2003 Dodge Intrepid Transmission Problems

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 DODGE INTREPID ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR AND WOULDN'T SHIFT TO THE UPPER GEARS NO MATTER HOW FAST I DROVE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND AFTER STARTING IT APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES LATER IT RAN FINE. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE RECOMMENDED A TRANSMISSION FLUSH. AFTER THIS WAS DONE I DROVE TOWARD MY HOUSE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS IS VERY DISCOURAGING BECAUSE THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 34,000 MILES AND WAS SERVICED EVERY 3,000 MILES SINCE I PURCHASED IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10421387

Incident

Aug 23, 2011

Mileage

34,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE

NHTSA ID

10323582

Incident

Jan 10, 2010

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE INTREPID. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS DURING, BEFORE OR AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. THE DEALER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 53,000. *AK UPDATED 05/21/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10187822

Incident

Apr 7, 2007

Mileage

53,000 mi

I PURCHASED A USED 2003 DODGE INTREPID FEBRUARY OF 2006. THE VEHICLE IS A 2.7. THE INTREPID WAS PURCHASED WITH 56,721 MILES. I WOULD SAY AFTER THREE WEEKS OF DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO BANG AND THRUST FOWARD DURING ACCELERATION AND DECELLERATION. I BROUGHT TYHE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT HAD BEEN PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRENTY. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TESTED FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THIS DODGE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY FELT IT WHEN DRIVING THE CAR BUT THAT THERE WERE NO CODES REGSTERING ON THIER EQUIPTMENT. THEY TOLD ME IT IS HOW I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. THE PROBLEM GOT PROGRESSIVLY WORSE. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN AGAIN, AND AGAIN. A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES IN TWO MONTHS.AGAIN, NOTHING. THEN AT ROUGHLY 76,000 MILES THE O2 SENSOR AND CAM SENSOR FAILED. ON JANUARY 20TH 2007, AT 84,900 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO THIRD GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION WINES. DODGE DEALER CHECKED TODAY 01/23/2006 THE VALVE BODY, CYLINOIDS AND PURGE ALL FAILED AT THE SAME TIME AND NOW NEED TO BE REPLACED. HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSIONS. NOW I HAVE A WARRENTY COMPANY THAT WILL COVER THE VALVE BODY NOT THE CYLINOIDS AND DODGE RECOMMENDS THAT THE CYLINOID BE REPLACED WHEN THE VALVE BODY IS REPLACED BUT THE WARRENTY COMPANY WILL NOT COVER THE CYLINOIDS. EACH SYSTEM ASSURES THE OTHER IS WORKING PROPERLY. THESE TRANSMISSIONS NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED, ESPECIALLY AFTER ONLY 50,000 MILES AND THERE IS REPORTED FAILURE BY NUMEROUS PEOPLE. REPORTED AND UNREPORTED. THANKYOU FOR PURSUING THIS INVESTIGATION. PEOPLE ARE BEING RIPPED OFF, AND DODGE HAS A BAD REPUTATION FOR THEIR TRANSMISSION QUALITY.AD *JB

NHTSA ID

10179516

Incident

Jan 20, 2007

Mileage

85,000 mi

I PURCHASED A USED 2003 INTREPID POLICE CAR WITH 81,000 MILES ON IT. RAN AND SHIFTED FINE UNTIL 3 MONTHS AGO. WHILE BRAKING FROM ABOUT 45 AT A LIGHT, THE MIL LAMP CAME ON AND THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE. WE WERE ABLE TO RESET IT AND GET TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE TRANSAXLE VALVE BODY AND SOLENOID PACK NEEDED REPLACEMENT. AFTER REPLACEMENT, THE CAR RAN FINE FOR 2 MONTHS. NOW THE SAME ISSUE IS OCCURING AGAIN. AGAIN, THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE WHILE BRAKING (A LOUD POP IS HEARD EACH TIME IT DOES THIS). THE MIL LAMP COMES ON AND THE DTC CODES ARE P0700, P01776, & P0841. FROM RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS THAT THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS RATHER FREQUENTLY WITH THIS MODEL DODGE, BUT THERE IS NO CLEAR ANSWER AS TO WHAT THE UNDERLYING ISSUE IS (SENSOR, COMPUTER, VALVE BODY, ETC). COULD THIS BE REVIEWED FOR POSSIBLE MANUFACTURER DEFECT? *NM

