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Dodge IntrepidModel year report

1999 Dodge Intrepid Problems

Complaints
997filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
82,000miles, 654 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
22 mpgcombined, 2.7L 6-cyl FWD · 18 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1999 Dodge Intrepid (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the 2.7L V6 stopping or seizing, frequently with a knocking or ticking noise beforehand and with oil sludge or timing chain damage found afterward. Complaints span a wide mileage range, from under 50,000 to well past 120,000 miles, and many describe the failure as sudden while driving at speed. Steering rack play and transmission shifting problems are reported less often.

  1. Engine cooling

    Engine failure, sludge and broken timing chain (2.7L V6)

    • 595 complaints (60%)
    • median 84,000 mi at 6.1 yrs old (485 state mileage)
    • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $4,630 (median of 140 quotes)
    • filed 2000–2018

    Complaints describe the 2.7L engine stalling or seizing while driving, sometimes at highway speed, often after a ticking, knocking or clunking noise. Shops and dealers quoted in the complaints frequently attribute the damage to oil sludge buildup and, in several cases, to a broken timing chain, and owners report the engine needed replacement or rebuild. Several owners say they changed oil on schedule and were still told maintenance was the cause. Spread broadly from under 50,000 miles to over 120,000 miles, with many reported between 70,000 and 130,000 miles.

    What to check: Ask for oil change records and have a mechanic pull the valve covers or use a camera to look for sludge; listen for ticking or knocking at idle and on startup. Check that the oil warning light behaves normally and confirm the current oil level and condition.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My 1999 Intrepid died in traffic, not to start again. I had my 3 month old granddaughter with me. I had a very hard time controling the vehicle with no power. Thank god they people around me slowed up and stayed behind me as I tried to get it to the curb.the mechanic said the engine blew at 43,000 miles. Nothin but sludge in it.”

    NHTSA complaint #10058857, filed 2004-02, 43,000 miles

    “At about 60,000 miles I notice a ticking sound in the engine I took it in to the local Dodge dealership and it was determined to be a lower bearing noise that would ultimately ruin the engines. As the noise got worse I feared driving it anymore . My maintenance contract did not cover engine cost but only affected bearings and this would not be covered by any dealer or manufacture warranty. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10136335, filed 2005-09, 60,000 miles
  2. Steering

    Steering rack wear, play and loss of assist

    • 59 complaints (6%)
    • median 90,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (33 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,800 (median of 16 quotes)
    • filed 2001–2012

    Owners describe excessive play in the steering wheel, binding when returning the wheel to center, and in some cases the wheels no longer responding to steering input or power assist dropping away while driving. Complaints mention worn or broken steering racks and rack replacement, with one owner quoting a repair estimate from the dealer. Mostly reported between about 27,000 and 145,000 miles, more often above 70,000 miles.

    What to check: With the wheels on the ground, rock the steering wheel gently and note any dead zone or clunk; drive slowly through a turn and check that the wheel returns to center smoothly. Ask whether the rack or tie rods have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving my 1999 Intrepid to a doctors appointment. I was trying to park in the parking deck, all of a sudden I heard a loud click. From that point on the car would not steer right nor left. The car would only go forward or back. My mechanic said the steering broke. All my 34 years of driving I have never had this happen before. Yes the car is old but I have had older cars than this and nothing happened this bad.”

    NHTSA complaint #10308176, filed 2010-02, 145,000 miles

    “Steering: I started to feel a slight binding in the steering when trying to return wheel to center from a turn. It got progressively worse to the point where I occasionally had to wrestle the steering wheel back to center position. It also feels loose, suspension rattles and I've got 4 inches of play at center. Took it to the dealer and was informed it would cost $1200 to fix. Service rep tried to explain that this was pretty common nowadays with the sealed racks and not just Dodge. …”

    NHTSA complaint #764381, filed 2002-07, 65,000 miles
  3. Transmission and drivetrain

    Automatic transmission shifting faults and stuck shifter

    • 92 complaints (9%)
    • median 69,500 mi at 5.8 yrs old (49 state mileage)
    • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,002 (median of 18 quotes)
    • filed 1998–2016

    Complaints describe the automatic transmission failing while driving, dropping into limp mode in second gear, and refusing to go into park or out of park. One owner reported the car moved in reverse on its own and later received a notice for the floor shift interlock recall, and another described a bent shift cable arm. Reported from about 50,000 to over 200,000 miles, with several cases below 70,000 miles.

    Recall 04V0210002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the floor shifter interlock recall (04V021000) was performed. Check that the shifter moves cleanly through all positions, that the key cannot be removed unless in park, and that the car does not roll when left in park.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Transmission goes into limp mode in second gear .driver window off track back window works when it get ready andengine light comes when it get ready seat belt retracts sometime I believe my car is falling apart.”

    NHTSA complaint #10037392, filed 2003-09, 70,000 miles

    “1999 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 liter 4 door 200,000 miles clean car would not shift into it's parking gear after a short trip. After several attempts I was able to shift the car into park. The next morning the car would not shift out of park. I tried with considerable force and the shift cable broke..I removed the center console and repaired the shift cable arm which had bent and twisted in a forward direction allowing the cable to fall off. I was able to reshape the damaged arm and re attach the cable..the car still would not shift. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10260161, filed 2009-02, 201,341 miles
  4. Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

    Power windows off track and clouded headlights

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe grinding noises from power windows, windows tilting and slipping out of the seals, and window motors failing, sometimes on more than one door. Other owners report headlight lenses becoming clouded, limiting night-time visibility. Reported from roughly 27,000 to 70,000 miles in the sampled complaints.

