Problems · by component

2002 Dodge Intrepid engine and engine cooling problems

211 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Dodge Intrepid cite engine and engine cooling, 62% of all 340 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
211
62% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING REPAIRS ON THE VEHICLE, SHE WAS ADVISED BY THE TECHNICIANS THAT THE VALVE GASKET WAS COVERED IN OIL SLUDGE. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE VALVE GASKET COVER NEEDED TO BE CLEANED AND THE OIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 186,000. UPDATED 02/0812 *BF UPDATED 03/16/12”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 17, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10444281
“NOTICED ANTIFREEZE LEAKING FROM UNDER CENTER AREA OF CAR, ATTEMPTED TO PIT IN ANTIFREEZE, LEAKED OUT RIGHT AWAY. I CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS FULL OF ANTIFREEZE. THE MOTOR IS SHOT. THERE WAS NO WARNING NO SERVICE LIGHTS THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN OVER HEATED, IT WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED BY A LOCAL DEALER.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 28, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10416135
“2002 DODGE INTREPID 2.7 ENGINE CAR SUDENLY OVERHEATED. ANTI FREEZE WENT OUT ON GROUND AND INTO OIL. REPALCED WATER PUMP, TENSIONER, TIMIMG CHAIN, SEVERAL SENSORS, GASKETS AND MORE.ALWAYS MAINTAINED OIL CHANGES AT 300K AND OIL FILTERS. BAD ENGINE- PARTS SAVED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 10, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10411681
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE BUT WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A CONCRETE DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,675.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 20, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10407627
“WE BOUGHT A 2002 USED IN 2005. IT RAN OKAY, THOUGHE H THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN IDLING. WE WERE ASSURED BY THE DEALER WE BOUGHT IT FROM THAT IT WAS JUST SENSOR AND NOT TO WORRY. HAD SOME SMALL PROBLEMS WITH IT, NOTHING TOO MAJOR. THEY JUST SEEMED TO HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. THEN IN 3/09 THE ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP WENT OUT FOR THE 2ND TIME, AND EVEN AFTER REPAIR THE CAR WOULD OVER HEAT OUT OF NO WHERE AND WITHOUT WARNING. CONTINUED TO HAVE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT. SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF IT THEN, BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR A NEW CAR. THEN IN 11/09 THE CAR DID THE OVERHEAT FOR NO REASON WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS GOING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THANK GOD THERE WASN'T AN ACCIDENT. THE GAUGES DIDN'T INDICATE ANYTHING, ALL OF THEM INCLUDING THE SPEDOMETER WENT TO 0. IT STARTED GUSHING WATER AND ANTIFREEZE. THE ENGINE IS SHOT, IT IS NOW A GOLD LAWN ORNAMENT. WE MAINTAINED THE CAR, OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000MI ETC. WAS TOLD ITS DUE TO "SLUDGE" IN THE ENGINE AND THAT ITS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGES 2.7 ENGINES. WISH I WOULD'VE KNOWN THIS BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR, AND I WISH SOMEONE WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 14, 2010Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10366250
“I HAVE A 2002 DODGE INTREPID WITH 2.7 ENGINE THE OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY3K MILES AS SHOULD. IN 2008 THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF LATER TOOK IT TO DEALER WITH THOUGHT THAT WARRANTY WOULD COVER IT AND THEY WOULD NOT. THE FAILURE WAS BECAUSE OF OIL SLUDGE. THERE ARE VERY MANY COMPLAINTS AND MECHANIC INPUTS ON THIS ENGINE.. DODGE THINKS THE OWNERS ARE AT FAULT WHEN IN MY CASE EVERYTHING WAS DONE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO KEEP IT IN GOOD SHAPE. THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS PRODUCT. IT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO JUST SHUT OFF WHERE EVER YOU ARE. SOME HAVE SHUT OFF ON HIGHWAYS WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS WRECKS. HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/DODGE/INTREPID/2002/ENGINE/OIL_SLUDGE_RESULTING_IN_ENGINE_FAILURE.SHTML THIS SITE HAS MANY USERS THAT HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE CAR. COULD YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2010Engine and engine coolingODI 10362623

Showing 6 of 211 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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

Other 2002 Intrepid problem areas