Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
MAJOR PROBLEMS FOLLOWED MONTHS AFTER ENGINE REPLACED. WHILE TRAVELLING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS, SUDDENLY ENGINE SPUTTERS, LOSES POWER, STALLS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TOO FREQUENTLY - ON DANGEROUS HIGHWAYS - RT. 1 IN FLORIDA KEYS, RTS. 20 AND 26 IN NC AND SC. ALSO OCCURRED IN VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS IN ASHEVILLE, NC AND MYRTLE BEACH, SC.
TRANSMISSION IS LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WOULD NOT EVEN ROLL WHEN PLACED INTO NEUTRAL. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THE TRANSMISSION DIFFERENTIAL CAME APART CAUSING THE TRANY TO BECOME LOCKED UP. TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T MOVE IN ANY GEAR AND IT WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED UP AN PUT INTO A GEAR. REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUSHED THE COOLER. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED WITH A 3 SPEED TRANSMISSION THERE IS NO TRANSMISSION COMPUTER TO RUN DIAGNOSTICS ON IT - THIS WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE. COST TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION WITH A FACTORY REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION $1600.54. AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THE EVAPORATOR HAD CORRODED AND COST TO REPLACE APPROX. $740.00. HAVE NOT REPLACED THE EVAPORATOR YET (GOING INTO COOLER WEATHER).
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (#24-06-97) INDICATES CONNECTOR 'CORROSION' PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSES FRONT HVAC BLOWER(FAN) TO NOT OPERATE ON SOME OR ALL SPEEDS EXCEPT 'HIGH'. WHILE REPLACING RESISTOR AND CONNECTOR (PER THE BULLETIN) I FOUND THEY WERE NOT ONLY RUSTED TOGETHER, BUT THE CONNECTOR WAS MELTED AT ONE OF THE CONTACTS (FROM THE RESISTANCE CAUSED BY THE RUST) INDICATING A HIGH POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE OCCURRING FROM THIS COMMON PROBLEM. I HAD TO WORK VERY HARD TO PRY THE CONNECTOR FROM THE RESISTOR SO I IMAGINE MOST TIMES THIS PROBLEM IS SERVICED THE CONNECTOR IS JUST CUT FROM THE WIRING HARNESS AND DISCARDED WITH THE RESISTOR STILL CONNECTED SINCE BOTH ARE TO BE REPLACED ANYWAYS. THIS COULD CAUSE THE POSSIBLE MELTING OF THE CONNECTOR NOT TO BE NOTICED OR REPORTED IN MANY CASES. 'UNDERHOOD' MAY BE MISLEADING IN THIS CASE ALSO, AS THE RESISTOR IS MOUNTED THROUGH THE FIREWALL INTO THE VEHICLE AND IT'S VENTILATION SYSTEM !
CONSUMER WAS AT A GAS STATION WHEN VEHICLE STARTED SMELLING, WIRES MELTED, BATTERY WAS SITTING ON TWO WIRES OF WIRING HARNESS AND CAUSED WIRES TO SHORT OUT, CLAIM 13-7061-575. *SLC
INADEQUATE FORWARD VISIBILTY, RESULTED IN REAR END COLLISION AT NIGHT ON HIGHWAY IN FLORIDA.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER BOLT SHEERED OFF AT MOUNT. METAL WAS STRESSED CAUSING BOLT TO BREAK OFF. ASSUME DEFECTIVE BOLT (HAVE ASSEMBLY FOR FURTHER EXANINATION IF NEEDED).POWER STEERING, AIR CONDITIONING, ENGINE WATER PUMP ETC ETC CEASED TO FUNCTION BECAUSE BELT CAME OFF ALL POWER ACCESSORIES. ENGINE OVERHEATED AND MAY HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENGINE. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS FAR AS VEHICLE CONTROL ETC. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THIS ITEM HAS BEEN CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR SOME TIME. HE HAS REPLACED MANY OF THESE ITEMS ON DODGE CARAVANS. REQUEST THAT A RECALL BE CONSIDERED IN THIS SITUATION. THANKS
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON ATLEAST 3 TIMES IN THE DISTANCE OF 1 MILE. PROBLEM HAS EXISITED SINCE 1999 BUT HAS GOTTEN STEADILY WORSE. SEEMS TO BE SENSITIVE TO VIBRATION ON THE TURN SIGNAL. PROBLEM HAS OCCURED WITH VEHICLE IDLING IN DRIVEWAY. *AK
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP AND NOT MORE THAN TEN SECONDS LATER I LOST ALL POWER STEERING. I BARELY MANAGED TO STEER MY VAN INTO A PARKING LOT ON MY RIGHT. OURISMAN DODGE DEALERSHIP IN VIRGINIA STATES THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER WAS BROKEN AND SERPENTINE BELT BORKEN. ALSO FOUND POWER STEERING PUMP PULLY BROKEN. THEY REMOVED POWER STEERING PUMP AND REPLACED THE PULLY. INSTALLED NEW SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER. THANK YOU.
