1999 Dodge Caravan

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. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED AND THE HORN FAILED TO WORK AT THE SAME TIME. SHE BELIEVES THE FAILURES ARE RELATED. INITIALLY, THE ABS LIGHT WOULD GO ON AND OFF, FOLLOWED BY A CHIME TO ALERT THE DRIVER. CURRENTLY, IT IS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED AND NO LONGER CHIMES. A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED IN APRIL OF 2007 AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE PURCHASE DATE AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 93,000.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THE DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT TOWER WAS RUSTED, AND THE MECHANIC AND THE BODY REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. DIAMLER-CHRYLSER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THE REPAIR WOULD BE AT COST TO THE CONTACT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 67000. *AK

UPON TAKING OUR 1999 DODGE CARAVAN IN FOR REPAIRS WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR LIVES WOULD BE AT RISK IF WE CONTINUED ON DRIVING OUR VEHICLE. IT SEEMS THAT THE UPPER STRUT MOUNTING HOUSE UNDER THE HOOD ON THE LEFT SIDE OF OUR VEHICLE IS SEVERELY CORRODED AND READY TO CRACK, THE SAME HOLDS TRUE ABOUT THE RIGHT SIDE BUT AT THIS TIME NOT AS SEVERE. WHEN ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WE WERE TOLD IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH THEY HAVE WITNESSED BEFORE IN CHRYSLER VEHICLES. HOW HORRIBLE TO KNOW I HAVE DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE WITH NOT ONLY MY CHILDREN BUT OTHERS IN IT. I WAS PUTTING ALL OUR LIVES AT RISK AND DID NOT EVEN KNOW IT. I CAN NOT BEGIN TO TELL YOU OF THE GREAT ANXIETY I HAVE SUFFERED OVER THIS SITUATION. WE WERE TOLD FOR OUR OWN SAFETY TO GET RID OF THE VAN, EASY FOR PEOPLE TO SAY WITH ONLY 2 PAYMENTS LEFT I MUST TAKE A GREAT LOSS OR FEAR FOR OUR LIVES. I FEEL THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE IT IS A DEFECT OF THEIRS, I HAVE SEARCHED AND FOUND NO RECALL DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE INFORM ME WHAT TO DO I NEED YOUR HELP. *JB