7.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
125,500 miles
Total Complaints:
4 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (4 reports)
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 1998 Dodge Intrepid:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #4

Mar 262013

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 150,000 miles

I have had my 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 L for a little over a year & since I have had it I have sunk in so much money on, new water pump , new rotors , brakes , sensors , spark plugs , radiator fan assembly, lights because moisture was getting in & it just goes on & on.

I don't know about some of you but I like to say my car & i have some odd bond, i've spent so much time troubleshooting issues with this car & taking it to shops i'm almost an intrepid expert, kidding. But in all seriousness you can just feel in the gas pedal or hear distinct noises that indicate a clear issue. in other words you know when something isn't right.

My car had been making a rattle type noise when i increased in acceleration going up a hill or just anytime there seemed to be strain on the engine it ran hard & made that noise. keep in mind that i get oil changes regularly & keep my cart maintained.. I went to a auto place & they told me to try mid grade gas & it indeed helped. Had been told it sounded like the timing was off.. In this time frame I have been sinking a lot of oil into the car because its burning oil as as leaking a little going through 2 quarts in a week. I kept the oil full though. well two months had passed, & just the day before yesterday I was driving on the interstate at about 70 miles an hour (the speed limit) & had to slow down due to traffic , then all of the sudden my car just shut off. I was like dang , but this was nothing new to me so I was like eh , i'll just turn it on again.

It used to die & not wanna start for minutes at a time before i changed the crankshaft position sensor a few months ago, so when i pulled over out of habit i checked the oil even though i had just put 3 qrts in on wednesday of last week, it was two qrts low so i put oil in & I tried to turn it on it started like it normally does. I get off on an exit not even a mile down the road & it dies right ON the exit ramp , it won't start at first then it does but this time it accompanied by a loud knocking noise... Kinda freaked out i head to a gas station & before I even get to the gas station it dies in the left lane of a busy road.. i push it to safety & had it towed to a friends house. I haven't tried to start it since & now I have no car. I don't want to mess with it.

My grand papi is a mechanic & he says it sounds like I have a bad engine. Which then made me curious... LOW & BEHOLD I am not the only one with an 2.7 engine issue & now.. I don't even want to put money into the car anymore especially after I have seen soooo many people with the same problems all to still end up with a clunker. Chrysler really needs to do a recall on this vehicle.. I don't think they understand how much trouble its caused people.

It's sad really.

- musicismiremedi, White Bluff, TN, US

problem #3

Oct 042010

Intrepid ES Leather/loaded 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 129,000 miles

I got the car 10/01/10, after cleaning it, oil change/filter, and new plugs, we reset the code for the #2 cylinder fouling out. We thought we had it made...but, on 10/04/10 the car just shut down. Without warning, without throwing a code, just shut off, at a stop light, on a major hwy through our city. My husband called me to come rescue him and tow him home. I arrived, threw the tow strap on the ground, and the car started up and ran like brand new all the way home. It has not smoked since. It has purred like a kitten ever since. My husband believes the crank sensor, cam sensor, or computer may be to blame. After reading other posts...I'm afraid I may have a new chronic problem. Can anyone provide a solution? And don't tell me to replace the car. I would THIS car problem solved. Thank you, Rebecca

- rebeccashowmegirl, St. Joseph, MO, US

problem #2

May 012008

Intrepid 2.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 135,000 miles

the heads on this vehicle,and related parts around this area keep breaking out in my vehicle. i have paid already 4 different times ffrom $800-$1000 each time to fix something with the moter that has actually broken while i was driving in pieces

- Gerry R., Victorville, CA, US

problem #1

Jun 132008

Intrepid ES 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 88,000 miles

I bought this car back in 2007 from my mother with 86k miles on it- it is a beast of an engine! I am surprised that it hasn't been anything like the other complaints that I have seen on here. My ex-husband drove this car 116 miles each way to and from work for a three month period 5 days a week! My complaint is that I thought the serpentine belt needed replacement, but it turns out the whole harmonic balancer is bent, and evidently, this was a manufacturer defect that has steadily grown worse over time! The engine feels "wobbly", kinda shakey at low speeds in the city. This issue was noted last year when it began making a low pitched whistling noise while in drive. I have not had it replaced because the mechanic that looked at it was actually my neighbor and wasn't trying to screw me, like the dealership or the previous mechanic had! I had replaced the fifth fuel injector, altenator, starter, front brakes and then the guy wanted to charge me $634.00 for a refurbished fuel pump because the check engine light was on! I was suspicious because I had only had the car for 3 months, and it had been in my family for 3 years with little to no difficulty; so I took it into Auto Zone and asked that they read the diagnostics- turns out that the issue was within the catalytic NOT the fuel pump!~ I almost blew the engine by overheating it later last fall, and I had a family member replace the entire coolant system, he noted that I was missing something 3 or 5 engine screws, you know- the things they secure the motor to the car with? yeah, they had to have been removed manually by someone, because these things do not just fall off!

Other than the usual maintainence like oil changes, tranny flushes; knock on wood (I just did!) this car has had its share of nickle and diming me since it was in a flood (no thanks to FEMA or the insurance agency) and my exhusband actually put it in a ditch going 55mph with no significant damage, other than tearing the rear bumper off. it's been a beast! my advice to people is beware of mechanics! times are tough and people need dependable transportation, some of them are trying to make a buck, too- ask specific questions, and if you are not satified with the answer, find another opinion, and then go to any major car parts chain store- many of them read the computers for free (or cheap) just to ensure that they are not trying to get over on you. I did not want to keep paying dealership prices with the car, so I found that mechanic, but something did not add up in the way that he seemed to be bleeding every situation dry before actually solving the problem and I went to autozone. I am glad I did, because it easily would have been 900 bucks to replace a stupid fuel pump, and how much longer after that before something in the engine went. I am pretty sure that it was that mechanic that removed the fasteners from my car, I would have never suspected a thing. My Intrepid has been through hell and back, and she still runs pretty nice after all the abuse she has endured. Find a TRUSTED mechanic, ask people who seem to have little to no complaints about their vehicles- your pastor, anyone. And even then, find other sources to follow up to confirm the other findings. There are some unscroupulous people out there, who are trying desparately to keep their businesses afloat in these tough economic times! I wish that there was a list of mechanics that have been proven honest and efficient mechanics, cos I think that people could benefit from knowing who's who in that industry. it's too easy to be a shiesty prick and mess with people's cars- cars are our livelihood, we need them, and that's how those mechanics can get away with exploiting an unsuspecting market of consumers. NOT TO SAY THAT ALL DODGES ARE PERFECT, I just wanted to share my story in hopes that someone may go to AutoZone and have their codes read instead of getting raped by a mechanic!~

- June S., Omro, WI, US