16th Nov 2010, 12:29
We bought a '02 Dodge Intrepid this year in March. It only had 46,000 miles on it.
We have been experiencing the same problems as everyone here, warning lights, idles rough, etc.
However yesterday the top blew off the water outlet box, a failed seam. Most other cars this thing is made out of forged steel or aluminum, but Dodge made the thing out of plastic. It only has 4 bolts holding it on, but to remove the back bolts you need to remove the entire intake manifold. Whoever designed this engine was not thinking at all, plastic for a thermostat housing just don't cut it, then to mount it behind a major engine part is ridiculous.
My advice is do not buy one of these cars except for scrap.
31st Dec 2010, 00:45
2002 Intrepid 2.7L engine, just over 98,000 KM.
Purchased used in Mar 2007 with approx 57,000 KM on it.
Since then, have had an O2 sensor, PCM, both front and rear brakes, tie-rod and thermostat (including housing and pipe/hoses) all replaced.
Water pump just started leaking yesterday (Dec 29) and needs to be replaced. All of this within the last 1.5 years.
On top of this, my head lights and interior dome light randomly flicker on and off, the front speakers crackle and windshield wipers periodically stop working.
I am a casual driver, and at the first sign of any issue, my car is in the shop. I use my vehicle mostly on weekends.
The workmanship in this vehicle is nowhere close to that put into the old Dodge Spirit/Plymouth Acclaim, which I had previously. I didn't believe it when people said and wrote that the Intrepid/Concorde was poorly designed, but my vehicle is further proof of the issues with this vehicle. A shame really, because it looks nice sitting in the driveway.
5th Jan 2011, 15:29
I bought my Dodge in 2002, used with 13,000 miles. Before I bought it, I had the dealer look over a few things I felt were not right. I take very good care of cars, so that excuse is of no use to me. I kept up with that car, and took it in repeatedly for repairs and complaints. I used that warranty I bought, but no sooner did my warranty expire, than so did the car. Blown motor with no warning signs (replaced it with a Jasper motor, because it is a known and acknowledged fact the aluminum heats up very fast and the motors are junk). Apparently my pump went out, and I had no indication of the car overheating. Of course the check engine light always came on and off, as it still does, so what does that mean?
The transmission it also a poor design, and someone told me it would go out at 80,000 miles and BINGO - I had it replaced with a transmission that corrected the problems with their transmissions.
The Mopar battery, I have to say did good, and the brakes also; I just recently had to replace those. Everything else is completely wrong with it though, and the electrical system is another hour of typing.
That car put me in serious debt, and I don't recommend anyone buying it - in fact I will never buy another Dodge because of this nightmare of being stranded constantly and the frustrations.
As for the lights flickering, just keep turning the interior light on and off many times, and it should fix it... I guess dust gets in there or something???
11th Mar 2011, 16:16
I have a 2002 Intrepid, 2.7.
First, the check engine light stays on because of the sensor in the gas cap. If you have ever topped off your gas tank, that is probably the reason the light stays on. We have had the radiator hose housing unit replaced twice, the head gaskets, timing chain tensioner, the rockers on the valves, 12 out of 16 of the valves replaced, because the way the engine was designed, if it ever jumps time (like when the tensioner malfunctions) it causes the valves to collide with the pistons.
I forgot the cam sensor, which made the car act as though it were not getting any gas, and would just stop accelerating, then die or jump along. I got to drive the car for a whole week, but now the oil lever sender has just malfunctioned. The oil that we put in last week has drained onto my driveway. The oil light did come on 2 days prior, and when I checked the oil on multiple occasions, it would be fine. I got up this morning to find the oil puddle under it.
Dodge, if you are really trying to design an engine for the consumer, why not take one that you have screwed up on (2.7), talk to the people that have had to correct your errors, and build on that.
Sir from Detroit that signed his name to being one of the engineers that designed the engine; I'm not sure you should make that public knowledge, with all the flaws that this engine exhibits.
27th Mar 2011, 19:42
I own a 2002 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 and can say I have had nothing but problems. I even have receipts to prove it! We got the oil changed every 3,000 miles and went through 2 engines. Each one only lasted 7 months.
If you do get this car, make sure not to get the 2.7.
30th Apr 2011, 01:30
Different story from most here. Bought a used 2000 SE 2.7 in 2001 with 25,000 KM, and it is finally retired at 305,000 KM. Amazing!
Original battery, radiator, everything under the hood is pretty much original except for the spark plugs and air filter. Usually changed the oil around every 10,000 KM, not at 5000 as recommended.
I work in real estate, and the car was started thousands of times. It has never failed to start even one time in 10 years.
Alternator has finally went, and too many KM's to bother fixing. Engine and battery light came on, and I still made it home. Front end needed work a couple of times over the years, brakes and tires of course. That's all that was ever required in 10 years of driving. Best car yet!
21st May 2011, 15:24
My problem is very similar - Jumped time on a 2001 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 SE. New (25k miles) engine and transmission (52k miles) installed, and the car was no good after 2 weeks of ownership because of this issue. Horrified to have read of so many people having the problem, and yet no recourse to support from Dodge - it is a classic Class Action case. Being from Europe, where the consumer has at least some rights - I do not understand how a major manufacturer can get away with this. I am horrified and broke because of this. I will never use an American car again.
8th Nov 2010, 07:40
I bought a 2001 Intrepid. A nightmare had for two years. As of now it leaks oil. Don't know where it's coming from. Oil light flickers on and off.
It's a money trap. Will never buy a Dodge ever again.