2002 Dodge Intrepid: harsh or hard shifting

Filed May 11, 2010 · Transmission · WI

2002 dodge intrepid. Consumer states when stopping the vehicle, it made a clunk sound and the transmission light came on. The consumer stated almost from the time she purchased the vehicle, she had problems with the transmission sensors. As soon as she drove over 45 MPH, the sensor light illuminated and the engine would rev between 2500-300 rpms. It would stay in that position until the she pulled over and turned off the engine and re-started it. The sensors were replaced, however one week later, the problem resurfaced.

Filed Mar 13, 2008 · Engine · 116,000 miles · NJ

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. While driving 60 MPH, the contact heard a loud and fast clunking noise coming from the engine. He arrived home and called his mechanic. The mechanic arrived at the contact's residence and stated that the head gasket failed, which was a very common failure with that make and model vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 116,000.

Filed May 9, 2007 · Engine · 72,563 miles · IL

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge intrepid. On april 23, 2007, the vehicle made a clunking sound and shut off while driving 25 MPH. The vehicle was towed and the mechanic stated that the bearings on the vehicle failed. There were no prior warnings. The VIN was unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 72,563.

Filed Feb 4, 2004 · Steering · 39,000 miles · NJ

Rack & pinion failed. Reported to dealer more than once after initial clunking noise. Dealer failed to identify the problem. The problem occurred at 39,000 miles on the car. Called chrysler and they said since warrenty had expired they could not do anything. New rack and pinion installed by local workshop.

Filed Jan 12, 2004 · Steering · 22,000 miles · WA

Steering makes clunking sounds and tends to be very "swishy" while driving. I have taken to dealership twice and complained, both times they stated the steering was within specs even though my personal mechanic had found problems.

Filed Apr 1, 2002 · Brakes, Steering · CA

I have had steering/suspension and brake related issues from normal driving in the bay area since 200 miles after purchasing vehicle new. I have had to pay for a professional computerized full precision alignment and balancing of two tires that were out of balance from the factory. Two dodge/chrysler dealers and wheel specialsts have checked and adjusted tire pressure. Vehicle seems to drive straight more often but still drifts to the left, sometimes to the right. Front wheels feel like they are slipping bad over bumps even at low speeds. Very intermittently steering wheel becomes harder to turn and is much more sensitive all of a sudden. Vehicle does not seem to be handling or taking bumps very well at times. Wheel does not usually return smoothly or consistantly, sometimes jerky and sometimes slow, usually off center, oversteering or understeering. Steering wheel sometimes needs constant attention, having to remind wheel where to go. Wheel will move by itself excessively at times on bumpy roads or on slanted roads sometimes almost making complete turns on it's own. Sometimes steering wheel has looseness. Clunk in steering still continues wheen wheel is turned sharp and braking. Excessive amount of groaning noise wheen turning wheel at times. I had to brake hard the other day and was able to lock vehicle up into a heavy skid although vehicle has ABS. Vehicle feels unstable sometimes and over bumpy roads sometimes. Every once and a while you can hear squeaking from struts. I am not the only person experiencing these issues. I have witness testimony on video and video proof. I have video of massive tire squealing at low speed 15mph manuvering in parking lot. My girlfriend does not want to drive the car also experiencing and complaining of these issues. Transmission still hesitates or stumbles sometimes. Two dealerships say there is nothing wrong with car and couldn't duplicate anything abnormal with steering. Chrysler does nothing. Car is unsafe at times.

Filed Mar 27, 2002 · Suspension · CA

Yesterday I had a 4 wheel computerized alignment performed. It was difficult and sometimes almost impossible to tell the car was out of alignment because it would drift to the left or right. That night when pulling out away from friends house, having wheel turned sharp and waiting at idle something in the front end was vibrating and it would change when wheel was moved. Later that night steering wheel tightened up as it had before all of a sudden when driving. Wheel was really difficult to turn all of a sudden, steering became much more sensitive all of a sudden where it previously was not. When braking or accelerating wheel would feel even move difficult to turn and almost stuck. I tried to get a friend to drive the car. She started to drive it in a parking lot, I asked her to manuver with the car and after driving for a minute she didn't want to because she felt the car was not handling well and didn't feel right. I manuvered in the parking lot and at 15 mile low speed manuvering and sharp turns tires were squealing as if performing high speed manuvers. At one time I was able to send the vehicle into a controlled skid although it has ABS. I could not get car to skid again and ABS seemed to be working fine. I noticed a clunk felt in the steering assembly when braking hard at lower speeds. The steering attitude and characteristics should not intermittently change. The car still wonders on the freeway and wheel needs constant attention. This car does not feel safe to drive and I don't know why I'm continually being told it's normal. I have driven 3 dodge intrepids and know how they should drive. I even had someone who has driven 3 second generation rental car intrepids and he didn't like the way my intrepid drove at times either. The steering assembly seems to be deteriorating quickly over time and sometimes fails to perform as it should. The vehicle also came out of the factory out of alignment and with two tires that needed to be balanced and since corrected. Nlm

