1997 Dodge Caravan

1997 DODGE CARAVAN 3.3 LITER V6 WITH 93000 MILES. STARTED VEHICLE AND THE STARTER MECHANISM LOCKED ONTO THE FLYWHEEL OR FAILED TO DISENGAGE, MAKING A SCREECHING NOISE. TURNED IGNITION OFF AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN BUT STARTER KEPT CYCLING ENGINE. REMOVED KEYS FROM IGNITION AND VAN WAS STILL ATTEMPTING START BY TURNING THE ENGINE OVER AND OVER. STRONG SMELL OF BURNING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AS THE STARTER CONTINUED TO CYCLE ENGINE, UNABATED, WITH KEYS OUT OF IGNITION. HOOD WAS POPPED AND BATTERY CABLES WERE DISCONNECTED SHUTTING THE STARTER OFF. THE STARTER CRANKED THE ENGINE, NONSTOP, WITHOUT KEYS IN IGNITION, FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. UPON IMMEDIATE INSPECTION OF THE STARTER IT WAS FOUND TO BE RED HOT. THE CABLES/WIRES COMING OUT OF THE STARTER WERE RED HOT AND SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC FILLED THE AIR. THE STARTER WAS REMOVED AND FOUND TO BE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ( WITH CHRYSLER CORPORATION LOGO INTACT). THE STARTER WAS FOUND TO BE LOCKED IN THE EXTENDED POSITION AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. A NEW STARTER WAS PURCHASED AND INSTALLED DUE TO THE ORIGINAL BEING INOPERABLE. OLD STARTER WAS TURNED IN TO PEP BOYS IN RAYNHAM, MA FOR CORE REFUND. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IF THE BATTERY WAS NOT DISCONNECTED, THE STARTER WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO START THE ENGINE UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY(STARTER)OVERHEATED ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE WIRES AND START AN ENGINE FIRE. *JB

DT: CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. INSTRUMENT PANEL DID NOT WORK. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS DIGITAL. BUTTONS FOR AIR CONDITIONER AND REAR DEFROSTER FLASHED CONSTANTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO GARAGE, AND THEY RECOMMENDED DODGE DEALER. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON THEIR OWN. VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE TO BE ON RUNNING FOR WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO COME ON. THEY CAME ON ABOUT EVERY TWO WEEKS. ALSO, TRAVELING INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON. CONSUMER STOPPED LIGHTS FROM COMING ON BY PUTTING TAPE ON DOOR. CONSUMER BELIEVED THESE WERE DIFFERENT ISSUES. HE REPLACED FAN CONTROL MODULE LAST YEAR, AND THAT DID NOT HELP.*AK CONSUMER ADDED THAT POUNDING ON THE DASHBOARD MADE THE DASH LIGHT ILLUMINATE. *TT

THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. THEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. I LATER REALIZED THAT THE HORN DOESN'T WORK. I REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. AT A NYS INSPECTION VISIT. THE VEHICLE PASSED INSPECTION.*AK I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE I NEEDED TO USE THE HORN, AND WAS UNABLE TO. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT.

HI MY NAME IS [XXX] AND I PURCHASED A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN FOR $3,600 AND TRADED IN MY CAR WHICH WAS WORTH $400 AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT THE DEALER MAN SAID. I BROUGHT BACK THE CARAVAN THE NEXT DAY TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THEY WERE GOING TO FIX SOME MINOR PROBLEMS, INCLUDING THE HORN THAT WAS NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL . THEY SPENT THE WHOLE DAY WITH THE VAN AND DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO IT, THEN THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD ME THAT THE HORN WAS GOING TO GET ORDERED AND THAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE A WHILE BECAUSE THE PART THAT THEY NEEDED COULDN'T BE SENT VIA MAIL BECAUSE IT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE EXPLOSIVE SO WHEN I DECIDED TO ASK FOR MY MONEY BACK SINCE IT HAD A 30 DAY WARRANTY THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FIX IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I WENT TO PICK UP MY VAN AND WHEN I SAW IT THEY PUT IT A DIFFERENT HORN AND TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD PASS INSPECTION AND THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE PART THAT THE VAN NEEDED IF I WAS WILLING TO PAY HALF ON IT. IN CONCLUSION TO THIS THE PIECE THAT THEY NEED IS THE CLOCK SPRING WHICH COST ABOUT $ 400 TO $ 900 AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE THE VAN WITH THE HORN THAT THEY PUT IN INSTEAD OF PUTTING A NEW CLOCK SPRING. THEY DIDN'T TELL ME THAT ONCE THE CLOCK SPRINGS BREAKS DOWN THE AIRBAG , CRUISE CONTROL. AND THE RADIO WOULDN'T FUNCTION PROPERLY. I DON'T THINK THAT I SHOULD PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD'VE TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE SELLING THAT VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER I WILL APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN HELP ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 4 BATTERIES IN 6 YEARS. THESE INCLUDE BATTERIES BY THREE DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS. INITIALLY, THE BATTERIES WERE COVERED BY THE 3YR/36K MILE WARRANTY, AND WE WERE TOLD THE BATTERIES WERE DEFECTIVE. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE VAN. IN EACH CASE, THE BATTERIES WENT SUDDENLY DEAD (WOULD NOT HOLD ANY CHARGE AT ALL) LONG BEFORE THEY SHOULD HAVE.*AK