2001 Dodge Intrepid

ENGINE FAILED ON INTERSTATE 70 IN KANSAS CITY, KANSAS. FORTUNATELY OCCURRED AS WE WERE APPROACHING AN EXIT RAMP AND I WAS ABLE TO STEER (WITHOUT POWER STEERING) ONTO RAMP AND GET STOPPED (WITHOUT POWER BRAKES) BEFORE ENTERING A SIGNAL-CONTROLLED INTERSECTION. NO WARNING SIGNALS CAME ON. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR SOUNDS WERE ACTIVATED. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE REMAINED WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING RANGE. ENGINE SMOKED BUT DID NOT CATCH FIRE. WE WAITED IN 90-DEGREE HEAT FOR TOW SERVICES. SO FAR, MECHANIC HAS DISCOVERED DESTROYED THERMOSTAT, MELTED THERMOSTAT HOUSING, DAMAGED INTAKE, BENT CAM SHAFT, WARPED CYLINDER HEADS, AND ENGINE MUST BE REPLACED BECAUSE WARPAGE OF HEADS AND CAM SHAFT IS SO SEVERE. ENGINE FAILURE IS AN APPARENT KNOWN LIABILITY OF THIS ENGINE, A 2001 CHRYSLER 2.7 LITER V6. ENGINE WILL BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT DAMAGE TO LOWER PARTS OF OEM ENGINE AS A RESULT OF EXTREME HEAT. *TR

THERE WAS A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE OF THE 2001 INTREPID, AFTER WHICH THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. FIVE MINUTES LATER THE TAPPING BECAME MORE INTENSE. WE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STALLED. WE DROVE IT A FEW FEET INTO A PARKING LOT, AND AFTER THAT, THE CAR WAS HISTORY. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A SERVICE CENTER, WHERE THEY TOLD US THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN, AND THE CAR NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. ALL THIS HAPPENED WITHIN A TIME FRAME OF ABOUT 10 MINUTES. WE THANK GOD WE HAD JUST EXITED THE NJ TURNPIKE AND WERE ON A COUNTRY ROAD. WE COULD HAVE ALL BEEN KILLED. *AK

AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. WE HAVE DONE REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON THIS RELIGIOUSLY. *AK THIS LAST TIME, IT WAS MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND AND BARELY MADE IT INTO MY DRIVEWAY. UPON GETTING IT TO MY MECHANIC, WAS TOLD THAT THE WATER PUMP AND FUEL PUMP WERE BOTH GOING OUT AND THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS TOAST, AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT WORK ON IT BECAUSE THE ENGINES ARE NOTORIOUSLY BAD AND NOT WORTH IT. SLUDGE BUILD UP WAS ALSO PRESENT. ENGINE IS NOW BLOWN, AND WE STILL OWE MONEY ON THIS THING!

CAR STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND, AND DIED ON ME. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED OIL AND TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. ON THE WAY TO SHOP CAR DIED IN AN INTERSECTION , MY HUSBAND HAD TO PUSH IT ACROSS TRAFFIC. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO SHO, P AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN DUE TO SLUDGE AND THAT THIS WAS COMMON WITH THE DODGE INTREPID.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE INTREPID. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. SHE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 91,215 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,800. UPDATED 07/06/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE HEAD, WATER PUMP, AND SPARK PLUGS WERE DEMOLISHED. IN ADDITION, THE WATER PUMP BURST AND DAMAGED SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND SERVED AS HIS ONLY WARNING INDICATOR BEFORE THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE HOUSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 80,100 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,125. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED INVOICES FOR REPAIR. UPDATED 06/26/07 *TR