1997 Dodge Intrepid Problems, Recalls & Reliability
473 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1997 Dodge Intrepid, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 47/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Fuel system leads the reports, typically around 95,000 miles.
Below average
Where 1997 sits among all Intrepid years
What owners report
“Vehicle experienced failure of the fuel o-rings prior to recall notice. Mjs (98v-184).”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Intrepid
“After replacing 2 water pumps, the coolant bottle is leaking, i have to pay for the repair”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Intrepid
“Vehicle has been serviced for rough idling, hesitation and steering problems 3-4 times. Idling and hesitation still exists.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Intrepid
“Transmission failed, on highway causing engine damage when locking into second gear, chrysler refused to help. Dt”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Intrepid
“Vehicle continually experiencing electrical failures causing vehicle's engine to shut down.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Intrepid
“Fuel indicator fluctuates continually, replacement of faulty fuel pump did not rectify problem. Mjs”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Intrepid
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 90 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 94,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 70,000 and 106,287 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
84 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and engine — are on file for the 1997 Dodge Intrepid. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1997 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 1997 Dodge Intrepid reliable?
The 1997 Dodge Intrepid drew 473 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 47/100, scored against the model's worst year (2000).
What are the most common 1997 Dodge Intrepid problems?
The top reported problems for the 1997 Dodge Intrepid are fuel system (86 complaints), engine (67), and steering (67).
At what mileage do 1997 Dodge Intrepid problems show up?
Owners most often report 1997 Dodge Intrepid problems around 94,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 70,000 and 106,287 miles.
Does the 1997 Dodge Intrepid have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 1997 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.