NHTSA Complaint #10290545 — 2001 DODGE INTREPID

I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM MY BROTHER-IN-LAW ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO. I CHANGED THE OIL LESS THEN 3,000 MILES AGO. I BEGAN NOTICING SOME WEIRD ENGINE NOISE OVER THE LAST WEEK. THE SOUND GOT ALOT WORSE TODAY ON A 30 MILE TRIP TO PICK UP MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER FROM HER GRANDMA'S HOUSE. THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A LOUD BANGING OR KNOCKING SOUND WHEN YOU LET OFF OF THE GAS WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR THEN JUST DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OVER WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS, BUT WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY HOUSE. I TRIED TO START IT AT HOME AND IT WOULD TURN OVER AND START, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ENGINE HAS ROCKS OR SOMETHING IN IT AND ONLY IDLES FOR A SECOND OR TWO BEFORE DIEING AGAIN. I HOPE THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS SOME WAY OF GETTING FIXED AND THAT THE WAYS YOU DESCRIBED REALLY DO HELP. I AM NOW LEFT WITH ONLY ONE CAR TO SHARE WITH MY WIFE AND TRY TO FIND A WAY TO GET TO MY FULL TIME JOB AND MY CLASSES (I AM ALSO ATTENDING CLASSES 4 DAYS A WEEK). I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2.7 LITER ENGINE, BUT I THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST HORROR STORIES THAT WERE ALWAYS TOLD AS "I KNOW THIS GUY WHO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THAT ENGINE" OR "THOSE ENGINES ARE JUNK, AND ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE MINE WILL BLOW". I REALLY DIDN'T EXPECT THIS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE NOT EVEN 3000 MILES EARLIER I CHANGED THE OIL AND IT WAS CLEAN. I ALSO DROVE THE CAR UP NORTH WHICH WAS A 3HR DRIVE EACH WAY. NO PROBLEMS AND THE BANG, KNOCK, CRUNCH ITS ALL OVER. *TR