NHTSA Complaint #10156894 — 2002 DODGE INTREPID

I BOUGHT A 2002 DODGE INTREPID SE IN MARCH 2003 WITH ABOUT 20K MILES ON IT. HAD IT CHECKED BY A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD ALL WAS GOOD. $1,420 TO REPAIR THE WATER PUMP? THE ENGINE MADE A SOUND, SHOOK SLIGHTLY WHICH MADE ME LOOK AT THE GAUGES TO SEE WHAT WAS UP. THE ONLY THING I SAW WAS THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS A LITTLE TINY BIT OVER THE HALFWAY MARK. USUALLY, THIS GAUGE SITS WITHOUT CHANGING ONCE THE CAR IS WARMED UP BETWEEN THE 1/4 AND 1/2 MARK. RECOMMEND: ANY SERVICE SHOP THAT CHANGES THE OIL IN A CAR SHOULD INPUT THAT SERVICE INTO A NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEM SO THAT ANYWHERE PEOPLE DRIVE, MOVE, VISIT, THAT RECORD IS PERMANENT. THAT IS MY FIRST SUGGESTIONS. THEN SHE ASKED ME IF THE CAR HAD OVERHEATED. ANSWER: NO. SHE SAID THE ESTIMATE TO REPAIR THE CAR WAS $1,300 AND IF THE HEADS WERE CRACKED THAT COULD COST ANOTHER $700. I WAS LIKE, "WHAT?" SAY THAT AGAIN. THE WAY THE 2.7L ENGINE IS BUILT, THE REPAIRS ARE EXPENSIVE. I ASKED IF IT WAS WORTH REPLACING AND SHE SAID IT WAS..SHE COULDN'T ADVISE ME...BUT YOU KNOW HOW IT IS. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM CONFINED TO MY CAR - IT HAS AFFECTED A FLEET OF THEM...SAME TYPE..SAME ENGINE. AFTER I DROVE OFF THE LOT, I HEARD A TICKING NOISE. I ASKED ABOUT THE NOTES ON THE MECHANIC'S TICKET THAT SAID, "* ENGINE HAS SLUDGE". NO ONE EVER MENTIONED THAT TO ME AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, EITHER, SO I ASKED. WHAT'S THAT? SHE SAID, "THAT'S JUST THE MECHANIC'S NOTES FOR WHEN YOU BRING IT BACK." I SAID, "...YES...BUT WHAT IS IT?" THEN A MECHANIC APPEARED AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT USING SYNTHETIC OR REGULAR OIL (HOW AM I, A LAY PERSON, SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHAT?) TO REDUCE ENGINE SLUDGE AND YES, "ALL THESE 2.7L INTREPID ENGINES HAVE THIS PROBLEM." I SAID, "SO...WHAT DOES IT DO?" CHRYSLER NEEDS TO FIX THE 2.7L ENGINE PROBLEMS, FIND A FIX FOR THE SLUDGE PROBLEM EVEN IF IT MEANS REPLACING THE ENGINE WITH ANOTHER TYPE. IT IS NOT FAIR TO COST US UNNECESSARY REPAIRS. *JB