Most common 1997 Dodge Intrepid problems
Share of the 344 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Intrepid complaints by model year
Best Intrepid years: 2003, 2004, 2002. Years to avoid: 2000, 1999, 2001, 1995. Compare all years →
1997 Dodge Intrepid recalls (2)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
On certain passenger vehicles, the floor shifter ignition-park interlock May fail and allow the shifter to be moved out of the park position with the key removed. An inoperative interlock May also allow the key to be removed when the shifter has not been placed in the park position.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new load-limiting push rod into the floor shifter lever of the affected vehicles. Owner notification began on June 14, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles built with 3.5l engines. The fuel injection delivery system can leak fuel from some of the sealing o-rings or from hair line cracks in the thermoset fuel injection rail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel rail o-rings and reinforce the outlet (passenger) side fuel rail. Vehicles showing fuel leakage on the outlet fuel rail must have the outlet rail replaced which includes changing the upper…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 1997 Dodge Intrepid:
Fuel injection delivery system fuel leak
Remedy failures of recall 98v-184
The petitioner, philip mcbroom,alleges that there was a fuel leak in the fuel rail, and or fuel o-rings, which caused an engine compartment fire.this event occurred after the recall (98v-184) remedy was performed on his vehicle.he has petitioned the NHTSA to investigate the remedy adequacy of safety recall 98v-184.on August 10, 1998, daimlerchrysler notified the agency that it would recall approximately 722,600…
Auto trans ignition-park interlock
The manufacturer reports above are based on daimlerchrysler?s (dc) analysis of model year (my) 1998 (population = 356,384) and 1999 (population = 486,948) ja, jx and lh family subject vehicle data (earlier mys excluded).the population number includes all mys.the precise number of duplicates between odi and dc reports cannot be determined due to missing or incomplete information.the fatality incident involved an…
Fuel rail, brake fluid, chassis
On September 5, 2004, mr. Robert galenty of iselin, nj, petitioned the agency to conduct defect investigations of certain model year (my) 1993-1997 vehicles produced by daimlerchrysler corporation.his petition identified three issues of concern: 1) fuel leaking from the fuel injector rails; 2) brake fluid contamination resulting in brake failure; and 3) susceptibility of the vehicle frame to damage while the vehicle…
What 1997 Dodge Intrepid owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 83 →
Engine light came on repeatedly and engine caught fire. The fire had come from the rear hood area. The dealer stated that the fire started from the #5 fuel injector/wiring harness/fuel rail. The vehicle also lost braking power and revved during the incident. There was an oil leak prior to the incident where the rocker arm cover was replaced, the power steering was noisy, leaked, and was replaced, and the bleeder screw was broken and the thermostat housing was replaced.
This car belonged originally to my brother-in-law as his company car. He sold it to his mother, who, for 2 years, drove it only 1000 miles. She had told me several times that she kept smelling fuel. And, her air conditioner leaked and had to be recharged several times during this period. Upon her death in March, I acquired the car. On 7/09/04 I took the 1997 Dodge Intrepid to dodgeland of columbia to check for a fuel leak. At the time of check-in for the vehicle I sited the recall 98v-184 and the odi resume summary for investigation rq98-018. This car had been repaired in the recall, however the odi resume states there is no time limit for subsequent failures. Dodgeland checked the car and stated that the fuel leak was not due to the fuel rail or the o-rings, they said I had a bad fuel injector. …
Steering all 61 →
Engine light came on repeatedly and engine caught fire. The fire had come from the rear hood area. The dealer stated that the fire started from the #5 fuel injector/wiring harness/fuel rail. The vehicle also lost braking power and revved during the incident. There was an oil leak prior to the incident where the rocker arm cover was replaced, the power steering was noisy, leaked, and was replaced, and the bleeder screw was broken and the thermostat housing was replaced.
1997 Dodge Intrepid-169,610 miles > > I only had this car for 1-1/2 years with less than > 3,500 miles driven. > > today on March 16, 2008 at 1:15 pm, I came back to > college from spring break. I noticed that I was 29 > miles away from the college and the steering wheel > started to jerk to the right and move on its own. I > turn the steering wheel back to the left and had to > force the wheel to turn and move where I need to go. > > > the steering wheel never made noises as I was > driving > today, but I noticed that I had to force the wheel > hard to make a turn into the parking lot. When I > tried to park, the wheel would not respond, so I had > to force the wheel to turn and still did not work. > I'm now trapped in the parking lot because I'm not > sure that I'm safe on the road. …
Engine & cooling all 54 →
Engine light came on repeatedly and engine caught fire. The fire had come from the rear hood area. The dealer stated that the fire started from the #5 fuel injector/wiring harness/fuel rail. The vehicle also lost braking power and revved during the incident. There was an oil leak prior to the incident where the rocker arm cover was replaced, the power steering was noisy, leaked, and was replaced, and the bleeder screw was broken and the thermostat housing was replaced.
While driving, the consumer noticed smoke coming from the hood. The consumer pulled into a drug store parking lot and flames were coming from the bottom of the vehicle and the vehicle burned beyond recognition. Provide further details.
1997 Dodge Intrepid engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Dodge Intrepid a good car?
Based on 344 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Intrepid rates average: 30% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Intrepid at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Dodge Intrepid?
The fuel & propulsion system — 83 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about fuel injection system. Next are the steering (61) and engine & cooling (54).
How many recalls does the 1997 Dodge Intrepid have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1997 Dodge Intrepid, the most recent from January 13, 2004 (floor shift). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Intrepid?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003, 2004 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 1999, 2001 and 1995. See the full Dodge Intrepid years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Dodge Intrepid problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 92,000 miles; 18% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.