Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Dodge Intrepid problems

Owners filed 376 complaints about the 1998 Dodge Intrepid with NHTSA between Mar 1998 and Jan 2013. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (197).

Complaints
376
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
30
Reported by owners
Fires
12
Reported by owners
Injuries
25
People reported injured
Deaths
5
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling197
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic38
  3. Power train35
  4. Electrical system32
  5. Steering29
  6. Visibility26
  7. Air bags22
  8. Vehicle speed control14
  9. Equipment13
  10. Suspension10
  11. Structure9
  12. Exterior lighting8
  13. Seats8
  14. Fuel system, gasoline5

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
19989
199927
200025
200127
200234
200367
200478
200554
200630
20079
20089
20092
20102
20111
20121
20131

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

Engine and engine cooling

197 reports1 crash4 fires
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HER THAT THE MOTOR FAILED DUE TO THE ANTI-FREEZE AND OIL MIXING TOGETHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2010Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10366680

Service brakes, hydraulic

38 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE ABS SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR AND THEY HAD BEEN BACK ORDERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 2, 2012Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10453793

Power train

35 reports5 crashes1 related recall
“TRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR 1998 DODGE INTREPID ES AT 103,000 MILES. REBUILT ONE PUT IN AND LASTED 30,000 MILES. PUT IN REBUILT ENGINE AGAIN AT 130,000 MILES. ENGINE STARTING TO ACT UP AGAIN ONLY AFTER 5 MONTHS OF DRIVING. TEMPERATURE CONTROL NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND ENGINE STARTING TO ACT UP AGAIN. ALL THIS IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS. SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR DEFECT IN TRANSMISSIONS. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 5, 2006Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10175243

Electrical system

32 reports1 crash5 fires
“HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING , OR WILL TURN ON BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT THE KEY IN IGNITION. MY MECHANIC HAVE REPLACED 3 HEADLIGHT SWITCHES BUT ITS NOT WORKING. ALSO THE CAR HAS MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS FROM INTERNAL LAMPS TO HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE READ LOT OF REVIEW FROM OTHER USERS. I CAN FILE A LAWSUIT WITH USER CONSUMERS IF I HAVE TO AGAINST DODGE. THIS THING IS VERY ANNOYING AND DODGE SHOULD PAY FOR THIS. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 4, 2006Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10172631

Steering

29 reports3 crashes
“SEVERE STEERING PROBLEMS. WHEEL LOCKS WHEN TURNED COMPLETELY TO RIGHT OR LEFT. WANDERS ON DRY PAVEMENT, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE IN WET WEATHER. HAVE BEEN TOLD TO REPLACE STEERING RACK AND INNER TIE RODS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2008SteeringODI 10251146

Visibility

26 reports
“SINCE BUYING THE VEHICLE IN 1998, I HAVE EXPERIENCED ISSUE WITH: ELECTRICAL INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS GOING ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING (DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM) RACK AND PINION HAD TO REPLACE AT 36,000 MILES I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BRAKES EVERY YEAR, THEY CONSTANTLY ARE MAKING A GRINDING NOISE. HAVE HAD TO REPLACE POWER WINDOW MECHANISM ON DRIVER SIDE WHEN FIRST BOUGHT VEHICLE, NOW THE AUTOMATIC POWER DOWN ON DRIVE SIDE IS NOT WORKING AS WELL AS NOT BEING ABLE TO USE POWER UNLOCK AND LOCK FOR REAR DRIVER PASSENGER DOOR. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEAK FROM HOSE, HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HOSE. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 12, 2006Steering, Power train, Electrical system, Visibility, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10155215
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.