    What to check: Raise and lower every window and watch for tilting, slow travel or grinding. Inspect the headlight lenses for yellowing or haze and check headlight output after dark.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Over usage of oil. Could not make it from one oil change to the next. Took it in faithfully every 3 months. Fans went out. Faulty intake replaced. A/c went out, drivers side window falls off track. Motor out in drives side back window. Passenger side door sticks and wont open. Engine blows. All major repairs occurred within a four month period, the minor items have been occurring for approx. A year. The car has low miles. I can no longer have repairs made to this vehicle and make payments at the same time. I will return it to the bank. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10095859, filed 2004-10, 70,000 miles

    “Head lights on vehicle became clouded up. Limited vision of road at night. I try not to drive at night, I do not allow my wife to drive vehicle at night.”

    NHTSA complaint #10173784, filed 2006-11, 27,000 miles

Buying note. This model year draws a large share of complaints about the 2.7L V6, so a pre-purchase inspection focused on oil condition, sludge and timing chain noise matters more than cosmetics. Also check the steering rack for play, confirm the shift interlock recall was completed, and verify the A/C and power windows work.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 997 consumer complaints for the 1999 Dodge Intrepid. 654 of the complaints include a mileage, and 11% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 82,000 miles. Of all complaints, 40 involved a crash, 13 a fire, 29 an injury, 3 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 14 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (17), Other or unknown (17), Seat belts (16), Body and structure (15), Seats (14), Fuel system (10), Tires (7), Latches, locks and linkages (6), Engine (4), Wheels (2), Electronic stability control (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “My Dodge Intrepid was serviced at keystone Dodge or bud brown Dodge in overland park, ks for every oil change. At just under 70,000 miles the engine blew because of sludge. I was driving and I lost all power. I had the car towed to a Dodge dealer and they told me that this is a common issue. Dodge was not responsive to questions about the engine issue.”

NHTSA complaint #10346846, filed 2010-08, 69,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I just had the check engine light on my car fixed, oil leak and transmission leak fixed, and the windows fixed because they were off track. My air conditioning unit is broke and I hate that because I have a newborn baby and its hot! I had to get a new transmission at 95,000 miles. I was unhappy about that. I hate my 1999 Dodge Intrepid.”

NHTSA complaint #10121161, filed 2005-05, 95,000 miles

Steering: “Violent shaking of the vehicle. Loud metal clanging type noise. Sudden lack of acceleration. Stalling and failure of power steering at 45 MPH. I was returning home from my son's school in heavy traffic and we almost crashed into a brick wall. Fortunately I was strong enough to maintain enough control of the steering wheel to somewhat safely stop the vehicle on the side of the road.”

NHTSA complaint #10168910, filed 2006-09, 98,486 miles

Electrical system: “I purchased a 1999 Dodge Intrepid. I have complete service records for the vehicle showing that on avg. The oil was changed every 3000 to 3600 miles. When driving at night during one of the snowfalls, the engine started to putter and eventually fail. I have my receipts showing that the oil was changed just three weeks prior and there was no warning of any issues. I had thee car taken to the dealer by tow the next morning to only be told a few days later that it is going to cost me $6400 to have it repaired?”

NHTSA complaint #10381480, filed 2011-02, 144,001 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

11% of the 654 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 65,077 and 101,000 miles.

2%0–102%10–257%25–5027%50–7536%75–10023%100–1504%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (654 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 82,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’99’02233’05’08’11’15’18
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1999 Dodge Intrepid. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Intrepid · sedan not rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1999 Dodge Intrepid version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Intrepid FWD2.7L 6-cyl4-speed automatic182822$3,050
Intrepid FWD3.2L 6-cyl4-speed automatic162519$3,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1999 Dodge Intrepid → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 14 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 14 bulletins →

Other model years of the Dodge Intrepid

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
200412973,7500—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200310670,0000—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200232974,0001—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200165676,0003—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20001,06575,0007—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199999782,0004—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199837784,6793—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199734491,0002—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199650593,7002—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199558998,0003—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1994718107,0004—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1993408106,5005—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Dodge Intrepid model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Dodge Intrepid?

Owners of this model year most often describe the 2.7L V6 stopping or seizing, frequently with a knocking or ticking noise beforehand and with oil sludge or timing chain damage found afterward. The issues reported most often: Engine failure, sludge and broken timing chain (2.7L V6); Steering rack wear, play and loss of assist; Automatic transmission shifting faults and stuck shifter.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1999 Dodge Intrepid have?

NHTSA recorded 997 consumer complaints for the 1999 Dodge Intrepid as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1999 Dodge Intrepid is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 698 complaints (70% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 95.

Has the 1999 Dodge Intrepid been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1999 Dodge Intrepid get?

The EPA rates the 1999 Dodge Intrepid (Intrepid, 2.7L 6-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 18 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1999 Dodge Intrepid reported?

Among the 654 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 82,000 miles and the middle half falls between 65,077 and 101,000 miles; 11% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.