CarComplaints.com Notes: The Dodge Stratus, Intrepid & other Chrysler sedans are infamous for oil sludge problems with the 2.7L V6 engine. If someone offers to sell you a 2.7L V6 model, it's only worth the price of the scrap metal it's going to shortly turn into.
NOTE: Only the 2.7L V6 has the oil sludge problem. Our "Avoid like the Plague" designation is ONLY for models with the 2.7L V6 engine. All other available engines are very reliable with no major problems.
Even with regular maintenance, the oil sludge defect eventually destroys the 2.7L engine typically around 80,000-100,000 miles. The only true fix we know about is to put in the larger 3.2L engine, which has a great reputation. Also the 2.4L engine doesn't have the oil sludge problem.
This issue was never deemed a safety defect by the Feds, so there was no recall. In the end, Chrysler got away with FOUR YEARS worth of defective 2.7L V6 engines in their sedans.
LOW MILEAGE CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE PROBLEMS SINCE IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. I HEAR ONLY REPAIR IN NEW ENGINE AND THAT DODGE IS NOT STANDING BEHIND ITS PRODUCTS. IMAGINE THAT.
If you're going to buy a car without a plan to get it fixed every 5000 miles, please consider my post as well as others' and leave Dodge Stratus out of your options. I mostly travel local and only travel out of state at most once every 3 months. I got my oil changed lately and close to the due date. There's surely no leak because I always remember to notice (a habit when using old cars). However, after a few minutes driving, the oil check light goes on when the car is idle and goes off when the car moves again. Additionally, the engine gets heated up so fast that I can't travel anywhere further than 15 miles. It is really a pain in the ass.
Make a long story short I had all this work done in October 2008 and in March 2011 it happened all over again and now every mechanic tells me it is the motor, that the oil is not getting to the top. I've changed my oil faithfully and only have 92,000 miles now and I can drive the car but when the motor gets warm the engine oil light comes on and the car will shut down until it cools off and it will crank right back up. I understand that there is a class action lawsuit out there and I need to file.
engine oil light comes on when I put on the brakes then goes off when I let off the brakes & give it fuel.. sometimes will flicker off&on while I'm driving it..the oil hes just been changed so I know it has plenty of oil..what could cause it to do this..just had dealership to put new oil light sensor on it..still doing it .
Okay so I was so happy to buy this car at a car dealership. It looks really cool and drives awesome, but of course the car had a problem. Every time I stopped my car the oil light went on, but went away when I started to drive again. So I topped the oil off hoping that it would be better but it stayed the same. Not only that but the cheap little plastic rim flew off while I was driving and got ran over. I hate this car. I haven't even had it for one day and I can already tell that this car is going to be a nightmare. Oh ya and I have to wait two days and miss out on my weekend just to get it in the shop. My best advice would be to never buy a dodge.
- cmoren,
Gearhart, OR, US
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THIS PIECE OF SH*T AMERICAN MADE CAR IS WORTHLESS I SEE WHY MANY PEOPLE BUY FROM HONDA, TOYOTA, ECT!!! This crap engine is knocking and from what I'm reading from some of these complaints looks like im screeeewed! I had this car for about 2 years had the oil changed in every 3000 miles I was driving the other day and the engine started making this knocking sound, I took it to the mechanic and not to my suprise the engine need to be rebuilt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a pice of sh*t!!! NEVER WILL I BUY AMERICAN MADE CAR!!!
The oil light flickered once in a while when the engine was very hot. Since there aren't any odd noises coming from my engine even when the light is flickering, I figured it was electrical and replaced the sensor myself. On a scale of 1 to 10, this procedure rates a 9 on the PITA scale. Now the light just stays on at idle below 650 rpm.
This really SUCKS. I am on a business trip over 700 miles from home and had to replace the sensor in the hotel parking lot.
Does something need to be reset or calibrated? Is there a trick to installing it?
Not only does the check engine light come on every now and then and stay on for weeks, but now this oil light comes up when i'm sitting at a stop but as soon as i give it gas it goes off.
Car has 62,000 miles on it and is a 2002. Oil light started flickering, after engine heats up, when coming to a stop. Put the car in neutral and it stops. Had the oil sensor changed and that didn't solve the problem. In fact, after it was changed and the car heated up, the oil light didn't just flicker, but came on and stayed on whenever I came to a stop. Putting the car in neutral didn't help unless I stepped on the gas a little to increase the RPM. After reading about all the other people that are having the same problem with this POS engine, was wondering if anyone has managed to solve the problem? Am thinking about just try putting a straight weight oil in and just trying to sell the car.
I am about to take some pain. From what I read "oil sludge" may be the problem. It seems $2,500 dollars is a low estimate. I will update when I get a final diagnosis. I will try to trade in and be done with this issue. I owe more then its worth and will take a big hit.
THE OIL LIGHT COMES ON AND FLICKERS WHEN THE ENGINE WARMS UP. THE LIGHT ONLY COMES ON AT LOW RPMS AND AT IDLE. AFTER AWHILE THE OIL LIGHT JUST STAYS ON. THE ENGINE IS NOT MAKING ANY NEW NOISES AND I HAVE PLENTY OF OIL. PLEASE HELP ME
After idling for a long time or making a stop after a freeway drive the oil light flickers on and off. Not low on oil. I have to add 1/2 qt. of oil a week. My wife drives it 60 freeway miles round trip to and from work 5 days a week. Runs fine other than the flicking oil light.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
LOW MILEAGE CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE PROBLEMS SINCE IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. I HEAR ONLY REPAIR IN NEW ENGINE AND THAT DODGE IS NOT STANDING BEHIND ITS PRODUCTS. IMAGINE THAT.
- rboyde, Dayton, OH, US