1997 Dodge Intrepid Complaints

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEY'RE OCCASIONALLY HARD. FRONT END WILL DIP, CAR SLOWLY SLOWS DOWN, WON'T COME TO A STOP SOON ENOUGH. I HAD BARELY STARTED TO ACCELERATE AT A LIGHT WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY, I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THEY WERE HARD, BRAKES WOULDN'T ENGAGE. CAUSING ME TO REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 5 MPH. (SPARK PLUG WIRES) ABOUT EVERY 12,000 MILES WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE SPARK PLUG WIRES DUE TO THE 2ND CYLINDER WIRE BEING BURNT FROM THE ENGINE. A SIMPLE GUARD COULD FIX THIS PROBLEM! IF NOT, A FIRE COULD RESULT! (SEATS/SEAT BELTS) THE SEATS WILL LEAN BACK SLIGHTLY & UNEXPECTEDLY, COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT! THE SEAT BELTS DON'T SEEM TO STAY TIGHT AROUND THE WAIST. THE SEAT BELT SITS TOO HIGH OFF THE LAP. IF IN AN ACCIDENT, I WAS AFRAID I WOULD SLIDE UNDER THE BELT BECAUSE IT'S SO LOOSE! I WOULDN'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO ME, MY SPOUSE OR ANY OF MY CHILDREN. HEAD LIGHT...

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE THE SWITCH IS OFF, IT WILL ALSO TURN OFF WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING AND STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD BECOMING IN-OPERABLE & NO VISIBILITY! I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH DURING RUSH HOUR, IN THE POURING RAIN WHEN THEY STOPPED ON ME! AIR CONDITIONER) WHENEVER WE START UP THE CAR, A MILDEW SMELL COMES OUT OF THE VENTS. THIS COULD BE A HEALTH HAZZARD FOR PEOPLE WITH LUNG PROBLEMS. (FUEL) WHILE THE CAR IS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE WE SMELL FUEL & THE SMELL OF FUEL IN THE CAR SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE FUEL GAUGE SEEMS TO BE DEFECTIVE, ONE MOMENT IT REGISTERS IT HAS A 1/3 TANK, NEXT MOMENT IT SAYS YOU ONLY HAVE A 1/16 OF A TANK! THIS CAR IS CURSED AND IS JUST AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN! *AK

I HAD A RECALL PERFORMED ON VEHICLE LAST YEAR AT MARTIN DODGE IN BOWLING GREEN, KY. AFTER GETTING THE SERVICES RENDERED I NOTICED SEVERAL PROBLEMS. ONE WAS THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WERE NO LONGER OPERABLE, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT PAST SECOND GEAR AND WOULD MISS GEARS REPEATEDLY, AND ABS BRAKES FAILED. ALSO NOTICED THAT SUSPENSION WAS WORSE AFTER THEY PERFORMED SUSPENSION RECALLS. I HAVE TRIED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ONLY SUGGESTED THAT I BRING IT FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AT MY COST, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEMS EXISTED AFTER GETTING THE RECALLS FIXED. I INCURRED COURT COST OF $166.00 BECAUSE OF IMPROPER EQUIPMENT AND THE BUY, HERE, PAY HERE LOT WAS REQUESTING $2,280 FOR A CAR THAT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO JUNK IT BECAUSE NO BEING ABLE TO PASS INSPECTION FOR THE ROAD. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANYTHING YOU COULD DO TO AID IN ME ABSORBING THE COST OF THIS SITUATION. *AK

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

I WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER WORK IN MY 97 DODGE INTREPID, MY ENGINE FAILED. MY MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAD NO SIGNS OF ENGINE PROBLEMS. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.*JB