1997 Dodge Grand Caravan complaints

WINDSHILED WIPER MOTOR SWITCH FAILED. NLM

ALARM SYSTEM REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. YH

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED DUE TO SHORT. YH

TRANS AXLE FAILED COMPLETELY. YH

REAR RIGHT TRANSMISSIONS FRONT PUMP SEAL IS LEAKING. YH

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY LOCKS AND UNLOCKS ON ITS OWN. INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED A DOZEN OR MORE TIMES. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. VECHICLE IS SAFETY DEFECT, AND OWNERS HAS CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN DRIVING IN CITY OR ON FREEWAY THE BELT COMES OFF AND THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT. SHORTLY AFTER THE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON, BATTERY NOT CHARGING EX. DEALERSHIP WILL REPAIR BELT. THE LAST TIME DEALER CHANGED BELT.

THE RIGHT REAR PARK BRAKE DOES NOT ENGAGE. PROBLEM FOUND 8 JAN 99. SUSPECT LOOSE OR DAMAGED PARK BRAKE ASSY WITHIN THE BRAKE DRUM. ASSY MAKES NOISE WHEN APPLYING TENSION ON THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE. LEFT REAR PARK BRAKE FUNCTIONS PROPERLY. NORMAL BRAKE OPERATION (BRAKE PEDAL) TESTED GOOD, EQUAL FORCE ON LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKES. PROBLEM ISOLATED TO THE RIGHT REAR PARK BRAKE ASSY.

DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN REVERSE POSITION AND SURGEING WHILE DRIVING. ALSO VIBRATION AND THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT BADLY WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM, BUT IS GOING TO REPLACE THE TIRES. MICHELIN STATED THAT IT NOT THE TIRES, BUT THE VEHICLE ITSELF. *AK PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

RACK AND PINION STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 10MPH & MAKING A LEFT TURN. HEARD LOUD CREAKING NOISES FROM STEERING COLUMN. TOOK TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 DIFFERENT TIMES. VEHICLE UNDER WARRNATY & DEALER REFUSED TO LOOK AT IT OR REPAIR VEHICLE. *AK

NOTICED NOISE FROM LT SIDE OF VEHICLE, CHECKED BRAKES OUT RIGHT SIDE WAS FINE LEFT SIDE BRAKE WAS DOWN TO THE METAL. VAN IS ONLY 1997 MODEL AND THEY TOLD ME THE CALIPER NEEDED REPLACED . I DONT THINK THIS ITEM SHOULD NEED REPLACED IN ONLY ONE YEAR . IS IT POSSIBLY A PROBLEM OR IS THIS NORMAL. MY WARRANTY RAN OUT IN NOVEMBER OF 1998 AND THE PROBLEM OCCURED IN DECEMBER OF 1998. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.( DOT NUMBER: )

WHEN DRIVING OVER 20 MPH UP UNTIL 40 MPH THE VEHICLE WILL START VIBRATING WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR SERVICE SINCE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE. DEALER THINKS THE TIRES ARE CAUSING THE VIBRATION. *AK

PARKING BRAKE PEDAL RELEASES SPONTANIOUSLY WHEN PARKED ON A FORWARD INCLINE

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT INTERVENTION FROM DRIVER. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN THE WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES, IT COULD BE FRIGHTENING AND THUS CAUSE THE DRIVER TO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FATALITY. ON ONE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING THE WIPERS CAME ON SUDDENLY AND MY WINDSHIELD BECAME SO SMEARED THAT I COULD NOT SEE THE ROADWAY CLEARLY. I'D LIKE TO AVOID THIS HAPPENING AGAIN AND WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE MY VEHICLE REPAIRED BY DODGE BECAUSE I SUSPECT THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT. FURTHERMORE, I PLACED MY WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEM OUT ON THE INTERNET TO FIND OUT IF OTHER CARAVAN OWNERS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. WITHIN A DAY, I HAD RECEIVED A RESPONSE AND WAS TOLD TO NOTIFY YOU.

WHEN DRIVING AT 45 AND UP AND BRAKING THE STEERING STARTS SHUTTERING. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THE ROTORS ARE WARPED AND CAUSING THE SHUTTERING. REPAIRWORK DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

ELECTRICAL FIRE.

