1998 Dodge Caravan complaints

RACK AND PINION CAUSING NOISE.

SPEED CONTROL.

POWER STEERING--LINE POWER 19587, FLUID POWER 18133, CLIP COOL 7433, TIE STRAP 81511, CLAMPNS 18701.

PLASTIC WHICH IS AROUND THE BUCKLE ON THE INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT BROKE INTO TWENTY PIECES. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 TO 40 MPH CONSUMER STRUCK AN OBJECT IN THE ROAD THAT WAS NOT VISIBLE AND PUNCTURED A WHOLE IN THE FUEL TANK, CAUSING A GAS LEAK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND REPAIRED THE FUEL TANK. *AK

MY CAR WAS IN PARK AND RUNNING AT IDLE. THE CAR THREW ITSELF INTO REVERSE AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE. NO ONE WAS IN THE CAR TO STOP IT.

WHILE AT A STOP CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS IN THIS CRASH. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THIS WAS A FRONTAL COLLISION. *AK

THE LOCATION DESIGN OF INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATION ARE NOT VISIBLE DUE TO STEERING WHEEL OBSTRUCTION, POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW OF INDICATOR LOCATION CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. YH

WHILE DRIVING 40MPH THE STEERING WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE COLUMN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. *AK

THE POWER STEERING RACK & PINION HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. INITIALLY, WE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER WHEN VAN WAS BROUGHT IN FOR 6,000 MILE SERVICE AND THEY ADVISED IT WAS NORMAL. AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS WE BROUGHT THE VAN BACK IN FOR SERVICE REGARDING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM. THEY THEN REPLACED THE PRESSURE HOSE. IT WAS FINE FOR A LITTLE WHILE BUT THE NOISE CAME BACK, SO WE BROUGHT IT IN TO ANOTHER DEALER CLOSER TO HOME. THEY CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM AND ADVISED THE RACK & PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, SO THEY DID. AFTER A WEEK OR SO, THE PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. WE BROUGHT IT IN AGAIN, AND THEY TOLD US THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE RACK & PINION AGAIN, AND SO THEY DID (LAST WEEK THURSDAY 8/5/99). THE NOISE/PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. I HAVE 2 FRIENDS WHO ALSO PURCHASED THE SAME MAKE/MODEL AND THEY ALSO HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS (PRESSURE HOSE REPLACED). TODAY, HER VAN FAILED TO START (EVEN AFTER ATTEMPTING TO JUMP START). I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU CAN FIND OUT IF ANYONE ELSE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL. THANK YOU.

SEATBELT AROUND THE INTERGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT TIGHTENED AROUND THE CHILD'S NECK. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

HAD AN ACCIDENT ON 05-AUG-99, AND AIR BAGS ON BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE/ PASSENGER'S SIDE DIDN'T DEPLOY.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER.WAS HIT FROM THE FRONT. *AK

ON DATE 03-30-98 TOOK CAR IN STATING WHEN A/C IS ON SURGING AND HESITATING AND TICK TICKING IN ENGINE FOR A NEW CAR. THEN ON 04-13-98 TOOK CAR IN AGAIN A/C CYCLES AND A WHISHING SOUND IS VERY LOUD WHEN CYCLE GOES ON AND STILL SURGES AND HESITATES. THEY REPLACED GASKET ,EVAPERATOR COIL AND TUBE. AND H-VALVE SAYING THIS WAS A COMMON NOISE AND PUT PARTS ORINGS ETC,SAYING THIS MAY HELP OR NOT HELP. THEN ON 06-24-98 STILL SURGING AND HESITATING WHEN A/C IS ON BUT WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL. WHICH WE DONT SEE HOW. THEN ON 12-07-98 TOOK CAR IN AGAIN FOR THE SAME REASON THEY SAID NO PROBLEM BUT WE STILL FEEL IT IS.THEN WE GOT TIED OF TAKE IT AND WENT FOR AN AR

TENSIONER FAILED CAUSING THE BELT TO BE THROWN OFF ENGINE PULLEYS. NLM

WHEN VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH GAS IT LOST 1/4 TANK DUE TO LEAK IN A CIRCLE UNDER THE GAS TANK. DEALER CONTACTED, AND TOWED VEHICLE IN. SEALANT PUT ON TO REPAIR. THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED INJULY, 1999. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

POWER STEERING HAS REGULARLY CUT OFF WHEN TURNING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS AND BACKING UP. VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO DEALER 10 TIMES. DEALER HAS REPLACED TIE RODS, POWER STEERING PUMP, BELT, TENSIONER, STEERING RACK,AND STEERING COLUMN. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND DEALER STATES IT DOES NOT DO IT WHEN TEST DRIVE IS TAKEN.

BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS HAVE BODY SEALANT OOZING ON THEM - TO THE POINT WHERE ONE WILL NOT BUDGE FROM THE SIDE WALL. THE OTHER, IF YOU PULL HARD WILL RELEASE, BUT IT IS COVERED WITH STICKY SEALANT WHICH ONE WOULD NOT WANT TO WEAR!! I CALLED A DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS, BUT WITH MY VEHICLE BEING OVER 36,000 MILES, THEY WOULDN'T REPAIR IT UNLESS I PAID ~$450.00. MEANWHILE, I CANNOT BUCKLE MY CHILDREN UP. I THINK THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THEY ARE FIXING THIS PROBLEM ON MOST OTHER MINIVANS BECAUSE THEY ARE UNDER 36,000 MILES. THANKS - ED

THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE TRANSMISSION, EVERYONE I KNOW IS HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. EACH TIME IT'S THE NUT BACKING OFF ON 5TH GEAR. TIME AND MONEY ARE LOST WHEN THIS OCCURS, AND IT'S BEING REPAIRED NOT SOLVED. SOME OF MY FRIENDS HAVE HAD THEIR TRUCKS IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES TO REPAIR FOR THIS ANNOYING AND COSTLY PROBLEM. *AK

I OWN A HANDICAP ADAPTED VAN WHICH I FEEL IS VERY UNSAFE FOR ME AND MY CHILDREN..THIS VAN HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS (AT LEAST) 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM..(WHEN FILED WITH GASOLINE, IT BUCKS, HESTITTAES AND STALLS OUT , LAST TIME ON TOP OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS(I WAS SCARED TO DEATH), EACH TIME MY VAN IS IN FOR REPAIRS AS WELLI HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION AS I CAN ONLY DRIVE MY SPECIALLY ADAPTED VAN AND ASLO EACH TIME I HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE VAN AND IT HAS TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIRS..I'M ALSO IN A JAMI CAN'T BE DRIVING A VAN THAT COULD BREAK UP ON ME(I CAN;T WALK..I CAN'T TAKE A CAB) MY VAN CAME BACK WITH A NEW FUELTANK AND FUEL LINE LAST THURSDAY AND TODAY RIDE-AWAY CORP HAD TO PICK IT UP AGAIN..FOR REPAIRS TO THE SPECIALLY ADAPTED"EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE, WHICH I'VE NOT HAD NOW SINCE LAST FRIDAY) AND ALSO SINCE THE "REPAIRED" VAN HAS BEEN RETURNED TO ME THE KNEELER(SPECIAL SUSPENSION FLOOR) HAS BEEN "BOUNCING" WHEN THE RAMP IS DEPLOYED AS WELL AS MAKING A "BARKING" SOUND..THIS VAN HAS ONLY (NOW) A LITTLE OVER 8 MILES ON IT, AND I FEEL THIS VAN IS VERY UNSAFE AND I'M VERY NERVOUS AND APPREHENSIVE EACH TIME ME AND MY 2 CHILDREN HAVE TO USE IT...I HAVE TRIED TO BE PATIENT AND HAVE TRIED "WORKING" WITH THE COMPANIES, BUT IT JUST APPEARS TO BE ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER WITH THIS VAN..ALSO I'D LIKE TO ADD ANOTHER POINT THAT I FEEL DESERVES SOME TIME..WHEN I ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THIS VAN IN 2/98 RIDE_AWAY CORP IN EAST HARTFORD OR NEW HAMPSHIRE(THE HEADQUARTERS) WERE THE "MIDDLEMAN" SO TO SP

WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS A HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATION OCCURS IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHICH IS NOT CAUSED BY THE WHEELS. VIBRATION SEEMS TO GET WORSE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER DID NOT REPAIR VEHICLE. *AK

I WAS SLOWING DOWN TOWARD A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND ABOUT 35-MPH THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR BRAKES WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR COULD NOT STOP. CONSEQUENTLY I COULD NOT AVOID A COLLISION. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE AIR BAG DID NOT OPEN BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IMPACT WAS INCHES JUST ABOVE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BUMPER, TO MY SURPRISE. I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING A SAFE VEHICLE FOR MY FAMILY. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW THE LIGHT CAME ON ONE TIME OR ANOTHER, THE DELER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM BUT IT WAS THERE AND NOTHING WAS FIX. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE IN TRAFFIC RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. NLM

