Dodge Grand Caravan Complaints (1998)

559 consumer complaints on file.

#10246825October 27, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
RANDOMLY WILL START UP AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN. AFTER 3 TIMES, WILL NOT START. HAVE HAD IT TAKEN TO 4 DIFFERENT MECHANICS OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS. 2 WERE DODGE DEALERSHIPS. ONE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE STARTER FOR $440. THE NEXT DEALERSHIP (I WAS OUT OF TOWN FOR CHRISTMAS, SO COULDN'T RETURN TO FIRST DEALERSHIP) REPLACED THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE FOR $800. STILL HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM. THE MESSAGE BOARD IS FULL OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND DEALERS REPLACING THE SAME PARTS THAT I HAVE HAD REPLACED AND STILL NOT GETTING FIXED. IF I CAN LOOK ON THE INTERNET AND SEE WHAT IS WRONG, WHY CAN'T A MECHANIC? I WILL HAVE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER CHANGED NEXT AND IT BETTER BE NO CHARGE!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10241209September 6, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I OWN A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF DURING MY EVACUATION FROM HURRICANE GUSTAV IT HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BRIDGE AT NIGHT IS THE 6TH TIME THAT THIS OCCUR I JUST HAD THIS REPLACE HOW COME THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL TO SOLVE THIS BEFORE SOMEONE DIE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240232August 29, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN THAT HAS SOME ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT CAN'T SEEM TO BE FIXED. THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS TURN OFF AND THE VEHICLE WON'T START AND STAY RUNNING. IT USED TO COME RIGHT BACK ON AFTER TAPPING THE CENTER OF THE DASH, BUT THAT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE. IT EVEN HAPPENS NOW WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. MY LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT, AND AFTER SPENDING A CHUNK OF MONEY TRYING TO GET IT FIXED MANY DIFFERENT TIMES, SO MY WIFE AND CHILDREN FEEL SAFE IN IT I AM DEFINITELY SORRY I EVER BOUGHT IT. THE PROBLEM OCCURS NOW ALMOST EVERY DAY TO EVERY SECOND DAY, AND WILL LAST ANYWHERE FROM A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO COUPLE OF DAYS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239449August 23, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER HAVING MY TRANSMISSION REPLACE I NOTICED EVERYTHING ON MY DASH WAS DEAD, MY ABS AND ALARM SET LIGHT WOULD COME ON. IT ONLY STAYED THAT WAY FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN EVERYTHING WOULD COME BACK ON, BUT THEN THE PROBLEM ONLY GOT WORSE. I WOULD TRY TO START THE VAN BUT WHEN I DID IT WOULD SHUT BACK OFF BECAUSE MY DASH GAUGES WERE NOT WORKING AND MY ABS LIGHT WAS ON. I HAVE 3 KIDS AND I DEPEND ON MY VAN FOR TRANSPORTATION. I WENT ON A WEBSITE " TOPIX" AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, ALSO THAT IS HOW I GOT THIS ADDRESS. IT SEEMS LIKE NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT SOLUTION, THERE ARE JUST DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL SO THAT WAY EVERYBODY CAN STOP WASTING MONEY ON WHAT REPAIR SHOPS TRY (SAY) AND LET DODGE FIGURE IT OUT AND COMPENSATE FOR ALL OF THE HASSLES, MISSED APPOINTMENTS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239156August 21, 2008
EQUIPMENT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ALARM WOULD REMAIN ON EVEN WHEN SHE MANUALLY TURNED IT OFF. THE FAILURE PREVENTED HER FROM STARTING THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERIES IN THE REMOTE. SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED. THE EQUIPMENT INFORMATION WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239227August 21, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SOMETIMES WHEN I TURN THE KEY THE ENGINE WILL START AND IMMEDIATELY STALL. AFTER THE THIRD TRY, IT WILL NOT START AT ALL. THE GAUGES AND ODOMETER ALSO FAILS AT THIS TIME. AFTER SITTING FOR ANYWHERE FROM 1 HOUR TO 4 DAYS (SO FAR) THE ENGINE WILL START. IT MIGHT BE OK FOR A DAY OR A MONTH AND THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING THE GAUGES GO OFF, ENGINE FALTERS AND THEN COMES BACK ON. OTHER TIMES ENGINE STARTS AND IDLES ROUGH AS IF THERE IS A VACUUM LEAK THEN IT STRAIGHTENS OUT. