Your vehicle report
1999 Dodge Intrepid
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 997
- Received Oct 1998 to Jul 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine knocking from rod or main bearings79 complaints · 7.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine suddenly shuts off while driving77 complaints · 7.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine burns excessive oil between changes57 complaints · 5.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #04V021000On 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 placed in the park position.
- Recall #03V035000On certain passenger vehicles, seat back recliner bolt breakage can occur resulting in the seat back reclining unexpectedly.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 40 crashes, 13 fires, 29 people injured, 3 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
- Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed
- Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly
- Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 16 |
| 2000 | 37 |
| 2001 | 58 |
| 2002 | 78 |
| 2003 | 174 |
| 2004 | 233 |
| 2005 | 152 |
| 2006 | 124 |
| 2007 | 57 |
| 2008 | 29 |
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 997 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 79 | 7.9% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 77 | 7.7% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 57 | 5.7% | – | |
| Timing chain fails and destroys engine | 50 | 5.0% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 28 | 2.8% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 21 | 2.1% | – | NHTSA recall #00V034000, #01V119000 |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 19 | 1.9% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 19 | 1.9% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 18 | 1.8% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 17 | 1.7% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 16 | 1.6% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 15 | 1.5% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 15 | 1.5% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 13 | 1.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 10 | 1.0% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 10 | 1.0% | – | |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 10 | 1.0% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 9 | 0.9% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 9 | 0.9% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 8 | 0.8% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #04V021000January 13, 20042,315,768 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: floor shift
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 placed in the park position.
Either circumstance may result in the vehicle rolling away without warning.
Remedy
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 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #03V035000February 5, 20031,066,000 vehicles affected
seats: front assembly: recliner
On certain passenger vehicles, seat back recliner bolt breakage Can occur resulting in the seat back reclining unexpectedly.
If the seat back unexpectedly reclines while the car is being driven, it could result in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the recliner bolts. Owner notification began on april 23, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #01V119000April 11, 2001161,682 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: retractor
Vehicle description: certain van, wagon, pickup trucks, passenger and sport utility vehicles, fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." the front seat belt retractor may not comply with the requirements of the standard.
If the retractor does not work properly, it will not adequately protect occupants in the event of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the seat belt retractor. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #00V034000February 4, 2000204,000 vehicles affected
seat belts
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The seat belt shoulder height adjustable turning loop (atl) top mounting bolt was inadequately manufactured.
The affected mounting bolts may not withstand sufficient force to function properly in certain impact situations, increasing the risk of injury to a belted occupant.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the shoulder belt height adjuster mounting bolts.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1999 Dodge Intrepid.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN