1999 Dodge Caravan

MY PARENTS VAN. A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED I TRIED TO START IT AND ALL IT DID WAS CLICK. I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I TURNED IT BACK OFF AND TRIED TO START IT AGAIN,SAME THING HAPPENED. ALL IT DID WAS CLICK. I THEN TRIED TO START IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. WE DROVE TO TOWN WITH NO FURTHER ISSUES THAT DAY. THE NEXT DAY IT STARTED RIGHT UP. WE DROVE ABOUT EIGHTY MILES TO MY SISTERS HOUSE. WHEN WE CAME OUT TO LEAVE IN THE EVENING. I STARTED THE VAN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP,BUT IT WAS MAKING A RATTLING NOISE THAT I COULD JUST BARELY HEAR OVER THE ENGINE NOISE. I TURNED THE VAN OFF,BUT SOMETHING WAS STILL RUNNING. THE STARTER WAS STILL ENGAGED WITH THE ENGINE AND RUNNING. I TURNED THE KEY BACK ON AND THE ENGINE STARTED AGAIN. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AGAIN AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE STARTER STAYED RUNNING. I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE TWO HUNDRED YARDS TO MY SISTERS GARAGE TO GET PLIERS. I REALIZED I PROBABLY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET TO HER GARAGE BEFORE THE STARTER BURNT UP. I RAN IN THE HOUSE LEAVING THE VAN RUNNING. BY THE TIME I GOT BACK TO THE VAN AND GOT THE HOOD OPEN THE STARTER WAS STARTING TO SMOKE AND MAKE A REAL BAD WINNING NOISE. MY WIFE GOT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. I PULLED THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE. BY THE TIME THAT I GOT THE CABLE OFF THE STARTER WAS ALREADY BURNT UP AND STARTING TO CATCH FIRE. THEIR WAS SO MUCH SMOKE. I HAVE KNOW DOUBT THAT IF I HAD NOT GOTTEN THE BATTERY CABLE DISCONNECTED WHEN I DID THAT THE VAN WOULD HAVE GONE UP IN FLAMES. THE OTHER BAD THING WAS THAT IT WAS SITTING NEXT TO MY SISTERS HOUSE AND THAT WOULD HAVE GONE UP IN FLAMES WITH IT. I AM JUST GLAD THAT IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN MY SEVENTY FIVE YEAR OLD PARENTS WERE DRIVING IT,BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE VAN WOULD HAVE DEFIANTLY CAUGHT FIRE AND THEY WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN WHAT TO DO FAST ENOUGH. THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. THANKS. *TR

THE LEFT HAND STRUT TOWER ON MY 1999 DODGE CARAVAN HAS ALMOST RUSTED THROUGH AND I WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. LOCAL DODGE DEALER SAID THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY OR RECALL AND THAT IT'S ONLY A COMESTIC PROBLEM. THEY WANT $2200 TO REPAIR WHICH IS MORE THAN VALUE OF VEHICLE. EVERYTHING I HAVE READ INDICATES THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND WOULD CAUSE A CRASH IF DRIVING WHEN THE STRUT TOWER COMPLETELY FAILS. WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL FOR THIS WELL KNOWN AND DOCEMENTED SAFETY PROBLEM? *TR

THE FRONT "FLEX" BRAKE LINES ON OUR DODGE CARAVAN APPARENTLY LEAKED BRAKE FLUID WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF MOST OF BRAKING POWER. FORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN AT SPEED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT CORROSION BETWEEN THE "FLEX" PART OF THE LINE AND THE METAL TUBE PART IS COMMON IN THE 1996 - 2000 YEAR CHRYSLER MINIVANS. TOTAL COST TO REPLACE THOSE LINES WAS $630. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN SE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, SMOKE BEGAN TO EMIT FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DETECTED SMOKE AND SPARKS UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A CURB. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE VIN DID NOT FALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:04V480000(AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 170,000.

SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPED OFF OF PULLEYS AFTER DRIVING OVER A WET ROAD. VEHICLE IS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN, 3.0L V6, 4-SPEED AUTOMATIC. WITHIN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES, BOTH IN WET WEATHER. THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED ON A 1996 DODGE CARAVAN, 3.0L V6, 3-SPEED AUTOMATIC, TWICE IN THE SAME TWO WEEK PERIOD. THE IDLER AND TENSIONER PULLEYS WERE REPLACED ON BOTH VEHICLES WITH OEM-EQUIVALENT PARTS AFTER THE FIRST PROBLEM WITH EACH, YET THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE BELT ON THE 1996 CARAVAN ALSO SHREDDED AT HIGHWAY SPEED DURING DRY WEATHER DURING THIS PERIOD. WHEN REPLACED, THE BELTS ON BOTH VEHICLES RIDE OFF-CENTER ON THE PULLEY FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED. AFTER SETTING THE CRUISE CONTROL TO 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SPED UP TO 55 MPH. THE BRAKES WERE THEN APPLIED, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING, THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 09/19/11 *BF THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD ACTIVATE ON ITS OWN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CRUISE SERVO/ACTUATOR. THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED AN ENGAGEMENT SWITCH. UPDATED 09/30/11*JB