NHTSA Complaint #10056998 — 2000 DODGE INTREPID

BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW IN 2000 AND AT 3 YEARS OLD WITH JUST UNDER 80,000 MILES IT IS SHOT! DID ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND CHANGED THE OIL ON A REGULAR BASIS AT 3,000 TO 4,000 MILES EVEN THOUGH OWNER'S MANUAL STATES OIL CHANGES AT 7,500 MILES. IN OCTOBER, 2003 THE DAY AFTER I HAD MY OIL CHANGED, I STARTED HEARING A SLIGHT KNOCKING NOISE AND TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC. MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT MY ENGINE HAD SLUDGE BUILD UP IN IT AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF BETWEEN $4K - $6K. MECHANIC ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON AND "KNOWN" PROBLEM WITH THE INTREPID 2.7L V6 ENGINE BUT THAT SO FAR DODGE HAS REFUSED TO RECALL THE ENGINE. TOLD ME THAT OIL SHOULD ACTUALLY BE CHANGED AT LEAST EVERY 2,500 MILES RELIGIOUSLY AND THAT WE SHOULD USE SYNTHETIC OIL (OWNERS MANUAL DOES NOT SAY THIS - WHY?!?). MECHANIC WAS VERY SYMPATHETIC AND SAID "DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT DO AN INTERNET SEARCH FOR INTREPID ENGINE SLUDGE AND SEE WHAT COMES UP". FOLLOWED HIS SUGGESTION AND WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED AND DISGUSTED AT WHAT I FOUND! THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS WE ARE IS JUST SHAMEFUL! MY WIFE AND I PAID APPROX. $22K FOR THIS CAR AND NOW, 3 YEARS LATER, THE COST TO REPAIR THE CAR IS MORE THAN WHAT IT IS VALUED AT! FINALLY, JUST THIS WEEK, WE ALL BUT GAVE AWAY OUR 3 YEAR OLD CAR FOR $2,000 BECAUSE THAT IS THE BEST OFFER WE HAD. MY WIFE AND I HAVE WORKED HARD FOR EVERYTHING WE HAVE AND WE FEEL CHEATED AND BETRAYED BY DODGE FOR PUTTING OUT SUCH A LOUSY PRODUCT AND THEN CONTINUALLY REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DEFECT DESPITE PLENTY OF EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY! PLEASE, DO SOMETHING TO STOP THIS!!!*AK