1999 Dodge Caravan

99 DODGE CARAVAN IN REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE 4TH OR 5TH BELT TENSIONER & 7TH SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED LOSS OF POWER STEERING RENDERED VEHICLE DANGEROUS, BARELY AVOIDED ACCIDENT DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEM WITH THIS PART UNTIL, AFTER SECOND CALL & DEMANDING TO SPEAK WITH MANAGER, I DIRECTLY ASKED: 'ARE THERE ANY PUBLICLY AVAILABLE NOTICES, WARNINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, ETC, RELATED TO THE 99 DODGE CARAVAN AND SERPENTINE BELTS OR BELT TENSIONER'. FINALLY, THIS 'MANAGER' TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN (AVAILABLE TO REPAIR SHOPS, NOT CAR OWNERS) WHICH STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN IN HEAVY SNOW (DEEPEST SNOW IT'S EVER BEEN IN WAS 3-4"). IF THE CO. HAD NO IDEA, THEN WHY IS THERE A FACTORY-MADE PART TO CORRECT IT? AND WHY IS THERE NO RECALL? WHY IS THIS INFORMATION SO DIFFICULT TO GET FROM THE COMPANY, AS THEIR CUSTOMER? THIS SEEMS TO BE A FAILURE BOTH ON THE PART OF THE COMPANY (FOR HIDING, NOT REPAIRING THIS SERIOUS FLAW) AND THE GOVERNMENT (FOR NOT FORCING A RECALL, THEREBY PUTTING THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH). *TR

ENGINE DEVELOPED A MASSIVE HIGH PRESSURE OIL LEAK CAUSING NEAR FLAME CONDITIONS, LOSS OF OIL AND POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE. VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AT INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY. THE DIFFICULTY IS DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEAD/ CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILURE SPRAYING A MIST OF HOT OIL ONTO THE HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND REMAINING EXHAUST SYSTEM. VAPORIZED OIL SUBJECTED TO THESE CONDITIONS CAN EXPLODE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PLACED OUT OF SERVICE. THE COST OF REPAIRS (NEW ENGINE) EXCEEDS THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. RESEARCH PROVED CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE PRIOR TO 1994 AND HAS ATTEMPTED TO PATCH THE PROBLEM RATHER THAN REPAIR IT CORRECTLY IN THOUSANDS OF CASES TO DATE. MY CONTENTIONS IS THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION KNOWING SOLD ME AN UNSAFE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE TO ME AND MANY OTHERS. *TR

I HAVE A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT HAS COME OFF OF NUMEROUS TIMES, BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. WHENEVER THE TENSION WHEEL GETS SPLASHED WITH WATER THE BELT POPS OFF. YOU IMMEDIATELY LOSE POWER STEERING, IT IS SO DANGEROUS!! THE CAR OVERHEATS. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY MECHANICS AND THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THAT PARTICULAR VEHICLE. I HAVE SPENT MUCH MONEY TO HAVE IT FIXED AND NOT TO MENTION THE STRESS. I HAVE ALSO RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THEY HAVE RECALLED THESE VEHICLES IN BRAZIL BECAUSE OF THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH THROUGH PUDDLES IN THE ROAD, THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR SIX MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE IN THIS VEHICLE MODEL. AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED, SHE CONDUCTED RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED A TSB. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON HER VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

CORROSION OF LEFT FORWARD STRUT TOWER. DURING SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE, SAW EXTENSIVE CORROSION ON LEFT SHOCK TOWER IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CORROSION APPEARS TO HAVE DEVELOPED FROM INSIDE THE SHOCK TOWER AND ONLY BECAME APPARENT RECENTLY. CORROSION IS AFFECTING THE OUTBOARD HALF OF THE SHOCK TOWER AND AFFECTS TWO OF THE THREE BOLTS HOLDING THE STRUT TO THE TOWER. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERS BODY SHOP. THEY SAID THERE IS A FACTORY KIT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE NOT IMPRESSED WITH ITS STRUCTURAL STRENGTH OR APPEARANCE. SUGGESTED REPLACING STRUT TOWER AS A BETTER OPTION AT THE COST OF $1300.00. SAID DODGE WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY WARRANTY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS 116K MILES. ASKED SERVICE MANAGER IF THEY HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, SAID THEY HAD REPAIRED A FEW, AND THIS DEFECT SEEMS ALWAYS TO BE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF CARAVANS. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD NOT SEEN ANY STRUT TOWERS FAIL, BUT RESEARCHING THIS WEB SITE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS FAILURES AND CONSTITUTES A SAFETY DEFECT, THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO CORRECT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A LOSS OF POWER IN THE VEHICLE AND ITS POWER STEERING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED ON FOUR OCCASIONS AND THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE SNOWY OR WET EACH TIME. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 106,000.

DURING A RAIN THE SERPENTINE BELT FELL OFF CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING, WATER PUMP AND OTHER EQUIPMENT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND DODGE HAS A TSB OUT. BUT THEY ARE MAKING NO EFFORT TO CORRECT THIS FLAW. IT SEEMS THAT ANYTIME WATER GETS ON THIS BELT IT WILL COME OFF. HOW MANY CRASHES IS IT GOING TO TAKE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION? *JB

1) PULLEY / TENSIONER / SERPENTINE BELT FAILURE IN A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN REPLACED 3 TIMES. 2) DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER, DROVE THROUGH A SMALL PUDDLE IN THE ROAD AND THE BELT CAME OFF THE CAR LEAVING ME STRANDED. NO POWER STEERING, NO OIL PUMPING THROUGH THE CAR, ETC... 3) DODGE CLAIMS THEY HAVE NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM - WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP PUTTING ON NEW BELTS AND REPLACING TENSIONERS. 4) HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.NET/FORUM/AUTOS/DODGE-GRAND-CARAVAN/TTREJJ5UAG0SP62TJ - SEE THIS LINK FOR COMPLAINTS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY ON THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS IN WET CONDITIONS, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS, WHO DETERMINED THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPED OFF AND THE BELT WAS REPLACED. THERE HAD BEEN NO INSPECTIONS INTO WHAT CAUSED THE SERPENTINE BELT TO SLIP OFF.