1996 Dodge Caravan complaints

NO SUMMARY.

WE HAVE MORE FAILURES THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR IN THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. WE HAVE A HUGE FILE ON THIS VEHICLE AND WANT OUT OF IT. IT IS A LEMON!

FUEL TANK IS LEAKING NEAR TOP OF FILLER CAP--DEALER INDICATED THAT IT WOULD B $450.00 TO REPLACE IT. NHTSA ACTION #:PE99010 STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS PARTICULAR MAKE/MODEL ON FEB. 3, 1999. PLEASE LET ME KNOW THE RESULTS

DUE TO DEFECTIVE TIMING FAN BELT, TENSIONER FALLS APART AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO BE INOPERATIVE UNEXPECTLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DLR REPLACE PART SEVERAL TIME. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. MJS

THE TRANSMISSION QUIT,HAD NO PRIOR WARNING. NOT ABLE TO SHIFT, ENGINE STILL RUNNING, HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MECHANIC. *YC

PLASTIC FUEL TANK IS CAVING IN, ONLY ALLOWING 12 GALLONS OF GAS WHEN SHOULD HOLD 20 GALLONS. DEALER / MANUFACTURER. NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK TANK REPLACED ON 9-8-99. *MJS

WE NOW HAVE A VAN THAT IS BASICALLY FALLING APART AND WE CAN'T ENJOY IT AND STILL HAVE TO PAY TO FIX IT. SO IF THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO THEN PLEASE LET US KNOW WE HAVENT HAD IT EVEN 18 MONTHS BEFORE IT WAS TO BE PARKED AND NOW WE CAN'T USE IT AT ALL

AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSOR EXPELLED WATER ON THE STEERING TENSION BELT, CAUSING THE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE POWER STEERING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CONSUMER STARTED SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING, AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND STEPPED OUT. THEN AN EXPLOSION CAME FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. NO ONE HURT. DEALER/MFR NOTIFIED. *AK *ML

FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE TANK. DEALER AGREED TO FIX THE TANK, BUT NOT COVER THE LABOR. MANUFACTURER WILL ALSO COVER THE PARTS. NEW TANK INSTALLED. *AK *ML

BELT TENSIONER PULLEY MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE BELT TO SLIP OR COME OFF RESULTING IN NO POWER STEERING. NLM

THE ENGINE IS JUST THE MOST RECENT PROBLEM. WE WENT AHEAD AND BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT IS USUALLY NEVER USED. THIS TIME WE USED IT NUMEROUS TIMES. WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS, THE STARTER HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE FUEL PUMP, THE ENGINE HEAD, THE ELECTRONIC LOCKS CURRENTLY DO NOT WORK. IT HAS JUST BEEN A REAL LEMON. WE JUST DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. THIS TIME THE ENGINE BLEW AND THERE WAS NO CLUE THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG. WE HAVE BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES AND LAST NIGHT JUST BARELY MADE IT HOME.

BOTH FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL IN INITAL OBSERVATION. TODAY'S FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN ANAYLIZED BY THE REPAIR FACILITY HOWEVER WHAT EVER CAUSED THE BELT TO COME OFF ALSO TORE THE TENSIONER OFF OF THE ENGINE AT THE MOUNTING BOLT OR THE BOLT FAILED TO CAUSE THE PROBLEM. IN BOTH CASES THE BOLT SHEARED FLUSH IN THE BLOCK AND THE TENSIONER DISENTIGRATED INTO PLASTIC BUSHING, SPRING, MAIN BODY, AND THE SHEARED MOUNTING BOLT. ALL ACCESSORIES, BELT DRIVEN, NATURALLY STOPPED INCLUDING POWER ASSISTED STEERING. A LOUD, STARTLING BANG SIGNALED THE FAILURE AS THE TENSIONER SHEARED. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS AT 37,603 ORIGINAL OWNER MILES AND THE SECOND IDENTICAL FAILURE HAS OCCURED AT 82,709 ORIGINAL OWNER MILES...OUT OF EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE FINAL BILL CHARGED CUSTOMER $217 LABOR AND A FOOT NOTE INDICATED SERVICE MANAGER AUTHORIZED PARTS WTY ON THIS REPAIR. PARTS WERE TENSIONER, BELT, AND POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY. I CONSIDER THIS A POTENTIAL SERIOUS CONTROL PROBLEM IF THE FAILURE OCCURS IN MANUVERING SITUATION.

