NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
377 reports53,560 miles · Jan 12, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
MY 1998 DODGE INTREPID, 2.7 LITER ENGINE, WITH 53,000 MILES WAS MAKING A FUNNY ENGINE NOISE (NO PRIOR WARNING WHAT SO EVER). I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE OF "ENGINE SLUDGE." THE COST WAS $6,990.00 AND I STILL OWED OVER $4,000.00 ON THE VEHICLE!! UNLESS I COULD PROVE I GOT REGULAR OIL…
Read full complaint
MY 1998 DODGE INTREPID, 2.7 LITER ENGINE, WITH 53,000 MILES WAS MAKING A FUNNY ENGINE NOISE (NO PRIOR WARNING WHAT SO EVER). I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE OF "ENGINE SLUDGE." THE COST WAS $6,990.00 AND I STILL OWED OVER $4,000.00 ON THE VEHICLE!! UNLESS I COULD PROVE I GOT REGULAR OIL CHANGES, THERE WAS NO RECOURSE. AND THEN THEY TOLD ME BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED (1 YEAR OLD) - EVEN THAT WAS POINTLESS, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PROOF THE PREVIOUS OWNER GOT REGULAR OIL CHANGES!! THE MORE I SEARCH, THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS OUT THERE WITH THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. IT IS AN OUTRAGE THAT DODGE ISN'T ACKNOWLEDGING THIS. THERE AREN'T MANY FAMILIES THAT CAN TAKE A FINANCIAL HIT OF $7,000.00! *LA
NHTSA ODI #10052948
69,000 miles · Jan 8, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ENGINE PROBLEMS. THIS WAS THE SECOND ENGINE INSTALLED. HOWEVER, THE RESULT WAS THE SAME. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH ENGINE LOCKED UP AND QUIT OPERATING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10053705
108,000 miles · Jan 8, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10053680
94,000 miles · Jan 6, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A CLANKING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10053491
74,000 miles · Jan 5, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
A QUIET KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD BEFORE CONSUMER MERGED ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE NOISE GOT LOUDER 20 MILES UPON MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY IN CRUISE CONTROL. UPON PULLING OVER TO CHECK THE NOISE , AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE OIL LIGHT AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE OIL LEVEL IN THE VEHICLE WAS FULL. THE VEH…
Read full complaint
A QUIET KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD BEFORE CONSUMER MERGED ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE NOISE GOT LOUDER 20 MILES UPON MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY IN CRUISE CONTROL. UPON PULLING OVER TO CHECK THE NOISE , AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE OIL LIGHT AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE OIL LEVEL IN THE VEHICLE WAS FULL. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY BEING SERVICED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE, MAYBE IT WAS DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10053373
79,000 miles · Jan 4, 2004
Power Train
WITHIN THE LAST MONTH OUR FAMILY HAS EXPERIENCED TWO TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN TWO DIFFERENT CHRYSLER VEHICLES WE OWN. THE FIRST, A 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING, HAD THE TRANSMISSION CATASTROPHICALLY FAIL AFTER ONLY 60,000 MILES. THE SECOND, A 1998 DODGE INTREPID, HAD THE CLUTCHES IN THE TRANSMISSION FAIL AFTER 79,000 MILES. BOTH OF …
Read full complaint
WITHIN THE LAST MONTH OUR FAMILY HAS EXPERIENCED TWO TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN TWO DIFFERENT CHRYSLER VEHICLES WE OWN. THE FIRST, A 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING, HAD THE TRANSMISSION CATASTROPHICALLY FAIL AFTER ONLY 60,000 MILES. THE SECOND, A 1998 DODGE INTREPID, HAD THE CLUTCHES IN THE TRANSMISSION FAIL AFTER 79,000 MILES. BOTH OF THESE CARS WERE EXTREMELY WELL CARED FOR AND DRIVEN NORMALLY. BOTH VEHICLES HAVE BEEN SERVICED ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANUAL SUPPLIED WITH THE CAR. AS A CONSUMER, ITS HARD TO SEE HOW A COMPANY CAN CHARGE $2,000.00 TO REPLACE A PART OF A CAR THAT FAILED WITHOUT REASON. I WILL NEVER BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10052345
93,213 miles · Jan 1, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
MAIN PULLY ON CRANKSHAFT THAT DRIVES THE SERPENTINE BELTS STARTS SHAKING, THE BEARING HAS GONE BAD TWICE ALREADY AND NOW FOR THE THIRD TIME. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10051479
83,000 miles · Dec 14, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 DODGE INTREPID, MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND APPROX. FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD DURING RUSH HOUR. BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT START, I CALLED THE POLICE TO HAVE THEM STOP TRAFFIC SO I COULD CRUISE MY CAR BACKWARDS INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC TO …
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 DODGE INTREPID, MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND APPROX. FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD DURING RUSH HOUR. BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT START, I CALLED THE POLICE TO HAVE THEM STOP TRAFFIC SO I COULD CRUISE MY CAR BACKWARDS INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC TO FIX WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A BAD STARTER OR ALTERNATOR. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP AND THAT I HAD PLENTLY OF OIL AND ANTIFREEZE. HE SAID THAT THE OIL PUMP LOCATED INSIDE THE ENGINE MAY HAVE STOPPED WORKING AND THEREFORE CAUSED MY ENGINE TO LOCK UP. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10049725
72,000 miles · Dec 5, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO AN OIL SLUDGING CONDITION. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10049292
60,000 miles · Dec 2, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
I BOUGHT MY CAR IN THE SUMMER OF 1992; IN SUCH TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES, SERPINTINE BELT, AIR CONDITIONING BELT, PULLEY AND NOW THE ENGINE GAVE OUT ON ME. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM MELLOY DODGE IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10049050
NHTSA investigations
2EA03011 · Auto Trans IGNITION-PARK Interlock
Opened Jul 17, 2003 · Closed Jan 30, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
PE03010 · Throttle Control Failure
Opened Feb 27, 2003 · Closed Sep 2, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control; Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal; Vehicle Speed Control:cables; Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
BASED ON THE LOW FAILURE RATE, THE ABSENCE OF FAILURES OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE ABSENCE OF INJURIES, AND ODI'S FIELD INVESTIGATION OF INCIDENT VEHICLES, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Additional source detail variants (4)
Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal
BASED ON THE LOW FAILURE RATE, THE ABSENCE OF FAILURES OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE ABSENCE OF INJURIES, AND ODI'S FIELD INVESTIGATION OF INCIDENT VEHICLES, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Vehicle Speed Control:cables
BASED ON THE LOW FAILURE RATE, THE ABSENCE OF FAILURES OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE ABSENCE OF INJURIES, AND ODI'S FIELD INVESTIGATION OF INCIDENT VEHICLES, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Vehicle Speed Control
BASED ON THE LOW FAILURE RATE, THE ABSENCE OF FAILURES OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE ABSENCE OF INJURIES, AND ODI'S FIELD INVESTIGATION OF INCIDENT VEHICLES, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
BASED ON THE LOW FAILURE RATE, THE ABSENCE OF FAILURES OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE ABSENCE OF INJURIES, AND ODI'S FIELD INVESTIGATION OF INCIDENT VEHICLES, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Illustration