NHTSA Complaint #11229004 — 2001 DODGE INTREPID

ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON, VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND WAS TOWED TO GARAGE. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS TIMING CHAIN SENSOR WEAR, DUE TO STRETCHED TIMING CHAIN RELATED TO WELL DOCUMENTED OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM IN 2.7L V6 ENGINE. AFTER THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED, DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR TWO WEEKS AND ENGINE LIGHT REAPPEARED. FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS, VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN WITH ENGINE LIGHT TURNING ON AND OFF ON ITS OWN. AT TIMES, THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO START, PARTICULARLY IN COLD WEATHER, BUT WOULD RESOLVE ITSELF AND START FINE WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT TURNING OFF. AFTER 18 MONTHS, THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED LIT ALL THE TIME. IT WOULD STALL IN TRAFFIC AND THE OIL LIGHT WOULD APPEAR. AT THIS POINT, AFTER READING THOUSANDS OF OTHERS COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE/ENGINE AND UNDERSTANDING ENGINE REPAIR COSTS WOULD ECLIPSE THE VALUE, I DECIDED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.