2000 Dodge Caravan

I OWN A 2000 DODGE CARAVAN. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT COMING OFF MOSTLY DURING WET OR SNOWY WEATHER. TODAY WAS THE FORTH TIME IN THE LAST YEAR THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE REPAIR SHOP(S) REPORTS NO KNOWN FIX'S FOR THE 3.3/3.8 ENGINE. I ALSO HAD ONE FAILURE DURING DRY WEATHER. RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I SEE THIS IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT....!. IT HAS BEEN FOR YEARS !!!!. BECAUSE THIS BELT CONTROLS THE POWER STEERING IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT FOR A STRONG PERSON TO CONTROL THE VAN. LORD HELP THE FRAIL, THE OLD OR THE YOUNG !!!!. PLEASE CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING SITES FOR THIS PROBLEM (WWW.TOPIX.NET OR WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG. FOR SERPENTINE BELT PROBLEMS). I AM FILLING THIS COMPLAINT (AS OTHER HAVE) TO GET SOME HELP BEFORE A VAN LOAD OF CHILDREN GETS HURT BECAUSE OF A KNOWN DESIGN PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER SEEMS TO IGNORE. I HAVE TRIED ALL KNOWN STANDARD REPAIR AND MANUFACTURE RECOMMENDATION BUT NOTHING WORKS IE NEW BELTS, DIFFERENT BELTS, NEW IDLER/TENSION WHEELS, NEW BRACKETS, ALIGNMENTS... NOTHING WORKS. WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?...WILL I HEAR ANYTHING BACK FROM NHTSA...WILL THIS BE A WAIST OF TIME? THANK YOU. *NM

LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND ALTERNATOR CHARGING - SERPENTINE BELT FALLING OFF AFTER HITTING SMALL WATER PUDDLE ON 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. I LOST POWER STEERING ON A CURVE AS A RESULT OF HITTING A SMALL WATER PUDDLE. VEHICLE HAS RECEIVED ALL SERVICE MAINTENANCE INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF BELT TENSIONER BUT STILL FELL OFF. I AM FAIRLY STRONG AND WAS ABLE TO COME OUT OF THE TURN. SOMEONE WITH LESS ARM STRENGTH WOULD HAVE GONE STRAIGHT OFF THE ROAD AND CRASHED. DODGE DEALER HAS NO FIX FOR THIS THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD SINCE MINIVANS OFTEN CARRY A LOT OF KIDS AND IF THIS HAPPENS ON A WET ROAD THERE COULD BE SERIOUS INJURIES AND FATALITIES FROM LOSS OF CONTROL. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. IN MAY OF 2003, THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED AND IN JANUARY OF 2004 THE CLOCK SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. IN MAY OF 2004, THE STEERING WAS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME AND THE CLOCK SPRINGS WERE AGAIN REPLACED IN AUGUST OF 2004. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 04V480000, CONCERNING THE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRINGS, HOWEVER WHEN THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON NOVEMBER 11, 2004 IT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. ALSO ,COMPLAINED ABOUT CLICKING NOISE IN STEERING, AND REPLACED CCLOCKSPRING . IN ADDITION, REPLACED CANISTER DUE TO LEAKING. *AK

BOUGHT NEW IN 2000 (FAILURE)SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED @ 39199 4-12-02 (FAILURE)SERPENTINE BELT & TENSIONER REPLACED @ 64389 8-20-03 (FAILURE)SERPENTINE BELT REPLACEDLATE SUMMER 2004 (FAILURE)SERPENTINE BELT & TENSIONER REPLACED @112,000 JAN 2006 TIMING BELT REPLACED @ 64389 8-20-03 TIMING BELT & TENSIONER REPLACED @110,646 11-25-05 MULTIPLE SENSOR FAILURES PAST 4 YEARS, AS WELL AS VALVE COVER GASKETS, CAM SEALS,CAM PACKINGS, CRANK SEAL, OIL PAN LEAKING. NOV 2005 ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON,& A SLIGHT KNOCKING, DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANY REAL REASON, BUT LUGGING WAS PRESENT DURING DRIVES. HAD TO REPLACE LEAKY TRANSMISSION SOLENOID PACK & SENSOR 11-25-05 ONLY TO TURN AROUND AND REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION 9 WEEKS LATER DUE TO MULTIPLE ENGINE FAILURES,@114,043 1-30-06 (WITH ANOTHER SERPENTINE BELT FAILURE 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO TRANNY REPLACEMENT. 3 TOWS IN 2 MONTHS!( AND OVER $6,000 OUT OF POCKET) VIRTUALLY ALL REPAIR WORK DONE AT DEALER TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTED THAT HE HAULS CARAVANS IN THE MOST OF ANY VEHICLE , AND MOSTLY FOR THE SERPENTINE BELTS, MANY TIMES A "REPEAT CUSTOMER IN NEED OF ANOTHER BELT" I WAS ONE OF HIS MANY! HOW MANY PROBLEMS HAVE TO BE REPORTED BEFORE ANY ACTION IS TAKEN? *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FAN BELT WAS MAKING NOISES, AND THEN IT CAME OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE FAN BELT REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR ONE MONTH; THE BELT STARTED MAKING NOISES AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THIS TIME THEY PUT THE FAN BELT BACK ON. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AGAIN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND HAD TO BE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE BELT REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING FINE. UPDATED 02/09/06. *JB

2000 DODGE CARAVAN HAD LOSS OF SERPENTINE BELT. THIS CAUSED LACK OFF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. *TS THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED THREE TIME AND HAPPENED MOSTLY DURING WET WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE DEALER INSTALLED A PULLEY SHIELD TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. EVEN AFTER THE SHIELD WAS INSTALL THE BELT SLIPPED OFF AGAIN. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE SERPENTINE BELT/TENSIONER 5 TIMES. THE BELT SHREDS WHILE DRIVING - THE BANGING SOUNDS LIKE A BRANCH OR SOMETHING IS STUCK UNDER THE HOOD. THE BANGING NOISE WILL EVENTUALLY STOP WHEN THE SHREDDED PIECES FALL OFF. I HAVE HAD THIS TAKEN CARE OF BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC ONCE BUT NOW TAKE IT TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD PAY FOR THE CERTIFIED MECHANIC TO REPLACE IT. MY VAN IS DRIVEN A LOT - HAS OVER 115,000 MILES ON IT. SINCE WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN IT I AM AFRAID OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN SHOULD THE ENTIRE THING FAIL AND WE LOOSE ALL POWER. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM RECALLED? *NM