Dodge Grand Caravan Complaints (1997)

583 consumer complaints on file.

#873235October 18, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE TORQUE CONVERTER. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#734560October 17, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS
AT 60 MILES PER HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY, WE NOTICE BURNING SMELL FROM OUTSIDE, AND NEARBY DRIVERS WAVE AND YELL THAT REAR END IS ON FIRE, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, AN I PROCEDDED THROUGH A RED LIGHT IN A BUSY INTERSECTION-MILES FROM HOME. RIGHT REAR BRAKE WAS NOT ON FIRE BUT SMOKING SEVERLY, AFTER 15 MINUTES ON THE SID OF THE ROAD BRAKE PEDAL RETURNED, DEALERSHIP REPORTS THAT REAR BRAKE SHOES ARE BURNED AND CRACKED BUT FIND NO OTHER PROBLEM, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN THE DEALERSHIP AND THIRD SET OF REAR BRAKES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#734497October 17, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF DRIVEBELT TENSIONER CAUSED INSTANT LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE BY FAILURE TO DRIVE EITHER POWER STEERING OR THE ALTERNATOR. THIS CAUSED INSTANT AND TOTAL LOSS OF HYDRAULIC POWER TO THE STEERING AND LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE LIGHTS. THE ELECTRICAL POWER DID COME BACK UP BUT ONLY SUFFICIENT TO GIVE LESS THAN HALF THE NORMAL ILLUMINATION TO THE HEADLIGHTS AS BOTH AIRCONDITIONERS WERE OPERATIING AS WERE THE LIGHTS AND WIPERS. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A TWISTING WET ROAD IN THE EVERGLADES WITH A CANAL ON THE OUTSIDE OF AN APPROACHING BEND IN THE ROAD. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING REQUIRED A SUPERHUMAN EFFORT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD AND PREVENT WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC FINALE HAD THE MINIVAN GONE INTO THE CANAL WITH ITS 3 ADULTS & 4 CHILDREN. DISCUSSION WITH TWO CHRYSLER DEALERS AS WELL AS SEVERAL TOW TRUCK DRIVERS INDICATES THAT THIS IS A VERY FREQUENT CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS. ONE DEALER SAID THEY HAVE TO REPLACE ONE OF THESE TENSIONERS EVERY DAY BUT IT SEEMS TO TAKE 36 OR MORE MONTHS FOR THE DEFECT TO SHOW UP HENCE IT DOES NOT APPEAR ON CHRYSLERS' WARRANTY LIST OF FREQUENT FAILURES ALTHOUGH CHRYSLER MUST BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM DUE TO THE INORDINATE NUMBER OF REPLACEMENT TENSIONERS THEY HAVE TO SHIP TO THEIR DEALERS. MECHANICAL INSPECTION OF THE PART SHOWS NOT ONLY POOR DESIGN BUT ALSO, IN MY CASE, DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING OF THE HIGH TENSILE BOLT USED TO ATTACHE THE TENSIONER TO THE ENGINE. WHEN THE TENSIONER BREAKS OF OFF IT ALLOWS THE DRIVE BELT TO DETACH FROM THE PULLEYS IT IS DRIVING WHICH INCLUDE THE POWER STEERING, AIRCONDITIONING COMPRESSOR, WATER PUMP AND ALTERNATOR THE FIRST AND LAST OF WHICH ARE CRITICAL TO VEHICLE CONTROL. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS PROBLEM IN CHRYSLER MINIVANS APPEARS TO BE CONFINED TO 3.8 AND 3.3 LITER ENGINES. DEFECTIVE PART WAS MADE IN CANADA.TOW TRUCK DRIVERS TOLD US THAT IF THEY HAVE TO PICK UP A CHRYSLER MINIVAN, 4 TIMES OUT OF 5 IT IS FOR A BROKEN DRIVEBELT TENSIONER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#734420October 16, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
MAJOR PROBLEMS FOLLOWED MONTHS AFTER ENGINE REPLACED. WHILE TRAVELLING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS, SUDDENLY ENGINE SPUTTERS, LOSES POWER, STALLS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TOO FREQUENTLY - ON DANGEROUS HIGHWAYS - RT. 1 IN FLORIDA KEYS, RTS. 20 AND 26 IN NC AND SC. ALSO OCCURRED IN VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS IN ASHEVILLE, NC AND MYRTLE BEACH, SC.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#734377October 15, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
TRANSMISSION IS LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WOULD NOT EVEN ROLL WHEN PLACED INTO NEUTRAL. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THE TRANSMISSION DIFFERENTIAL CAME APART CAUSING THE TRANY TO BECOME LOCKED UP. TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T MOVE IN ANY GEAR AND IT WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED UP AN PUT INTO A GEAR. REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUSHED THE COOLER. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED WITH A 3 SPEED TRANSMISSION THERE IS NO TRANSMISSION COMPUTER TO RUN DIAGNOSTICS ON IT - THIS WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE. COST TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION WITH A FACTORY REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION $1600.54. AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THE EVAPORATOR HAD CORRODED AND COST TO REPLACE APPROX. $740.00. HAVE NOT REPLACED THE EVAPORATOR YET (GOING INTO COOLER WEATHER).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#733428October 4, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (#24-06-97) INDICATES CONNECTOR 'CORROSION' PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSES FRONT HVAC BLOWER(FAN) TO NOT OPERATE ON SOME OR ALL SPEEDS EXCEPT 'HIGH'. WHILE REPLACING RESISTOR AND CONNECTOR (PER THE BULLETIN) I FOUND THEY WERE NOT ONLY RUSTED TOGETHER, BUT THE CONNECTOR WAS MELTED AT ONE OF THE CONTACTS (FROM THE RESISTANCE CAUSED BY THE RUST) INDICATING A HIGH POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE OCCURRING FROM THIS COMMON PROBLEM. I HAD TO WORK VERY HARD TO PRY THE CONNECTOR FROM THE RESISTOR SO I IMAGINE MOST TIMES THIS PROBLEM IS SERVICED THE CONNECTOR IS JUST CUT FROM THE WIRING HARNESS AND DISCARDED WITH THE RESISTOR STILL CONNECTED SINCE BOTH ARE TO BE REPLACED ANYWAYS. THIS COULD CAUSE THE POSSIBLE MELTING OF THE CONNECTOR NOT TO BE NOTICED OR REPORTED IN MANY CASES. 'UNDERHOOD' MAY BE MISLEADING IN THIS CASE ALSO, AS THE RESISTOR IS MOUNTED THROUGH THE FIREWALL INTO THE VEHICLE AND IT'S VENTILATION SYSTEM !
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#733186October 2, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
INADEQUATE FORWARD VISIBILTY, RESULTED IN REAR END COLLISION AT NIGHT ON HIGHWAY IN FLORIDA.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
4
Deaths:
0
#732324September 23, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#732138September 21, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER BOLT SHEERED OFF AT MOUNT. METAL WAS STRESSED CAUSING BOLT TO BREAK OFF. ASSUME DEFECTIVE BOLT (HAVE ASSEMBLY FOR FURTHER EXANINATION IF NEEDED).POWER STEERING, AIR CONDITIONING, ENGINE WATER PUMP ETC ETC CEASED TO FUNCTION BECAUSE BELT CAME OFF ALL POWER ACCESSORIES. ENGINE OVERHEATED AND MAY HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENGINE. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS FAR AS VEHICLE CONTROL ETC. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THIS ITEM HAS BEEN CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR SOME TIME. HE HAS REPLACED MANY OF THESE ITEMS ON DODGE CARAVANS. REQUEST THAT A RECALL BE CONSIDERED IN THIS SITUATION. THANKS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731331September 13, 2000
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON ATLEAST 3 TIMES IN THE DISTANCE OF 1 MILE. PROBLEM HAS EXISITED SINCE 1999 BUT HAS GOTTEN STEADILY WORSE. SEEMS TO BE SENSITIVE TO VIBRATION ON THE TURN SIGNAL. PROBLEM HAS OCCURED WITH VEHICLE IDLING IN DRIVEWAY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#730817September 8, 2000