MY WIFE AND SON HAD JUST LEFT CHURCH AND WAS SETTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN THE QUICK CONNECT ON THE FUEL LINE POPPED OFF AND THE VAN QUIT. WHEN I ARRIVED THE ENGINE (FAN BELT SIDE) HAD BEEN SPRAYED WITH GAS AND GAS DRIPPING FROM UNDERNEATH AND PUDDLED UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE. I TRIED TO SEE IF IT WOULD START AND PROBABLY ANOTHER QUART OF GAS OR SO PUMP OUT BEFORE MY WIFE NOTICED THERE WAS GAS RUNNING OUT THE BOTTOM OF VAN. A MAN WHO HAD STOPPED TO HELP, ACTUALLY FOUND THE GAS LINE PROBLEM AND SNAPPED IT BACK ON, AFTER TUGGING ON THE LINE SOME TO SEE IF IT WOULD COME OFF I AGREED TO TRY STARTING IT AGAIN.(I HAD ALREADY CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND WASN'T CRAZY ABOUT STARTING IT WITH ALL THE GAS AROUND) IT STARTED UP AND RAN ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND IT POPPED OFF AGAIN. WHEN IT POPPED OFF THE SECOND TIME WE WERE WATCHING, THE DANGEROUS THING ABOUT IT WAS THAT BEFORE IT COMPLETLY POPPED OFF AND KILLED THE ENGINE IT SPRAYED GAS OVER THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE FOR APPROX 5 - 10 SECONDS. WE POPPED IT BACK ON AGAIN AND STARTED IT, BUT THE TOW TRUCK WAS THERE BY THEN AND WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. THE DEALER KEPT THE VAN 4 DAYS AND SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I PICKED IT UP AFTER TRYING TO GET THEM TO REPLACE THE CONNECTOR BUT THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T REPLACE IT UNTILL THEY COULD DUPLICATE IT POPPING OFF, I GUESS SEE IT COME OFF THEMSELVES. I'M DRIVING IT NOW BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO LET THEM KEEP IT ANOTHER 20,000 MILES SO THEY CAN SEE IT POP APART

WHILE THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR LONG HOURS, THE VEHICLE WILL DECELERATE TO 0 MPH AND BOUNCE BACK UP TO 60 MPH, WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND INJURY.

CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH HER FAMILY IN THE DODGE VAN. WAS GOING ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN SHE HIT THE ANOTHER VEHICLE VERY HARD, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

ABS WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND REMAIN ON FOR SECONDS TO NEARLY AN HOUR. DURING THIS PERIOD, DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS AND POWER LOCKS BECOME INOPERABLE. THERE'S ALSO A STRAINING SOUND UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER TESTED VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM.

UNSPECIFIED.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEMS.

TRANSMISSION VIBRATES BETWEEN 3 AND 4 UPSHIFTS RANDOMLY, BETWEEN 30-40 MPH.

AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS AND INTERIOR LIGHT SYSTEM FAIL WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHEN IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH.

CONSUMER HAS BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH HIS CONVERTED VAN WHEN HE TRIED TO GET IN OR GET OUT OF VEHICLE. THE RAMP DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. ALSO, SOME OTHERS BOTTOMS DID NOT WORK. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK

THE FUEL TANK CRACKED, CAUSING A FUEL LEAK, WHICH IF IGNITED MAY CAUSE A FIRE. DEALER REPLACED FUEL TANK 2 TIMES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

HAD THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND HAD PLACED THE CHILD IN THE VEHICLE. CLOSED THE SLIDING DOOR AND ALL THE DOORS WERE IN THE LOCKED POSITION, LOCKING THE CHILD IN THE VEHICLE. DEALER ADMITTED TO THE CARAVANS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL HAS TAKEN MORE THAN A MONTH.

BRAKE ROTORS FAILED CAUSING VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING CONTROL.

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE RADIO PLAYING AND THE AIR CONDITIONER ON, AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE ENGINE JUST DIES OUT. BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS STILL WORKING. TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER TWICE, BUT THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, AND WILL NOT SWITCH INTO ANY GEAR. DEALER KNOWS PROBLEM, BUT DOES NOT HAVE A SOLUTION. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES. ONE TRANSMISSION BLEW AFTER HALF A DAY. CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK

HEAD LIGHTS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.

VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT NOTICE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, LEAVING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DISABLED

TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTOR FAILED AND CAUSED DAMAGE.

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS AND LOSES ALL POWER WHICH ALMOST CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENT. HAPPENED 7 TIMES. THE DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES, ABS BRAKES HESITATE/FAIL.

WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. *AK

FUSE BOX SHORTED OUT CAUSING VEHICLE FIRE.

TRANSAXLE SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR WITHOUT WARNING AND WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS TO WARN BIG TRUCK THAT WAS TRAVELING BEHIND VEHICLE.

TRANSMISSION GEARS FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE STALLING AND NOISE.

VEHICLE DRIFTS ON HILLS IF BRAKE IS RELEASED AND ENGINE REMAINS IDLING WITHOUT FOOT ON ACCELERATOR.

UNSPECIFIED.

VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED BACKWARDS, AND CONTINUED BACKARDS WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED UNTIL IT HIT A BUILDING.

FUEL LEAKS FROM UPPER RIGHT SIDE OF TANK WHEN FUEL TANK IS FULL.

BUCKET SEAT: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25MPH WHEN A TRUCK RAN A LIGHT AND HIT VAN ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, VEHICLE SWERVED AROUND IN THE STREET. THE IMPACT FROM THE ACCIDENT BENT THE BARS THAT THE BUCKET SEAT ATTATCHES TO ON THE FLOORBOARD. *AK

DOOR LOCKS ON SLIDING DOORS WORK INTERMITTENTLY.

VEHICLE MAKES LOUD GROANING NOISE WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED.