Dodge Grand Caravan Complaints (1997)

583 consumer complaints on file.

#725614July 18, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#552933July 10, 2000
AIR BAGS
CLOCK SPRING FAILED CAUSING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON.*ET.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#724578June 26, 2000
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#724134June 17, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#723712June 7, 2000
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#862180May 19, 2000
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#722351May 6, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#861214May 2, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#722037April 28, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#722024April 27, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
SERPERTINE BELT BROKE AS I WAS ROUNDING A CURVE AT 35 MPH. I GOT THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE AND SAFE STOP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#722026April 27, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#783705April 25, 2000
TIRES
LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE. ET
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#860777April 24, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE TRAVELING 40-45 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#721033April 5, 2000
STEERING:LINKAGES
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#720984April 4, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#859449March 30, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AT ANY RATE OF SPEED , EITHER APPROACHING A STOP OR WHILE VEHICLE IS MOTION. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#720618March 26, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900660March 9, 2000
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719469February 29, 2000
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#718703February 13, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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