1996 Dodge Caravan complaints

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, THEN SEVERAL HOURS LATER WENT OFF. 3 DAYS LATER THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THEN BECAME INTERMITENT FOR A FEW WEEKS, SOMETIMES IT GOES OFF, THEN COMES BACK ON IN A FEW MINUTES. NOW THE LIGHT STAYS ON MORE THAN 95% OF THE TIME. AT FIRST, DEALER RECOMMENDED WAITING UNTIL THE LIGHT WAS ON AND THEN DRIVING BY THE DEALER FOR THEM TO CHECK OUT. WE HAVEN'T HAD THE DEALER CHECK IT OUT YET. *AK

THE AIRBAG IN THE CARAVAN WILL NOT WORK DUE TO THE CLOCKSPRING. *AK

CLOCKSPRING "BROKE" AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HORN/CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT WORK . REPLACED, BUT SAME SYMPTOMS ARE HAPPENING AGAIN. TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. I FOUND THIS HAS HAPPENED IN SO MANY MINIVANS MADE BY CHRYSLER.

AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK I PARKED THE SAID VEHICLE ON AN INCLINE WITH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE FACING DOWNHILL. AS I EXITED THE VEHICLE, I COULD SMELL GAS. I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SAW GAS LEAKING FROM SOMEWHERE ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK. I MOVED THE VEHICLE TO LEVEL GROUND AND THE GAS STOPPED LEAKING. ON 06/05/2000 I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ELMHURST DODGE AT WHICH TIME THEY SAID THE GAS TANK HAD A CRACK IN IT AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO COMMENTED THAT THEY HAD MADE THE SAME REPAIR TO THREE OTHER VEHICLES THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND THAT THE TANKS WERE MADE OUT OF PLASTIC. THE GAS TANK WAS REPLACE UNDER INVOICE #220957. DEALER ALSO REPLACED THE FUEL TANK LOCKING RING (RECALL 845) UNDER INVOICE #221121. PRIOR TO 06/04/2000 I HAD SMELLED GAS IN MY GARAGE FOR OVER A YEAR, NOT KNOWING IT WAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE.*AK

DURING THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THIS VEHICLE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL TURN ON RANDOMLY AND STOP WITHOUT ANY DRIVER INTERACTION. IT HAPPENED TODAY AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. IT HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS AND EVEN STANDING STILL IN PARK. IT HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND AS I WAS PASSING A TRUCK ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 70MPH. WHEN IT OCCURS IT DISTRACTS ME FROM MY DRIVING AND SOMETIMES STARTLES ME. THE TURN SIGNAL/WIPER MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE LAST TIME IT WAS REPLACED WAS ON 08/13/97 BY LANDMARK DODGE, INC., 6823 MT. ZION BLVD, MORROW, GA 30260, TEL:770/968-4900 UNDER INVOICE #DOCS22788.

HVAC BLOWER FAN ONLY WORKS ON HIGH. LOWER SPEEDS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. NEEDS THIRD REPLACEMENT. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT.*AK

MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES THIS VAN WILL NOT START. DEALERSHIP CANNOT LOCATE PROBLEM, AND USUALLY IT OCCURS FROM COLD START, BUT HAS ALSO OCCURRED OVER 5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING AND THIS IS NOT SAFE. ALSO LOST TRANSMISSION SENSOR AND THAT KILLED CAR WHILE DRIVING BUT HAS BEEN REPLACED. CHRYSLER IS NOT HELPING AND I AM NERVOUS DRIVING MY KIDS IN THIS VAN. HAD IT 2 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN STRANDED MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES. NOTICED OTHERS WITH SIMILAR UNSAFE SITUATIONS AND HOPE CHRYSLER WILL ADDRESS THEM SOON.*AK

1. AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON, HORN QUIT WORKING. WE WERE TOLD THIS IS THE CLOCK SPRING FAILURE. 2. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON - COMPUTER CODE INDICATES THIS IS A COIL PACK FAILURE. 3. TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 55,000 MI. 4. WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON FOR NO REASON 5. A/C FREON CHARGE AT 98,000 6. WATER PUMP FAILURE AT 98,000

CLOCKSPRING IN STEERING COLUMN FAILED AND MY HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD THE CLOCKSPRING REPLACED AT A COST OF $330.28.