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM OFF AND ON FOR AROUND 2 YEARS BUT IS NOW HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. TODAY I WENT TO A STORE AND WHEN I CAME OUT THE CAR WOULDN'T START. IT IS STILL PARKED AT THE STORE. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND A VARIETY OF ANSWERS. DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO INSTALL MANY PARTS AT $250 PLUS LABOR EACH TIME AND STILL HAVE THE SAME SITUATION. I KNOW OF THREE PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10238998August 20, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT
DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT SHEET METAL RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10237202August 6, 2008
TIRES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE TWO FRONT TIRES SUDDENLY LOCKED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE SEVERAL FEET. THE VEHICLE MADE A CLANKING SOUND AND IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS, THE TWO FRONT TIRES UNLOCKED AND ALLOWED THE CONTACT TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 266,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10234308July 14, 2008
VISIBILITY
THE INTERMITTENT FEATURE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST QUIT WORKING AS IT SHOULD. IT WOULD SOMETIMES WORK FOR A FEW WIPES, STOP WORKING FOR A WHILE, THEN SOMETIMES IT WOULD START WORKING FOR A FEW MORE WIPES. THE CONTROL MODULE ON THE STEERING COLUMN HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. IT WORKED FOR ABOUT TWO BLOCKS OUT OF THE SHOP & JUST QUIT AGAIN. SO FAR I HAVE INVESTED OVER $1,000.00 TRYING TO GET THEM TO WORK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10233396July 7, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
TL*THE CONTACT'S CLIENT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. AFTER INSTALLING A NEW TRANSMISSION AND DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT'S CLIENT NOTICED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FUEL LOSS. THE FOLLOWING DAY IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SEAM OF THE MUFFLER HAD ROTTED AWAY AND WAS BLOWING HOT AIR DIRECTLY ONTO THE PLASTIC GAS TANK. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 129,580.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10233033July 2, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE STARTS AND IMMEDIATELY SHUTS OFF. AFTER 3 OR 4 TRIES IT WILL NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. THIS HAPPENS COMPLETELY AT RANDOM AND HAPPENS 3 OR FOUR TIMES A MONTH MINIMUM. AFTER 24 HOURS, ENGINE WILL START NORMALLY. REPLACED BODY CONTROL MODULE AND CLOCK SPRING. A MECHANIC ALSO CHECKED FOR LOOSE CONNECTIONS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND CORROSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10231658June 19, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
THE ABS VALVE ON THE DRIVER SIDE IS CLOSING CAUSING BRAKES TO GRAB WHILE DRIVING. SEVERAL MECHANICS WITH DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT AGREE THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AND RECOMMENDED I CHECK TO SEE IF IT WAS RECALLED. IT IS, BUT NOT FOR MY YEAR AND MODEL. MECHANICS ALSO NOTED THAT THE DASHLIGHT SHOULD HAVE INDICATED A PROBLEM AND DID NOT, NOR WERE THEIR MACHINES ABLE TO DETECT THE EXACT PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10231417June 18, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
OUR DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WAS IDLING AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT DURING LATE OCTOBER OF 2007. THERE HAD BEEN NO PROBLEMS UP TO THIS POINT. I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE HAD GONE ALL THE WAY TO THE HOT POSITION AND MY HUSBAND GOT OUT TO LOOK. THE COOLING FANS WEREN'T RUNNING. MY HUSBAND OPENED THE HOOD. HE HEARD THE RADIATOR BOILING LOUDLY, AND THEN THE CAP BLEW OFF WITHOUT BEING TOUCHED, GIVING HIM SECOND DEGREE BURNS TO HIS FACE AND CHEST. AFTER AN EMERGENCY ROOM VISIT, WE SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE COOLING FAN RELAY SYSTEM IS A FAULTY COMPONENT LISTED AS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR ALL CHRYSLER MINIVANS AND AS A RECALL ITEM ONLY FOR CERTAIN CHRYSLER MINIVANS. THE