1997 Dodge Caravan complaints

THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AND NOW THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN DO NOT WORK. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. IT IS STATED THAT THE "CLOCK SPRING" IS THE PART IN QUESTION, THIS SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE AT ONE TIME (NHTSA# 98V046) FOR A DIFFERENT MODEL , WHY IS IT NOT A SAFETY RECALL ITEM NOW? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE THE AIR BAG WILL NOT PERFORM WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART DEFECTIVE, WHICH WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGES OR WORSE YET "DEATH ". IF WE GET A REDUCTION IN OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR PURCHASING RESTRAINT SYSTEMS SUCH AS THIS , IT SHOULD BE UPON THE MANUFACTURER TO STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT.*AK

AIRBAG, HORN, AND CRUISE CONTROL ALL FAILED AT THE SAME TIME. CAUSE IS THE CLOCKSPRING MODULE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS A SAFEFY HAZZARD AND CHRYSLER SHOULD PAY THE REPAIR. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MINI VAN.*AK

ON AT LEAST 4 OCCASIONS I'VE BEEN DRIVING WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT (OK FRONT BENCH OF MINIVAN) AND ON SHARP TURNS OR ABRUPT BRAKING THE SEATBELTS HAVE JUST POPPED UNDONE. BOTH THE ONE THAT HOLDS MY 18 MONTH OLD SON'S CAR SEAT AND THE ONE THAT MY 4 1/2 Y/O DAUGHTER USES WITH HER BOOSTER. UP TO NOW IT'S BEEN A MATTER OF INCOVENIENCE OR MINOR BUMPS, BUT I'M SCARED IT COULD HAPPEN AT A MORE CRUCIAL MOMENT AND THEY COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. BOTH SEATBELTS ON THE FRONT BENCH ARE SHOULDER HARNESS TYPES.*AK

ANOTHER CAR HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FRONT LEFT END AT A HIGH SPEED AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES. *AK THE AIRBAG SENSOR HAD BROKEN. *SCC

AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED CLOCK SPRING. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT OTHER VEHICLES ARE INCLUDED IN A RECALL, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS LEAKING, DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *SLC

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSE INJURIES TO CONSUMER.*AK

DODGE CARAVAN FAILURE OF CLOCK SPRING MECHANISM WHICH IS FAILING IN 1996-2000 CARAVANS AND THE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING.*AK

I NOTICED MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYING ON AND THE HORN NOT WORKING. I CALLED A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A CLOCKSPRING. SHE SAID THEY GO OUT REGULARLY. IT EVIDENTLY AFFECTS THE AIRBAG, HORN AND OTHER COMPONENTS. NOT LONG AFTER MINE WENT OUT, MY MOTHERS STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. SHE ALSO HAS A 1997 MODEL DODGE, BUT HERS IS A GRAND CARAVAN. I THEN WENT TO MY MECHANIC TO ASK HIM IF HE COULD FIX IT AND HE SAID HE HAD JUST HAD SOMEONE ELSE COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS VERY UNSAFE.*AK

WHILE OPENING SLIDING DOOR IT KEEP COMING OFF TRACK.*AK

CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT FOOT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ON BRAKE TO SHIFT VEHICLE INTO GEAR. CONSUMER VERY CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY OF CHILDREN IN VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CAME W/2 BUILT IN CSS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH, SPEEDOMETER KEPT MOVING BETWEEN 20MPH AND 90MPH, WITHOUT DRIVER DECREASING OR INCREASING IN SPEED. OIL LIGHT STARTED FLICKERING ALONG WITH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT, THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING.*AK. CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ENGINE OIL, THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS FRAYED ON ONE SIDE EVENTUALLY COMING OFF IDLE PULLY, LOSING STEERING ABILITY, CHRYSLER WAS AWARE OF THE TRANSMISSION AND SPEEDOMETER AND FIXED THE PROBLEM AS A GOODWILL GESTURE.*JB

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE STALLS AND THEN SHUTDOWN. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

