Dodge Grand Caravan Complaints (2000)

443 consumer complaints on file.

• #10068007April 28, 2004
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

  I JUST PURCHASED MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN JULY 26,2003. IN MARCH OF 2004, I GOT INTO MY VAN, STARTED IT UP, AND WHEN I WENT TO BACK UP I HEARD A DING AND MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN WENT OFF. FROM THAT POINT ON, THE ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND WHEN IT DID, THE CONTROLS IN THE DASHBOARD WOULD STOP WORKING. I WOULD LOOSE MY ODOMETER, TACHOMETER, GAS GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, AND GEAR SELECT. I TOOK IT TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP, THEY HAD IT FOR 3 DAYS AND SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I THEN TOOK IT TO AN AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SERVICE SHOP, THEY HAVE HAD MY VAN FOR 3 WEEKS AND CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE SUPPOSEDLY CALLED DODGE AND DODGE IS NOT HELPING THEM. THEY RECOMMEND US TAKING IT BACK TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VAN AND NO ONE CAN FIND IT AND I CAN NOT DRIVE THE VAN SAFELY WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM BEING FIXED.

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10064560April 5, 2004
  SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

  I HAD THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE REPAIRED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME MY CAR HAD APPROX 40,000 MILES AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO THE WAY I DRIVE THE CAR. NOT MORE THAN 6 MONTHS LATER THE BRAKES STARTING VIBRATING AGAIN AND I TOOK IT BACK TO BURLINGTON DODGE - WERE THEY TOLD ME, ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS DUE TO THE WAY I DROVE THE CAR AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD EXCEPT REPLACE THEM AGAIN. MY MOST RECENT PROBLEM WAS THE AIR CONDITIONING TOTALLY MALFUNCTIONED. I SAW SMOKE COME OUT OF THE DASH AND WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR THEY TOLD ME THE ENTIRE SYSTEM HAD COMPLETELY FAILED AND I HAD TO PUT IN A NEW A/C. *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10064434April 2, 2004
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

  I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2002 WITH 15250 MILES. HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS ON 12/2002, 1/2003, 3/2003, 4/2003, 5/2003 - 6/2003, AGAIN 6/2003, 12/2003, 3/2004 MOTOR BLEW. VEHICLE HAS 45,000 MILES AND A BLOWN MOTOR. DODGE REFUSES TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THEY TELL ME ITS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND THEN FAILED TO ASK ME FOR MAINTENANCE RECORDS. THE SERVICE DEALERSHIP IS GATHERING MY SERVICE RECORDS TO PRESENT TO THE DISTRICT MANAGER TO TRY TO CHANGE HIS MIND. VEHICLE IS A LEMON BUT BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE, FAILS TO FALL UNDER THE LEMON LAW. DODGE WANTS ME TO PAY $5500 FOR A NEW MOTOR. DON'T THINK I SHOULD BASED ON THE VEHICLE HISTORY. PLEASE HELP!!! *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10064774March 24, 2004
  POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

  WHILE DRIVING, SUDDENLY THERE WAS A LOUD CLANGING NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION THEN THE VAN STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN BROKE IN HALF AND WENT THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION AND CREATED A HOLE . THE CAUSE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN BREAKING HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10062326March 16, 2004
  AIR BAGS, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

  MY WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON A 4 LANE ROAD AND WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MPH WHEN SHE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH ALMOST NO BRAKING INVOLVED. NEITHER THE DRIVE OR PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THIS WAS A MAJOR SELLING POINT WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE SINCE WE WOULD BE USING IT TO TRANSPORT OUR FAMILY. IF THESE DO NOT WORK THEN THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION SHOULD DO EVERYTHING TO THE BEST OF IT'S ABILITY TO ENSURE THAT ANYONE THAT BUYS THEIR PRODUCTS SHOULD GET WHAT THEY HAVE PAID FOR. *JB

  Crash:

  Yes

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  2

  Deaths:

  0

• #10060271March 3, 2004
  STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

