1999 Dodge Caravan

SEAL AROUND WINDSHIELD IS LEAKING, CAUSING ELECTRICAL SHORTS IN VEHICLE. DEALER CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK THE WATER DROPS ONTO THE COMPUTER CONTROL AND CAUSES ALL INSTRUMENTS TO WORK IRRADICALLY ON THE DASH BOARD. CONSUMER FEELS THE MAIN CONTROLS SHOULD BE SHIELDED FROM WINDSHIELD LEAKS. ALSO, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS WENT OUT. *JG

IN OUR 1999 CARAVAN, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORK. THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY WOULD COME ON WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE PARKED. AT THIS TIME NEITHER THE HORN, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND SOMETIMES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL STILL COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. WE CALLED THE DEALER'S REPAIR SERVICE AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY THOUGHT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE CLOCK SPRING MECHANISM. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR PHYSICAL INSPECTION/ DIAGNOSTICS, AN OPEN CIRCUIT WAS DETECTED AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE CLOCKSPRING INDEED NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME THE NECESSARY PART IS BACKORDERED (ON A NATIONAL BASIS) AND IS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD US THAT IF WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. SINCE WE DRIVE OUR MINIVAN PRIMARILY WITH OUR ENTIRE FAMILY ON BOARD (IE, MYSELF, MY SPOUSE, AND 4 YOUNG CHILDREN) I AM GREATLY CONCERNED THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATLY FIXED. UPON VIEWING YOUR WEBSITE I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS HAS BEEN STARTED BUT DID NOT FIND OUT THE STATUS OF THIS INVESTIGATION. IF THESE PARTS ARE "NATIONALLY" BACKORDERED, THAT SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM OUT THERE. IF EVEN ONE OF THOSE VEHICLES IS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY, THERE IS SEVERE RISK OF PHYICAL INJURY TO THE DRIVER/PASSENGER AND POSSIBLY ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS IN THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR INVESTIGATION AND REQUEST A RECALL. ISN'T SAVING A LIFE THAT IMPORTANT? WE ALSO ARE BEING ASKED TO PAY CLOSE TO $300 FOR THE DIAGNOSTICS AND INSTALLATION OF THIS CLOCKSPRING (IF WE CAN GET ONE), FOR SOMETHING THAT APPEARS EVEN TO AN AMATEUR DETECTIVE TO BE A DESIGN FLAW AND A VERY SERIOUS ONE! PLEASE HELP!*AK

ON DEC 8,2000 MY WIFE,FOUR CHILDREN AND MYSELF WERE IN SPRINGFIELD MO, APPROX 80 MILES FROM OUR HOUSE SHOPPING AT THE MALL. WHEN WE FINISHED OUR SHOPPING AND LEFT THE MALL,WE WERE IN CONGESTED TRAFFIC AT APPROX. 30 MPH THE VAN SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING OR INDICATION OF A PROBLEM, THE ABILLITY TO PROPERLY STEER THE VAN WAS LOST AND I LUCKILY CAME TO A STOP AT THE RED LIGHT ALMOST HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. ON DEC 30 WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO SPRINGFIELD MO, WE PULLED OFF OF THE INTERSTATE TO USE THE RESTROM IN THE MCDONALDS. WHILE PULLING IN THE PARKING AREA THE VAN ONCE AGAIN SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING OR INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. ONCE AGAIN I LOST ALL CONTROLS AND INSTRUMENTATION TO INCLUDE THE LOSS OF PROPER STEERING ABILITY. I ALMOST HIT THE PARKED CAR TO THE RIGHT OF ME. CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE MY VEHICLE OR TO REFUND THE PURCHASE PRICE, SO HERE I AM WITH A $ 20,000 UNRELIABLE VEHICLE THAT WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE. I AM CURRENTLY A SENIOR NON COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN THE U.S. ARMY, I'VE BEEN ON ACTIVE DUTY FOR 18 YEARS, THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD CHRYSLER OR AN ATTEMPT TO GET OUT OF A DEBT, THIS IS AN HONEST SITUATION THAT IS HAPPENING TO HONEST, LAW ABIDING, HARD WORKING AMERICANS, WHOM STRONGLY BELIEVE IN OUR COUNTRY AND OUR WAY OF LIFE.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT ENGINE MAKES LOUD NOISE AND IT IDLES ERRATICALLY, VEHICLE HAS STALLED WHILE TRAVELLING 60 MPH, ON ONE OCCASION, DEALER FOUND THAT A PISTON HAD FAILED, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXIST. BRAKES SQUEALED, DEALER CLEANED AND SANDED PADS AND ROTORS. VEHICLE SHOOK AT SPEEDS ABOVE 70 MPH, DEALER BALANCED AND ROTATED TIRES. CONSUMER SMELLED STRONG ODORS THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR INOPERABLE. ALTERNATOR BELT CAME APART. ACCELERATOR RATTLES. VEHICLE EXPERIENCES DECELERATION. CARPET BUCKLES. *SLC