be held accountable for this monstrosity. at some point in the design and testing phase poor performance or some other data should have been identified and appropriately addressed. the people who own and purchase these vehicles are not rich, else we wouldn't bother complaining and demanding a recall. we are typical americans who want and deserve value for our hard earned money. i don't have $8,000.00 to fix this car. my kids have health conditions and i'm down to one car, and my wife and i commute to work. who's going to bail us out...nevermind that who's going to help us! the fair and right thing to do is recall this vehicle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. the contact noticed that the vehicle was leaking oil. on december 14, 2008, the contact heard a noise when the vehicle was accelerated. he took the vehicle to his mechanic and was informed that the motor failed. he took the vehicle to another garage and the mechanic stated that the motor was failing and needed to be replaced. a new motor would cost $6,200. a report was filed with the manufacturer and they stated that they would not assist with the repair. the vehicle has not yet been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 71,489.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 50 mph, the vehicle shuddered and then repeatedly stalled. the vehicle then completely shut off and lost all power. the contact was unable to restart the vehicle and had it towed to a repair shop. the mechanic could not find any failures and their computer system showed no issues. however, the service manager test drove the vehicle and experienced the stalling. while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle stalled again on the freeway after much jerking and lunging. the dealer was able to duplicate failure, but could not determine the cause of the failure. the manufacturer has not been notified. the vin was unknown. the current mileage was approximately 65,000 and failure mileage was approximately 64,500.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 75 mph on the freeway, the contact heard a clicking noise. there were no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. she pulled over and had the vehicle towed as a precautionary measure. a mechanic found sludge build in the engine, which caused it to begin smoking under the hood. the vin was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 110,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle shut down without warning. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop. the mechanic discovered fluid leaking from the radiator. as a result, the engine oil thickened and caused the engine to fail. the manufacturer took a report and stated that the vehicle was out of warranty and would not assist. a new engine would cost $9,000. the vehicle will not be repaired. the current and failure mileages were 112,000. updated 11/07/08. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 55 mph, the vehicle began making a loud banging noise. the vehicle then stalled and shut off. the failure was due to the engine. the vehicle was pushed to the contact's residence. the dealer advised the contact to return the vehicle back to the place where it was bought and have them provide a new vehicle. the failure and current mileages were 95,000.

I was driving on i 75 - 250 miles from home when my engine failed on my 2001 dodge intrepid. no warning. luckily it did not cause an accident. *tr

Engine seized up and needs to be replaced. *tr

Dodge has a design problem with the 2001 intrepid with a 2.7l v-6 engine. after an oil change the oil light flickers. started to make a ticking noise. had the car looked at and due to some oil tube design issue part of the engine is starved for oil and is now in need of a new engine. *tr

I was shocked that my vehicle needed a new engine (long block and all parts associated) at 67,227 miles due to oil sludge/bearings broke down in engine and caused oil to look metallic resulting in engine failure. the check oil light suddenly appeared and a ticking noise started so i had my car towed immediately to the nearest dodge dealership. this happened just 2,277 miles after my warranty expired? we had two dealerships look at my intrepid and both agreed it needed a new engine. we even contacted a trusted family mechanic shop and was advised that this was a known issue with the 2.7 liter engines and advised to get rid of the car immediately (they would not touch it). robert at autowest dodge in roseville, california, also admitted that this was a known issue with the dodge 2.7 liter engines and that it just happens no matter how your vehicle is maintained but, offered no recourse with dodge. the total for repairs was $8,175.00. now i have another 2.7 liter engine (rebuilt) from the manufacturer (dodge) which is only guaranteed for 36 months. the cost of repairing my car really created a hardship for me. i am a senior citizen on a fixed income, drive my vehicle less than average miles per year and take pride in maintaining my car. your help in investigating the dodge 2.7 liter engine is greatly appreciated. *tr

2001 dodge intrepid. the motor started to knock at start up for a couple of seconds then after about two weeks the engine dies two blocks from home. got home and it started with a very loud squealing coming from the bottom of the motor. it has 137,000 miles and i am pretty sure it is a crank bearing. i use synthetic and change the oil every 3,000 miles. *tr

Oil sludge build up on engine of 2.7l v6 dodge intrepid engine, timing chain broke, and water pump quit. *tr

2001 dodge intrepid 2.7 ltr i was driving along and the car made a hissing noise and clunked and then shut off. i had to pay for a tow. i was told that because of engine sludge i would have to pay around 2500.00 to have a new engine put in my car. this was an out of pocket expense that we incurred. *tr