GAS TANK IS LEAKING FUEL, CASUING FIRE HAZARD. COMPLETE GAS TANK WAS REPLACED . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE.

THE CHILD BELT RETRECTOR CATCHES CHILD'S HAIR, AND PULLS IT INTO THE SPOOL FOR THE SEAT BELT, CAUSING HAIR TO GET STUCK IN SPOOL, CAUSING PAIN TO CHILD.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP FUNCTIONING, OR WILL START BY THEMSELVES WITH SWITCH TURNED OFF. MULTI-PURPOSE SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, BUT DEFECT HAS REOCCURRED. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN DRIVING UPHILL AND TAKING FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS. ALSO WHEN STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. MOST OF THE GEARS IN THE TRANSMISSION WERE REPLACED BY AAMCO FOR THE SECOND TIME.

WAS TURNING ONTO HIGHWAY, GOING AROUND A CURB WHEN A LOUD BANGING NOISE WAS HEARD. HAD NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE AT TIME. MANAGED TO MOVED TO SIDE OF ROAD & NOTICED THE AXLES HAD BROKEN. THIS CAUSED THE DOUGHMENT TO DROP OUT. *AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO ON WITHOUT BEING MANUALLY ENGAGED. SOMETIMES THE WIPERS WILL STAY ON FOR JUST A COUPLE OF SWIPES, BUT OTHER TIMES WILL JUST STAY ON. IN ORDER TO GET THE WIPERS TO STOP, ONE MUST TURN THE WIPERS ON AND THEN OFF. THE WIPERS ALWAYS WORK THOUGH WHEN THEY ARE TURNED ON AND TURN OFF WHEN TURNED OFF. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A SPECIFIC TIME WHEN THE WIPERS GO ON BY THEMSELVES. IT IS VERY RANDOM AS FAR AS I CAN TELL. *AK

WITH OUT WARNING THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED. MY WIFE CALLED THE DEALER. THEY SAID NOT TO DRIVE IT . LATER THE HUSBAND CHECK CAR TO CONFIRM THAT THE FAN WERE NOT TURNING. THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO DEALER TO GET RELAY REPLACED. ALSO WHEN THE ENGIN IS RUNNING IT HAS A VALVE KNOCK.

WHEN RUNNING AIR CONDITIONER AND SOMETIMES WITHOUT RUNNING IT, AND USUALLY WHEN TURNING RIGHT, THE ENGINE JUST QUITS. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 50 TIMES OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS. I HAVE HAD THE SERPETINE BELT REPLACED TWICE AS IT FLEW OFF AND THE POWER STEERING BELT REPLACED ONCE. THE VEHICLE JUST DIES WHEN IT WANTS TO WHILE TRAVELLING AT VARIABLE SPEEDS, USALLY WHILE SLOWING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN OR EXIT TO THE RIGHT OFF THE FREEWAY AND ESTIMATE 15-25 MPH AND IT JUST DIES. I HAVE ASKED THE DEALER WITH NO RESPONSE OTHER THAN THEY WOULD LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD 2 DIFFERENT SHOPS TELL ME IT SOUNDS ELECTRICAL. AND THE OTHER MINOR PROBLEM IS THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO OFF PERIODICALLY ON THEIR OWN WHILE TURNING LEFT. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS WAS EVER REPORTED BY ANYONE ELSE BUT WOULD LIKE THE COMPLAINT REGISTERED AND INVESTIGATED. THANK YOU.

