1998 Dodge Intrepid Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1998 Dodge Intrepid, 53% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 85,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine failed” (11% of reports).
- 198engine and engine cooling complaints
- 85,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $8,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 45%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Engine failed: mentioned in 21 of 198 complaints (11%)
- Oil changes: mentioned in 16 of 198 complaints (8%)
- Sludge build: mentioned in 11 of 198 complaints (6%)
- Timing chain: mentioned in 10 of 198 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 1998 Dodge Intrepid at $8,300, and half of them between $6,300 and $10,600.
Based on 20 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2009), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 143 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 198 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 4 a fire.
Dodge Intrepid engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Intrepid | 79 | 61% | 72,150 |
| 2003 Intrepid | 61 | 58% | 78,500 |
| 2002 Intrepid | 207 | 63% | 78,000 |
| 2001 Intrepid | 520 | 79% | 78,000 |
| 2000 Intrepid | 785 | 74% | 77,486 |
| 1999 Intrepid | 698 | 70% | 84,000 |
| 1998 Intrepid | 198 | 53% | 85,000 |
| 1997 Intrepid | 53 | 15% | 60,750 |
| 1996 Intrepid | 83 | 16% | 80,000 |
| 1995 Intrepid | 67 | 11% | 98,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 1998 Dodge Intrepid. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Engine failure clicking noise possible valve train. Consuming large amounts of oil but no properly lubricating engine parts. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 dodge intrepid. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph when the engine began to smoke. The vehicle was inspected by a independent mechanic who informed her that the motor failed due to the anti-freeze and oil mixing together. The vehicle was not…
In 2007 i bought a 1998 dodge intrepid 2.7 l engine....nonetheless the engine blew. The car had regular oil changes and maintenance. It gave no warning that there were any signs of engine trouble. I paid $6995 for the car, it had 67,000 miles on it.....2yrs later at 87,000 it died....leaving me to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Dodge Intrepids have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 198 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1998 Dodge Intrepid (53% of the 377 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Dodge Intrepid engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 85,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 1998 Dodge Intrepid?
Owners report a typical cost of $8,300 (half paid between $6,300 and $10,600), from 20 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1998 Dodge Intrepid?
The most frequent phrase is “engine failed”, in 21 of 198 complaints, followed by “oil changes” (16).
See all 1998 Dodge Intrepid problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Intrepid years.