Filed Mar 25, 2002 · Suspension · CA

Vehicle lately has not felt safe enough to drive at times. Steering wheel moves itself excessively at times and moves excessively to imperfections in roads. Steering continues to drift right or left. Clunk still heard in steering every once and a while. Vibration in steering wheel sometimes on smooth surfaces at higher speed. I had vehicle towed to another dealership as a precaution. I am trying another dealership to try to have my steering issues corrected. Dealership adjsuted tire pressure and stated that steering was fine after road test. Supposed chrysler representative was there and supposedly test drove the vehicle as well and stated it drove fine as well. Shop foreman stated vibration was because wheels needed to be balanced. Also stated that it's normal for vehicles to drift when you let go of the wheel. They acknowledged the excessive right tire wear and agreed to do an alignment. Dealership stated they did not have time and service advisor stated an alignment could take 7 hours. 7 hours......? I'm afraid they are going to try and align the vehicle to counter these issues or it's going to take that long because there's a problem. This is scheduled for next week. Driving home from the dealer along sloped freeway onramp, after letting hands off the wheel the vehicle almost made a complete right turn on it's own. On the freeway vehicle was drifting to the right and to the left. After accelerating from a complete stop and front wheel hit a bumpy part in the road the steering wheel turned itself to the left. Steering wheel still feels like it sticks and does not return like it should. I have driven a chrysler town & country as a test and it drives straight when you let off the wheel, the wheel does not move by itself as the intrepid even over really bumpy roads. The wheel always returns how it should. I have had several people drive my car and they all agree even before I explained how I felt about it's steering. Chrysler's design is poor if this is normal.

Filed Mar 21, 2002 · Steering · CA

I have brought this vehicle to the dealership twice where I purchased it complaining of intermittent looseness in steering, squeaking and clunking. The dealer could not duplicate these issues, squeaking was supposedly tire noise, clunking was "just bushings". My right front tire is severly worn on the outer edges at only 5900 miles, the left tire wear is normal. Dealer would not explain or asses why this is. Today I had the steering wheel turned sharp to the left and there was a vibrating noise as if metal was hitting against metal. I called someone out to witness this. About two miles later I was driving and the steering wheel was difficult to turn all of a sudden and steering felt heavy. Vehicle all of a sudden turns sharper and steering responds different than usual. When trying to investigate issue and manuvering the steering back and fourth the vehicle was swerving excessively as it never had before. Front end felt as if it was taking bumps harder than usual and was even hopping slighly over some bumps. I could hear noise in the passenger side front wheel area. I immediately brought the vehicle to the dealer. The shop foreman road tested and wouldn't say much about the steering. I explained that the wheel was always much easier to turn and explained that the steering is all of a sudden responding differently. Several bumps felt harsh from the passenger side where they had not felt as harsh before. I could hear and feel a light clunking during braking three times from the passenger seat. Shop foreman didn't really seem to notice much wrong as usual. He did see the tire wear and was like "wow". He is going to ask the service manager for permission to put the vehicle on their alignment machine. They have looked at the vehicle on the lift twice and never found anything visually wrong. I have made an appointment to have the vehicle looked at by another vehicle for a second opinion. I feel unsafe in this vehicle and unfortunately no other alternative to get to work.

Filed Feb 16, 2002 · Suspension · CA

I have made a previous comment in regard to my new 2002 dodge intrepid's steering (sometimes squeaking in lock to lock condition (end of u-turn at about 10mph), clunking, steering once feeling loose and drifting to the left). I had also mentioned that the shop foreman didn't really know what he could do about it since the steering was visually inspected and seemed fine. The shop foreman offered to put the vehicle on the lift and tighten up steering related bolts. The steering now feels more solid and has a better feel to it however I would like to inform you that the squeaking/squealing when wheel is turned all the way on u-turns at about 10mph still persists. The clunking that occurs when the wheel is turned nearly all the way and the vehicle is stopped still persits. I felt the clunking in the front end twice today in a parking lot. The clunking feels like it is the steering assembly. I am extremely unhappy having to be concerned with a car that is so new with such low mileage and has been taken care of. I would like to know why I am having these issues and what is causing them.

Filed Feb 15, 2002 · Suspension · CA

Steering sometimes squeals/squeaks at end of u-turn when steering wheel is turned all the way (lock to lock condition) at about 10mph. Steering began to sometimes slightly drift to the left even on flat roads where previous vehicle did not. This first occured at about 200 miles. The condition was unfortuantely not noticed on vehicle test drive. At about 3000 miles issue persists and now sometimes clunk is felt in steering at times when wheel is turned and stopping. This usually occurs when steering is turned sharp then vehicle is stopped. Steering once felt loose and floppy suddenly then seemed to correct itself after driving for about 20 miles. Brought vehicle in for service at dealer due to issue. Shop foreman called and stated that he could not duplicate any of the issues. Went on road test with shop foreman and was able to get steering to squeek at the end of sharp turns several times. He thought this was caused by the paint on the road with the tires. I told him this has also occured otherwise. I was able to get steering to clunk several times and he acknowledged this and stated that not much could be done since steering assembly seemed fine. He offered to check and tighten steering related bolts and did this. Steering currently has better feel and seems to perform better, not sure yet if these issues are completely corrected. I am still concerned because I had countless steering problems with my previous intrepid, which resulted in an accident. I assumed this issue was only with that intrepid since it seemed to be a lemon. I assumed that a new 2002 dodge intrepid would not have these kinds of issues.

Filed Feb 15, 2002 · Transmission · CA

Transmission intermittently bump shifts or slams into gear. When driving at around 40-50mph and flooring it to accelerate then letting off the accelerator pedal there is sometimes a bang or bump, sometimes harsh felt in the front end or transmission. This is sometimes so hard that passengers feel it and complain in regard to it. Bump is sometimes felt on deceleration in lower gears nearing a stop. Sometimes feels like it's shifting rough in lower gears. Gear selector feels stuck sometimes after parking and trying to shift into reverse. Transmission sometimes makes whining noise, not sure if this is normal. Transmission seems to hesitate sometimes before kicking down in low gear or upshifting. Took vehicle into dealership, shop foreman says there are no updated transmission control module (TCM) revisions after checking. Also states no fault codes were found from transmission. States that transmission issues could not be duplicated.