1999 Dodge Intrepid: engine overheating

Filed Jul 5, 2012 · Engine · 172,533 miles · CA · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 dodge intrepid. While driving approximately 60 MPH, smoke emitted from under the hood. The contact drove to an independent auto shop and noticed that the engine had overheated and immediately dispensed water into the radiator reservoir. In addition, the radiator hose fractured. There were no prior warnings. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 172,533.

Filed Dec 11, 2008 · Engine, Visibility · 104,410 miles · VA

For the past 3 or 4 years now I have been having engine related problems with my car. Recently things got worse. My heat will not work unless the car is moving, grayish spoke coming from the exhaust pipe and overheating. I went to a website that was talking about my type of car and the many engine troubles other people are having. The website claimed that I could receive help with getting my car fix due to the many defects with the engines of these cars. The website described everything my car is doing now.

Filed Oct 4, 2007 · Engine · 70,000 miles · OH

In july of 2007 I bought a 1999 dodge intrepid for my daughter's first car. I paid 3,000.00 for it from an elderly lady in town. Within 2 months the timing chain snapped and wound itself around inside the engine and blew through the cam cover. It was towed to a service station and the engine was taken apart. I was told that the 2.7 l engines are noted for overheating causing oil sludge to build up and the timing chains to break. I was also told it would cost me 4400.00 to replace the engine with a used one.*jb updated 12-12-07. *kb updated

Filed Nov 23, 2006 · Engine · 87,000 miles · ID

Dodge intrepid 1998 to latest model year. Engine 2.7l problem engine failure due to sludge. There is a design flaw in this engine caused by the water pump. The weep (vent) hole is located between the heads in the "v" valley of the engine block. The weep hole is to alert the owner or mechanic of a early sign that the water pump is about to fail. The problem is that the weep hole is located in the engine valley and cannot be seen. Any engine coolant that drains in the valley evaporates due to engine heat and time. As time goes on the front and last seal in the pump fails and coolant leaks into the engine oil causing sludge and engine failure. The weep hole should have been routed to the front of the engine so the owner mechanic can see a coolant leak. A water pump should never be in a location where it's failure could cause coolant to mix into the engine oil, this is the design flaw! This is why I feel that these engine fail with mileage of little as 30,000 miles. Water pumps can fail at any time with little or no warning. In this case with the 2.7l engine there is no warning what so ever. The car I have, I purchased with a failed engine and will repair the 2.7l engine and alter the weep hole with a small copper pipe and route it so it can be seen if coolant leaks. I have photo's of the weep hole if you need them.

Filed Jul 31, 2006 · Engine, Visibility · 74,000 miles · MD

Bought 3 years ago used, it had emissions issues with the original engine. At about 74,000 miles the engine block cracked. Engine design does not allow for it to cool itself properly while running and results in the oil burning within before the engine can circulate it which finally results in the "sludge" that so many owners have a problem with and only perseverant the high heat issue as less oil is circulated to cool the engine. My engine's block cracked providing evidence of the engine getting too hot with no gauge warning of overheating because it is "overheating" within the system before it gets to the sensor etc, therefore it is not a poor maintenance issue but poor design and manufacturing. With a "rebuilt" engine it shakes, hesitates and emits smoke with clean oil and filter and no evidence of sludge within!! Now at under 96000 original miles and 22000 rebuilt engine the A/C coil has busted under the high pressure caused by the high engine temperature. The A/C pressure varies with engine pressure which varies with engine heat (still no overheating warning on the gauges). It is only addressed now that it is summer and too hot to drive without A/C. Unfortunately because of the design it will cost around $850 to replace a $80-120 part because the entire dash/firewall must come out along with many other components to get to it (and then those reinstalled afterward). The battery was sucked of power around this time and the motors controlling the windows & mirrors have broken. The keyless entry system has gone as well.

Filed Aug 5, 2005 · Engine · 115,000 miles · NM

Dt:consumer was driving home on june 13, 2005 when vehicle began overheating. Smoke came from underneath hood, temperature light and oil light came on. Consumer pulled to side of freeway and shut off vehicle at about 5:30 pm. Consumer returned at about 8:30 pm to find that vehicle would not start. Consumer had vehicle towed to local garage, where mechanic checked to find no compression on cylinders. Mechanic told consumer engine needed to be replaced. Temperature at time of failure was over 90 degrees.*ak

Filed Mar 8, 2005 · Engine · 10,000 miles · AL

Oil was replaced every week. Vehicle overheated due to defective thermostat. Cooling fan motor was replaced over a year ago. Smoke came from under the hood, then through the air vents when driving at 25 MPH and faster. Independent mechanic replaced fan motor. Then, vehicle stalled intermittently. But would restart, and was still drivable.