WHEN DRIVING UNDER WET CONDITIONS ONLY,AND MAKING A TURN POWER STEERING GIVES OUT, CAUSING THE STEERING TO BECOME STIFF, AND CONSUMER HAS TO MANUALLY RETURN THE WHEEL TO A STRAIGHT POSITION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

STEERING BELT TENSIONER BOLT SHEARED OFF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOS ECONTROL. DELAER REPLACED THE BOLT. *AK

INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT WONT RETRACT WHEN PULLED OUT. WEATHERSTRIPPING ON DRIVERS DOOR FELL OFF FOUND OUT THE DRIVERS DOOR WAS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY. CONSTANT BELT NOISE ESPECIALLY DURING WET CONDITIONS. DEALER MUST REPEATEDLY TIGHTEN THEM. BRAKES PULSATE WHEN APPLYING THEM. REPLACED NUMEROUS COMPONENTS ON REAR BRAKES. FUEL TANK WOULD NOT READ FUEL LEVEL CORRECTLY. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE FUEL TANK, FUEL PUMP, AND OTHER COMPONENTS AND SAID THE FUEL TANK WAS BOWED. DUAL SLIDING DOORS HAVE TO BE REPEATEDLY ADJUSTED BECAUSE THEY BECOME DIFFICULT TO SLIDE. DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. RIGHT REAR CHILD SAFETY SEAT HAD HOLE IN THE BUCKLE. REPLACED BATTERY ONCE.INSTALLED CHILD SAFETY BELT EXTENSIONS DUE TO RECALL. VAN IS NOW BACK IN SHOP FOR UNKNOWN PROBLEMS, WILL NOT START.

WHILE DRIVING IN THE INSIDE LANE ON A THREE LANE EXPRESSWAY AT 65 MPH, THE VAN SIMPLY DIED. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A LEFT SHOULDER ON THE HIGHWAY THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF ONTO. I WAS ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY RESTART THE VAN AND PROCEED ON MY TRIP FROM WISCONSIN TO MICHIGAN. I HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ON THE ENGINE PERIODICALLY STALLING AT THE DEALER IN SHEBOYGAN, WI. THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO DISCOVER WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, I TOOK THE VAN TO THE DODGE DEALER IN MONROE, MICHIGAN AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE CAR PERIODICALLY STALLING. THEY SUPPOSEDLY DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE VAN BUT WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE VAN HAS ACTUALLY STALLED WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IN THE PAST, THE VAN HAD STALLED UPON FIRST BEING STARTED, WHILE PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY AND UNDER SIMILAR SITUATIONS. THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD A TENDANCY TO VARY ON THE SPEED CONTROL. I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS POSSIBLY TIED INTO THE ENGING PROBLEM. I DRIVE BETWEEN MONROE, MI AND SHEBOYGAN, WI ABOUT EVERY TWO MONTHS AND HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH CHICAGO. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO RELY ON MY VEHICLE.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATE ERRATICALLY. WHLE DRIVING THEY WILL JUST ACTIVATE ON THEIR OWN, SWIPE ACROSS THE WINDOW ABOUT TWO TIMES AND SHUT BACK OFF. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

FUEL PORT FEED LINE FAILED LEAKING GASOLINE FROM POINT ABOVE FUEL TANK. DEALER HAD PREVIOUSLY REPLACED FUEL PORT FEED LINE AS PART OF AN EARLIER RECALL. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE REPLACEMENT FEED LINE NO LONGER FIT THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FUEL TANK AND THE WHOLE TANK HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO. FUEL LEAK WAS SIGNIFICANT UPON FILLING THE TANK AND I HAD TO HAVE THE LEAK REPLACED ASAP. POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH A FUEL LINE REPAIR PREVIOUSLY DONE UNDER RECALL IN 1996/97.

WIPERS STOP DURING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS ALMOST CAUSING CRASHES OR REMAIN ON AFTER IGNITION IS TURNED OFF. 2 NEIGHBORS WITH SAME VANS HAVE SAME PROBLEMS! INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKER WHEN DOORS ARE OPEN.

WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN A OFF RAMP THE VAN STALLED AFTER WAITING THE VANSTART

SLIDING DOOR RATTLES WHILE DRIVING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES. WHILE DOOR IS RATTLING, DOME LIGHT COMES ON, AND DOOR OPEN INDICATOR LIGHTS. DOOR IS DIFFICULT TO OPEN FROM OUTSIDE WHILE DOOR IS IN FULL OPEN POSITION. DOOR LATCH MECHANISM FELL APART INSIDE, SO THAT INSIDE DOOR RELEASE DOES NOT FUNCTION.

