1997 Dodge Caravan complaints

COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME IF RECALL OF FUEL INJECTORS HAS BEEN DONE ?

CONSUMER HIT A POTHOLE AND BOTH OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER AND WIFE WERE INJURED. *SLC

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN IT STARTED TO LOSE POWER. GEARS WERE NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. THEN WOULD REGAIN POWER. COMPUTER WAS GOING OFF. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND WAS INFORMED CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WAS CAUSING PROBLEM, AND IT COULD BE REPAIRED.*AK THE HEAD GASKET WAS DETERMINED DEFECTIVE BY THE MECHANIC. WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING THE COMPUTER TO MALFUNCTIONS. *YH

WHILE DRIVING 5-7 MPH, VEHICLE WENT OVER A MANHOLE COVER, AND BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

CAR TRAVELING NORTH BOUND ON 10TH AVEIN BROOKLYN, N.Y. CAR PROCEEDED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT THE INTERSECTION OF 10TH AVE AND 76TH ST. CAR PROCEEDED APPROX. 5-10MPH MAKING A LEFT TURN ON THE 76TH STREET, WHEN THE CAR WHEN OVER A MANHOLE COVER. AT THAT TIME AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

RACK AND PINION WAS LOCKING UP ON TURNS CAUSING DIFFICULTY TURNING STEERING WHEEL. *SLC

3 SPEED (NON AOD) TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE TRYING TO PULL OUT OF DRIVEWAY. TEARDOWN REVEALED MASSIVE INTERNAL FAILURE.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH ENGINE IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED DOWN TO 25 MPH, AND CONSUMER COULD NOT GO OVER 30MPH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND TRANSMISSION/ ENGINE MOUNTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS DEFECT.*AK

WHILE ACCELERATING TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. NLM

WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY SNOW SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF, CAUSING POWERSTEERING TO GO OUT. DEALER SAID THERE WAS A TSB OUT ON THAT COMPONENT, AND THAT BELT WOULD COME OFF AS SOON AS VEHICLE WENT THROUGH 6 INCHES OF SNOW. *AK INSTALLING A SNOW GUARD WASHER SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *YH

ENGINE HAD LEAKING SEALS WHICH CAUSED EXHAUST MANIFOLD TO LEAK. FUMES WOULD COME FROM BLOWER (DEFROSTER) WHEN IT WAS TURNED ON. THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN ENGINE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ERRATIC & WOULD COME ON OR OFF BY THEMSELVES, AND HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH STARTER. *AK GASOLINE LEAKS FROM THE TANK DUE TO THE SEAL FAILURE. INSIDE DOOR PANEL ON DRIVERS SIDE IS BROKEN. *YH

HEAD GASKET FAILED. *SLC

ALL SIX SEATBELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE SEATBELT WAS WEARING OUT WHICH MAY CAUSE LESS PROTECTION IF INVOLVED IN A CRASH. *AK THE SEAT BELTS WERE POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE. *YH

VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING BOTH AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY, THE PASSENGER WHO IS UNDER 5 FEET TALL EXPERIENCED DAMAGE TO THE FACE AND EYES BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. *SLC

FUEL INJECTION DELIVERY SYSTEM LEAKS FUEL FROM SOME OF THE SEALING O-RING OR FROM HAIR LINE CRACKS IN THERMOSTAT FUEL INJECTION RAIL. *AK THE O-RINGS HAD RUPTURED ON THE FUEL INJECTION RAIL CAUSING THE FUEL TO RUN ON TO THE VALVE COVERS AND MANIFOLDS. *YH

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION NOT ENGAGING IN REVERSE WHEN WEATHER IS COLD. NOTIFIED DEALER, AND HAD SOME REPAIRS DONE AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. BUT, PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

TEETH IN EMERGENCY BRAKE GEAR HAVE WORN OUT. WHEN EMERGENCY BRAKE IS APPLIED IT DOES NOT HOLD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED BECAUSE THE BRAKE GEARS ARE COMPLETELY STRIPPED. *YH

HAD JUST TURNED ON AIR CONDITIONER WHEN CONDENSATION STARTED TO BUILD UP & DRIPPED ON BELT CONTROLLING STEERING. THIS CAUSED BELT TO SLIP & LOSS OF POWER STEERING. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #19-01-97 REVISED A WAS SENT ON THE PROBLEM. REPLACING AIR CONDITIONER. *AK THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WAS DUE TO DESIGN FLAW BY THE MANUFACTURER, ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMER. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR. *YH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

DRIVING ALONG AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT NOTICE. ALSO NUMEROUS TIMES HAVING TO CHANGE OUT THE FUEL INJECTION ELECTRICAL PARTS. ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN TOLD TO US THAT THEY WERE NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE MASTER ELECTRICAL SYSTEM UNDER THE HOOD OF THIS MODEL OF CAR BUT WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION OF THIS SITUATION. PLEASE NOTIFY US IF SUCH A RECAL EXISTS. WE WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS INFORMATION. WE ARE AFFRAID THAT IT WILL CAUSE THE CAR TO HAVE AN ELECRICAL FIRE.*AK