Filed Oct 3, 2004 · Engine · 52,739 miles · TN

My problems started out at a little over 49,000 miles. I was taking my children to school (in my pajamas!!!) & the car overheated. I had to call a tow truck & a friend to help me out with the kids & a ride. Turns out the cooling fan locked up. They replaced it, I was told later by a mechanic I should have been told to have the oil changed (even though it was not time) or they should have changed it because it overheated. 3 weeks later... Boom fan blows out again... Towed again... Fixed again...this time I had the oil changed!! Couple weeks later, light turns green, I begin to accelerate, RPM's go crazy, car shuts down in the middle of an intersection (thank god I was not in my jammies that day!). Take it in to carmax, they tear it down, tell me sludge in the engine ruined the bearings, my $1500 extended warranty I bought did not cover it, & I now owe them $600 for the work they did to diagnose it!!! It was almost an entire year of paying $522 a month while watching it sit in my driveway. All the tires are now dry rotted... There is rust all over my rotors, my trim has dry rotted & peeled off from my windshield... So I get it fixed... $5623.93 for yet another 2.7l engine.... I will never buy a dodge again.... Niether will any of my family or friends or co-workers or any body else I can talk to about this!! Car - $12,000 carmax - $600 warranty - $1500 a year of useless payments - $6264 new tires, trim, battery, etc. - $1000 towing - $300 engine replacement - $5623.93 crappy car so I could go to work - $2500 the true cost of my 99 intrepid - $29,787.93 yup.... I got screwed!!!!!! Thats alot of money to a family of 7!!!! Dodge needs to own up & make this right!!!!! Tawnya mashburn [email protected].

Filed Sep 2, 2004 · Engine · SC

While driving and sitting at an intersection vehicle overheated. The light registered hot on the dashboard. Consumer took vehicle to dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the cooling fan needed to be replaced due to worn out part. Consumer informed the mechanic that this problem occurred more than once and had not been resolved.

Filed Jun 23, 2004 · Engine · 89,000 miles · CA

Well, I have had nothing but problems with this car since I have had it. First it was little things like the window only going up or down when it felt like it, the oil light flashing on and off for no reason, the driver seat reclining for no reason, all the weather stripping coming off of the doors. Now my whole engine is shot and I believe it is because of defective parts. I was driving on the freeway the other day when all of the sudden my car was making a noise any time I tried to accelerate. I checked all my gages and everything looked ok, so I turned off my cruise control thinking maybe that was the problem. Someone drove past me and motioned there was a problem, so I stopped and my whole car filled with smoke. I lifted my hood and there was a piece that goes on top of my radiator that was off and steam and water and coolant was everywhere. I had just checked the water before I had left, and my temperature gauge never moved from its usual spot so it was odd that my car would overheat. The tow truck came and said that 2 days before he had the same exact car same exact thing happened. The piece that is on top of the radiator is something that probably should be bolted down, but is actually glued on with a rubber sealant. Once that rubber got so hot, it seems that it melted and came off and with all the pressure the radiator blew and now I have a blown head gasget among other engin damage. The 1st estimate I have gotten is 2,500 which is outrageous, especially since it could have been prevented if they had just used a bold and not rubber glue on a hot radiator.

Filed Jan 28, 2004 · Engine, Transmission · 71,000 miles · CA

Vehicle stalled without any warning while pulling out of the driveway. The was caused by transmission failure. Also, at 71,000 and while driving at 45 MPH vehicle stalled. This was caused by the engine locked . Two days earlier, vehicle overheated. Mechanic inspected the vehicle but found no problem. Told the consumer to add some more anti freeze. When engine locked dealership indicated this was a common problem with these model engines.

Filed Aug 6, 2003 · Engine · CA

Car stalled on me a few days ago in downtown la during rush hour traffic with my 2 kids... Come to find out that supposidely the car overheated (no signs of overheating at all, gauges were all okay, and sensors were checked and ok, no smoke etc.) however it overheated and warped both of my heads, blew my gaskets and broke my timing chain. This repair has taken over a week to fix and $2700.00 dollars later and I am still not thrilled. I will definately never buy a dodge again.