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP AND NOT MORE THAN TEN SECONDS LATER I LOST ALL POWER STEERING. I BARELY MANAGED TO STEER MY VAN INTO A PARKING LOT ON MY RIGHT. OURISMAN DODGE DEALERSHIP IN VIRGINIA STATES THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER WAS BROKEN AND SERPENTINE BELT BORKEN. ALSO FOUND POWER STEERING PUMP PULLY BROKEN. THEY REMOVED POWER STEERING PUMP AND REPLACED THE PULLY. INSTALLED NEW SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER. THANK YOU.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#730819September 8, 2000
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
OEM PART WORN WHILE IN CONTACT WITH COMPRESSOR; CREATING LEAK OF REFRIGERANT. COST OF PART 75$ PLUS NEW REFRIGERANT AND LABOR (ROUGHLY 300$). REPLACEMENT PART FROM OEM MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN REDESIGNED TO PREVENT RUBBING AGAINST COMPRESSOR. DODGE (DAIMLER-CHRYSLER) HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM (AS EVIDENCED BY THE REDESIGNED PART), BUT HAS NOT PUBLISHED ANY TECHNICAL BULLETINS OR GENERAL RECALLS FOR THIS PART. THE FAILURE OF THIS PART IS A GUARANTEED LOSS OF AIR CONDITIONING REFRIGERANT (R-134 ON NEWER MODELS, R-12 ON THE OLDER MODELS). THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR FOR MOST DRIVERS, AND IS EASILY RECTIFIED WITH THE REDESIGNED PART, WITHOUT LOSS OF ENVIRONMENTALLY DAMAGING REFRIGERANTS. OBVIOUSLY, I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR COST OF THE REPAIRS I PAID OUT OF POCKET, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE IF THIS WAS ADDRESSED FOR MILLIONS OF CHRYSLER/DODGE/PLYMOUTH MINI-VAN OWNERS. SINCERELY, MICHAEL M. MILLAR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#869857September 7, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKE ROTORS. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED BRAKES THEY WOULD GRIND. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ROTORS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#728401August 18, 2000
SEATS
MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND WHILE STOPPED. THREE SEATS TWISTED FROM THE FORCE. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK(MY SEAT) SNAPPED BACKWARDS CAUSING MY 5 YR. OLD DAUGHTER (WHO WAS SITTING BEHIND ME) TO STRIKE HER FACE, HEAD AND JAW CAUSING INJURY. THE SEAT IS A POWER SEAT AND ALLTHOUGH IT SNAPPED BACKWARDS AND BENT, IT COULD STILL BE OPERATED TO MOVE IT BACK UP INTO DRIVING POSITION. MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE SUFFERED A FATAL HEAD INJURY FROM THE IMPACT BECAUSE OF THE FRONT SEAT BACK FAILURE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
5
Deaths:
0
#727017August 8, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN TWO MONTHS. VEHICLE IS UNDRIVEABLE DUE TO OVERHEATING. THIS STRANDED FAMILY WITH SMALL CHILDREN BOTH TIMES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#726410August 2, 2000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1)CLOCK SPRING ASSY. FAILED DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT. IT CAUSES AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON DISABLING AIR BAG, CRUISE AND HORN ALSO WONT WORK. I HAVE A DIGITAL PICTURE OF THE FAILED PART IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT. 2) BELT TENSIONER JUST BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC CAUSING NO POWRER STEERING AND VERY LITTLE BRAKES. APPEARED THE STUD THAT GOES THROUGH IT SNAPPED INTO. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#553283July 31, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725965July 25, 2000
AIR BAGS
AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I HAVE DETERMINED THAT THIS IS A HIGHLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE CARAVANS. WHEN THE CLOCK SPRING FAILS, THE AIRBAGS ARE PREVENTED FROM DEPLOYING IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. IF CHRYSLER HAS INTENTIONALLY INSTALLED A FAULTY SAFETY DEVICE INTO THEIR VEHICLES, THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING IT, NOT THE CONSUMER. A CRITICAL SAFETY PART SHOULD NOT FAIL SO EARLY IN THE LIFE OF AN AUTOMOBILE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725979July 25, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
