1996 Dodge Caravan complaints

I OWN A 1996 DODGE CARAVAN AND JUST LEARNED OF THE HAZARDS WITH GEN3 SEAT BELTS. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AGES 1, 10, AND 12 YEARS. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY TODDLERS CARSEAT BEING PROPERLY INSTALLED AND AM COUNTING ON THE SEAT BELT KEEPING MY BABY SAFE DURING AN ACCIDENT.*AK

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A HEAVY FUEL SMELL ENTERING THE PASSENGER CABIN. DEALER/MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE O-RINGS ON THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD DISTRIBUTING NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO CHECK AND SAW COOLANT FLUID LEAKING. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. *AK

MY TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN ON A HIGHWAY NO WARNING AND I ALMOST GOT KILL, SPEEDING CARS BEHIND ME. MY OLD TRANS IN A 92 DODGE CARAVAN BROKE DOWN 3 TIMES AND IT COST ME 9,000 AND NOW MY 96 DODGE CARAVAN THE TRANS BROKE AND I DO NT WANT TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SO I AM PLANNING TO SEW DODGE FOR NOT WARNING ON THE TRANS PROBLEM AND THE NEW MODELS RE NOT BETTER THEN THE OLD, AND I HAVE PROOF THAT SELF DESTRUCT, IN BAD WEATHERS OR OUT OF NO WHERE.*AK

BOTH CYLINDER TOWERS CRACKED,THEY FIXED BUT VAN STILL WOULDNT RUN RIGHT,NOW WE'RE TALKING A WHOLE NEW ENGINE,WE DECLINED SINCE TRANSMISSION HASNT BEEN REPLACED AND I'M SURE THATS NEXT. DODGE DEALER ALSO WANTS US TO PAY $1080 BECAUSE THEY COULDNT FIND THE PROBLEM !*AK

BLOCK WAS DAMAGED AND REPAIRED DURING MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE REPAIR BROKE AND MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO FIX- STATES OUT OF WARRANTY BLOCK WAS LEAKING FLUID - REPAIR SHOP STATES REPAIR WORK HAD TO BE DONE DURING MANUFACTURING. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ONGOING ABS BRAKE PROBLEM. ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD EITHER GO OFF WITHIN SECONDS OR STAY ON ALL DAY. THIS CAUSED BRAKE FAILURE ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ALSO, BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A REAR END COLLISION. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT NO FAILURE CODE WAS FOUND.*AK

REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR CLOCKSPRING RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED ON A 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. *MR THERE WAS A CLUNK NOISE, THEN THE CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING DUE TO THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER BEING BROKEN, OIL LEAKED DUE TO THE FRONT VALVE COVER GASKET, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD COME ON. RECALL#02V293000 *SCC *JB

THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING 68 MPH. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT INJURIES TO HERSELF. TIRE- GENERAL, TOURING, P21565R/16. *AK THREE MONTHS PRIOR, A DIFFERENT TIRE OF THE SAME MODEL, COMPLETELY SEPARATED ON THE INTERSTATE. *SC *JB

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 02V293000 / WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THIS RECALL. HAVE HAD VEHCILE LONG ENOUGH TO GET A RECALL THE WAS DONE IN THE YEAR 2000 ON SOME O-RINGS ON FUEL INJ RAILS AND INFORMED. WHY NOT ON THIS ONE? THE ORIG RECALL THAT I HAD FIXED AND WAS INFORMED WAS NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 00V268000. *AK

WHILE SHIFTING GEARS TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED ON ITS OWN. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC REPLACED SPEED SENSOR.*AK

WE PURCHASED OUR 1996 CARAVAN NEW AND WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES (OF THOSE 1 TIME WAS REBUILT UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY) THE LAST TIME WE HAD REBUILT WAS IN MAY 2003 AND IS ALREADY STARTING TO ACT UP AGAIN, IT IS SLIPPING IN FIRST GEAR (BETWEEN 10-35 MPH). WE HAVE HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED TWICE; WE ARE NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH GASOLINE SMELL COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. THE TIMING BELT JUST BROKE THIS WEEK. WE HAVE NUMEROUS OIL LEAKS; WE ARE AVERAGING 3-4 QUARTS OF OIL PER WEEK; WE HAD ONE MECHANIC PUT DYE IN THE OIL AND HE HAD US DRIVE IT FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN CHECKED IT AND STATED THERE WAS 4-5 OIL LEAKS AND WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF TO BUY A NEW CAR; AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS BY SEVERAL MECHANICS DUE TO THE MULTPLE PROBLEMS WE HAVE HAD. WE HAVE ALSO HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH AIR CONDITIONER; AND THE SERPENTINE BELT BROKE SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANTY AND JUST HAD TO REPLACE IT AGAIN THIS WEEK ALONG WITH THE TIMING BELT AND CAM SEALS. WE HAD ABOUT 2 PAGES OF OF WARRANTY WORK DONE AND RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT IT WENT DOWN HILL FROM THERE. WE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CLOCK SPRING AND 6 MONTHS LATER THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CLOCK SPRING AND NOW I CANNOT FIND MY RECEIPT. WE ARE VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS MORE PROBLEMS THAN WE CAN COUNT AND WE VERY DISSAPPOINTED THAT WE PAID OVER $18000 FOR A VEHICLE AND HAD TO PUT APPROX MORE THAN $4000 IN UNNECCESARY REPAIRS THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT THE T