OEM PART WORN WHILE IN CONTACT WITH COMPRESSOR; CREATING LEAK OF REFRIGERANT. COST OF PART 75$ PLUS NEW REFRIGERANT AND LABOR (ROUGHLY 300$). REPLACEMENT PART FROM OEM MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN REDESIGNED TO PREVENT RUBBING AGAINST COMPRESSOR. DODGE (DAIMLER-CHRYSLER) HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM (AS EVIDENCED BY THE REDESIGNED PART), BUT HAS NOT PUBLISHED ANY TECHNICAL BULLETINS OR GENERAL RECALLS FOR THIS PART. THE FAILURE OF THIS PART IS A GUARANTEED LOSS OF AIR CONDITIONING REFRIGERANT (R-134 ON NEWER MODELS, R-12 ON THE OLDER MODELS). THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR FOR MOST DRIVERS, AND IS EASILY RECTIFIED WITH THE REDESIGNED PART, WITHOUT LOSS OF ENVIRONMENTALLY DAMAGING REFRIGERANTS. OBVIOUSLY, I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR COST OF THE REPAIRS I PAID OUT OF POCKET, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE IF THIS WAS ADDRESSED FOR MILLIONS OF CHRYSLER/DODGE/PLYMOUTH MINI-VAN OWNERS. SINCERELY, MICHAEL M. MILLAR
PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKE ROTORS. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED BRAKES THEY WOULD GRIND. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ROTORS. *AK
MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND WHILE STOPPED. THREE SEATS TWISTED FROM THE FORCE. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK(MY SEAT) SNAPPED BACKWARDS CAUSING MY 5 YR. OLD DAUGHTER (WHO WAS SITTING BEHIND ME) TO STRIKE HER FACE, HEAD AND JAW CAUSING INJURY. THE SEAT IS A POWER SEAT AND ALLTHOUGH IT SNAPPED BACKWARDS AND BENT, IT COULD STILL BE OPERATED TO MOVE IT BACK UP INTO DRIVING POSITION. MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE SUFFERED A FATAL HEAD INJURY FROM THE IMPACT BECAUSE OF THE FRONT SEAT BACK FAILURE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER.
FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN TWO MONTHS. VEHICLE IS UNDRIVEABLE DUE TO OVERHEATING. THIS STRANDED FAMILY WITH SMALL CHILDREN BOTH TIMES. *AK
1)CLOCK SPRING ASSY. FAILED DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT. IT CAUSES AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON DISABLING AIR BAG, CRUISE AND HORN ALSO WONT WORK. I HAVE A DIGITAL PICTURE OF THE FAILED PART IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT. 2) BELT TENSIONER JUST BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC CAUSING NO POWRER STEERING AND VERY LITTLE BRAKES. APPEARED THE STUD THAT GOES THROUGH IT SNAPPED INTO. *AK
THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NLM
AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I HAVE DETERMINED THAT THIS IS A HIGHLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE CARAVANS. WHEN THE CLOCK SPRING FAILS, THE AIRBAGS ARE PREVENTED FROM DEPLOYING IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. IF CHRYSLER HAS INTENTIONALLY INSTALLED A FAULTY SAFETY DEVICE INTO THEIR VEHICLES, THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING IT, NOT THE CONSUMER. A CRITICAL SAFETY PART SHOULD NOT FAIL SO EARLY IN THE LIFE OF AN AUTOMOBILE. *AK
