How to Choose the Oil and Fluids for a Dodge Intrepid

The Dodge Intrepid full-size sedan, produced from 1993 to 2004, was also sold in Canada as the Chrysler Intrepid. Both vehicles are, mechanically speaking, quite similar to the Chrysler Concorde of similar model years. Here's how to choose the oil and fluids for all models years of the Dodge Intrepid.

Instructions

1. Maintain your automatic transmission with Mopar ATF+4. This applies to model years 2000 and later; if your Intrepid is a 1999 or earlier, you should continue using the original transmission fluid, Mopar ATF+3. If you're driving a vehicle that was originally filled with Mopar ATF+4, you must continue using ATF+4 or risk damage to or failure of your transmission.

2. Mix 50 percent Mopar coolant with Hybrid Organic Acid Technology with 50 percent distilled water to keep your engine running cool. This is long-life coolant and you may use up to 60 percent coolant/40 percent water, not more, if temperatures are expected to fall far below freezing.

3. Use DOT-3 brake fluid--preferably Mopar brand--for your brake system unless otherwise noted in your vehicle's owners or repair manual.

4. Use 5W-30 engine oil in your Dodge Intrepid whenever possible. A 10W-30 is acceptable in high temperatures, so long as they aren't expected to fall below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tips & Warnings

• If you've inherited an older car with especially dirty transmission fluid, consult a transmission specialist before flushing the transmission. There's a lot of contention about whether flushing a dirt old transmission might in fact cause it to fail sooner than letting it continue with dirty fluid.

• Some Intrepid owners have reported transmission damage or failure when using non-Mopar transmission fluids.