2000 Dodge Intrepid from North America
Summary:
Terrible--Dodge should be ashamed!
Faults:
Car heater will not work when idling.
Air conditioner no longer works.
Oil light flickers when idling.
Mechanic inspected the radiator and it is full of sludge. It looks like light colored peanut butter!
General Comments:
Well it looks like I'm getting ready to have my engine go on me as well. The mechanic who looked at my car yesterday (to fix the heater, I thought) told me and showed me that the radiator is full of sludge. It looked like light colored peanut butter! My air conditioner broke about 3 months ago, and since my last oil change the oil light flickers when idling.
I have two questions -- Is there a class action lawsuit? And is it worth replacing this engine with a 3.2 or 3.5?
Please email me at amyv@script2000.com if you know the answers to either of my questions.
Thanks so much!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 21st January, 2007
7th Apr 2007, 18:11
It sounds like your head gasket is smoked. And yes, definitely DO replace the engine with a 3.2 or a 3.5. Even if it's just a head gasket and your head/block isn't cracked. It'll only cost a few hundred dollars extra to do the swap, and you won't have to worry about your new engine failing on you.
And if it's the worst case scenario, if you're suffering from the notorious 2.7l sludge problem, then don't even consider putting another 2.7l in it. The 3.2 is a direct swap.
22nd Jan 2007, 05:56
I own an Intrepid with the 3.2l engine and no problems so far. The car has 180k kms and over the last 5 years of ownership the total amount of repairs cumulated with the maintenance (timing belt, water pump, brake pads, etc) is roughly 1500 CAD, so talking about reliability, I would give to this car a 9 (on a 1 to 10 scale). What you have to understand is there are two types of engines on this car. The timing belt ones (3.2l and 3.5l and they are very similar except the bore and also they ere among the best and reliable Chrysler engines) and also there is the 2.7l that is chain driven and this one has a huge flaw of design and I'm talking about the oil passages inside, and is prone to built oil sludge. My advice is, if you like the car generally (the space, the look, how it handle) go for the engine replacement (of course with a 3.2 or 3.5) and you will have a huge benefit in the next years in terms of quality. If not, scrap it because the sale price will not cover the total cost of repairs (if you will go for the 2.7l engine). Bottom line, I know that this swap is possible.