WHEN WE TOWED OUR VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY LOOKED AT IT FOR TWO DAYS AND REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR VEHICLE. WE URGED THEM TO INVESTIGATE A BIT FUTHER. TWO DAYS LATER THEY FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID TO BE CONTAMINATED AND PUMP FAILURE. COST $1200, AND THAT TOO TO REBUILD THE TRANS, NOT NEW ONE. I CHECKED ON THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER WEB SITE ABOUT THE PROCEDURE IN SUCH A CASE, AND TRIED TO FOLLOW ALL THE STEPS THEY HAVE DESCRIBED THERE. IT TOOK ME MORE THAN THREE WEEKS TO CONTACT THE DISTRICT MANAGER; THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME HIS DIRECT NUMBER. IN ALL, MY VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR MORE THAN 6 WEEKS. WENT BACK AND FORTH WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER; I ENDED UP PAYING $600 BECAUSE I NEEDED THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE SUMMER WAS OVER. I HAVE NOT SETTLED IN ANY WAY. I RECEIVED EXTERMELY POOR SERVICE FROM THE DEALER, AND THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725797July 22, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO OUR 97 GRAND CARAVAN SE, 3.3L V6, 45,000 MILES DIED AT AN INTERSECTION AND WOULD NOT RESTART. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER THAT SUNDAY EVENING. ON TUESDAY I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET ($700) AS TWO ADJACENT CLYINDERS WERE LOW ON PRESSURE. LATER THAT WEEK I WAS TOLD THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS OK BUT THE CAMSHAFT WAS BROKEN ($1400). ON THURSDAY I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS WERE DAMAGED AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO EITHER PURCHASE A REBUILT SHORTBLOCK OR LONGBLOCK ($3,300/$3,800). I WENT TO THE DEALER TO VIEW MY ENGINE (NOW DISASSEMBLED ON A BENCH) AND THE CAMSHAFT WAS IN TWO PIECES. A CLEAN BREAK WITH NO BLUE COLOR ON EITHER THE CAMSHAFT NOR THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT CAMSHAFT BEARINGS WERE ONLY SERVICED BY USING THE SHORTBOCK (I.E., THEY WANTED TO SELL ME THE WHOLE WORKS. FROM A HAYES MANUAL I PURCHASED I DISCOVERED THAT YOU COULD INDEED REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS (SEEMS LOGICAL AS CHRYSLER DOES REBUILD ENGINES FOR RESALE). HOWEVER I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER DID NOT DO THIS. I ASKED THEM TO FIND AN AUTOMOTIVE MACHINE SHOP THAT WOULD DO THIS. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH NO CALL BACKS I FOUND A COUPLE OF MACHINE SHOPS THAT WOULD DO THE JOB FOR $35-$150. WHEN I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER THIS INFORMATION HE SAID THEY COULD GET THE CAMSHAFT BUT NOT THE BEARINGS. THE SERVICE MANAGER ASKED ME IF THE MACHINE SHOP COULD GET THE BEARINGS. THEIR BOOK SHOWED CAMSHAFT BEARINGS FOR MINI VANS UP TO 92 ONLY. THEY PROBED FURTHER AND DISCOVERED THE BEARINGS LISTED FOR THE 3.3L CARS WERE INDEED THE SAME PART NEEDED FOR THE 3.3L CARAVAN. NEXT WEEK I HOPE TO BE BACK ON THE ROAD FOR A LOT LESS $$$ THAN THE OPTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO ME.... STILL NOT SATISFIED AS TO THE REASON FOR THE BREAKAGE. IT WASN'T OIL STARVATION AS THE OIL PORTS ON THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS WERE STILL IN ALIGNMENT. THE OIL PUMP IS ALSO STILL WORKING. IT LOOKS LIKE THE CAMSHAFT HAD AN UNDETECTED FLAW AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE. MY FIRST ATTEMPT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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