WITH THIS OUT YOUR AIR BAGS, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL FAIL TO OPERATE. *AK

ENGINE SHUTS OFF DURING DRIVING OPERATION/DEALER THINKS IT'S A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (THEY CAN'T FIND IT)/PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE1999/I'VE TALKED TO OTHER CARAVAN OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM; THEY HAVE NO ANSWERS EITHER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION WITH A BANG IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. LATER, FOUND OUT THAT TRANSMISSION HAD A BIG HOLE IN IT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL POWER. HAD CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY WERE AWARE OF SITUATION WHICH HAD NOT BEEN SOLVED. *AK CONSUMER IS REQUSTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR TOWING, RENTAL CAR, MOTEL, AND REPAIR EXPENSES. AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. *SLC

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR ABOUT A WEEK. THEN, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED FUNCTIONING AT SAME TIME. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON BY THEMSELVES. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FRONT END WAS DAMAGED. DID NOT CONTACT DEALER. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK

EA 01 007/AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING: AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL AND THE HORN WERE INOPERATIVE, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD RANDOMLY OPERATE WHILE IN OFF MODE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK

CLOCK SPRING BROKE, CAUSING SEVERAL SAFETY FEATURES IN VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERABLE. HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE BOTH INOPERABLE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WAS THE ILLUMINATION OF THE AIRBAG LIGHT, AND THEN THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN BECAME INOPERABLE, THE HORN BEGAN TO SOUND CONSTANTLY EVEN WITH THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF AND KEY OUT OF IGNITION, CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT THE HORN TO GET IT TO TURN OFF. *SLC

SHIFT GEARS CAN BE MOVED WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES. 4- YEAR OLD CHILD WAS ABLE TO SHIFT GEAR OUT OF PARK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL DOWN DRIVEWAY INTO GARAGE.*AK

LATCH TORE IN HALF AT RUBBER COMPOUND. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON WHEN TURNING ON MOTOR. *AK

TRANSMISSION LEAKS, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON DASHBOARD ALL OF THE TIME. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

PROBLEM HAS BEEN ON GOING SINCE 1998... TILL PRESENT ... MODULAR HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES ... AND DASH BOARD KEEPS GOING OUT ... THE ODOMETER, MILLAGE, SPEEDODMETER, GAS GAUGE, MILLAGE NUMBERS GO OUT, LIGHTS FOR PARK, NUETRAL, DRIVE, LOW, ETC, GO OUT, (WHILE DRIVING, OR WHEN YOU SHUT VECHILE OFF OR WHEN YOU START IT) WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO ON SPONTANIOUSLY,PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES NOW ,, AND THIS TIME HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED. WHEN I SHFTED INTO REVERSE TO PULL BACK INTO THE PARKING SPOT AND CALL FOR HELP, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD THUNK AND THE TIRES LOCKED UP AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. *AK

COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING. REPAIR SHOP SAYS THE ONLY FIX IS COMPLETE OVERHALL OR REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF ABOUT $1,850.00. WITH ONLY 41,000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE, ONE WOULD EXPECT SOME COMPENSATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN WELL AWARE OF THESE EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURES ON THESE CARAVANS FOR QUITE A WHILE. *AK

WHILE USING AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS SLIDING DOOR AND BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS FAILED TO LOCK. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED PARTS. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, THEN HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL CEASED TO WORK. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A LEFT FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A 1997 LINCOLN, CONTININTAL IMPACT OF 35-40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, WHICH BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK

THIS DEFECT IS ALL TOO COMMON - TOO MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO REPORT THIS. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS AUTOMATICALLY COME ON IF TURNING CORNERS/ GOING STRAIGHT AND TURNING TURN SIGNAL ON. SWIPED SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEN TURNED OFF. CHRYSLER HASN'T ISSUED A RECALL, AND DIDN'T SEE IT AS A PROBLEM. CONSUMSER WAS GOING TO CALL DEALER TO TAKE A LOOK AT WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON AFTER STARTING VEHICLE UP AND DRIVING. ALSO, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN PUT TO USE.*AK CLOCKSPRING FAILURE. *SLC

TREAD SEPARATION SPEED DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A FACTOR, MANUFACTURE STATEMENT EVERYTIME IS OVERLOADED OR ABUSED DURING USE. THESE ARE IN CITY USE 15 PASSINGER 1 TON VANS. BOTH FORDS & DODGE. LATEST INCIDENT WAS 5 DAYS AFTER ASKING GOODYEAR TO CHECK TIRES FOR BALANCE OR TREAD PROBLEMS. AT TIME OF PEELING THERE WERE 2 OFFICERS ONLY IN THE VEHICLE, AND SPEED WAS 60 MPH. TIRES HAD LESS THAN 10K MILES. DEALER AGAIN REFUSED TO HONOR REPLACEMENT WARRANTY, CLAIMING TIRE WAS ABUSED. THESE ARE LOAD RANGE E TIRES, ON SINGLE TIRE AXLES, NEVER MORE THAN RATED CAPS. SELDOM IS THE VEHICLE LOADED TO RATED SEATING CAPS. RECOMMENDATIONS? ARE THERE ANY RECALLS OR SAFETY BULLETINS REF. THESE TIRES WITH GOODYEAR?*AK (TIRESIZE: 245/75R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 245/75R16 )