LEMON OF A CARAVAN - SERPENTINE BELT HAS FREYED AT THE FOLLOWING MILAGE POINTS: 14138, 14661, 47724, 48333, 51280, 97143, 105647. GHOST WHIPERS AT THE FOLLOWING MILE POINTS: 17606, 47724, 105647. TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT THE FOLLOWING MILE POINTS: 27000, 78868. LUCKLY FOR US OUR DEALER WAS UNDERSTANDING OF OUR PROBLEMS, BUT ONLY AFTER GOING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, AND GETTING ON A FIRST NAME BASIS WITH THE SHOP MANAGER (WHO WAS TIRED OF SEEING OUR VAN IN HIS SHOP EVERY FEW MONTHS IF NOT LESS). I HAVE 24 INSTANCES OF MY VAN GOING INTO THE SHOP, SOME INSTANCES HAVING SERVICE BULLETINS. OUR LATEST ADVENTURE IS YET ANOTHER SERPENTINE BELT WITH THE NEW DEALERSHIP IN BELLEVUE, WA SAYING THAT THE ALTINATOR BRACKET IS MISALIGNED. ALSO, MY DRIVERS SIDE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOLONGER OPEN. THE NEW DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP? I'VE HAD MY VAN FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS, AND WHEN IT'S NOT IN THE SHOP, IT ACTS LIKE A GOOD VAN, BUT THAT ONLY LASTS FOR AT MOST 3 TO 4 MONTHS AT A TIME. MY VAN WAS ALSO A DEMO AND WAS PURCHASED WITH 5,822 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. *AK

TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. NLM

CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY, AS I STARTED CAR AND PUT IN TO REVERSE DRIVEBIG NOISE (THUMP) CAME FROM ENGINE. IT WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. CALLED TOW TRUCK HAVE IT TOWED TO AUTO SHOP GUY AT AUTO SHOP DIAGNOSED ENGINE, TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. NOTHING WAS WRONG WHEN I PARKED MY CAR. THIS IS A VERY COMON PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER MINIVAN. MY NEIGHBOUR HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH PLYMOUTH (WHICH IS A SIMILAR MODEL) AT VERY LOW MILAGE 40K. *AK

JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A TRANSMISSION CAN DIE AFTER THREE YEARS OS SERVICES . I HAVE HAD OTHER CHRYSLER CARS THAT LAST FOR 9YEARS AND NO PROBLEMS. SOME HOW I NEED TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSIONS . I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIER TRANSMISSIONS AS WELL. I F YOU CAN GIVE ME ANY HELP IN TRYING TO GET CHRYSLER TO REPLACE THIS WITH NO CHARGE IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

WHEN THE BELT FLEW OFF, THE DEALERSHIP WE TOOK IT TO SAID THAT THEIS WAS A RECURRING PROBLEM THEY SAW EVERY DAY. AND THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL, AND WOULD PROBABLY FAIL AGIAN WITHIN A FEW MONTHS. THE LAST ONE WAS REPLACED IN AUGUST. IT IS SQUEALING AGAIN, INDICATING THAT THE ARM HAS AGAIN BEGUN TO FAIL. *AK

HAD BRAKE TROUBLE; TOLD NEEDED NEW MASTER CYLINDER AT SAME TIME TOLD NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION.... WHEN I ASKED WHY BOTH WOULD NEED REPLACED SO SOON, DEALER SAID "THESE THINGS HAPPEN"; BOTH ISSUES COULD HAVE LED TO MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I USE THIS VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT MY TWO CHILDREN, BOTH UNDER AGE 4; THEN DEALER FAILED TO CORRECT BRAKE PROBLEM (LEFT AIR IN THE LINES) WHICH LED TO BRAKES CONTINUING TO LOCK... ANOTHER MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE! I WAS TOLD THE CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL... BUT BRAKES CONTINUED TO LOCK UNTIL THEY FINALLY DISCOVERED AIR IN THE BRAKE LINES! I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT UNTIL I CHECKED WITH COLLEAGUES WHO ALSO OWN CARAVAN WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS... CHECKED NHTSA WEB SITE AND WAS SHOCKED AT THE NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS!

PARKING BRAKE CABLE FAILED. NLM

VEHICLE BOUGHT BRAND NEW, WELL MAINTAINED, BUT OIL STARTED LEAKING APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS FROM PURCHASE. THEN DEALER INSPECTS VEHICLE AND CONVEYED THAT MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALSO. VERY FRUSTRATING. SERVICE PERSON AT DEALER COULD NOT VIABLE EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THERE WERE LEAKS IN GASKET OR MANIFOLD FAILURE.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COMES ON WHEN IN THE OFF POSITION.*AK

ONCE REAR LEFT SIDE SEAT BELT WAS PULLED ALL THE WAY OUT IT WOULD NOT RETRACT BACK INTO THE MECHANISM. VAN WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHOLE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED. IT TOOK MORE THAN TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE PART WAS AVAILABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

SLIDING DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM FAILS--DOOR REMAINS LOCKED AND DOOR WILL NOT OPEN, OR DOOR IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCK. JUST BEFORE FAILURE DOOR HAS PROBLEM LATCHING SUCCESSFULLY. AUTO DOOR LOCK MAKES BUZZING NOISE WHEN LOCKING IS ATTEMPTED. AFTER SECOND FAILURE, DEALER SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT IT IS COMMON TO REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF ROCKWELL ACTUATOR PART FOR THESE VEHICLES. WE'VE HAD 3 FAILURES OF DRIVERS SIDE AND 5 ON PASSENGER SIDE. LATEST WAS TODAY, 10/11/00. VEHICLE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT THE FAILURES KEEP HAPPENING.

