NHTSA Complaint #10121268 — 2001 DODGE INTREPID

MY 2001 DODGE INTREPID W/ 70,000 MILES STARTED OUT WITH A SMALL KNOCKING NOISE, THEN AS I WAS DRIVING ONE DAY, IT LOST ALL OF IT'S POWER & STARTED MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE. WHEN I WAS CALLING AROUND ASKING GARAGES HOW MUCH IT WOULD BE TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE CAR, A FEW OF THE GARAGES TOLD ME WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BEFORE I EVEN TOLD THEM, THEY ONLY NEEDED THE YEAR & MAKE OF THE CAR & THEY KNEW THAT IT WAS THE ENGINE DUE TO OIL SLUDGE. ONE GARAGE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT GONNA BE WORTH IT TO GET MY CAR FIXED BECAUSE IT WOULD LIKELY BE MORE THAN MY CAR WAS WORTH. ANOTHER GARAGE TOLD ME HE WOULDN'T EVEN WORK ON INTREPIDS WITH THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WOULD BE SUCH A MESS. I EVEN HAD A GARAGE TELL ME NOT TO WASTE MY MONEY ON A TOW TRUCK BECAUSE THE 2.7L ENGINE INTREPIDS ARE JUNK & IT WOULDNT BE WORTH IT. I FINALLY FOUND A GUY THAT IS BASICALLY MAKING HIS LIVING ON JUST WORKING ON THESE 2.7L INTREPID ENGINES. THE COST WAS $2,300 TO HAVE THE ENGINE CLEANED/SOAKED TO GET ALL OF THE OIL SLUDGE BUILD-UP OFF & HAVE A ANY PARTS THAT WERE BROKEN REPLACED. MY DAD, BOYFRIEND & BROTHER HAD TO TAKE THE ENGINE OUT & BRING IT TO THE GARAGE & THE GARAGE DID THE WORK ON THE ENGINE & THEN MY DAD, BOYFRIEND & BROTHER HAD TO PUT THE ENGINE BACK INTO MY CAR. SO W/ THAT PRICE OF $2,300 I DIDN'T EVEN GET A REBUILT ENGINE & MY FAMILY HAD TO DO ALOT OF THE WORK. I WAS MAKING MY MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF $175 ON A CAR THAT I COULDN'T DRIVE FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS ALL TOGETHER.