Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Dodge Intrepid problems

Owners filed 350 complaints about the 1997 Dodge Intrepid with NHTSA between Oct 1996 and Apr 2015. The most-cited component is fuel system, gasoline (76).

Complaints
350
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
26
Reported by owners
Fires
26
Reported by owners
Injuries
22
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Fuel system, gasoline76
  2. Steering59
  3. Engine and engine cooling52
  4. Power train52
  5. Electrical system28
  6. Suspension23
  7. Visibility21
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic19
  9. Air bags19
  10. Exterior lighting15
  11. Structure8
  12. Vehicle speed control6
  13. Seats5
  14. Tires4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19963
19975
199827
199955
200046
200151
200246
200335
200440
200517
20066
20078
20083
20092
20100
20112
20122
20130
20140
20152

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Fuel system, gasoline

76 reports7 fires1 related recall
“TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 1997 DODGE INTREPID THAT HE TOOK TO HIS LOCAL MECHANIC BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE FUEL RAIL SYSTEM. AT THE REPAIR FACILITY, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE AND TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 98V184000. THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ON 01/05/07, WHEN HE PICKED UP THE VEHICLE ON 01/15/07 THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD COVER THE LABOR, BUT NOT THE PART. THE CONTACT CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE IN REGARDS OF THE PART NOT BEING COVERED WHO STATED THAT IT WAS UP TO THE DEALER TO DECIDE REPAIR COSTS. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE COPIES OF INVOICE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *JB THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PART WAS NOT COVERED, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT LEAKING FUEL. UPDATED. *JB UPDATED 2/15/2007 - *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2007Fuel system, gasolineODI 10179025

Steering

59 reports2 crashes2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BALL JOINTS, TIRE RODS, SWAY BAR BUSHING AND MOTOR MOUNTS WORE PREMATURELY AND NEEDED CONSTANT REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 22, 2011Steering, SuspensionODI 10436762

Engine and engine cooling

52 reports1 crash4 fires
“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 1:15PM, 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. > > I'M LOCATED IN SOUTHFIELD, MI AND IN 8 WEEKS, I NEED > TO DRIVE BACK TO INDIANAPOLIS, IN (APPROXIMATELY 312 > MILES, 7-9 HOURS). INCIDENT TWO I WAS 4 MILES AWAY FROM SCHOOL AND NOTICED THAT I HAD STEERING PROBLEMS. AS I WAS FORCING THE WHEEL TO CORPORATE A TRUCK WAS TO MY RIGHT AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR AS THE CAR JERKED TO THE RIGHT. CAUSING ME TO HIT THE TRUNK FROM MY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 16, 2008Steering, Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Exterior lightingCrash reportedODI 10221382

Power train

52 reports4 crashes1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FALLS OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED OR IN MOTION. THE FAILURE CAN OCCUR WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. ON AUGUST 8, 2007, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACK AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN THE KEY FELL FROM THE IGNITION. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE OTHER VEHICLE. SAFETY RECALL NUMBER 04V021000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT) WAS REFERENCED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 147,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2007Power trainCrash reportedODI 10198937

Electrical system

28 reports1 crash11 fires
“I BOUGHT THE CAR FOR 1500$ THE INSPECTION RAN OUT AT THE END OF THAT MONTH, INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED AS A "LICKEM STICKEM" THE CAR 2 WEEKS LATER WAS DETERMINED BY AN OUTSIDE MECHANIC UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND HAZARDOUS TO PUBLIC SAFETY, CAR WAS LEFT AT PLACE OF PURCHASE FOR TWO (2) WEEKS IN WHICH TIME NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE ISSUE CAR REMAINS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND NOT RUNNING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 1, 2012Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 10468795

Suspension

23 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT REVERSED AND DROVE OVER A TWO INCH BEAM. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE CONTROL ARM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT OF A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V215000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER ARM). THE RECALL HOWEVER, WAS ONLY ISSUED FOR THE 2004 MODEL DODGE INTREPID AND NOT THE 1997 MODEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 190,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 29, 2012SuspensionODI 10459877
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.