CONSUMER HAD TO CUT THE STRAP ON THE INTEGRATED SEAT IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE CHILD, THE SEAT WAS UNDER RECALL 98V-0185 BUT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. NLM

WHEN PUTTING CAR IN PARK IT MADE A FUNNY NOISE, CONSUMER PUT IT IN REVERSE ,AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. CONSUMER HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS TRANSMISSION, AND BITS OF PIECES OF METAL WAS EVERYWHERE, LIKE IT HAD EXPLODED.*AK

GASKET FAILED CAUSING OIL LEAK.*ET

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER COULD SMELL GASOLINE, CONSUMER PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE, CLAIM 13-7076-635. *SLC

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON STREET. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE TRANSMISSION WAS MAKING GRINDING NOISE, AND GEARS WOULD JERK WHEN PUT IN PLACE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, AND THERE WAS NO POWER IN ANY OF THE GEARS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 53-C624-851. *SLC

VEHICLE WAS TAKING TO MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE SERVICE. UPON INSPECTION OF VEHICLE, DEALER NOTICED OIL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. MECHANIC STATED HEAD GASKET WAS GOING BAD, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE AUTO SHOPS THAT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE MODELS. *YH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

I'VE HAD MY WINDSHIELD CHIPPED TWICE WHILE DRIVING BEHIND A DODGE CARAVAN. I'VE NOTICED THAT ON NEWER VANS PROBABLY '96 AND UP THE SIDE OF THE REAR WHEELS ARE EXPOSED AND NEED REAR MUD FLAPS

WHILE TRAVELING AND WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKES PEDAL VEHICLE WOULD STILL TRAVEL. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

SPEED CONTROL DIS-ENGAGED AT 70 MPH, SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE DROPPED TO APPROX 40 MPH, THEN BOUNCED BACK TO APPROX 55 MPH, SHUT OFF SPEED CONTROL THEN TURNED BACK ON AND WORK FINE. THIS HAPPENED ONE OTHER TIME IN MAY 2000. BOTH TIMES IT WAS AFTER SLOWING DOWN BY TOUCHING BRAKE, USING GAS PEDAL TO CONTROL SPEED, THEN PUSHING THE RESUME BUTTON ON SPEED CONTROL.

TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY. THE BRAKE SHOES WERE RUBBED INTO THE DRUM SO BADLY THAT THE DRUMS HAD TO BE REPLACED. NO INDICATION OF BRAKE WEAR, NOISE, OR STOPPING PRIOR TO THIS EVENT.*AK

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL VIBRATIONS, DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, ESPECIALLY WHEN BREAKING, AND POPPING NOISES. HAD TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION AT 37,100 MILES. REPLACED LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AT 54,354 MILES. REPLACED LOWER CONTROL ARM JOINTS AT 59,421 MILES. TIRES: TIRES LOOSE AIR PRESSURE AND GO FLAT FOR NO APPARENT REASON INTERMITANTLY, RESULTING IN THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO TIRES. TIRE BURST WHILE DRIVING, RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT OF A THIRD TIRE. DOOR LOCKS: INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF RIGHT SIDE SLIDING DOOR POWER LOCK. WILL NOT LOCK/UNLOCK WITH POWER CONTROL. RADIO TAPE DECK: TAPE PLAYER ACTIVATED WITHOUT TAPE IN THE DECK. UNABLE TO STOP TAPE PLAYER. REQUIRED REPLACEMENT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/65R15 )

WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER PULLEY BROKE, CAUSING ALL POWER STEERING TO BE LOST. VAN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE BELT TENSIONER ASSEMBLY AND POWER STEERING PULLEY WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM,AND HAPPENED ALL THE TIME. OWNER VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF HIMSELF AND OTHERS. *AK TRANSMISSION JERKS WHILE TAKING OFF FROM STOP. A/C DOES NOT COOL ENOUGH. *YH

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN HARD, VEHICLE SHIMMIED VERY HARD WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER HAD TO FIX THE STABLIZAR BAR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT OPEN SEVERAL TSB'S ON THE DOORS DEALER SAID IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED FOR QUICK STOP, THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO TRAVEL TOO FAR BEFORE COMPLETELY STOPPING.

THE FRONT DISC BRAKES HAVE BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM, AFTER THE LATEST BRAKE REPLACEMENT, ROTORS ONLY LASTED A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THEY WARPED AGAIN. *AK

WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FIRE THAT ORIGINATED IN THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE ONLY POSSIBLE NATURAL CAUSE FOR THE FIRE WOULD BE AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, CLAIM 13-7000-834. *SLC