  THERE HAS BEEN A LEAK INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FROM TOP OF HATCH OPENING. LEAK WAS HIDDEN BY PLASTIC COVERING AND NOT DETECTED UNTIL NOTICEABLE SMELL, POSSIBLE CAUSED BY MOLD. WATER IS ENTERING THROUGH A FAULTY WELD ON EACH SIDE OF THE UPPER HATCH OPENING. LEAK WAS ADDITIONALLY OBSCURED BECAUSE CARPET IS RUBBER BACKED. THE UNDERLYING PADDING WAS SOAKED FROM THE REAR UP TO THE MIDDLE ROW OF SEATS. THIS HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN ONGOING FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME, BUT WAS UNDETECTABLE DUE TO IT'S LOCATION. THE VAN IS 3 1/2 YEARS OLD BUT HAS ONLY 31,300 MILES. THE WELDS SHOULD NOT FAIL IN THIS SHORT TIME. THIS IS EITHER A DESIGN FLAW OR A MFG DEFECT. MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND NOT KNOW ABOUT IT. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE AREA WHERE THE WATER IS ENTERING. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC DATE OF INCIDENT, BUT I FIRST NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF WETNESS SOMETIME LAST YEAR. I THOUGHT IT HAD DRIPPED OFF THE OPEN HATCH. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES.*AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10061061March 1, 2004
  POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

  WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, BUT DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10058880February 24, 2004
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

  I RECENTLY PURCHASED MY VAN USED, AND HAVE HAD THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS WITH IT..THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOOKS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. I HAVE HAD MY CHILDS CARE SEAT COME UNBUCKLED FROM THE MIDDLE BENCH SEAT BEFORE. MY BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON WHEN THEY WANT TO AND STAY ON, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT YOU WILL GET UP AND FIND THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE COME ON FOR NO REASON. THE LASTEST PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU OPEN A DOOR ON THE VAN, THE OPEN DOOR LIGHT COMES ON AND MY LOW GAS LIGHT COMES ON AND MAKES ITS WARNING TONE AND MY FUEL GAUGE GOES TO EMPTY. WHEN YOU CLOSE THE DOOR AND THE WARNING LIGHTS GO OFF AND MY FUEL GAUGE RETURNS TO FULL.*AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10057968February 11, 2004
  POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

  WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10056625February 5, 2004
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

  I OWN A 2000 DODGE CARAVAN. I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE A FAULTY CLOCK SPRING. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED ON EARLIER MODELS AND WAS PREVIOUSLY UNDER LIFETIME WARRANTY. I HAVE 53,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND DO NOT FEEL THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10054873January 26, 2004
  POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

  AFTER 22800 MILES (FEB 7, 2002), THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID PACK FAILED (SLIGHT LEAKING), CAUSING A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON AND FORCING BAD SHIFTING. THE DEALER REPLACED THIS UNDER WARRANTY. AT 49,500 MILES (SEPTEMBER 8, 2003), THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE VAN WAS SHIFTING ROUGH AGAIN. SINCE THE MAIN WARRANTY HAD BEEN EXCEEDED AT 36K MILES AND THE PART FROM THE FIRST DEALER REPAIR WAS WARRANTED FOR 1 YEAR/12000 MILES, THE DEALER OFFERED NO RECOURSE. FOUND A GOOD (NON-DEALER) MECHANIC TO REPLACE IT FOR LESS (STILL COST $525...DEALER WANTED OVER $600). DEALER CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS UNUSUAL TO HAPPEN ONCE, LET ALONE TWICE, BUT STILL WOULDN'T HELP ME. *LA

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10054635January 22, 2004
  POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

  AT 41,000 MILES SUFFERED TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE W/ NO WARNING. VEH WOULD BUCK WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, AS WELL AS FORWARD GEARS. BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A FAILED DIFFERENTIAL, NEEDED TOTAL REPLACEMENT AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. (THIS VAN IS 10 DAYS/ 5000 MILES BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD). WE HAD A PREVIOUS PROBLEM OF TRANS FLUID LEAKAGE WHICH WAS REPAIRED APPROX A YEAR AGO, AND WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE RECCOMENDED SERVICE SCHEDULE. THIS TIME AROUND THE REPAIR TOTALED $1900.

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10070671January 15, 2004
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  AC FAILED COOLING. UNIT HAS LOST ITS FREON CHARGE. UNIT WAS RECHARDEG AND DYE INSTALLED TO LOCATE LEAK. LEAK WAS FOUNG IN FRONT EVAPORATOR. WAS ADVISED CORE LEAK, NOT A COPPER TO ALUM JOINT, BUT THROUGH ALUMINUM PART OF CORE. APPEARED TO BE DETERIORATED BY ACID. OTHER INVOLVES THREE FAILURES ON BATTERY ON THIS VEHICLE. THE ORIGINAL, A REPLACEMENT INSTALLED IN OCT 2001 AND THAT FAILED THIS JULY 2003.

