1994 Dodge Grand Caravan complaints

AN ARTICLE RELEASED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ON 12/31/98 INDICATED THAT CHRYSLER WAS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE O-RINGS INSTALLED ON THE FUEL INJECTORS OF THE V-6 (3.3L) ENGINES MANUFACTURED IN 1993. THEY INDICATED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OCCURRANCES OF FIRE DUE TO FUEL LEAKS CAUSED BY THIS HARDENED O-RING. MY VEHICLE IS HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. FUEL IS LEAKING FROM AROUND THE BASE OF THE FUEL INJECTOR CAUSING FUEL TO POOL UP ON TOP OF THE ENGINE WHICH IS A DEFINITE FIRE HAZARD AND ALSO A HEALTH HAZARD CAUSED BY THE AMOUNT OF FUMES. I WOULD LIKE THIS RESEARCHED TO SEE IF THE RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO INCLUDE 1994 3.3L V-6 ENGINES AS WELL. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. IT HAS BEEN FORTUNATE THAT NO FIRE RESULTED FROM THIS FAILURE. PLEASE ADVISE ME IF THERE IS MORE INFORMATION I CAN SUPPLY IN REFERENCE TO THIS REQUEST. *AK

ON 12/23/98 I TOOK MY VAN TO SERVICE DEPT.@ KAMAAINA MOTORS AFTER MY AIRBAG LITE STAYED ON. ALSO MY REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS NOT WORKING.ON 5 JAN. 99 THEY FIXED THE FUSE AND I WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS FINE.ON 16 AUG. 99 I RECEIVED A RECALL FROM MANUFACTURER .THEY THEN INSTALLED A PATCH(MASTIC) MY MILEAGE AT THIS TIME WAS 64940.ON DEC.20 99 MY AIR BAG STAYED ON AGAIN AND SHORTED MY REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IAM HAVING THIS FIXED PLEASE HELP ME BECAUSE IM WORRIED THAT IT HAPPEN AGAIN.THW2MY MIL

TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN MY MINIVAN AT 38,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED, SINCE PROBLEM AT A COST OF $1461.50. I FEEL THAT A MAJOR COMPONENT AS A TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 38,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS CHANGED ON 04/01/1999, AT 35,262 MILES. IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF THE FLUID.

PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE SEEMS PROBLEMATIC; NEEDS NHTSA INVESTIGATION & RECALL. HATCH LATCH FAILED AFTER RECALLED PART REPAIRED. *AK

IN JAN 1998, I NOTICED SURFACE DAMAGE THAT LOOKED LIKE SPOTS. OVER THE MONTHS AFTER REPEATED WASHES AND WAXES, THE SPOTS GREW IN SIZE. THE SPOTS STARTED ETCHING BELOW THE TOP SURFACE. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTERWARD I STARTED TO SEE A GRAY SURFACES APPEAR WHERE THE SPOTS WERE. DURING A SERVICE VISIT IN MID 1998 TO MY LOCAL CHRYSLER/DODGE DEALER IN FORT COLLINS, CO., I THEN ASKED THEM WHAT CAUSES THIS AND WHETHER TOUCHUP PAINT WOULD WORK TO FIX THE SURFACE. THEY SAID THE CAUSE WAS ENIVORMENTAL EFFECTS ON PAINT. I TOOK THEIR WORD ON IT AND PURCHASED THE TOUCHUP PAINT. SINCE THAT TIME, THE PAINT ON THE TOP ROOF IS COMING OFF IN LARGE FLAKES. A GRAY SURFACE NOW COMPRISES ABOUT 15% OF THE TOTAL AREA. AT THE PRESENT RATE OF FLAKING, THE ENTIRE TOP WILL BE BARE WITHIN TWO MONTHS. ESTIMATES FOR SANDING AND REPAINTING THE TOP WITH BE $1500.00 AND CHRYSLER WILL PARTICIPATE $220.91 TOWARDS REPAINTING THE ROOF AS A GOODWILL GESTURE. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH COMPENSATION. I FEAR THAT OTHER AREAS ON MY VEHICLE WILL SOON START TO SHOW THE SAME PROBLEM. MANY OTHER FAMILY, FRIENDS AND OWNERS NATIONWIDE ARE REPORTING SIMILIAR PROBLEMS. INFORMATION THAT I OBTAINED THROUGH SOURCES INDICATES THAT CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE INCOMPATABILITY OF THE WATER BASED CLEAR COAT AND THE DRY BASED PRIMER AND HOW THE SUN CAUSED THE PRIMER TO OXIDIZE AND CAUSED THE PAINT NOT TO ADHERE. INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY A CHRYSLER EMPLOYEE ON THE INTERNET ON PAINTS USED BY CHRYSLER AND SOME OF THE RELATED PROBLEMS. THE PRO

