Dodge · Model Report
Showing safety data for the 1997 model year only.
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN WOUND INCORRECTLY DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS BUILT WITH 3.3L AND 3.8L ENGINES HAVE FUEL RAILS WITH NITROLE RUBBER O-RING SEALS THAT CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME. FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE UNDERHOOD FUEL INJECTION FUEL RAIL COULD RESULT, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A VEHICLE FIRE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS. THE SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINT ON THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT CAN BECOME DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT WHEN THE SAFETY BELT LATCH PLATE BECOMES CONTAMINATED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH P215/65R15 GOODYEAR CONQUEST TIRES MOUNTED ON STEEL WHEEL. THE TIRES CAN EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN AIR PRESSURE LOSS WITHOUT WARNING.
THE MASTER CYLINDER REAR SEAL, BETWEEN THE HYDRAULIC FLUID AND THE VACUUM RESERVOIR, MAY NOT SEAL ADEQUATELY ALLOWING HYDRAULIC FLUID TO BE DRAWN INTO THE POWER ASSIST VACUUM RESERVOIR.
MY VAN WAS PARKED OUT SIDE LUCKYS ON MITALDA NEAR W MAUDE AVENUE IN SUNNYVALE CA 94086 I WAS USING THE WATER REFILLING STATION AND STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE WHEN I TURNED AROUND I IMIDEATLLY NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TAILLIGHT WAS ON FIRE. NOT HAVING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER I TOOK THE BOTTLE OF WATER I HAD IN MY HANDS AND STARTED TO THROW WATER ON IT UNTIL THE FLAMES WENT OUT. WHAT IN THE HELL WOULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN? IS MY VAN UP FOR RECALL? I JUST PURCHASED THE VAN JUST A WEEK AGO. IT HAS BEEN A NIGHT MARE FOR ME NOT TO MENTION EXTREMELY COSTLY REPLACING EVERYTHING'S THAT'S BEEN GOING OUT. THE A/C CLUSTER THE DASH CLUSTER THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR. THE REAR VENT MOTOR. COUNTLESS BULBS AND FUSES.
CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60MPH; ENGINE REMAINED ON. I PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE CAR, AND IT STARTED BACK UP AGAIN AND DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT 2 MILES. 'SERVICE ENGINE SOON' LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN IT LOST POWER AGAIN, I SLOWED AND THEN TRIED TO REACCELERATE, AND IT DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT 5 MILES, ENOUGH TO GET ME OFF THE FREEWAY AND TO A SAFE LOCATION. I CHECKED THE OIL AND TRANSMISSION LEVELS, WHICH WERE OK, AND THERE WAS NOTHING LEAKING UNDER THE CAR. WENT TO AN APPOINTMENT, AND CAME BACK TO THE CAR, WHICH STARTED UP AND DROVE OK FOR ABOUT A HALF MILE, THEN IT SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THIS TIME IT WOULDN'T START BACK UP AGAIN, SO I PUSHED IT ONTO A SIDE STREET, WHERE IT STARTED UP FINE AND DROVE TO THE NEAREST GAS/REPAIR STATION. NOW, THE VAN WON'T START AGAIN. VAN WAS PROCEEDING STRAIGHT IN ALL SITUATIONS.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHILE DRIVING IN SNOW CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING ON SLIPPERY ROAD SURFACES. LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND ABILITY TO REGAIN VEHICLE CONTROL WAS COMPROMISED BY LACK OF STEERING ASSIST CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LEAVE THE ROADWAY. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE.THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS A SCHOOL BUS WAS NEAR MY VEHICLE WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND A RECALL SHOULD BE MANDATED. *TR
PART 2 I'VE READ ON HERE THAT GATES HAS A BELT/PULLEY FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. IF THEY HAVE ONE, CHRYSLER CAN MAKE ONE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT CAN HAPPEN ANY TIME TO MANY DODGE VANS, IT RESULTS IN OTHER DAMAGES, SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL, POSSIBLE INJURY EVEN DEATH TO MANY PEOPLE AT ONE TIME. MANY OTHER VEHICLES HAVE SERPENTINE BELTS WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM SO IT CAN BE FIXED. IT'S A REPEATED DESIGN FLAW & SHOULD BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. A NTSB RULE GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS "A COMPANY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY FORESEEABLE PROBLEMS IN THEIR PRODUCT" THE SAME GOES FOR THE BRAKE LINES CORRODING ENOUGH FOR FAILURE TO OCCUR IN JUST A FEW YEARS, THIS IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS A $29,850 VEHICLE NOT A $2,000 1967 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, MY BEETLE HAS THE ORIGINAL BREAK LINES. AND IN GOOD SHAPE. ALL BREAK LINES ARE TO BE STAINLESS STEEL TO RESIST RUST AND CORROSION. THIS IS PURELY LACK OF QUALITY IN MATERIALS USED TO MAKE THESE LINES AND THE COMPANY ALSO SHOULD BE MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BY WARNING ALL OWNERS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND REPLACING ALL DEFECTABLE LINES WITH GOOD QUALITY LINES.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
PART 1 1/2 THE GAS LINE DECAYING AND THE SUSPENSION STRUT MOUNTS RUSTING AWAY, BOTH OF THESE ARE DEADLY, A RUSTY/CORRODED BREAK LINE WILL JUST LEAK A DROP AT THE TIME, MOST PEOPLE JUST REFILL THE FLUID RESERVOIR AND NEVER THINK ABOUT AGAIN, EVENTUALLY THE BREAK LINE FAILS ALL AT ONCE, THIS IS BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY PUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE LINES THAN USUAL AND THE WEAK SPOT RUPTURES LIKE A WEAK SPOT IN A BALLOON WOULD. THAT MEANS THAT YOU WERE IN A BAD SITUATION ALREADY AND NOW YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BREAKING POWER AT ALL. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS NEXT??? ALL BREAK LINES ARE STAINLESS STEAL SO AS TO RESIST RUST AND CORROSION, THE ONLY REASON A BREAK LINE FAILS IN THIS LITTLE AMOUNT OF TIME IS BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURE IS PRODUCING AN INFERIOR PRODUCT AND SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NOW,, THE STRUT MOUNTS, AS SOON AS THE COMPANY FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE MOUNTS RUSTING THEY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE VEHICLES AND SPRAYED $10 WORTH OF UNDERCOATING OVER THE PARTS AFTER REMOVING THE RUST TO STOP ANY MORE RUST FROM FORMING. IF THE STRUT MOUNT IS RUSTED ENOUGH, IT CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME "USUALLY WHEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND YOU HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD,, THAT SENDS AN EXTRA AMOUNT OF FORCE TO THE SUSPENSION. THE STRUT COMES UP THROUGH THE HOOD AND THE WHEEL MAY GO ANY WAY AND HIT ANY PART OF THE WHEEL WELL AND SUSPENSION THE AXLE MAY COME OUT OF THE WHEEL OR TRANSMISSION , ALL OF THAT MEANS YOU MAY HAVE TOTAL LOSE OF BREAKS AND OR STEERING. ALL 3 OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD HAVE EASILY AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED WHEN FIRST REALIZED MANY YEARS AGO, INSTEAD THEY KEPT RIGHT ON MANUFACTURING VEHICLES THE SAME WAY WITH THE SAME IMPERFECTIONS AND IF YOU GO TO A DEALER TODAY WITH EITHER OF THESE PROBLEMS THEY WILL SAY IT IS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE HERD OF IT, IT OUT OF WARRANTY, ETC. AND WILL NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT FIXING IT UNLESS WE PAY
No injuries · No fire · No crash