NHTSA ID

10177075

Incident

Dec 23, 2006

Mileage

85,000 mi

I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED, WITH 24,000 MILES ON IT, 18 MONTHS AGO. 6 TIMES TO SHOP: 1) ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, HAD TO HAVE TIE ROD REPLACED 2) BRAKES NEEDED AFTER APPROX 14 MONTHS FROM PURCHASE 3) ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED 14 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE 4) WATER PUMP HOUSING CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, AT MY EXPENSE, AFTER DEALERSHIP CRIMPED WATER PUMP HOUSING WHEN PUTTING IN REPLACEMENT POWER TRAIN 5) SWAY BAR BUSHINGS NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT 16 MONTHS 6) WAS JUST DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND 4 MILES FROM HOME ENGINE BEGAN MAKING WEIRD NOISES AND BY THE TIME I GOT HOME WAS MAKING VERY LOUD ENGINE NOISES, SOUNDS LIKE TRANSMISSION? DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE. TURNED CAR OFF WHEN I GOT HOME AND DIDN'T WANT TO START AN HOUR LATER, JUST CRANKED AND CRANKED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A LEMON, BUT SINCE I BOUGHT IT USED, DON'T THINK I'M COVERED UNDER LEMON LAW. WILL ATTEMPT TO FORCE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE CAR WITH A DIFFERENT MODEL TOMORROW. OH, AND ALSO THE INNER DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE DOESN'T OPEN THE CAR DOOR. IT BROKE ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, AND I HAVEN'T FIXED IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CHARGE $50 FOR THE PART AND WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH FOR THE LABOR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10143984

Incident

Nov 29, 2005

CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 REPLACEMENT BRAKES AND 4 NEW RADIOS ON 2003 DODGE INTREPID AFTER BEING TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH EITHER. *TS THE WINDSHIELD AND BOTH SIDE MIRRORS WERE PITTED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THE SECOND TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED THEY REPLACED THE MAF SENSOR. THE SERPENTINE BELT CRACKED. TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED FROM COOLER HOSES. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AND THE ROTORS WERE MACHINED. THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE DEALER REIMBURSE HIS SOME OF HIS MONEY AND RETURN HIS TRADE-IN VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10143217

Incident

Sep 6, 2005

Mileage

34,960 mi

PURCHASED 2003 DODGE INTREPID 6/3/05, AS USED. WHILE DRIVING A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP WHILE STILL UNDER DEALERSHIP 30 DAY WARRANTY. INFORMED CAR HAD FAULTY O2 SENSOR AND SENSOR WAS REPLACED. AUGUST 9TH, DRIVING WITH YOUNG DAUGHTER AT NIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, CAR MADE 'POP' SOUND, ENGINE AND OIL LIGHT BOTH ILLUMINATED, CAR ENGINE DIED, BUT WAS ABLE TO VEER ONTO SHOULDER OF ROAD WITHOUT BEING HIT BY OTHER CARS. CALLED DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT BACK. CAR WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAULTY CAM SENSOR. CAM SENSOR WAS REPLACED-AT MY EXPENSE. ALMOST OUT OF THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WAS DRIVING THIS CAR ON THE 26TH, ONCE AGAIN WITH MY YOUNG DAUGHTER WHEN ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CAR FELT AS THOUGH DOWN SHIFTED HARD THROUGH ALL GEARS, THEN TRANSMISSION ACTING AS IF NOT PROPER SHIFTING. CLOSE TO LOCAL AUTO ZONE WHICH I HAD THEM RUN DIAGNOSTICS ON. FOUND "TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FAILURE." THE COMPUTER OF THE CAR WAS RESET AT AUTO ZONE. CALLED LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN THE NEXT MORNING. WAS INFORMED THAT BECAUSE THE COMPUTER HAD BEEN RESET THEY COULD NOT REPEAT, NOR FIND THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS "MORE THAN LIKELY 2 SENSORS," AND TO CONTINUE DRIVING THIS CAR UNTIL THE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN, THEN NOTIFY THE DEALERSHIP. SO, NOW I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF DRIVING A CAR THAT I KNOW IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER WILL HAVE SOME SORT OF "SENSOR" FAILURE, IF NOT OUTRIGHT MAJOR TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. DID I MENTION I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS CAR SINCE JUNE? I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS NOTIFIED OF SERVICE BULLETINS. I WOULD THINK THAT AS MUCH AS I OWE ON THE CAR (OVER $10,000.00), THE YEAR (2003), THE MILEAGE (43,000 MILES) WOULD AT THE VERY LEAST GUARANTEE ME A ROAD WORTHY, SAFE VEHICLE. MY SON OWNS A '99 DODGE NEON CLUNKER THAT I JUST BOUGHT FOR $1000.00 THAT IS BECOMING APPARENTLY MORE RELIABLE THAN MY PRICEY LUXURY RIDE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10138192