THE STRUT SHOCK TOWER THAT SUPPORTED THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM RUSTED THROUGH FROM THE INSIDE OUT. AT THE TIME THAT RUST WAS NOTICEABLE THE TOWER HAD ALREADY FAILED. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FRONT END TO DROP WHILE DRIVING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SUPPLIED A REPAIR KIT UNDER THE 3 YEAR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY. *AK *NLM

DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT STRUT TOWER IS RUSTED.*MR THE STRUT TOWER WAS RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS ABOUT TO FAIL. DAIMLER CHRYSLER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE. *JB *NM

NO ACCIDENTS YET. HEADLIGHTS HAVE FOGGY COATING ON THEM, WHICH WE HAVE LOW LIGHT VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. ALSO, WHEN FILLING UP TANK WITH GAS IT RUNS OUT WHEN COMPLETELY FULL. *LA

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES. THIS CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME, AND SOMETIMES, BUT NOT ALWAYS, IS TRIGGERED BY THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. *LA

VEHICLE SUFFERED THREE FUEL TANK FAILURES.*MR IN BETWEEN THE THREE FAILURES THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE REPAIR SHOP ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS TO HAVE THE FUEL SYSTEM INSPECTED. BECAUSE THE SMELL OF FUEL WAS SO POWERFUL WINDOWS HAD TO BE CLOSED WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THE CONSUMERS FOR REPAIRS MADE. PLEASE RESPOND PROMPTLY IN RESOLVING MATTERS. *CB

WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH ON SUNNY GOOD WEATHER THE ENGINE STALLED WHITHOUT ANY WARNING, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR WILL NOT START AGAIN.

WHILE GETTING SERVICE ON MY 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE VIN/[XXX] RUST WAS OBSERVED ON THE BODY STRUT MGT TOWER LOCATED IN THE LEFT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE THIS TOWER IS A MAIN PART OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM. FAILURE OF THIS PART OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO RUST OUT FROM THE INSIDE CAN CAUSE THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE AT NORMAL DRIVING SPEEDS. *LA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WELD RUSTED PREMATURELY. *AK

VEHICLE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVERS SEAT BACK SUDDENLY COLLAPSED. THE DRIVER ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. *NLM

CLOCKSPRING SAFETY DEFICIENCY.*MR THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE CLOCKSPRING PURCHASED BEFORE RECALL WAS ISSUED. *CB

THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW FELL OFF TRACK WHILE ROLLING IT UP. ALSO, DRIVER WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE METAL PART ATTACHMENT FELL APART. *AK

REAR DOORS ON VEHICLE WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. DOOR LEVER LINKS WERE REPLACED IN THE REPAIRED DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

CHILD INTEGRATED RESTRAINT SYSTEMS LOCATED ON THE MIDDLE BENCH SEAT DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. ON BOTH SYSTEMS, THE HARNESS STRAPS TIGHTENED AND BUCKLE WOULD NOT RELEASE. ON ALL THE REAR SEAT BELTS RELEASE BUTTONS ON THE BUCKLES WERE SENSITIVE AND RELEASED WITH LITTLE PRESSURE. *AK

CLOCKSPRING MECHANISM

HAD A RADIATOR FAN RELAY RECALL ON 1996 DODGE CARAVAN REPLACED 3 TIMES AND RADIATOR FAN STILL CONTINUES TO COME ON AT VARIOUS TIMES WHEN CAR IS NOT RUNNING, RUNNING BATTERY DEAD, FRONT W/S WIPER BLADES COMES ON BY ITSELF, LOST FM STEREO FREQUENCY ALL TOGETHER. CANNOT DEPEND ON THIS WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH WITH TWO PASSENGERS, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM VENT NEAR THE REAR SLIDING DOOR. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO THE CURB AND WAITED 2 MINUTES, THEN CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD TO TRY TO FIND THE PROBLEM FOR THE SMOKE. NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND, BUT WHILE GETTING BACK INTO VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE SPEWING FROM THE REAR RIGHT SIDE WHEELS. CONSUMER BARELY REMOVED PASSENGERS FROM VEHICLE WHEN VEHICLE WENT UP IN FLAMES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE NOTIFIED. *AK FLAMES STARTED SHOOTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. *PH

THE SEAT BELT OF THE INTEGRATED CAR SEAT MECHANISM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

DURING A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE CHECK MECHANIC FOUND THAT STRUTS WERE POPPING THROUGH THE STRUT TOWER. STRUT TOWER HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECAL 00V268000 REGARDING FUEL LEAKAGE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED IN JUNE ,AND THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS RECENTLY CONTACTED, AND THE PARTS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. THE SMELL OF GASOLINE ENTERED THE PASSENGER CABIN WHICH THE CONSUMER SAID WAS RELATED TO THIS RECALL.*AK

PEDESTAL CONNECTED TO ROCKER ARM WHICH IS CONNECTED TO CYLINDER HEAD BROKE FOR NO REASON. SINCE IT IS ALL ONE PIECE, IT ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A GREAT COST. WARRANTY GOLD EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT AS THEY SAID IT WAS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. DODGE DENIES THERE HAVE BEEN ANY COMPLAINTS.

CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE UNDER RAINY CONDITIONS. *AK COMPLETE WIPER FAILURE OCCURRED AND DEALER STATED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *PH *JB

IN DECEMBER 2002 CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FILLER VALVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 1/30/2003 WHO REPLACED THE FILLER VALVE AND THE GAS TANK. THE CONSUMER FELLS THEY SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE EXPENSES. *AK *CB

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS LIT AND CRUISE CONTROL NO LONGER WORKS.*AK

LOWER LEFT BALL JOINT FAILED WITHOUT WARNING DURING LOW SPEED (2 MPH) DRIVING, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF, ALSO DESTROYING PART OF THE SWAY BAR AND THE LEFT DRIVE SHAFT. AT HIGHWAY SPEED, SUCH A FAILURE WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP THE PRIOR DAY FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND THE DEALERSHIP ALSO PERFORMED STATE SAFETY INSPECTION FOUR MONTHS PRIOR. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF BALL JOINT WEAR OR DAMAGE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING CONSUMER CAN STRONGLY SMELL GAS FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT RIGHT STRUT CAP THAT HOLDS THE SUSPENSION HAS RUSTED OUT. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.

THE HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE MOST RECENT WAS ON 7/14/2003. *AK

WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THE CLOCKSPRING MECHANISM OF OUR DODGE CARAVAN WHICH AFFECTS THE AIRBAG, BUT WHEN I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WE BOUGHT IT AT DODGE CITY IN HERMITAGE, PA, THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT UNLESS WE ALSO PAID FOR OTHER REPAIRS.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE PULLING FROM A STOP VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER STATED IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVESHAFT. *AK

CONSUMER RAN OVER POT HOLE TRAVELING 30 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

WHILE PARKED VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERS ON 1996 DODGE CARAVAN HAVE DETERIORATED LEAVING A HAZY COVERING. ILLUMINATION OF THE ROAD BY THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR DRIVING. *NLM

TRUCK IS LEAKING OIL, OIL ALL OVER CONSUMER'S DRIVEWAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS PAR TOF RECALL 96V 006 000. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT SHE HAD A LEAK FROM THE GASKETS.*AK

THE VEHICLES CLOCKSPRING FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE. THE CONSUMER SUBMITTED THE INVOICE FOR REIMBURSEMENT BUT THE CONSUMER DID NOT RECEIVE FULL REIMBURSEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST. *MR *SCC *NLM

THE HEADLIGHTS ON OUR 1996 CARAVAN ARE THE TYPE WITH A CLEAR PLASTIC OR GLASS COVER OVER THE BULBS. OVER TIME, THE CLEAR COVERING HAS BECOME VERY CLOUDY TO THE POINT THAT THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE WELL ENOUGH TO SAFELY SEE AT NIGHT. THE LIGHTS ARE NOT DAMAGED, THE LENSES ARE JUST NOT AT ALL CLEAR ANYMORE. I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE THE HEADLIGHT ADJUSTMENT BUT OUR LOCAL DODGE DEALER TELLS US THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE CLOUDY LENS. THEY SAY THE ONLY REPAIR OPTION IS TO REPLACE THE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES. OUR VEHICLE WARRANTY IS LONG SINCE EXPIRED BUT I DO NOT SEE THIS ISSUE AS ONE OF WARRANTY BUT RATHER SAFETY. ANY REASONABLE PERSON SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT THE HEADLIGHTS ON A VEHICLE TO ILLUMINATE A SAFE PATH AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUED IN SERVICE. I'VE CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND THEY SAY IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND DISAGREE WITH MY SAFETY COMPLAINT.*AK

TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AND WENT OUT ON MY DODGE CARAVAN. WE WILL NEED TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OVER FOR SAFETY ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. WE ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO THE UPKEEP OF OUR VEHICLES AND SERVICE THEM REGULARLY.

WHEN VEHICLE WAS PARKED, PUDDLES OF GAS IS FORMED UNDER IT. THIS HAPPENED ANYTIME VEHICLE WAS PARKED. VEHICLE WAS LEAKING GAS AND NO ONE KNEW WHY. ALSO THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND WINDOW WIPERS CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. *TT

THE CONSUMER DOESN'T KNOW WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FULL OR EMPTY BECAUSE OF A FAULTY FAULTY SENSOR INSIDE THE GAS TANK. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM