2000 Dodge Intrepid

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ENGINE OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER BEING TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED, WHICH INDICATED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.

MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID JUST BLEW TWO ROD BEARINGS AND THE CHAIN IN THE FRONT CRANK CASE CUT ALL THE THROUGH THE METAL AFTER 81,000 MILES AND 6 YEARS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM ALL STARTED WHEN I HAD TO HAVE MY SEAT REPLACED VIA THE SEAT RECALL DODGE ISSUED (WHICH THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT NOTIFY ME ABOUT, I HAD TO FIND THIS OUT MYSELF VIA THE INTERNET). SO, I TOOK MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID INTO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, TO HAVE THE SEAT REPLACED AND WHILE THEY WERE AT IT, I AUTHORIZED SOME OTHER REPAIRS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE TO MY INTREPID (ALL OUT OF WARRANTY). I GET THE CAR BACK A DAY OR TWO LATER, DRIVE IT OFF THE LOT AND START TO HEAR A ''KNOCKING'' SOUND WHEN THE RPM''S WOULD HIT AROUND 4000 '' 5000 RPM''S. THE ''KNOCKING'' WENT ON FOR ANOTHER DAY OR TWO WITHOUT CLEARING UP, SO I TOOK MY 200 DODGE INTREPID BACK TO DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHAT THE DEAL WAS, SINCE THEY JUST SERVICED MY VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THEM ANOTHER $380.00 TO HAVE MY ENGINE PULLED APART TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I WAS VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS, BUT GAVE THEM PERMISSION TO DO PULL THE ENGINE APART TO FIX THE PROBLEM, FIGURING THIS WOULD ALL BE COVERED BY THEIR 12 MONTH OR 12,000 MILE WARRANTY THEY PROVIDE ON THEIR WORK/REPAIRS THEY DO. I GET A CALL 2 '' 3 HOURS LATER STATING THAT THE NEWS IS NOT GOOD AND THAT MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID HAD TWO BLOWN ROD BEARINGS, AS WELL AS THE CHAIN HAD CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CRANK CASE. THE DEALERSHIP BLAMED THIS ON BEING POORLY MAINTAINED, THEN WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT WAS NOT ACCURATE, AS I WAS VERY RELIGIOUS ON CHANGING MY OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES, THEY TRIED TO BLAME THE PROBLEM ON OIL SLUDGE CAUSED BY THE OIL I WAS USING (PENNZOIL). I ASKED DODGE HOW PENNZOIL WOULD FEEL IF I TOLD THEM THAT DODGE WAS TELLING THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT PENNZOIL OIL CAUSED OIL SLUDGE AND THE DEALERSHIP HAD NO COMMENT. THEY ALSO DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMMENT ON WHY OTHER ENGINES RUN & LAST USING PENNZOIL OIL AND THEIR ENGINES DO NOT, STILL NO GOOD ANSWER FROM THEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON A CITY STREET, THERE WAS A LOUD, BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE STALLING. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE DID RESTART, BUT THE BANGING SOUND WAS PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE FAILED AND A ROD WAS FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE INTREPID AND OVER THE WEEKEND THE ENGINE BLEW AND I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE ENGINE FAILING. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND THERE WAS SLUDGE INSIDE AND NOW THEY ARE SAYING THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD AND THAT I NEED TO NEW ONE. I WENT TO GOOGLE TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE ENGINE AND I CAME ACROSS A LINK THAT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE IN MY SITUATION. IF SOMEONE CAN PLEASE REPLY BACK TO ME WITH ANY NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENGINE. I LOVE MY INTREPID AND WISH THE ENGINE WAS MADE TO LAST. *JB

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE I HEARD AN UNUSUAL SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN I RAISED THE HOOD I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING VISIBLY WRONG. I CONTACTED MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THE UPPER END OF THE ENGINE IS NOT RECEIVING ENOUGH OIL AND HE CALLED IT "OIL STARVATION TO THE UPPER END OF THE MOTOR" HE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAS A BLUE SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. HE TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE IS GOING TO LOCK UP IF I CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE COST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WOULD BE BETWEEN $6000.00 AND $6800.00. I CURRENTLY OWE $6000.00 ON THE VEHICLE AND ALSO THE RETAIL AMOUNT ON THE VEHICLE IS BELOW THE AMOUNT TO REPAIR. MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID ONLY HAS 63233 MILES. I HAVE MAINTAINED PROPER MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE BEEN CHANGING THE OIL VERY 60 DAYS OR 3000 MILES WHICH EVER COMES FIRST. I DRIVE 70 MILES PER DAY TO AND FROM WORK AND WITH THE VEHICLE SITTING IN THE GARAGE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO USE IT IS MAKING THINGS VERY DIFFICULT NOT ONLY FOR ME AND MY HUSBAND BUT IT CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH MY EMPLOYER. *JB