Incident

Sep 27, 2005

Mileage

43,200 mi

ON MAY 24, 2005, I RECEIVED MY 2003 DODGE INTREPID (72,000 MILES) BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THEY COMPLETED REPAIRS RELATED TO A LOW-SPEED COLLISION. UPON PICKING UP THE VEHICLE, OPERATION SEEMED 100%. LESS THAN 20 MILES LATER WHILE DRIVING ~60MPH ON INTERSTATE 70-WEST, THE CAR SHUTTERED BRIEFLY AND THEN QUICKLY LOST FORWARD ACCELERATION. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE GAS PETAL, THE RFPM WOULD ACCELERATE ACCORDINGLY, BUT THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO BE DISENGAGED. AT THIS POINT, THE 'CHECK ENGINE' WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AS I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE MY WAY SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO DE-ACCELERATE TO THE POINT WHERE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A DEAD STAND-STILL ON THE ROADWAY AND STARTED TO DRIFT BACKWARDS WHEN A TRACTOR TRAILER SWERVED ONTO THE SHOULDER TO PASS ME AND AVOID A MAJOR REAR-END COLLISION. AFTER TOWING THE VEHILE BAACK TO THE DEALERSHIPM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRNASMISSION HAD EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND WOULD NEED TO BE COMPLETELY RE-BUILT OR REPLACED. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF PARTS, THEY DISCOVERED THAT CORRESPONDING COMPONENTS WERE ON NATIONAL BACK-ORDER BY DODGE AND WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR MONTHS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT A NATIONAL BACK-ORDER OF THIS MAGNITUDE WAS INDICATIVE OF WIDE-SCALE DEFECTS FROM THE MANUFACTURER. GIVEN THAT (1) THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE AUTOMOBILE'S TRANSMISSION OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING, (2) THE FAILURE OCCURRED CATASTROPHICALLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING OVER 60MPH, AND (3) THE EXTENT OF THE NATIONAL BACKORDER FOR THE TRANSMISSION COMPONENTS, I AM GRAVELY CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS DEFECT WITHIN THE DODGE INTREPID TRANSMISSION THAT REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY THREAT TO OTHER DRIVERS AND OWNERS. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE COMPLETELY RE-BUILT.

NHTSA ID

10124536

Incident

May 25, 2005

Mileage

72,000 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. OWNER STATED WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT TRANSMISSION WOULD GO INTO 2ND GEAR AND WOULD ONLY GO UP TO 40 MPH, BUT WILL NOT CHANGE GEARS. DRIVER WOULD HAVE TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND TURN BACK ON BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD CLIMB BACK UP TO 40 MPH OR GREATER. OWNER WAS BAFFLED AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED SINCE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND HAD 85,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10117660

Incident

Mar 20, 2005

Mileage

77,000 mi

WHILE BRAKING FROM 55 MPH TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED WITH A THUMP THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IMMEDIATELY CAME ON,THEN IT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR.SHUT OFF ENGINE AND RESTARTED,,,WORKED FINE TILL I GOT HOME,,CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON , CAR IS IN THE SHOP NOW.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100172

Incident

Nov 18, 2004

Mileage

57,000 mi

THE VEHICLE LEAKED TRANSMISSION FLUID. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD SHIFT VERY HARD. THE RPM REVVED VERY HIGH. UPON TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS AN INTERNAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID

10097277

Incident

Feb 2, 2004

Mileage

34,705 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS. HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, YET WILL NOT IDENTIFY THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. IT HAD DIFFICULTY GOING FROM PARK TO REVERSE. THIS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY . *AK

NHTSA ID

10089992

Incident

Aug 30, 2004

Mileage

21,681 mi

TRANSMISSION LIGHT WENT ON 8/11/04, AND IMMEDIATELY, THE CAR DROPPED INTO 3RD GEAR AND WOULD NOT GO INTO OVERDRIVE. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. AFTER A $100 DEDUCTABLE, THE VALVE BODY WAS REPLACED. A FEW DAYS LATER, IT FAILED AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP (TOWN & COUNTRY DODGE IN CLARKSTON, MI). THEY RESET THE CODES, IN THEIR DESCRIPTION, AND TEST DROVE IT AGAIN. WHEN I DROVE IT HOME, IT FAILED FOR A THIRD TIME, SAME MODE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10088185

Incident

Aug 11, 2004

Mileage

44,807 mi

I PURCHASED MY 2003 INTREPID IN DECEMBER 2003 WITH 20,000 MILES.IN THE SPRING OF 2004 I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT ROTORS AND DISCS IT IS NOW AUGUST 2004 AND THE SAME PROBLEM IS OCCURRING STARTING WITH SQUEAKING AND PULSATION FOLLOWED BY GRINDING. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM ONCE AGAIN REPLACING ROTORS AND DISCS. I DO NOT HAVE THE 1ST PAIR OF ROTORS AND DISCS THAT WERE REPLACED HOWEVER I WILL KEEP THIS SET. ANOTHER PROBLEM I HAVE STARTED NOTICING IS WHEN SHIFTING THE CAR INTO DRIVE IT OCCASSIONALLY DOES NOT RESPOND AND I HAVE TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE DRIVE WILL ENGAGE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10086121

Incident

Jul 1, 2004

Mileage

30,000 mi

AUTO IS GOING INTO FORWARD WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10021369

Incident

Jun 8, 2003