Dodge Grand Caravan Complaints (1998)

559 consumer complaints on file.

#10074898June 6, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ABOUT THREE OR FOUR TIMES A WEEK I WILL LOSE MY DASH GUAGES. THE LIGHTS AND UPPER DASH LIGHT WILL STILL WORK BUT GUAGES WON'T. AFTER NO SET AMOUNT OF TIME IT WILL POWER BACK UP AND DOORS WILL LOCK DOWN, SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL COME ON AND VAN WILL ACT LIKE IT JUST STARTED (GOES THROUGH INTIAL START UP SEQUENCE). SOMETIMES THE VAN WON'T START. KEY WILL BE TURNED AND VAN WILL START UP AND IMMEDIATELY STALL. THIS WILL HAPPEN THREE TIMES AND THEN DOESN'T ROLL OVER OR ANYTHING. LATELY VAN WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK ITSELF CONTINUALLY WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES UNLOCKING ITSELF AFTER ALARM HAS BEEN SET RISKING THE LOSS OF VALUABLES IN THE CAR WHILE WE ARE AWAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY AND WE TAKE IT INTO DEALER AND THE COMPUTERS AREN'T COMMUNICATING SO THEY REPLACE WIRES, ETC AND FIXES FOR A LITTLE WHILE BUT DOESN'T FIX THE STALLING PROBLEM, ETC. DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG AND SUGGESTED REPLACING ALL WIRING AT $2000 BUT NO GUARANTEE THIS IS CAUSING PROBLEM. WE HAVE ALREADY SPENT CLOSE TO $700 ON NEW STARTER, ETC. TO NO AVAIL. ON MESSAGE BOARD SOMEONE SUGGESTED WHEN IT DOESN'T START BEFORE IT COMPLETELY WON'T TURN OVER TO TURN THE KEY OVER AND HIT THE DASH AS HARD AS POSSIBLE AND IT WORKED....STARTED RIGHT UP. SUGGESTED THE CIRCUIT BOARD IS BAD. WHY CAN'T THE DEALER FIGURE THIS OUT. STILL COSTS $500 TO FIX. WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP PUTTING INTO VAN....WE JUST BOUGHT IT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO...BUT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW EITHER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075724June 4, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF THE FAN CONTINUES TO RUN. CONSUMER DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY SO IT WOULDN'T BURN OUT THE MOTOR. THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY DOES NOT TURN THE COOLING FAN OFF OR ON, WHICH IS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM DEALERSHIP HAS TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY, AND REPROGRAM THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE AS STATED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075570June 2, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
CONSUMER STATES FUEL RAIL IS LEAKING. AS A RESULT, FUEL FUMES SEEP THROUGH THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074411May 28, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT
THE DRIVER SIDE, UPPER METAL PORTION THAT HOLD THE SHOCK ABSORBER IS RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT THE METAL IS NOT HOLDING ANY MORE. THUS MAKING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10072947May 21, 2004
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. HORN FAILURE/SPEED CONTROL FAILURE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073834May 18, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WHILE USING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THE WIPER MOTOR FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE BLADES TO STOP MOVING. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073581May 13, 2004
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING RECALLED PART WAS ON A NATION WIDE BACK ORDER WHEN CONSUMER CALLED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. CONSUMER INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP THAT AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. DEALERSHIP REPLIED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC BECAUSE A NOISE DEVELOPED IN THE STEERING COLUMN. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT CLOCK SPRING WAS BAD, AND VEHICLE SHOULDN'T BE DRIVEN UNTIL CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED. MECHANIC CONTACTED A DEALERSHIP, WHO SENT HIM THE RECALLED PART. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073561May 12, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED TRANSMISSION WENT FROM SECOND GEAR TO NEUTRAL BEFORE GOING INTO THIRD GEAR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10061637May 11, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS, AIR BAGS
WHILE DRIVING CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE ALONG WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INFORMED CONSUMER THAT CLOCK SPRING CRACKED. *AK THE TENSIONER SEIZED. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10072322May 10, 2004
