2001 Dodge Caravan

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE CARAVAN SPORT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCKED AND CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE A POPPING NOISE. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. SUDDENLY, THE STEERING WHEEL DID A HARD RELEASE AND RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE HARD RELEASE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO RECEIVE INJURIES TO THE HAND, WRIST, AND ARM. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE CARAVAN. FIRST NOTICED (A FEW MONTHS AGO) THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT WORK; THEN THE HORN WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY. NOW, THE HORN DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. HAD THE DEALER TROUBLESHOOT AND THEY SAID THE CLOCKSPRING IS FAULTY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I NOTICED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL TO REPLACE CLOCKSPRINGS IN CARAVANS UP TO YEAR 2000. I ORDERED MY CARAVAN IN NOVEMBER, 2000 AND RECEIVED IT JANUARY, 2001. *TR

AUG. 20, 2007 - STEERING HAS BEEN LOCKING UP DAILY, FOR THE PAST YEAR ON MY 2001 DODGE CARAVAN. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS AND CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE HAD THE ISSUE LOOKED AT BY VARIOUS MECHANICS AND NONE CAN IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM FOR SURE. THEY ALL SAY THAT IT IS HAPPENING TOO OFTEN - IT'S VERY DANGEROUS BUT THEY CAN ONLY 'TRY CHANGING THE RACK OR POWER STEERING PUMP OR FLUSHING THE FLUID....' NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. CHRYSLER HAS BEEN VERY NEGLIGENT WITH THIS ISSUE. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VOTE WITH THEIR FEET AND GO ELSEWHERE WHEN PURCHASING YOUR NEXT VEHICLE - NOT CHRYSLER. *TR

DRIVING VEHICLE IN PARKING LOT OF CHURCH. POWER STEERING FAILED, CAUSING POTENTIAL ACCIDENT IF NOT STOPPED IN TIME. PERSONALLY CHECKED OUT POWER STEERING UNIT FOR LEAKS (NON), CHECKED OUT POWER STEERING RESERVOIR FOR POSSIBILITY OF NEEDING TO BE FILLED(N/A). POWER STEERING BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION OF FRONT END KNOCK. WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT DURING THEIR INSPECTION. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY A GEAR THAT HAD WORN. I ASKED HOW THAT COULD BE AND ISSUE AND IF THIS WAS A DEFECT? THEY STATED NO. I ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE COST OF REPAIR DUE TO THIS BEING A POSSIBLE SAFETY DEFECT, AND WAS REFUSED THIS ASSISTANCE DUE THERE NOT BEING A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR STEERING COMPONENT. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THURSDAY 10/20/05. AFTER THIS, THE VEHICLE OPERATED FINE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON MONDAY EVENING TO BE SERVICED TUESDAY MORNING 10/25/05. WE WERE INFORMED OF THE DEFECT ON TUESDAY MORNING THAT THE STEERING GEAR WAS BAD, AND INFORMED THAT THIS WOULD COST WELL OVER 1000.00 DOLLARS TO REPAIR. THIS VEHICLE HAS APPROX. 67,000 MILES, AND AN IMMACULATE SERVICE RECORD TO WHICH I HAVE PAID DEARLY TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UP. I BELIEVE THE SUDDENNESS OF THE OCCURRENCE OF THIS DEFECT IS ONE TO BE CONCERNED WITH, AND SHOULD SERIOUSLY BE REVIEWED, BY THE CHRYSLER CORP. IF NEGOTIATING A TURN ON THE FREEWAY SYSTEM OF ANY CITY IN THE US, AND HAVING THIS GEAR FAIL; IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO NOT ONLY THE OCCUPANTS OF THIS VEHICLE, BUT OTHER INNOCENT MOTORISTS AS WELL. I DO PLAN ON RIDDING MY FAMILY OF THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE, AND UPGRADING TO SOMETHING POSSIBLY IN A FOREIGN MAKE OR MODEL THAT'S BUILT FOR RELIABILITY, WHEN YOU INVEST IN THE UP KEEP. THE COMPLAINT IS BEING FILED AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL FOLLOW UP ON THE ISSUE. MY FILE NUMBER WITH CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SUPPORT IS 14199982. REGARDS DERRICK V. STINGLEY. *JB

STEERING WHEEL LOCKS ESPECIALLY DURING EXTREME COLD WEATHER. MOSTLY TURNING TO LEFT. THIS IS AN EVERY DAY EVENT FOR ME. THE DEALER SAID THAT HE CAN FIRST TRY RESOVOIR AND FLUSH WHICH IS $350, BUT HE CAN'T GUARANTEE THIS WILL HELP. IF IT DOESN'T HELP THEN HE WILL TRY A NEW PUMP WHICH IS $800 AND SOMETHING ELSE WHICH IS $400. ULTIMATELY, I WILL BE SPENDING UP TO $1550 FOR REPAIRS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT WORK. *JB

I HAVE FILED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS CAR SINCE BUYING IN 2001 THIS LATEST ONE IS THE HEAT CONTROL KNOB IN THE DASH HAS FROZEN DEALER SAYS BROKEN AND WOULD COST 400 TO FIX, AT THAT PRICE IT SHOULDN'T BREAK AT ALL!CAR NOW HAS 50000 MILES. THIS IS THE SAME CAR THAT WITHIN THE FIRST 72 HOURS AND 200 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. TIE ROD ENDS WERE REPLACED 2 OR 3 TIMES AT 20000 AND 36700 MILES MOTOR ON WINDOW ALSO REPLACED CARPET REPLACED BECAUSE WATER SEEPING IN CAR I AM AFRAID OF THIS CAR. *JB

THE VAN LOST STEERING FLUID AND THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A FUNNY SOUND WHEN IT WAS TURNED. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE STEERING COOLER HOSE HAD SPLIT. THE COOLER HOSE SPLIT DUE TO THE DEFECT DESCRIBED IN THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE RECALL 04V386000, BUT THIS MODEL WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. *JB THERE WAS A SHUDDER COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN SITTIN GSTILL AND MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL FROM SIDE TO SIDE. *TC