WHEN WE TOWED OUR VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY LOOKED AT IT FOR TWO DAYS AND REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR VEHICLE. WE URGED THEM TO INVESTIGATE A BIT FUTHER. TWO DAYS LATER THEY FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID TO BE CONTAMINATED AND PUMP FAILURE. COST $1200, AND THAT TOO TO REBUILD THE TRANS, NOT NEW ONE. I CHECKED ON THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER WEB SITE ABOUT THE PROCEDURE IN SUCH A CASE, AND TRIED TO FOLLOW ALL THE STEPS THEY HAVE DESCRIBED THERE. IT TOOK ME MORE THAN THREE WEEKS TO CONTACT THE DISTRICT MANAGER; THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME HIS DIRECT NUMBER. IN ALL, MY VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR MORE THAN 6 WEEKS. WENT BACK AND FORTH WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER; I ENDED UP PAYING $600 BECAUSE I NEEDED THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE SUMMER WAS OVER. I HAVE NOT SETTLED IN ANY WAY. I RECEIVED EXTERMELY POOR SERVICE FROM THE DEALER, AND THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO OUR 97 GRAND CARAVAN SE, 3.3L V6, 45,000 MILES DIED AT AN INTERSECTION AND WOULD NOT RESTART. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER THAT SUNDAY EVENING. ON TUESDAY I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET ($700) AS TWO ADJACENT CLYINDERS WERE LOW ON PRESSURE. LATER THAT WEEK I WAS TOLD THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS OK BUT THE CAMSHAFT WAS BROKEN ($1400). ON THURSDAY I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS WERE DAMAGED AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO EITHER PURCHASE A REBUILT SHORTBLOCK OR LONGBLOCK ($3,300/$3,800). I WENT TO THE DEALER TO VIEW MY ENGINE (NOW DISASSEMBLED ON A BENCH) AND THE CAMSHAFT WAS IN TWO PIECES. A CLEAN BREAK WITH NO BLUE COLOR ON EITHER THE CAMSHAFT NOR THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT CAMSHAFT BEARINGS WERE ONLY SERVICED BY USING THE SHORTBOCK (I.E., THEY WANTED TO SELL ME THE WHOLE WORKS. FROM A HAYES MANUAL I PURCHASED I DISCOVERED THAT YOU COULD INDEED REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS (SEEMS LOGICAL AS CHRYSLER DOES REBUILD ENGINES FOR RESALE). HOWEVER I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER DID NOT DO THIS. I ASKED THEM TO FIND AN AUTOMOTIVE MACHINE SHOP THAT WOULD DO THIS. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH NO CALL BACKS I FOUND A COUPLE OF MACHINE SHOPS THAT WOULD DO THE JOB FOR $35-$150. WHEN I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER THIS INFORMATION HE SAID THEY COULD GET THE CAMSHAFT BUT NOT THE BEARINGS. THE SERVICE MANAGER ASKED ME IF THE MACHINE SHOP COULD GET THE BEARINGS. THEIR BOOK SHOWED CAMSHAFT BEARINGS FOR MINI VANS UP TO 92 ONLY. THEY PROBED
WILL INTERMITTENTLY OPERATE WHEN IN "OFF" POSITION DURING DRIVING AND BRAKING CONDITIONS. FIRST NOTICED WHEN VEHICLE WAS ABOUT 2-3 MONTHS OLD. FREQUENCY IS INCREASING.*AK
CLOCK SPRING FAILED CAUSING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON.*ET.
WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT, CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT, CLAIM 25-5411-610. *SLC
PART 4612894AC TENSIONER CAUSED THE FAILURE OF PART 4861322 BELT-DRV WITH A/C. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, 10/98, RESULTED IN THE CAR COMING TO A DEAD HALT. HAD THIS OCCURRED A FEW MINUTES EARLIER, WHILE ON THE TOLLWAY, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TO WRITE ABOUT THIS. SINCE THEN, THE BATTERY FAILED 1/10/2000 (POSSIBLY RELATED) AND THE TENSIONER/BELT FAILED SOON AFTER, RESULTING IN WATER PUMP FAILURE. THE TENSIONER, BELT AND PUMP WERE REPLACED. A COWORKER ADVISED ME THAT HIS TENSIONER HAS FAILED 4 TIMES - APPROX. EVERY 15,000 MILES. MY OCCURENCES HAVE HAPPENED WITHIN SIMILAR TIMESPANS. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE, AS I DREAD THE FAILURE OF THE TENSIONER WHILE ON MY DAILY COMMUTE TO WORK AT EXPRESSWAY SPEEDS. A SUDDEN STOP WITH THE FAILURE OF THE BELT IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS.