TRANSMISSION REPLACED. INFORMED BY 5 PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS THAT THE TRANSMISSION IN OUR MODEL IS OF POOR MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN , AND IS ON GOING PROBLEM WITH ALL 1996 & 1997 DODGE CARAVANS WHICH DODGE REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. THE VEHICLE WOULD "JUMP" OUT OF GEAR & NO ACCELERARTION WAS POSSIBLE. OUR PROBLEM WAS DETECTED EARLY AND REPAIRED BEFORE ANY SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURED. BECAUSE WE ARE SURE DODGE IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIRS ON OUR VEHICLE! BECAUSE OUR PROBLEM WAS DETECTED EARLY, OUR FAMILY AVOID SERIOUS INJURY. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS COMPANY IS ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH AVOIDING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN POOR WORKMANSHIP! I AM FILING COMPLAINTS WITH ANY & ALL APPLICABLE ORGANIZATIONS & AGENCY ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *SCC

MOPAR BELT TENSIONER PART 4536154 HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES, COUNTING OE PART. THE TENSIONER FAILS BETWEEN 25,000 AND 30,000 MILES DESTROYING THE BELT. THE LAST DODGE DEALER MECHANIC TO REPLACE THE PART STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT IT PERSISTS WITH MOPAR REPLACEMENT PARTS.*AK

COCKSPRING MECHANISM HAS FAILED, RESULTING IN AIRBAG LIGHT ON. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO ADVISED CONSUMER THAT AIRBAG COULD DEPLOY OR NOT DEPLOY IN EVENT OF A COLLISION. FRONTAL DRIVER AIR BAG IS AFFECTED.*AK

EA 01 007/AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING, AIR BAG LIGHT REMAIN ON WHILE DRIVING AND HORN IS INOPERATIVE. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK. THE ENGINE BLEW AT 73000 MILES ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN AND ADVISOR AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP. *JG

INSTRUMENT PANEL IS ELECTRICAL AND LIGHT APPEARED ON AND OFF ON DASHBOARD INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

DODGE CARAVAN SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE AIR BAG. THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON, THE HORN DOES NOT FUNCTION AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. MY MECHANIC AND THE DEALER BOTH FOUND THIS TO BE A DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK

FIRST THE AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON AND DID NOT GO OFF. THEN THE HORN STOPPED WORKING. THEN THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT COME ON. I TOOK THE VAN TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND THE DIAGNOSIS IS THAT CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IN THE CURRENT CONDITION THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY ON THE DRIVER SIDE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE ESTIMATED COST IS ~ $300.00. I HAVE SCHEDULED THE WORK FOR NEXT WEEK. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR THIS THEY WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE REPAIR COST. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. PER ARTICLES ON THE INTERNET CHRYSLER HAS REPLACES OVER 124,000 CLOCK SPRINGS, ON THEIR OWN ADMISSION!

FIRST TIME CLOCKSPRING FAILURE RENDERED DRIVER AIRBAG INOPERATIVE. SECOND FAILURE RENDERED CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE. A NON-WORKING AIRBAG IS A SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

FRONT CRASH AT 25 MPH, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED, PASSENGER AIRBAG EXPLODED. PASSENGER SUFFERED CHEMICAL BURNS ON FACE. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.*AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN A STANDING POSITION, CONSUMER ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED GEAR STICK CAUSING GEAR TO CHANGE AND ROLL FORWARD WITHOUT HAVING TO APPLY BRAKES. MECHANIC STATED THE ANTI- LOCK BRAKES SYSTEM WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. *AK *YH

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL NO LONGER RETRACT. VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER.*AK CONSUMER THOUGHT IT WASN'T RESTRAINING TIGHT ENOUGH. CONSUMER HAD IT CHECKED AND THEY SEEM TO THINK IT'S WORKING PROPERLY. *JG

I WAS TRYING TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVE AND THE CAR FAILED TO MOVE. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 02V076000 NOTIFICATION REGARDING SEAT BELT FAILURE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, CONSUMER SET AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE SERVICES RENDERED. WHILE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER, MECHANIC STATED PARTS WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE CONSUMER HAD TO RESET APPOINTMENT.*AK

AIR BAG/ HORN AND CRUSIE CONTROL FAILED DUE TO CLOCKSPRING MALFUNCTIONING. HORN COULD NOT BE USED IN A EMERGENCY SITUATION. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

AT A 50MPH VEHICLE CRASHED. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

EA 01 007/AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING: AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON WHILE DRIVING. HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE INOPERATIVE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK

WHILE BACKING OUT, NOTICED VEHICLE HAD NO TAIL LIGHTS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND REPAIRED VEHICLE, BUT PROBLEM HAS RETURNED EVERY YEAR. *AKPROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING. A DODGE MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE SWITCH ON THE TRANSMISSION. *JG

MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, CRUISE CONTROL WAS LOST AND HORN DOES NOT WORK. I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE CLOCK SPRING FAILURE ON DODGE CARAVANS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKS PART TIME, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. *SCC

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, BOTH FANS REMAIN ON, AND THE DASHBOARD TEMPERATURE GAUGE DROPS TO C (BOTTOM). DEALER REPLACED RELAY BY THE RADIATOR AND THE COMPUTER (POWER TRAIN MODULE) BUT THE PROBLEMS REMAINS. *TT

CONSUMER STATES REAR-SEAT SHOULDER-HARNESS SEAT BELTS (BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT) ARE JAMMED. ENABLING PASSENGER TO EXTEND THE SEAT BELTS OUT FROM THE OPENING IN THE OVER THE SHOULD INTERIOR ROOF TRIM. DEALER FOUND ADHESIVE / INSULATION FROM THE HEADLINDER HAD MELTED ONTO THE SEATBELTS. *TT UPDATED *JB

ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED WHEN VEHICLE WAS APPROX 1 YEAR OLD. DODGE FIXED CRACK IN ENGINE WITH PUTTY. I WAS TOLD BY DODGE SERVICE PEOPLE THAT WAS THE STANDARD FIX FOR THAT PROBLEM. THE CRACK HAS EITHER REOPENED OR A NEW CRACK HAS DEVELOPED. LOCAL MECHANIC REPORTS THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAS ALSO FAILED. I JUST THOUGHT THAT THIS SHOULD BE NOTED IN YOUR FILES, SINCE I AM SURE OTHER OWNERS ARE SEEING SAME PROBLEMS. A CO-WORKER HAS THE SAME YEAR DODGE STRATUS WITH SAME ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, HE HAS SAME PROBLEM- HIS WAS FIXED AT SAME TIME MY CARAVAN WAS BY THE SAME DEALER WITH SAME PUTTY. HE HAS SINCE TRADED HIS VEHICLE OFF. THANK YOU. *TS *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***762668

PARKING BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY FAILED. *TT

TRANSMISSION FAILED TO GO IN REVERSE. *AK

AIR BAG AND THE HORN AREV NOT WORKING PROPERLY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT IT COULD BE CLOCKSPRING MATERIAL ON VEHICLE.*AK

DUE TO A FLAT TIRE CONSUMER TRIED TO REMOVE SPARE TIRE ,HOWEVER, LOCKING MECHANISM WOULD NOT RELEASE. CONSUMER WAS STRANDED, AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, PASSENGERS SIDE REAR TIRE SEPARATED. MODEL FT70C, DLT# BJKWJNB268, SIZE P215-65R-15.*AK TIRE TREAD DAMAGED REAR SIDE BUMPER MOLDING, TIRE REMAINED INFLATED. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING ELECTRICAL WIRING WENT OUT, AND LOST ALL POWER ON VEHICLE. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK

AT 15-20 MPH VEHICLE WAS HIT IN REAR. SEATBACK BROKE AND RECLINED BACKWARDS. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK THERE WERE 2 INJURIES*YH

WHILE DRIVING LOST ALL GEARS, WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR. WHEN APPLYING GAS VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. CONTACT DEALER. *AK

EA 01 007/AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING: AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON WHILE DRIVING. HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE INOPERATIVE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK. CONSUMER STATED THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED.*JB

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD.ALSO, HORN COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

GOT RECALL NOTICE 00V268000 ON FUEL RAILS. HAD REPAIRED VEHICLE. HOWEVER, CURRENTLY, VEHICLE STALLS. VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FINE BEFORE RECALL. NOT SATISFIED WITH RECALL. *AK

VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE STOPPED,THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *MJ

HEARD A CLICK WHEN TURNING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. THEN, LATER ON STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, THEY SAD IT MIGHT BE THE RACK AND PINON OR POWER STEERING THAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM.*AK *YD

FUEL SENDING UNIT IS LINKING FLUID.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, DEALERSHIP STATES THERE IS NO FIX FOR PROBLEM.*JB MECHANICS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT NEED ANOTHER REPLACEMENT. *JG