FRONT CAM SEALS LEAKING. NLM

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING LOTS OF OIL, UP TO 3 QUARTS LOW. DEALER NOT AWARE OF PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. NO WARRANTY. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

POORLY DESIGN SLIDING DOOR FAILED. NLM

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING GAS DUE TO A CRACK ON THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK, LOCATED AT THE EMISSION CONNECTIONS. DEALER REPLACED THE TANK. *AK *ML

NO SUMMARY

BELT REPLACED THREE TIMES. NLM

AROUND JUNE OR JULY OF 1998, WITH NO WARNING AT ALL, IT APPEARS THAT PARTS JUST STARTED FALLING OUT OF THE CAR. WE HAD BEEN DRIVING AND HAD STOPPED TO LET A PASSENGER OUT. UPON PUTTING THE CAR IN GEAR, THERE WAS A NOISE THAT SOUNDED AS IF SOMETHING HAD FALLEN OUT. BEFORE WE KNEW, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE 3 OF THE TIRES JUST COMPLETELY DEFLATED. IT APPEARS THAT THE BELTS CAME LOOSE. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE.

WIPERS TURN ON UNEXPECTEDLY, UNDER VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, WITHOUT THE SWITCH BEING TOUCHED, RUNS FOR ONLY A FEW SWIPES, THEN IT SHUTS OFF AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS IN WET OR DRY CONDITIONS, WITH THE VEHICLE SITTING STILL OR IN MOTION, OCCASIONALLY OCCURS UPON STARTING. INITIALLY THIS WOULD OCCUR INFREQUENTLY, MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, NOW ALMOST DAILY. USUALLY IT IS ONLY ONE SWIPE, BUT MORE RECENTLY THIS HAS GOTTEN WORSE, WITH AS MANY AS 4 SWIPES WITHOUT WARNING OR DEMAND. WE SUSPECT THE OPERATING SWITCH IS THE CULPRIT. THIS VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT "USED" FROM THE LISTED DEALER AND THERE IS NO READILY APPARENT WARRANTY OR RELATED FACTORY RECALL.

THE HARNESS STRAPS ON THE CHILD SEAT WITH THE CLIP CAN NOT BE ADJUSTED. THE CLIP RIDES TOO LOW ON THE CHILD'S STOMACH. THE CHILD CAN SLIP THROUGH THE HARNESS. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO ADJUST THE CLIP OR HARNESS STRAPS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN HOT WEATHER THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER IS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *AK

TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 20000 MILES, SERPENTINE BELT FAILED ON 4 SEPERATE OCCASIONS, EACH OCCASION THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST CAUSING A SEVERE ACCIDENT HAZARD, BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING - REPLACED AT 20000 MILES, 2 FREEZE PLUGS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING ALL ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK OUT OF CAR, FRONT WIPERS GO ON WITHOUT WARNING - AT NO SPECIFIC SPEED, WEATHER CONDITION ETC., ALL 12 LIFTERS FAILED 2 TIMES IN THE PERIOD OF 1 MONTH, TURN SIGNAL WILL NOT TURN OFF, AND OTHER MINOR MISCELLANEOUS PROBLEMS.( DOT NUMBER: )

WATER ENTERED INTO THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP WHICH CAUSED A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

CONSUMER RCOMPLAINED OF DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AT 55,000 MILES OF WEAR; ENGINE IS BEING REBUILD NOW AT CONSUMER'S COST OF APPROX. $900.00 SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. MFR. NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER SMELLED GASOLINE CAUSED BY GAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK WHICH WAS PLASTIC AND NOT SEALED PROPERLY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

FUEL TANK STARTED LEAKING GAS EVEN THOUGH THE VAN WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT. COULD HAVE BEEN A REAL SAFETY ISSUE IF NOT DETECTED IN ADVANCE. CONTACT THE DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT.

SERPENTINE BELT BROKE WHILE DRIVING . THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLS AND THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE SIDEWALL ABOUE THE RIM RUPTURED ABOUT HALF WAY AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, WHICH CAUSED AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE, RESULTING IN FAILURE. *YC (PERFORMANCE RADIAL G/T P215/65R15)