FUNNY THING IS THEY USED THE SAME CONTROL UNIT ON ALL OF THE CHRYSLER MINIVANS BUT WON'T FIX THEM BECAUSE THEY AREN'T ON THE "OFFICIAL" RECALL LIST. THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE DODGE DEALER IN PENSACOLA FLORIDA AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO FIX IT WITHOUT AN $80.00 INSPECTION. THE PROBLEM PART IS A FAN RELAY. IT IS CALLED A SOLID-STATE SPEED CONTROL WHICH IS A COMPUTER UNIT CONTROLLING SEVERAL DEVICES ALTHOUGH DODGE CALLS IT A RELAY. WHEN LOOKING TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE, PART STORES EITHER SAID THAT IT IS A RECALL ITEM OR THAT IT IS ONLY AVAILABLE ONLY THROUGH CHRYSLER AS THE ENTIRE COMPUTER SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE "FLASHED" AFTER INSTALLATION AND ONLY A DEALER CAN DO IT. WE CONNECTED A HOT WIRE DIRECTLY TO THE FANS FROM A POWER SOURCE TO RUN THE SYSTEM FULL TIME. AS FOR THE RADIATOR EXPLOSION, IT IS UNCERTAIN WHY THE CAP BLEW OFF. WE THOUGHT THE RADIATOR TOP WAS TO BLAME BUT THE PLASTIC MOUTH IS NOT NOTICEABLY BROKEN. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE OR DEFECT IN THE CAP. WE HAVE SINCE REPLACED IT. PEOPLE ON THE WEB SAY THAT THE BOILING OVER HAD GOT SO VIOLENT IN THE RADIATOR THAT IT MAY HAVE WORKED THE CAP LOOSE AND BLOWN IT OFF WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HAPPEN. AS A SIDE NOTE, A RELIABILITY REPORT AT MSN AUTOS STATES THAT THIS IS A "MODERATE PROBLEM". *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10230925June 13, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
BELT FALLING OFF 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN FOR THE 5TH TIME IN 1 1/2 YEARS. RESULTING IN MECHANIC CHARGES AND LOSS OF VEHICLE. WE HAVE REPLACED TENSIONER ON 2 OCCASIONS, BELTS ON 5 OCCASIONS TO NO AVAIL. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. DODGE/CHRYSLER SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT (THIS TIME). THE ADDED EXPENSE IS KILLING US! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228738May 23, 2008
AIR BAGS
THE CLOCK SPRING ON MY DODGE CARAVAN FAILED RENDERING THE AIR BAG, SPEED CONTROL AND HORN USELESS. IT REQUIRED $200 REPAIR TO REPLACE THE SPRING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228661May 22, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN COLD WEATHER AND APPROACHING A STOP, THE VEHICLE SPORADICALLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY. SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR DURING THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227133May 9, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I OWN 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND I'M 1-ST OWNER. FOR SOME TIME NOW I CAN SMELL GAS FUMES INSIDE OF CAR, IN PARTICULAR AFTER HARDER BREAKING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10226592May 4, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SUSPENSION:FRONT
I HAVE A 98 GRAND CARAVAN WHEN I BOUGHT IT THE BACK HATCH WOULD NOT OPEN THEN I NOTICED A LOUD HUMMING IN THE TIRES WHEN I BOUGHT IT HAD THE BEARING REPLACED FIXED THAT PROBLEM THEN WHEN CHECKING OIL NOTICED STRUT TOWERS RUSTED DRIVER SIDE ABOUT 5 TO 6 INCH TOTAL SEPARATION PASSENGER ABOUT 3 INCH,NEXT MY AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME AS MY CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN QUIT WORKING,NOW MY INSTRUMENT PANEL DON'T WORK ALL OF IT DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILES OR HOW MUCH GAS NOR HOW FAST IM GOING HAVE NOT HAD NOTHING FIXED TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF DODGE WILL SOME ONE HAVE TO DIE FROM THE STRUT TOWERS BEFORE THEY RECALL THEM? ALSO WHEN I PUT GAS IN I HAVE TO OPEN WINDOWS A REALLY STRONG SMELL OF GAS FILLS THE VAN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222957March 31, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT CONTINUOUSLY DETACHES IN WET WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE BELT DETACHES WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222665March 29, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT
RUSTED OUT SHOCK TOWERS. SHOCK COMING OUT OF TOWER AND UP TO BOTTOM OF WIPER COWL. SCARED TO DRIVE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT BUT LEFT SIDE IS THE WORST. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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