At first the motor started to knock from below(bearings) brought it in and replaced the cam and crank sensors. drove the car for 4 days after and it will not start and the knocking is worse. the engine is getting fuel and spark but will not fire. checked the oil and changed it to be on the safe side, still nothing. *tr

On three times in the last four years i have had to replace the timing chain tensioner on my 2001 dodge 2.7l. the first time the local dealer did the repair the car was under warranty. i was told at that time by the dealer that i had engine sludge and that this repair and future repairs would not be covered. the last time the i had a failure on the highway and had to limp 2 miles to get off, this caused major intake valve damage and has is coasting me about $1,200.00 to fix myself. *tr

I purchased the car used in december 2007, it had 147,000 miles on it. since i purchased it i have had the oil changed twice. on the morning of may 7, 2008, i checked the oil prior to a long trip and found it to be 1 quart low. i added additional oil to bring the level to full. about 5 miles into the trip, while driving on the freeway at 70 miles an hour, i began hearing a very loud knocking sound coming from the engine. as i began changing lanes, i found that once i slowed down slightly, i was unable to pick up speed again, and i was slowly loosing speed. as i entered the off ramp the oil light began to flicker. at the end of the off ramp, my car died at the stop sign, and would not start again, leaving me in a very unsafe place. i placed the car in neutral and attempted to push it into a parking lot from the drivers door in order to be able to turn the steering wheel or apply the brakes if needed. i was unable to push from that position, so i was forced to take the risk of pushing from the rear of the vehicle. by sheer luck the car rolled between a street sign and a parked vehicle, and came to a stop when it hit a bush just before rolling into the ditch. i was informed by my mechanic that the rod knock was caused by a severe buildup of oil sludge in the engine. i was offered 2 options to repair the vehicle; 1) have a remanufactured 2.7 l engine installed that had been modified to combat this problem, or 2) have a 3.2 or 3.5 l engine from another intrepid or concord installed, which would involve no modifications since the transmission and exhaust systems for all three of the engines were identical. to my surprise, the estimate for installing the larger engine was less than installing the same size engine, even considering the peripheral parts such as air conditioning, power steering, etc. that would need to come along with the larger engine! all told, i will have spend $3000 to purchase the car and nearly the same amount to repair it. *tr

Oil pressure indicator light began flickering approximately 3 weeks prior to engine failure. oil changed on 2 occasions during time frame and result same, light continuously flickered and than became continuously solid red with light ticking noise observed from upper valve cover. approximately 10 minutes longer of driving to safely locate the dodge intrepid with 2.7 liter engine to residence, once parked in drive way the ticking was sporadic and car has been parked since due to inability to operate safely and effectively without further creating total loss to vehicle and engine components! *tr

Husband driving home from work at the busiest time of the day car acted like it was going to turn off at a stop light. he turned off the busy rode and the car just suddenly turned off. started smoking he opened the hood and saw that fluids had leaked out. nearby was a mechanic shop with help pushed it there. was put on a diagnostic and we were told that the engine was gone result of a oil sludge problem which causes engine failure. estimated cost for new engine $5372. i have done some research on this problem and wouldn't even consider putting a new engine in this car. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle made a knocking noise and then shut off without warning. the vehicle failed to restart on two separate occasions. the first time the vehicle shut off the water pump was replaced. the vehicle was towed to a dealer and it restarted the following morning. the vehicle was diagnosed as having engine failure. the current and failure mileages were 95,000.

I was driving down the street when the engine stopped working. my brakes went out on me and i ended up in the middle of someone's yard, much better then the back end of the car in front of me, but still very scary. i was able to restart the car and get onto the side street before it died for the last time. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 55 mph, the contact heard a loud bang and noticed smoke under the hood on the passenger side of the vehicle. he pulled off the road and the engine exploded. the dealer stated that it would cost $5,000 to repair the vehicle. the vin, purchase, date, and engine size were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 95,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 65 mph, the vehicle overheated. the contact heard a loud noise coming from the engine compartment and had the vehicle towed to a local mechanic. the mechanic stated that the engine failed. the contact could not afford to replace the engine, so he had the vehicle towed to his residence. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 92,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge intrepid. while driving 45 mph, the vehicle abruptly shut off. the contact had a child seated in a child seat at the time. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the motor was clogged with oil sludge and a new one was needed. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 35,000 and current mileage was 36,000.

The motor in my dodge intrepid, 2.7 liter v6, 2001, let loose at speed without warning of any kind. the car bucked wildly and i almost lost control with my 2 yr old son in his car seat. i was told this is a common occurrence with these vehicles. this is unacceptable!! i do not have the money to throw at this piece of crap! i still owe on this vehicle and repairs start around 3,500.00 dollars! what is chrysler doing about this?? *tr