2003 Dodge Caravan

I HAVE A USED 2003 DODGE CARAVAN WHICH I RECENTLY PURCHASED IN DECEMBER 2008 FROM A USED CAR DEALER IN WEST BURLINGTON, IA. DURING THE 3RD WEEK OF JANUARY, I WAS DRIVING AND THE VAN COMPLETELY STOPPED AND WAS NOT DRIVABLE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET AND HAD TO HAD PEOPLE HELP PUSH IT INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND WHEN THEY WENT TO LOOK AT IT, THEY WERE ABLE TO START IT UP, KEEP IT RUNNING AND PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON IT AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE EXCEPT FOR TODAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN A DIRT ROAD AND IT COMPLETELY STOPPED JUST LIKE THE FIRST TIME. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY HOUSE BECAUSE SINCE IT'S A SATURDAY IN THE LATE AFTERNOON, THERE AREN'T ANY SHOPS OPEN TO LOOK AT IT. I KNOW IT'S NOT THE BATTERY BECAUSE ALL OF THE DASH LIGHTS WORK, THE HEAT, INTERIOR LIGHTS, ETC. I ALSO JUST HAD IT SERVICED AT A DIFFERENT MECHANIC THAT THE USED CAR DEALER WORKS WITH FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY CHECKED EVERYTHING AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG THAT CAUSES THAT. PLUS BOTH MECHANICS THAT HAVE LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN'T DIAGNOSE IT IF IT STARTS. THIS IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE THAT WILL FIT OUR FAMILY IN AND IT GETS US BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. WHEN WE TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT SOLD IT TO US, THEY CLAIM THAT THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO THEM WHEN THEY HAD IT BUT I'M STARTING TO WONDER BECAUSE I NOTICED THAT OTHER DODGE 2003 CARAVAN OWNERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR "STALLING PROBLEMS." OUR VEHICLE HAS 167,000 MILES ON IT- IT HAD AROUND 163,00 ON IT WHEN WE PURCHASED IT. WE WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS RESOLVED. IT'S A GOOD RUNNING VEHICLE WHEN IT RUNS. *TR

2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED DUE TO SOME TYPE OF FAILURE WITH THE TURN SIGNALS. WHEN THE LEFT DIRECTIONAL WAS USED TO SIGNAL A LANE CHANGE THE RIGHT DIRECTIONAL TURNS ON INSTEAD. THE CAR THAT WAS BEHIND ME THOUGHT I WAS CHANGING LANES TO THE RIGHT WHEN I WAS ACTUALLY GOING LEFT. I NATURALLY HEARD THE CLICKING OF MY DIRECTIONAL BEFORE MOVING NEVER THINKING THIS COULD HAPPEN. I NEED TO HAVE THIS CHECKED AS IT HAPPENS AT LEAST A COUPLE OF TIMES PER DAY. *TR

I TURNED ON MY VAN, STARTED DOWN THE STREET, LOOKED DOWN TO SEE WHAT SPEED I WAS GOING AND SAW THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WASN'T WORKING. THE NEEDLE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PIN AS IF WE WERE GOING 160 MPH AND DOES NOT BUDGE. WHEN THE VAN WAS TURNED OFF, IT DID NOT RETURN TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PIN. THE SPEEDOMETER HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM FOR US IN THE PAST. MY VAN IS A 2003 AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE ON A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. *TR

SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPING. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL YEAR MODELS OF CARAVAN AND HAVE FOUND THIS PROBLEM TO BE CONSTANT WITH ALL. DURING RAIN OR OTHER WATER ON THE ROAD CONDITION, THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS ENOUGH TO INTERFERE WITH VEHICLE OPERATIONS UNTIL THE WATER IS DISPLACED FROM THE BELT. IF A DRIVER IS NOT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION OR IS USING THE CRUISE CONTROL AT THE TIME, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ALTERNATOR, OR LOSE OF ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE AXLES. THIS ITEM SHOULD BE STUDIED AND REMEDIED TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCES. IF THE FIX CAN BE RETROFITTED TO PREVIOUS YEARS, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PROVIDE THE REPAIRS AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. THIS CONDITION BEGAN WITH THE PURCHASE DATE THROUGH TODAY. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT CONTAINED TO ONE ENGINE SIZE. *TR

2003 DODGE CARAVAN THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT HAD LITTLE PROBLEMS THAT I NEVER THOUGHT MUCH OF UNTIL NOW, NOW THAT MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN A SHOP AND UNUSABLE FOR ABOUT 8 WEEKS. THE HORRIBLE NOISE IT MADE WHEN STARTING IT, THE GEAR SHIFT MOVING ON OCCASION AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR UNTIL A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL BUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS WERE OCCASIONAL BUT NOW I HAVE NO VEHICLE IT IS SITTING IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR AND I HAVE NO VEHICLE EXCEPT FOR BORROWING AND RENTING TO GET CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, AND MY CHILDREN WITH ECZEMA AND ALLERGIES TO DOCTORS AND IF THEY NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. I AM DEVASTATED AND DESPERATE HOW DO I AFFORD A NEW VEHICLE BECAUSE I AM GETTING TAPPED OUT. I ALSO HAVE NO ESTIMATED DATE OR PRICE FOR REPAIR. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE ON MY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN GETS AN ELECTRICAL SPIKE FREQUENTLY AND SPINS COMPLETELY AROUND CLOCKWISE UNTIL IT GETS STUCK ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE STOP PIN. IT BECOMES FROZEN THERE UNTIL I TAKE TO THE DODGE DEALER FOR A RESET WITH SOME KIND OF INSTRUMENT. THE SERVICE DEPART AT THE HUNTSVILLE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS PROBABLY CAUSE BY "STATIC ELECTRICITY" OR AN ABNORMAL ELECTRICAL SURGE. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. THEY CHARGED THE FIRST TIME FOR RESET BUT NOT THE SECOND TIME. *TR