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
RE: RECALL # 02V293000: I HAVE A 1989 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. IT IS READILY EVIDENT TO ME THAT THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY HAS RECENTLY FAILED. AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON, HORN DOES NOT WORK, CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. THE LOCAL DEALER INFORMED ME THAT MY VAN WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL [XXX], WHICH IS PUZZLING. IF I AM IN A CRASH AND I OR MY FAMILY IS INJURED DUE TO SAFETY-RELATED FAILURES, I SUPPOSE DODGE COULD HAVE EASILY PREVENTED THE SAME AND DIMINISHED THEIR LIABILITY BY FIXING THIS PROBLEM UNDER THE RECALL. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET FOR SOMETHING THAT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. THE DEALER SAID HE WOULD FILE A COMPLAINT W/ DAIMLERCHRYSLER, BUT A RESPONSE COULD TAKE UP TO 2 WEEKS. WHAT IS MY FAMILY TO DO IF I AM IN A SAFETY-RELATED WRECK IN THE MEANTIME? *LA UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10067716April 23, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
MY 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN BEGAN SMELLING LIKE GAS INTERMITTENTLY IN 2002. WHEN THE SMELL REPEATED ITSELF OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL MONTHS, WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER FAILED TO FIND A LEAK OR REASON FOR THE SMELL. THE SMELL CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY AND IN 2004, WE TOOK THE CAR BACK AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED REPLACING THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK AT A COST TO US OF $572. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE LABOR COST WAS. THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF THE POOR DESIGN. THEY APPEAR TO HAVE REPLACED IT WITH A 2000 FUEL PUMP, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE PUMPS FOUND POOR IN AN INSURANCE CRASH TEST RATING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10066313April 16, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
WHILE ALLOWING VEHICLE TO IDLE IN PARK IN RESIDENTIAL GARAGE, DRIVER STEPPED INSIDE HOUSE AND WITHIN 30 SEC HEARD LOUD CRASH. UPON INVESTIGATION FOUND VEHICLES ENGINE IDLE AT 5500 RPMS AND HAD COLLIDED WITH WASHER/DRYER 4FT IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. *AK DAMAGE WAS TO THE W/D AND MINOR SCRATCHES WERE FOUND ON BUMPER. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WASHER WAS TOTAL LOSS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10067173April 14, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH PULLEY BELT FELL OFF. STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO STEER AND TURN. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED OR RESOLVED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10066896April 9, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THEN VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10064204March 30, 2004
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DIFFERENTIAL PIN CAME OUT, HIT TRANSMISSION HOUSING AND BROKE A HOLE IN IT. COSTING ME OVER $1700 TO REPAIR. TRANSMISSION SHOP COMMENTED THEY HAVE SEEN THIS IN CHRYSLER PRODUCTS OTHER TIMES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10063988March 27, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN TAKING TRANSMISSION IN FOR ROUTINE FLUID & FILTER CHANGE, SEVERAL FRAGMENTS OF METAL WERE FOUND IN THE PAN. SOME FROM GEAR TEETH, OTHERS FROM BEARINGS. TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE COMPLETLEY REMANUFACTURED, AND THE COST IS ASTONOMICAL. THIS IS MY SECOND (AND NOW MY LAST) CHYSLER MINIVAN. I HAD SIMILAR TROUBLE WITH AN OLDER MODEL, HOWEVER CHRYSLER HONORED THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH IT DID NOT LAST VERY LONG. THIS TIME HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT ONLY NASTY TO ME ON THE PHONE WHEN I CALLED, BUT THEIR RESPONSE WAS "WE WILL NEVER PAY FOR OR REPAIR THIS VEHICLE" WHICH I FIND ODD, CONSIDERING WHAT THEY WOULD DO IF THEY WERE FORCED TO RECALL IT FOR THIS PROBLEM. I'VE LOOKED INTO THIS, AND IT SEEMS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME TROUBLE WITH THESE VANS. NOW, I ASK CHRYSLER "FOR OVER 13 YEARS YOU'VE CONTINUED TO MANUFACTURE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS, HOW LONG WILL YOU CONTINUE TO BILK THE CUSTOMERS WHO HELPED MAKE YOU ONE OF THE BIGGEST AUTOMAKERS IN THE WORLD" YOU HAVE TURNED YOUR BACK ON THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL TO YOUR PRODUCT, DON'T BE SHOCKED WHEN WE RETURN THE FAVOR. WHEN THE FOREIGN