WHILE TRAVELING UP THE INTERSTATE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN TRANSMISION SLIPPAGE,AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON.AFTER MANUEVERING TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD I CHECKED THE TRANSMISION FLUID LEVEL WHICH WAS GOOD AND ALSO CHECKED THE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE(MIL CODE 45).TRIED TO START OFF AND THE TRANSISSION SLIPPED VERY BAD BUT FINALLY STAYED IN SECOND GEAR ALLOWING ME TO RETURN HOME.I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE,THERE HAVE BEEN MANY DODGE CARAVAN OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I AM CURRENTLY TRYING TO SEE IF THIS IS A CURRENT RECALL ISSUE OR IF THERE ARE ANY PARTICULAR STEPS THAT I COULD TAKE TO TRY TO HELP IT BECOME A RECALL ISSUE. *AK
FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ACTIVATED WITH ALMOST EVERY LEFT TURN WHERE THE INDICATOR IS USED TO SIGNAL THE TURN. IN MOST CASES, THE WIPERS HAVE TO BE TURNED ON AND OFF BEFORE THEY WILL STOP. SITUATION IS DETERIORATING WITH TIME. *AK
REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. IT WON'T GIVE ANY SLACK, IT GETS TIGHTER AND TIGHTER. IF CONSUMER HAD TO GET OUT IN AN EMERGENCY IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET SEAT BELT UNLOOSENED. *AK
TRANSMISSION WENT INTO LIMP MODE AT 45 MPH AND THE THIRD GEAR WENT OUT. HAVE HAD NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. HAVE CONTACTED BOTH THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURE AND THEY HAVE SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP WITH PAYING FOR THE REPAIR. THEY SITE THE VAN IS PASS THE WARRANTY.*AK
ENGINE COOLING FAN FAILED TO OPERATE WHILE TRAVELING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACEMENTS/REPAIRS DONE AT CONSUMER'S COST. RECALL FOR THE 96 MODEL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK *ML
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
SERPERTINE BELT BROKE AS I WAS ROUNDING A CURVE AT 35 MPH. I GOT THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE AND SAFE STOP. *AK
I WAS PROCEEDING TO TAKE OFF AFTER THE LIGHT CHANGED GREEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I MANAGED TO GET VEHICLE OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY AND TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO REVERSE, BUT NOT FORWARD. I CALLED THE WRECKER SERVICE TO TOW IT TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. UPON COMPLETE INSPECTION BY OUR INSURANCE CO AND DEALER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A MANUFACTURED PART HAD BROKEN OFF INTO SHAVED BITS AND FELL INTO THE TRANSMISSION PAN. THEREFORE A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. *AK
LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE. ET
WHILE TRAVELING 40-45 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ON MARCH 29, WHILE TRAVELING AT A LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT, THE TIE ROD SIMPLY FELL AWAY FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL. AS IT WAS UNDER A SERVICE CONTRACT, WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WHERE THEY RE-ATTACHED IT. STILL CONCERNED, WE RETURNED THE VAN ON MARCH 30 FOR A THOROUGH INSPECTION. THEY ASSURED US IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. LESS THAN 100 MILES LATER, ON APRIL 4, THE TIE ROD DISENGAGED A SECOND TIME. FORTUNATELY WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING. THE VAN IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER'S SHOP. THEIR COMMENT WAS THAT IT WAS INCONCEIVABLE THAT THE TIE ROD WOULD SIMPLY BECOME DISENGAGED, AND THEY CLAIM TO BE FLABBERGASTED THAT SUCH A THING SHOULD HAPPEN TWICE. IT'S FRIGHTENING TO THINK THAT WE'VE DODGED TWO BULLETS. *AK
HAD SHIFTED TO REVERSE PRIOR TO BACKING AND HEARD A CLUNK. SHUT OFF ENGINE. LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE AND SAW THE SERPENTINE BELT HANG DOWN. LOOKED UNDER HOOD AND SAW THE BELT TENSIONER HAD SNAPPED OFF AND HAD DROPPED DOWN TO THE RIGHT AXLE. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 3.3L ENGINE. WAS THANKFUL THAT IT DID NOT HAPPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK
VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AT ANY RATE OF SPEED , EITHER APPROACHING A STOP OR WHILE VEHICLE IS MOTION. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK
THE TENSIONER FOR THE SERPENTINE BELT BROKE OFF WHILE THE CAR WAS WAITING TO ENTER AN INTERSECTION--THE CAR WAS DISABLED. I HAVE TALKED W/3 PEOPLE SINCE WHO REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. INCLUDING REPETITIVE BROKEN BELTS. I SEE A TREND BUT DODGE WON'T COVER IN THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE, PULLED OVER AND SMOKE AND FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM THE HOOD, FIRE ORIGINATED FROM A LEAKY POWER STEERING LINE AT THE REAR OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP, CLAIM 05-4462-943. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING, THE OPERATOR EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ASSISTED STEERING. MINI-VAN BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. A VERY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. LUCKILY NOT A CONGESTED TRAFFIC AREA AT THE TIME OR CURVY ROAD OR SNOWY ROAD. THIS IS UNUSUAL SINCE MY VEHICLES ARE ROUTINELY WELL CARED FOR. I HAVE 2 OTHER VEHICLES TOGETHER TOTALING NEARLY 400,000 MILES ON ORIGINAL ENGINES. CURRENT DIAGNOSIS (VEHICLE STILL IN SHOP), TOTAL POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY FAILURE (APPX. $800). *AK
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR UNDER LOAD CONDITIONS GOING UPHILL. WHEN WEATHER IS HOT, THE DRIVETRAIN AND ENGINE OVERHEAT, CAN NOT MAINTAIN SPEED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTIN SPEED OF GREATER THAN 45 GOING UPHILL. WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO A HIGHWAY GOING UPHILL WITH THE SPEED LIMIT 45 OR MORE, YOU CAN NOT ACCELERATE TO THE SPEED WITHOUT THE ENGINE RACING AT OVER 6,000 RPM AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR WHILE IT IS IN A LOAD SITUATION. DAIMLERCHRYSLER HAS STATING IN WRITING THAT IT IS A DESIGN FUALT ISSUE AND THEY HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF RESOLVING THE BAD DESIGN. THIS CONDITION HAS CAUSE NUMEROUS CLOSE CALLS CONCERNING ACCIDENTS. *AK
HEADREST HAS DESIGN FLAW, HEADREST COLLAPSES WHEN PRESSING HEAD BACKWARDS. YH
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATE WITHOUT USE OF SWITCH @ ANY CONDITION. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THIS IS THE 2ND FIRE FOR THIS VEHICLE, CLAIM 16-N100-392. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, AS I WAS TRYING TO EXECUTE A LEFT HAND TURN THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY HARD AND I HAND TO FORCEFULLY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL.RIGHT AFTER THAT INCIDENT I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS DIFFICULT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AND ALSO WHILE IT WAS IDILING. I CALLED CHRYLER CUTOMER SERVICE TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME I WAS ON MY OWN DO THE THE VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARANTY. I HAD RESEARCHED AND FOUND OUT THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY CUSTOMER WHO HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE STEERING,AND THAT THERE WERE MANY INSTANCES OF RACK AND PINIONS FAILING AND BEING REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THESE PARTICULAR VEHICLES ARE ALSO PRONE TO A VARIETY OF STEERING RELATED PROBLEMS WHICH ARE COMMON KNOWLEDGE AND THERE ARE A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED IN REGARDS TO THESE PROBLEMS. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND THEY ALL GAVE THE SAME DIAGNOSIS AND ALL WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THAT A FAIRLY NEW CAR WOULD HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM SO YOUNG IN ITS LIFE.WHEN I ASKED HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO FIX THEY ALL WERE SAYING $700-800 DOLLARS AND, ALL OF THEM WERE HAVING A HARD TIME FROM CHRYSLER GETTING A NEW RACK AND PINION AS I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A NATIONAL BACKLOG ORDER ON THIS PARTICULAR PART. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
DEFROST MAKING LOUD NOISE, AFTER HAVING CAR 5HRS DEALER CALLED TO REPORT NO PROBLEM. ADVISED TO TURN FAN ON. *AK
STARTED SMELLING AN ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS. CONTACTED DEALER ,THEY DEODORIZED IT, STILL CONTINUED TO SMELL THE ODOR. THEN THEY REPLACED THE EVAPORATOR ASSEMBLY. THEY FOUND MILDEW GROWING ON THE EVAPORATOR. *AK
NO SUMMARY
EMERGENCY BRAKE UNEXPECTEDLY RELEASES / WINDSHIELD WIPERS UNEXPECTEDLY CYCLE ONCE
THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO HANG IN SECOND GEAR.
WHEN DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES AT ANY SPEED, THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT. DEALER RECENTLY REPLACED BELT TENSIONER, BUT THIS DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. *AK
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan → · Every Grand Caravan year → · How the figures are calculated →