WHILE BRAKING, THE INSTANT THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE ANTILOCK BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON- AT THE SAME TIME IT FEELS LIKE THE FRONT BRAKES RELEASE, THE PEDAL FEELS HARD, AMOUNT OF BRAKING FORCE IS GREATLY REDUCED RESULTING IN NEAR ACCIDENT DUE TO INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE. ESTIMATED OCCURRENCE IS FOUR TIMES OVER A FEW WEEKS. OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING. OTHERWISE BRAKING IS NORMAL. LOCAL DEALER ADVISED NO RECALL FOR THIS YEAR MODEL BUT THERE IS A RECALL ON PRIOR YEAR MODELS WITH SAME PROBLEM. THANKS

TRANSMISSION FAILED IN MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTION

NO SUMMARY

CONSUMER COTNACTED THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL NUMBER 99V113000, DEALER STATED NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. THERE WAS A NATIONWIDE BACK LOG. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BUSHINGS ON SLIDING DOOR FAILED AND DOOR FELL OFF WHEN OPENED. DEALER CLAIMED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION WAS JERKING THE VEHICLE BETWEEN GEAR CHANGES. VEHICLE IS STUCK IN SECOND GEAR.DODGE WAS CONTACTED.PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER INFORMATION. *AK

RECALL RELATED: CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR OF MFR RECALL 818. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE AIRBAGS, HOWEVER THE PARTS FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WERE NOT AVAILABLE, VEHICLE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE DEALERSHIP UNTIL PARTS CAME--2 MONTHS LATER. *AK

THE ROD THAT HOLDS RIGHT FRONT TIRE STRAIGHT BROKE, CAUSING A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK *ML

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND THERE WAS OIL LEAKING FROM THE HOOD. CONSUMETOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP. *AK

NO SUMMARY.

THE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION TWICE INDICATES INHERENT FACTORY DEFECT NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

SECOND TRANSMISSION TO GO BAD. FIRST TRANSMISSION WENT BAD AT 85K. THIS LATEST AROUND 50K.

THE HYDRAULIC LIFTGATE SUPPORT PISTON ON THE RIGHT SIDE BROKE, CAUSING THE LIFEGATE TO FALL DOWN AND SHATTER THE WINDOW. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE PISTON HAS BEEN REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT WARNING. GRINDING NOISES IN THE BRAKES. THE DEALERSHIP (SERVICE DEPARTMENT) HAS INSPECTED THE BRAKES 3-4 TIMES. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN DO NOTHING UNTIL THE BRAKES FAIL. I INTEND TO CONTACT CHRYSLER CORPORATION ASAP, BUT CANNOT GET THROUGH ON THEIR 800#.

TRANSMISSION IN FOR REPAIR ON TWO OCCASIONS. MJS

I BOUGHT MY GRAND CARAVAN IN APRIL 94.MAY 96 REPLACED REAR EVAPORATOR LINE GASKET LEAK. COST TO ME $ 141 ( NOT UNDER WARRANTY). JULY 1996 STILL HAD PROBLEM REPLACED EVAPORATOR COST $ 508 ( WARRANTY)JUNE 1997 NO AC: COMPRESSOR SEIZED, BELT STARTED TO BURN,REPLACED COMPRESSOR , GASKETS. COST $538.(WARRANTY)MAY 98: REPLACED CONDENSER $486 (WARRANTY)AUGUST 99:NO AC

WHILE DRIVING WE EXPERENCED A LOUD EXPLOSIVE SOUND WHICH WAS THE FAILURE OF THE BOLT HOLDING THE RIGHT GATE LIFT STRUT ON THE GATE AND BLOWING THE STRUT OFF. THE GATE WAS CLOSED BUT HAD IT BEEN OPEN IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY TO THE PERSON UNDER IT.

BELT TENSIONER: PULLEY SHEARED OFF WHILE PARKING, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING, ETC. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. *AK

CONSUMER'S SEATBELT BROKE. SHE NOTIFIED THE DEALER. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED IN MAY 1998. TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED ONCE AND THEN RETURNED 2 WEEKS LATER FOR FURTHER REPAIRS FOR SAME PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION OPERATED WELL UNTIL JULY 1999 WHEN IT FAILED WHILE DRIVING WHICH RESULTED IN TOWING OF VEHICLE. WE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE SAME TRANSMISSION REPAIR SERVICE. HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. HE AGREED TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION ONCE AGAIN, CHARGING US OVER $800 (BUT NO LABOR CHARGE). HE FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO WARRANTY ON THIS WORK. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS IN THESE VEHICLES???? WE PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 1988 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WHICH ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.... CAUSING US TO REPLACE IT. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.... BUT THE DODGE DEALER KEEPS TELLING US THERE IS NO RECALL... ONLY LOTS OF COMPLAINTS.

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL BECAME STIFF AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. ALSO, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER HAD TO CLEAR ALL THE CODES OUT OF THE ABS SYSTEM. PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. *AK

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE, IT SITS STILL FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE TAKING OFF. IT'S ALSO HARD TO SHIFT GEARS. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

THE LIFTGATE BOLT BROKE IN HALF WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. *AK

FRONTAL SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO POSITION ,CAUSING A LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK

PROBLEM WITH CAR SHAKING (SWAYING, WOBBLE) LEFT AND RIGHT AT 40 MPH. HAVE CHANGED FRONT STRUTS, REAR SHOCKS, RACK AND PINION, LUG NUTS, AND HAD TWO MECHANICS TRY TO FIND PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL. IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION AS TO A PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES I WOULD APRRECIATE KNOWING ABOUT IT AND WHAT THE CURE IS. THANK YOU JA CULLEN

FAILURE OF BOLT ATTACHING THE RIGHT LIFTGATE STRUT ROD TO VEHICLE. THE BOLT BROKE OFF WHEN LIFTING THE LIFTGATE. THIS CAUSED THE LIFT ROD (HYDRAULICALLY PRESSURIZED) TO EXTEND, PUNCHING A HOLE IN THE HEADLINER OF THE MINIVAN. THERE IS NO SECONDARY 'CATCHER' MECHANISM TO RESTRAIN THE STRUT ROD IF THIS BOLT BREAKS. ALSO, THE LIFTGATE IS TOO HEAVY FOR THE OTHER LIFTGATE TO SUPPORT IT ALONE, OR TO SLOWLY LET THE LIFTGATE DOWN. THEREFORE, IF THE BOLT FAILURE HAD OCCURED WHEN THE LIFTGATE WAS RAISED UP, THE LIFTGATE WOULD HAVE SLAMMED DOWN UNCONTROLLABLY. HAD I BEEN UNDER THE LIFTGATE, I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. HAD MY TODDLER BEEN THERE, HE COULD HAVE BEEN FATALLY INJURED. IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT THIS DESIGN IS ALLOWED SINCE ONE FAILURE OF ONE BOLT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS OR FATAL INJURIES.

THE VAN, WITHOUT WARNING, LOST POWER AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED ON THE INTERSTATE 75. AFTER LETTING THE VAN SIT FOR 15-20 MINUTES WE WERE ABLE TO START THE VAN AGAIN AND HAVE DRIVEN IT SINCE THAT TIME WITHOUT A REOCCURENCE OF THAT PROBLEM. WE HAVE EXPLAINED THE INCIDENT TO OUR LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND HAVE HAD THE VAN CHECKED OUT. THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS APART BUT TWO OF THEM HAVE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE INTERSTATE AND WE HAVE HAD BEARLY ENOUGH POWER TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. OTHER THAN THESE THREE INCIDENTS THE VAN HAS PERFORMED WELL. I HAD NOT FILED A REPORT BEFORE NOW BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS WEB SITE AND ONLY FOUND IT THROUGH CONSUMER REPORTS WEB SITE WHILE LOOKING FOR A NEW VAN. *AK

MY WIFE WAS CLOSING THE REAR DOOR WHEN THE ANCHOR BOLT HOLDING THE LIFT CYLINDER BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE DOOR TO FALL. *AK

WHILE PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR THEN IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED INTO 2ND GEAR CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION, ALMOST THROWING VEHICLE OUT OF CONTROL. AFTER SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF THE TRANSMISSION RESET ITSELF, BUT CONTINUED GOING INTO 2ND GEAR SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL WE COULD GET TO A DEALER. REPAIR ORDER STATES TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL, REPLACE FRONT PUMP AND TORQUE CONVERTER. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THE TRANSMISSION APPEARS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR DODGE MINIVANS. IF THE ROAD WOULD HAVE BEEN WET OR SNOW COVERED, THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH HEARD EXPLOSION. LOOKED IN REARVIEW MIRROW AND REAR WINDOW HAD BLOWN OUT INTO LITTLE PIECES. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. IMPACT WAS FROM INSIDE TO OUTSIDE. GLASS CORP. STATES CAUSE MAY HAVE BEEN DEFROSTER. *AK

BOLT BROKEN ON ONE OF THE GAS FILLED PISTONS THAT HOLD THE REAR LIFTGATE OPEN CAUSING THE LIFTGATE SUPPORT TO FALL DOWN BETWEEN THE LIFTGATE AND THE BUMPER AND THE GLASS TO SHATTER.

THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN THE "SNAP RINGS". OUR MECHANIC SAID HE SEES THIS QUITE FREQUENTLY. IN LOOKING AT ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET, I'D SAY THIS IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSIONS GOING OUT SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR REPAIRS. THIS DOES NOT ONLY SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINIAL TRANSMISSIONS,BUT ALSO WITH THE ONES THAT ARE BEING SOLD AS REPLACEMENTS. IT IS REALLY AMAZING THAT WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY INFORMATION IN THE NEWS ABOUT THIS. I INTEND TO GET EVERY PENNY BACK FROM CHRYSLER,AND WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD GIVE ME SOME ADVICE AS TO HOW I CAN. I ALSO BELIEVE YOU SHOULD ISSUE SOME STATEMENT ABOUT THIS TO THE NEWS. PEOPLE DESERVE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONS. THERE IS NO REVERSE AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPING INTO GEAR. DEALER NEEDS TO HAVE A REBUILT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

AFTER TURNING THE DEFROSTER ON THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED AND BLEW OUT. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE REASON. *AK

EXPERIENCING ABS BRAKE FAILURE WHILE GOING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON HIGHWAY ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. PROBLEM OCCURRED 30 MINUTES AFTER GOING OVER AN OVERPASS. ABS SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. BRAKE CONTINUALLY GRADED TO NOTHING. VEHICLE WAS INVOLED IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

THE EVAPORATER CORE WENT UP. ACCORDING TO 2 DIFFERENT MECHANCIS AT TWO SEPERATE PLACES SAID THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACING THIS PART. THEY SAID THEY THOUGHT THERE WAS A RECALL BUT CHRYSLER DENIED IT. THERE IS KNOW WAY THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE GOING UP THIS SOON

WHILE SITTING IN THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED IN CONSUMER'S FACE,CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO BE TREATED BY THE DOCTOR. THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS STILL ON, AND THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE PUT IN THE SHOP. *AK *ET

JACK LOCATOR PINS ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE WHEN TIRE IS FLAT, DUE TO DESIGN.

AFTER DRIVING A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND PULLING OFF TO A REST AREA, AND THEN TAKING OFF AGAIN THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS LIKE IT'S LOCKED IN 1ST GEAR AND THE RPM IS VERY HIGH. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TRAVEL OVER 40MPH WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS. *AK

THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS ARE TOO WEAK FOR THE VEHICLE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK

WHEN THE DOOR IS LOCKED WITH THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK , THERE IS NO WAY THAT ONE CAN EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE SLIDING DOOR. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE JUST CUTS OFF INTERMITTENTLY, HAPPENS MORE OFTEN NOW. PROBLEM GETTING WORSE. SPEED IS NOT A FACTOR, PROBLEM OCCURS AT ANY SPEED. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON WHICH STATES THAT AIRBAGS SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE, AND WILL NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN AN ACCIDENT. NO PRIOR PROBLEM WITH AIRBAG SYSTEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

THE AIR CONDITIONER EVAPORATOR FAILED.