Dodge Intrepid 2.7L V6 Engine Oil Sludge / Failure
BREAKING NEWS: Class action lawsuit has been filed, see below for more information.
Engine oil sludge is by far the worst problem & the most common complaint we receive, out of all vehicles from all manufacturers. The wide range of Dodge/Chrysler sedans affected by the engine oil sludge defect spans five years, from 1998 - 2002. The models affected include the Dodge Intrepid, Dodge Stratus, Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler Sebring, & Chrysler 300M.
Oil sludge is apparently caused by a design defect with the oil circulation system in the 2.7L V6 engine. The defect causes the oil to get hotter than normal, which causes oil sludge to form especially when using regular oil. DaimlerChrysler maintains the oil sludge is due to owners not changing their oil according to the recommended schedule, but the sheer number of complaints about oil sludge with the 2.7L V6 says otherwise. A 3.2 & 3.5L engine was also an option on these models, and there have been no complaints about oil sludge occuring with the larger engines. Only the 2.7L V6 has the design defect that causes oil sludge.
Toyota, Audi & Saab have had models that were prone to oil sludge, and all three companies voluntarily extended the engine warranty to help and protect their vehicle owners from the very costly oil sludge repairs. However, so far DaimlerChrysler has denied there is a design defect with the 2.7L V6 engine, & claims to be evaluating oil sludge claims on a "case by case basis" provided the owner has receipts for all oil changes since the car was brand new. Of course, this is impossible for most people.
Currently there is no recall for engines that have failed from oil sludge, because it is not a safety issue (according to the NHTSA).
As of September 24, 2007, a class action lawsuit has been filed for New Jersey residents. Click here for a PDF about the lawsuit. Class actions are likely to follow in other states & will most likely be combined into a national class action.
For further information, see Oil Sludge.com »