TREAD SEPARATION, SPEED DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A FACTOR, MANUFACTURING STATEMENT EVERYTIME IS OVERLOADED OR ABUSED DURING USE. THESE ARE IN CITY USE 15 PASSINGER 1 TON VANS. BOTH FORDS & DODGE. LATEST INCIDENT WAS 5 DAYS AFTER ASKING GOODYEAR TO CHECK TIRES FOR BALANCE OR TREAD PROBLEMS. AT TIME OF PEELING THERE WERE 2 OFFICERS ONLY IN THE VEHICLE, AND SPEED WAS 60 MPH. TIRES HAD LESS THAN 10K MILES. DEALER AGAIN REFUSED TO HONOR REPLACEMENT WARRANTY, CLAIMING TIRE WAS ABUSED. THESE ARE LOAD RANGE E TIRES, ON SINGLE TIRE AXLES, NEVER MORE THAN RATED CAPS. SELDOM IS THE VEHICLE LOADED TO RATED SEATING CAPS. RECOMMENDATIONS? ARE THERE ANY RECALLS OR SAFETY BULLETINS REF. THESE TIRES WITH GOODYEAR? *AK (TIRESIZE: 245/75R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 245/75R16 )

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE STARTED PICKING SPEED AND LANDED IN A DITCH. DRIVER HAD TO TURN VEHICLE OFF. BRAKES BURNED UP AND VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. NOTHING WAS BEING DONE, AND CONSUMER WILL TALK WITH A LAWYER. *AK

VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. WHEN MOVING FORWARD CONSUMER HEARD A BIG CLINK AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARARGE. AXLE WAS REPLACED. CHRYSLER COULDN'T ASSIST BECAUSE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON BY THEMSELF & DO NOT TURN OFF UNTIL CAR IS TURNED OFF. THE WASHER FLUID PUMP THAT PUMPS THE WASHER FLUID TO THE REAR WINDOW WILL NOT TURN OFF. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT. THIS CAUSED WHITE SMOKE TO APPEAR.*AK *JB

AIR BAG LIGHT HAS COME ON AND STAYED ON DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE CLOCK SPRING WAS DEFECTIVE. *NOTE, CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN ALSO FAILED TO FUNCTION. *AK

AIRBAGS, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL SPORATICLLY INOPERATIVE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT FROM 70 MPH TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING, UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE PAN, CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE HAD BEEN A THUMPING NOISE WHEN TAKING OFF. NLM

WHILE DRIVING, POWER STEERING LOCKED UP AND ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, CLAIM 52-2482-587. *SLC

FUEL RAIL IS LEAKING INTO ENGINE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. *AK

BRAKES SQUALLING HAD CHECKED AND REPLACED WITHIN 5 DAYS PROBLEM RETURNED. *AK

DUE TO THE SAFTY FACTORS INVOLVED AND THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS,DODGE SHOULD BE MADE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLES AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT HAS COME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT DEFECTIVE COMPONENT WAS CLOCK SPRING. *AK THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED AS WELL. *YH

THE ENGINE" CHECK, LIGHT HAS COME ON AT LEAST FIVE (5) TIMES. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY A REPAIR SHOP VIA COMPUTER WITH THE DIAGNOSIS BEING "#5 CYLINDER IS MISSING". THE COMPUTER IS RESET AFTER A CYLINDER CHECK; HOWEVER, A FEW MILES LATER THE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN. *AK

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND THERE IS NO HORN . DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

ABS BRAKING SYSTEM LIGHT AIRBAG LIGHT ARE ON DASHBOARD. ALSO, HORN DOESN'T WORK. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEMS.*AK DEALER REPLACED CLOCK SPRING. STARTER FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC

HORN FAILED TO WORK, AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND LEFT DIRECTIONAL DID NOT RETRACT. DEALER DIAGNOSED AS CLOCK SPRING FAILURE AND CHARGED 465.87 TO FIX. NOW, I READ IN PAPER THAT THIS ASSEMBLY HAS FAILED IN NUMEROUS CARAVANS FROM 1996 TO 2000. PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS IS GOING TO BE A RECALL AND IF I CAN BE COMPENSATED FOR MY EXPENDITURES. IN RETROSPECT, IT SEEMED AS IF THE DEALER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT PROBLEM I HAD AND WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE WHEN I MADE THE APPOINTMENT; IN OTHER WORDS, MINE WAS NOT THE FIRST PROBLEM LIKE THIS THAT THEY SAW. THANK YOU