Dodge Grand Caravan Complaints (1996)

1,157 consumer complaints on file.

#733330October 3, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT
THE TURN SIGNAL IS AN INTERMITTANT PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN WITH THE VAN SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. THEY JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN WON'T WORK. NO LIGHTS, NO FLASH, NO NOTHING. THEN FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON THEY DECIDE TO WORK. WE JUST BOUGHT A 2000 CHRYSLER SEBRING AND MY WIFE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. HER DEALER CAN'T SEEM TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE SEBRINGS TURN SIGNAL EITHER. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE ONLY BECAUSE, DURING A RAIN STORM I COULD NOT SIGNAL OTHER DRIVERS OF MY INTENT TO CHANGE LANES BEFORE I GOT TO MY EXIT. THIS WAS NOT A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE. AND YES, YOU GUESSED IT, THE NEXT DAY THEY WORKED FINE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#732761September 28, 2000
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHILE DRIVING IN THE PHOENIX AREA MAKING A NORMAL LEFT TURN AT A STREET INTERSECTION, SUDDENLY MY STEERING WHEEL JAMMED, SO THAT I WAS UNABLE TO STRAIGHTEN UP AT THE END OF THE TURN AND HAD TO BRAKE SHARPLY AND STOP, ELSE HIT CARS ON THE LEFT WAITING FOR THEIR LIGHT! IN THE FEW SECONDS OF THIS PROCESS I FELT A "CLICKING-GRINDING" OF WHAT SOUNDED LIKE BROKEN PLASTIC INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN HOUSING. HAD I BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, THE DEFECTIVE PART AND JAMMED STEERING WOULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES OR FATALITIES. INSPECTION SHOWED A BROKEN WHITE NYLON OR PLASTIC PIECE IN THE NAMED TURN-SIGNAL SWITCH MODULE, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE MODULE. PART.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#871746September 28, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, AIR BAGS
WHILE DRIVING SPEED CONTROL ACTIVATED WITHOUT MANUAL OPERATION. AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED, AND HEADLIGHTS COULD NOT BE MANUALLY TURNED OFF.PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#555112September 25, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
COMPLETE TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL AND TCM REPLACEMENT, VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#871397September 25, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
REAR CARRIER WELD BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR, AND TRANSMISSON DID NOT GO INTO GEAR. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#555076September 21, 2000
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
CONSUMER TOLD BY DEALER THAT RECALL 99V-216 OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE SEAL DOES NOT APPLY TO HIS PARTICULAR STYLE OF MINIVAN, HANDICAPPED CONVERSION CREATED DIFFERENT FUEL TANK SETUP. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900647September 19, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE PARKED IN CARPORT, CLAIM 03-3171-084. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870917September 19, 2000
STEERING:RACK AND PINION, STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THERE WAS A CLICKING AND POPPING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN. VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE THIRD TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM. FIRST TIME A NEW SPRING WAS PUT INSIDE STEERING COLUMN. SECOND TIME STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. FINALLY, RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870939September 19, 2000
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW OF DRIVER. DEALER HAS REPLACED MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, AND THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870236September 12, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
IDLE TENSION PULLEY BROKEN WHILE TRAVELING. TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731056September 11, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM INTO NEUTRAL ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. MULTIPLE INCIDENTS, DEALER CLAIMS IGNORANCE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#730733September 8, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
THE MOUNTING BOLT FOR THE SPRING TENSIONER OF THE SERPENTINE BELT SUDDENLY FAILED, RENDERING THE CAR INOPERABLE. LOOSE FAILED PARTS THEN DAMAGED AN AUXILIARY PULLEY IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT (POWER STEERING PUMP). INSPECTION OF FAILED BOLT SHOWS NO SIGN OF WEAR, CRACKS, WEAKENING, ETC. BOLT FAILURE WAS SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED, AND COMPLETE. I SUSPECT POOR QUALITY OF METAL IN BOLT'S COMPOSITION TO BE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY DEALER WITH COST COMING OUT OF MY POCKET DESPITE EVIDENCE OF FAULTY MATERIAL AND MY APPEAL FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO DEALER AND CHRYSLER REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE. REVIEWING CONSUMER COMPLAINTS LISTED ON NHTSA WEB SITE, I FIND NO LESS THAN A DOZEN IDENTICAL PROBLEMS DESCRIBED ON 1996 MODELS ALONE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES RESULTING FROM MY INCIDENT AND EFFECTS ON THE ENGINE AS A WHOLE REMAIN TO BE SEEN. FURTHERMORE, THE BOLT APPEARS TO BE MADE OF ALUMINUM (DESPITE ITS CRITICAL FUNCTION AND DELICATE LOCATION). I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE ME CONCERNING THIS SITUATION. HOPEFULLY, IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE MATERIAL, CHRYSLER WILL DO THE RIGHT THING BEFORE INJURIES/FATALITIES OCCUR AS A RESULT OF FAILURES OF THIS ENGINE COMPONENT. THE FAILED PART IS IN MY POSSESSION AND IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION/TESTING IF YOU WISH. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME AND THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE TO CONSUMERS. CHUCK TOLAND
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#869557September 5, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER 3-4 TIMES. ORIGINAL OWNER SHOWED THAT RECALLS WERE TAKEN CARE OF. CONSUMER HAS HAD OTHER DEALER TO VERIFY THAT WORK WAS DONE RIGHT. FUEL TANK LEAKED & HAD A ODOR THAT CAME FROM IT. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. A MECHANIC WAS GOING TO CHANGE PURGED CANISTER TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER BELIEVED THAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM. PREVIOUS OWNER COULD HAVE OVER FILLED THE TANK WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN THE REASON.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729840September 1, 2000
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT
I WAS CHANGING A FLAT TIRE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE JACK HAS BEEN USED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON, THE JACK TWISTED AND COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE LURCHED SLIGHTLY. THE SURFACE THE VEHICLE RESTED ON WAS PERFECTLY FLAT SO THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A STRESS DEFECT IN THE JACK. I HAD TO BORROW THE JACK FROM MY BUICK TO COMPLETE THE TIRE CHANGE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729920September 1, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
LIKE 1,000 OF OTHERS, OUR ENGINE CUTS OUT ANY ANY SPEED CAUSES LOSE OF STEERING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729924September 1, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
BELT TENSIONER BOLT SNAPPED OFF. THROWING OF BELT, BREAKING ANOTHER PULLY. HAPPENED TO MANY OTHER PEOPLE TOO. RECALL TIME DODGE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#868879August 28, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
SERPENTINE BELT SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE AT 554MPH, CAUSING ENGINE TO LOCK UP. DELAER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO THIS INCIDNET.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#868652August 25, 2000
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
PE96-008; AIRBAG LIGHT STARTED TO COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER WARD LOST HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION. AT THAT POINT, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT CAUSE WAS A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG CLOCK.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#868774August 25, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
REPORTING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING INTERMITTENTLY WHEN A/C OR DEFOGGER ARE USED. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER'S SHOP ON SIX OCCASIONS, AND DEALE R INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#868266August 22, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPED, CAUSING A LOSS OF BRAKES. THESE ARE THE SAME ROTORS THAT ARE ON THE JEEP THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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