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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE HORN NO LONGER WORKED. ALSO, THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,500.

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 WAS DRIVING SLOWLY THROUGH THE LOCAL MEIJER'S PARKING LOT WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE. THIS WOULD NOT NORMALLY BE A CATACLYSMIC EVENT BUT THIS TIME THE STRUT TOWER COLLAPSED ALLOWING THE WHEEL TO HIT THE INNER FENDER. I WAS TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 10 MPH SO THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT IF THIS WERE TO HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DEATH WOULD BE GUARANTEED. THERE IS NO REASON FOR ANY VEHICLE LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD TO HAVE THE DEGREE OF STRUCTURAL RUST THAT THIS VAN HAS. I HAVE SINCE SEEN MANY MORE VANS WITH THE SAME STRUCTURAL ISSUES AS MINE. *JB

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. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY FAILURES AT THE TIME. AFTER THE DEALER PERFORMED THE RECALL REPAIR, HE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL KEPT MOVING UP AND DOWN AND HE HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE STEERING WHEEL AGAIN WITHOUT A SERVICE CHARGE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 11/21/07. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY, BUT THEN REMAINED LIT. ON JULY 3, 2006, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V480000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST TO REPAIR THE AIR BAGS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 127,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.