STEERING COLUMN REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS,THIRD REPAIR WAS DONE TO RACK AND PINION HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS ITH STEERING.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE TAKING OFF IN HEAVY TRAFFIC VEHICLE SURGED AND TOOK OFF. DRIVER JUST PRESSED ACCELERATOR PEDAL VERY GENTLY AND VEHICLE TOOK OFF AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE IN FRONT. DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. NO OBVIOUS DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE VEHICLE. HIDDEN DAMAGE; BUMPER PUSHED IN AND DAMAGED AIR CONDITIONER. *AK

THE ABS FAILURE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. ONCE ON, IT STAYS ON UNTIL THE ENGINE IS SWITCHED OFF. PROBLEM WAS VERY INFREQUENT THROUGH THE WINTER, BUT RETURNED AS WEATHER BEGAN TO WARM. RECENTLY HAVE FELT BRAKE PEDAL PULSATION AS LIGHT WAS COMMING ON , EVEN AT LOW SPEED STOPS. DEALER SAYS LIGHT MUST BE ON SOLID IN ORDER TO DIAGNOSE. *AK

VEHICLE WOBBLES IN THE FRONT END WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. TSB LOW SPEED TIRE WOBBLE 22-02-98 /04-24-98. DEALER CONTACTED AND NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK

DESIGN/LOCATION OF INFORMATION CENTER INDICATORS (TURN SIGNALS, HIGH BEAM INICATORS ETC.) ARE NOT VISIBLE TO DRIVERS OF ALL HEIGHTS. CONSUMER IS 5'11 AND HAS TO REMOVE EYES FROM ROADWAY IN SEARCH OF INDICATORS.

WE OWN A CENTURY MODEL 100297 CARSEAT. THE SHOULDER HARNESS LATCHES IN THE BACK ON A METAL CLIP. I HAVE ON ONE OCCASSION ACTUALLY PULLED THE SHOULDER HARNESS TO ADJUST AND HAD THE HARNESS COME RIGHT THROUGH THE SEAT. IT CAME OFF OF THE METAL LATCH BEHIND THE SEAT. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THIS LATCH, I DO NOT SEE WHAT IS PREVENTING THE SHOULD HARNESS STRAPS FROM COMING OFF THE METAL CLIP AT ANY GIVEN TIME..ESPECIALLY IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS A WAY TO ENSURE THAT THEY WON'T. THANK YOU.

TRANSMITION FAILURE; DUE TO SNOW WEATHER CONDITIONS, ONE WHEEL MOVING FASTER THAN THE OTHER. STUCK IN THE SNOW! POOR DESIGN FOR NORTHERN STATES. WEAK DESIGN. CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR POOR DESIGN AND LACK OF TECHNOLOGY FOR DRIVING IN THE SNOW. *AK

THE ONLY REASONS AN ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED WAS THAT NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME ,AND I RESUMED MY RATE OF SPEED. I ENDED UP 10 FEET FROM A BUSY STREET BEFORE THE VAN STOPPED. MY SMALL CHILDREN WERE IN THE VAN WITH ME AT THE TIME. I ALSO FEEL FORTUNATE THAT ONLY 1 BRAKE FAILED. *AK

SPEED SENSOR FAILED.

TURN SIGNAL SWITCH FAILED.

RADIO MALFUCNTIONED. *YC

FUEL GAUGE FAILED. *YC

CUP HOLDER SPRING BROKE. *YC

REAR HATCH FAILED. *YC

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TWICE. *YC

ENGINE OIL LEAK. MJS

LIFT GATE GAS SHOCKS FAILED. YH

COMPUTER SYSTEM FAILED. YH

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *YC

BATTERY FAILED. *YC

THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE BEZEL FAILED. YH

ENGINE OIL SEALS FAILED. YH

UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE POSITIVE SIDE OF BATTERY TERMINAL COULD NOT BE TIGHTENED. YH

CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

POWER STEERING HOSES FAILED. *YC

PASSENGER SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED. YH

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE TRAVELING ON ROUTE I77. PULLED OFF HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL. VEHICLE THEN WOULD ONLY SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND (LIMP ALONG MODE). DEALER IN VIRGINIA DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. LARGE CHUNKS OF METAL IN PAN. REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER. VEHICLE HAS SINCE SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL 1 MORE TIME. *AK