2000 Dodge Caravan

BRAKE LINES FAILED ON 2000 DODGE CARAVAN. CONSUMER THINKS THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL. *NJ WHEN THE CONSUMER BACKED OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY, HE LIGHTLY APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT SOFT AND THERE WAS VERY LITTLE BRAKING CAPABILITY. FLUID WAS FOUND ON THE GROUND . FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND THE OTHER WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE CORROSION WAS LIMITED TO THE STEEL TUBING DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE STAINLESS STEEL FLEX LINES. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO FROM ELITE MOTORS IN VICTORVILLE. THE CAR WAS NOT SMOKED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE AND HAD TO BE DONE SO ABOUT 1 MONTH LATER. THEY SAID THEY HAD A HARD TIME GETTING IT TO PASS AND THEN IT PASSED BUT WHEN I GOT IT BACK I SMOGGED IT AND IT FAILED. ELITE MOTOS SAID THEY WOULD WORK WITH ME ON RESOLVING THINGS BUT THEY NEVER DID. SINCE I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE THERE HAS BEEN A LOUD SLAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER, THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED, TWO TIRES HAVE BLOWN, SEVERAL SETS OF FRONT BREAK PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, 2 BATTERY'S HAVE BEEN REPLACED, AND WITHIN THE LAST MONTH BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES/MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER/CALIPERS/WATER PUMP/RADIATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED. MY CAR IS AGAIN IN THE SHOP BECAUSE MY ENGINE LIGHT AND AIR BAG LIGHTS HAVE COME ON, THERE ARE NO BRAKE LIGHTS, AND MY CAR WAS HESITATING AND LOOSING POWER INTERMITTENTLY WITH A CLUNKING COMING FROM THE ENGINE. MY MECHANIC TELLS ME THAT I WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT A FEW MONTHS AGO. I HAD ASKED GEIKO IF WHEN THEY DID THE BODY WORK - WOULD THEY ALSO LOOK FOR THINGS MECHANICALLY WRONG JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS O.K. THEY SAID THEY WOULD, THE SHOP (PERFORMANCE IN VICTORVILLE SAID THEY WOULD AND GAVE ME A BUSINESS CARD OF THE GUY THEY REFER THINGS OUT TO BUT THEY NEVER DID? POINT OF IMPACT IS LISTED AT 6. REAR. *TR

I AM HAVING DIFFICULTIES WITH MY VEHICLE BEING ON A RECALL LIST. CAN A CAR DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX A PART ON A NATIONWIDE RECALL LIST? I HAVE A 2000 DODGE CARAVAN. FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE HORN, TURN SIGNALS, DASH LIGHTS WOULD BECOME INOP BUT THE CAR WOULD START UP. USUALLY I WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY OFF AND JOLT THE TILT WHEEL UP AND DOWN FOR IT TO OVERCOME THIS DEFECT. IT DOES THIS INTERMITTENTLY - WOULD BE FINE FOR WEEKS AND THEN ACT UP. NOW, A NEW PROBLEM IS OCCURRING - TURNING THE IGNITION KEY IS NOT STARTING THE VAN. AGAIN, IF I PLAY WITH THE TILT WHEEL AND KEEP ON TURNING THE KEY, IT WILL THEN START. I TOOK IT TO A AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR PLACE AND THEY TOLD ME ITS THE 'CLOCKSPRING'. THEY TOLD ME IT IS ON A NATIONWIDE RECALL SINCE 2004. I NEVER GOT A NOTICE ABOUT THIS RECALL. I'VE OWNED THE CAR SINCE 2002. SO, I TOOK IT TO JEFF WYLER'S CAR DEALERSHIP (SPRINGIFIELD, OHIO) AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING. "THE DEFECT IS INTERMITTENT AND THIS RECALL MUST BE FOR THE COMPONENT TO BE A TOTAL FAILURE BEFORE REPLACING", ACCORDING TO THEM. I AM NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR THE CAR'S CLOCKSPRING TO FAIL AND ALSO, THEY CAN'T FIND OUT WHY IT IS NOT TURNING ON - BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RELATED TO THE CLOCKSPRING. ARE THEY PERMITTED TO REFUSE TO REPLACE A RECALL PART? I THINK THE TWO PROBLEMS ARE RELATED. I DO NOT WANT THE CLOCKSPRING PROBLEM TO BE PUT OH HOLD UNTIL THERE IS A 'TOTAL FAILURE." MY WIFE IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER. *TR

I BOUGHT NEW TIRES LAST YEAR FOR MY VAN.....NOW THE WHOLE SIDE WALL WENT OUT ON THIS BRAND OF TIRE... P215/65R15.... I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND I CAN'T EVEN FIND WHERE YOU HAVE THIS BRAND ON THE MARKET ANYMORE... WITH GAS PRICES THE WAY THEY ARE NOW HAVING TO TRY AND REPLACE THIS IS NOT RIGHT.... THANK FOR LISTENING!! TAWANA *TR

JUST PURCHASED 2000 DODGE CARAVAN SE AND AFTER PURCHASING I NOTICED RUST-ROTTED HOLES IN DRIVERS SIDE SHOCK TOWER TOP. I CAN'T SAFETY IT UNTIL REPAIRED. I READ ON A CAR FORUM CHRYSLER KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM WITH SHOCK TOWER RUST ROT AND SUPPOSEDLY HAVE A TSB FOR IT. BUT I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO CONVINCE CHRYSLER TO FIX THEIR MANUFACTURING DEFECTS FOR FREE. THE FORUM ALSO MENTIONED CHRYSLER SELLS REPAIR KITS FOR THE RUSTED SHOCK TOWER CAPS. BUT EVEN THEIR FIX KIT DOESN'T SEEM STRONG ENOUGH FOR A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM. THEY SELL CAPS WITH SCREWS AND GLUE. BUT THE FORUM SAYS WELDING THE CAPS IS MORE STRUCTURALLY SOUND. TOMORROW, JUNE 9, 08, I WILL CALL CHRYSLER TO SEE IF IT'S A FREE REPAIR, WHICH IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO I CAN CONTACT HERE IN CANADA AND FIND OUT ABOUT ANY OTHER TSB'S FOR THIS VAN. THANKS. *TR