Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
We are writing to let you know of a major car fire that occurred in our Dodge Intrepid. The driver was driving on the interstate. The hot/cold needle began moving up and down. Then the brakes gave out. Then, the power steering gave out. The car started smoking producing black chemical smoke into the cabin. Then, fire started shooting out of the vents. With no brakes and fire and smoke into the car, the driver was forced to jump out of the vehicle and roll onto the middle of the interstate with the car still going 30-40 MPH. The driver was in extreme danger inside the car and obviously laying on the interstate as well. The car ended up in the ditch while completely engulfed in flames. He was able to get onto the shoulder of the road. The fire department arrived to put out the fire. They determined the fire started inside the area of the heating core. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Dodge Intrepid. The contact stated while her fianc was driving at approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle caught fire without warning. There were no reported injuries. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow lot. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
The car has major engine problems like all the 03 2.7 l eng se. Connecting rods is falling out, and etc. The car is unbalance. I took the car today to find why the oli light was coming on when the vehicle thermostat rises. Turn out the engine isn't allowing the oil to reach the upper part of the engine and that is causing my vehicle to overheat and make noises on startup. And also when you reverse you hearthe car make a bad knock sound and feel the vibration. This car only has 86000 miles and the mechanics could only shake their heads. This car should be in better condition then this. Anyways, the cost for new engine with warranty is over $6000. And that includes everything! Now who has that type of money and why didn't Dodge recall this problem on the 03 Dodge Intrepid??? All I want is the engine replace and Dodge could do that at any of their companies or auto lots. …
Driving on the freeway in az the car started to loose power and than trail smoke.... As we pulled off smoke rolled out the front of the vehicle... Checking the passenger side, there was melting plastic running to the ground and the top of the hood was hot.. Car later burnt before fire department was able to put out the fire.. Time from it lost power to when it was consumed by fire was less than 10 min.. I can only assume a transmission line, power steering line, or fuel line started to leak and started a fire by spraying the fluid on the catalytic/exhaust system on the passenger side of the vehicle... Car was a total loss.. I've owned this car for 11 or 12 years... It was in good shape... We later looked at the car and in the same storage lot was a second 03 Dodge intepid with the exact same failure and brunt front end... I believe the two failures are related..
An oil plug front left of engine block blew out pumping oil onto catalytic converter. Open flames melted wheel well, back bumper, and fuel hoses off of gas tank. Fire went out went all the oil was pumped out of engine and car stopped moving. I contacted Chrysler safety, they referred me to Dodge customer care; they initially created a case #31892226 but then sent a letter saying they were not responsible because the car was out of a three-year warranty period and also unspecified environmental factors. Although my wife and son were almost immolated, it wasn't important enough for them to check into. The car remains parked at a local garage awaiting investigation.
I was driving down hwy i75 south bound coming home from work in the middle of rush hr traffic. My car was at 70 MPH and was doing great, then it just stopped running with no warning, didn't get hot, nothing just done in one minute, mechanics said I needed a complete rebuild. Crank - cam - oil pump showed scars and metal fragments. Costs of 3500 in parts and machine time, 600 in labor. We couldn't get over fast enough to get off the rd and was able to stop traffic and then push it off to the side, later when picking up the car with a tow dolly was hit by a car, side swiping my other vehicle and leaving me an additional 3000 in repairs.
Dt: the consumer was driving at about 30-35 MPH when the engine shut down. When the consumer lifted the hood he could see smoke and a small fire coming from a piece of wire. The consumer was able to put out the fire with a towel. About a month before the check engine light came on, and the dealership said all they did was to turn the engine light off. After the engine had time to cool off he was able to drive vehicle home. This was on 8-7-05. On 8-8-05 took vehicle to the dealership and they told him that the water pump bursted. Also, they a told him that there was water and oil mixed in the engine. The dealer implied that the engine might have to be replaced. The consumer contacted the manufacturer, and they had him on hold while they talked to the dealership. She told him the same information that they did. …
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Intrepid years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (785), 1999 (702), 2001 (525), 2002 (212) and 1998 (198) model years. Engine complaints make up 74% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Dodge Intrepid engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Dodge Intrepid model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Dodge Intrepid engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles; 12% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (1,451 mentions), followed by the engine › gasoline (229).
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.