1996 Dodge Intrepid Problems, Recalls & Reliability
709 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1996 Dodge Intrepid, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 5 defect investigations. It scores 62/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Steering leads the reports, typically around 82,500 miles.
Below average
Where 1996 sits among all Intrepid years
What owners report
“Rack and pinion failed causing the bolts and tie rod to shear off, loss of steering control. Mjs”— owner report to NHTSA, 1996 Intrepid
“Water pump failed / engine overheated / heads warped / cylinder walls damaged now engine needs to be replaced”— owner report to NHTSA, 1996 Intrepid
“Consumer was sold a vehicle with incomplete safety recall #790 of the fuel rail o-rings dealer refuses to complete. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1996 Intrepid
“The headlights were dull, making visibility impossible. The dealer was contacted. Ts scc”— owner report to NHTSA, 1996 Intrepid
“First to go was the brakes and rotors, then the rack and pinion system. Next was the transmission and now the diffentail and tie rods. Dt”— owner report to NHTSA, 1996 Intrepid
“3 times to the dealership for front end repairs. Struts and bushings have been replaced. Last time taken in the steering rack was loose.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1996 Intrepid
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 98 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 91,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 75,000 and 137,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK MAY FAIL AND ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITH THE KEY REMOVED. AN INOPERATIVE INTERLOCK MAY ALSO ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFTER HAS NOT BEEN…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOAD-LIMITING PUSH ROD INTO THE FLOOR SHIFTER LEVER OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 14, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT WITH 3.5L ENGINES. THE FUEL INJECTION DELIVERY SYSTEM CAN LEAK FUEL FROM SOME OF THE SEALING O-RINGS OR FROM HAIR LINE CRACKS IN THE THERMOSET FUEL INJECTION RAIL.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL RAIL O-RINGS AND REINFORCE THE OUTLET (PASSENGER) SIDE FUEL RAIL. VEHICLES SHOWING FUEL LEAKAGE ON THE OUTLET FUEL RAIL MUST HAVE THE OUTLET RAIL REPLACED WHICH…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 04V021000.
Led to recall campaign 98V184000.
Technical service bulletins
81 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and engine — are on file for the 1996 Dodge Intrepid. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1996 Intrepid TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1996 Dodge Intrepid reliable?
The 1996 Dodge Intrepid drew 709 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 62/100, scored against the model's worst year (2000).
What are the most common 1996 Dodge Intrepid problems?
The top reported problems for the 1996 Dodge Intrepid are steering (178 complaints), engine (100), and fuel system (84).
At what mileage do 1996 Dodge Intrepid problems show up?
Owners most often report 1996 Dodge Intrepid problems around 91,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 75,000 and 137,000 miles.
Does the 1996 Dodge Intrepid have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 1996 Dodge Intrepid. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.