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10053103January 13, 2004
  VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING

  WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT TURN OFF WHEN THE SWITCH IS TURNED OFF. THE WIPERS SWIPE AN ADDITIONAL 2 - 8 TIMES AFTER THEY ARE TURNED OFF, EVEN IF THE ENGINE IS OFF. THE DEALER TELLS ME THEY WILL NEVER FAIL TO COME ON, THEY ONLY FAIL TO GO OFF, AND THAT CHANGING THE SWITCH MAY NOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT ONE DAY THE SWITCH WILL NOT RESPOND WHEN THE WIPERS ARE NEEDED AND VISIBILITY WILL BE COMPROMISED. IT HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VAN.

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10052391January 5, 2004
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

  WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH SERPENTINE BROKE. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME SUCH AN OCCURANCE HAS HAPPENED WITH COMPONENTS RELATED TO THIS SYSTEM. EACH REPAIR AVERAGES 250-300 DOLLARS. THIS POSES A RISK TO US AS AS A FAMILY AS THE VEHICLE FAILS WITHOUT WARNING, IN A HIGHWAY THIS COULD PROVE DISASTROUS. *AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10052369January 4, 2004
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

  I LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT REGARDING 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THIS VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM OTHER OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT REGARDING THE HORN AND AIR BAG NOT FUNCTIONING DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRING HARNESS. CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED TO RECALL THIS COMPONENT OR ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE OTHER THAN SAYING IT SHOULD BE FIXED. MOST MINI-VAN OWNERS TRANSPORT FAMILIES IN THESE VEHICLES AND IT IS A SHAME THAT CHRYSLER WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *LA

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10052111December 30, 2003
  POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

  WHILE DRIVING THE GEAR SHIFTER SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER HAS SEVERAL WITNESSES TO THE PROBLEM BUT THE DEALER MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10051221December 29, 2003
  POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

  TRANSAXLE PIN SLIPPED OUT OF POSITION AND RIPPED TRANSMISSION CASE OPEN. TRANSMISION WAS DESTROYED. FLUID DRAINED OUT IN LOCAL DRIVEWAY. EALERSHIP SAYS WILL COST $3,100 TO $3,400 TO REPLACE TRANSMISION WITH, NOT A NEW ONE, BUT A CHRYSLER REBUILT TRANSMISION.*AK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 YEARS OLD ... 71,000 MILES ... WHEN TRANNY BUSTED. DEALERSHIP PREFORMED $150.00 POWERFLUSH TO TRANSMISION 1 1/2 YEARS AGO WITH SUPERIOR FLUID THAT WAS AVERT ANY PROBLEMS DUE TO ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FLUID NOT RECOMENDED BECAUSE OF NOT BEING GOOD ENOUGH. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AMY WHITFORD STOPPED VAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHEN SHE THOUGHT SHE HIT SOMETHING (THE NOISE OF THE TRANSMISION PIN BREAKING THROUGH THE CASE) AND GOT OUT IN TRAFFIC WALKING AROUND VEHICLE WITH 3 YOUNG CHILDREN INSIDE. SHE NOTICED FLUID ON GROUND AND PULLED INTO NEAREST DRIVEWAY, WHERE REMAINDER OF FLUID RAN OUT. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I AM OUTRAGE TO FIND THAT THOUSANDS OF THESE EXACT FALURES HAPPEN WITH THESE CHRYSLER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISIONS AND CONTINUE. THE CONSUMER PAYS THE $3,300 PRICE FOR THESE KNOWN DEFECTS AFTER THEY TEAR THE TRANSMISION APART. THESE FAILURES ARE DANGEROUS AND ONLY IGNORED BECAUSE IT WILL COST THE MANUFACTURER INSTEAD OF ME. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHRYSLER HAS MADE A BLUNDER HERE AND WANTS ME TO PAY FOR IT. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CAMERON R. WHITFORD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [email protected] PLEASE EMAIL WITH ANY ASSISTANCE. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HOW DO I GET CHRYSLER TO OWN UP TO THIS CUSTOMER NIGHTMARE. I WILL DO ANYTHING!

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10052068December 29, 2003
  SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

  DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKE PADS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, WHERE THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE PADS. *AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10051177December 27, 2003
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

  SERPENTINE BELT KEEPS SLIPPING OFF THE MAIN DRIVE.. HAVE HAD INTO THE SHOP 4TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM. DEALER SAID IT IS A MOISTURE/SNOW HITTING THE BELT OFF.*AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0