AUTOMAKERS EVENTUALLY PUT YOU OUT OF BUSINESS, IT WILL BE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO INTENTION OF CORRECTING YOUR BIGGEST AND LONGEST LASTING MISTAKE IN THE HISTORY OF YOUR VEHICLES. I SUGGEST YOU CHARGE A LITTLE MORE FOR YOUR CARS, AND INVEST IN THE TRANSMISSION LONGEVITY. SAVING A FEW PENNIES PER VEHICLE TODAY, WILL COST YOU BILLIONS SOME DAY. I WAS HOPEFULL THAT DAIMLER WOULD COME IN AND STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. SHAME ON YOU DAIMLER FOR EMBARRASSING YOURSELVES WITH POOR QUALITY, AND FOR THE POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE YOU ALLLOW TO CONTINUE. YOUR PREVIOUS HISTORY WAS TO BE ADMIRED WITH YOUR MECEDES LINE OF VEHICLES. NOW YOU ARE SLOWLY BECOMING AN EMBARRASSMENT. I WAS EXPECTING BETTER FROM YOU, AND YOU LET US DOWN. IF IT IS YOUR INTENTION TO SLOWLY DISSOLVE CHRYSLER, THEN YOU ARE CERTAINLY ON THE RIGHT TRACK. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10063627March 22, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
THE STRUT TOWER FOR MY 1998 GRAND CARAVAN IS RUSTING THROUGH. AFTER SPEAKING WITH A MECHANIC, HE STATED IT IS A PROBLEM ON MOST OF THE CARAVANS. WE ALSO CAUTIONED ME THAT THE STRUT WILL CAUSE THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO BUCKLE. HE SAID IN ABOUT A YEAR THERE WILL BE MANY CRASHES CAUSED BY THIS FAILURE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10062658March 19, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I WAS DRIVING ON 95 IN VIRGINIA IN 1998 GRAND CARAVAN LE (80,000) , AND I HEARD A BANGING NOISE. IT SOUNDED AND FELT LIKE THE ENGINE WENT FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK OF THE CAR. THERE WAS A PUFF OF SMOKE IN BACK OF ME, AND THE CARS BEHIND ME BACKED OFF. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES DID NOT WORK. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT OF THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS A FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL US. WE CALLED THE STATE POLICE AND THEY PROCEEDED TO CALL AAA WHERE THEY TOWED US INTO WHITTEN DODGE. ALL OF THE FLUIDS HAD COME OUT OF THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP. SEEING AS WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO FLORIDA ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON OUR ONLY OPTION WAS TO BUY ANOTHER DODGE. WE PURCHASED A 2004 GRAND CARAVAN. I HAVE A DIARY OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS EVER BEEN DONE TO MY VAN. IT WAS VERY WELL KEPT. JOSH A MACHANIC WITH WHITTEN DODGE WENT OVER THE WHOLE CAR AND FOUND THE TRANSMISSION DIFFERENCIAL PIN (THAT HOLDS THE SPIDE GEARS) IN THE TRANSMISSION FELL OUT. THIS PIN ALONG WITH THE SPIDER GEARS TOTALED THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE. DUE TO THIS UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT WE GOT NOTHING FOR THE CAR. IN CLOSING, I WANT TO SAY THAT WE WERE SO LUCKY THAT WE WERE NOT SMEARED ON THE HIGHWAY. WE STRONGLY FEEL THAT MAJOR RESTITUTION IS DUE IN THIS SERIOUS SITUATION. NOW I HAVE A 04 GRAND CARAVAN, SHOULD I BE WARY OF THIS VAN? WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10063233March 15, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
DRIVER SIDE FRONT STRUT IS RUSTED. VEHICLE IS PULLING HARD TO THE LEFT, MAKING TURNS TO THE LEFT VERY DIFFICULT. ALSO, TURNS TO THE RIGHT ARE EQUALLY TOUGH. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10062280March 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE FAILURE OF SECOND ENGINE IN VEHICLE WITHIN 55,000 MILES. I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED THE REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE IN MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AT 37,000 MILES DUE TO A LIFTER FAILURE OCCASIONED BY WHAT WAS DESCRIBED BY THE REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER AS "SOFT METAL." A LONG BLOCK REPLACEMENT WAS INSTALLED AND NOW AT 55000 MILES I AM TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAS A "BAD LIFT" AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. THUS, I NOW HAVE HAD TWO ENGINES IN THE SAME CAR EACH OF WHICH HAS FAILED IN ABOUT THE SAME WAY. I HAVE A WARRANTY CLAIM PENDING BUT FEEL STRONGLY THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I ASSURE YOU THAT THE CAR WAS WELL CARED FOR AND THAT ALL REQUIRED SERVICE WAS MET OR EXCEEDED. I HAVE HAD MANY CARS NOT ONE OF WHICH HAD ENGINE FAILURE EVEN AFTER A HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND MILES AND CONSIDERABLY LESS METICULOUS CARE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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