2008 Dodge Caravan

I WAS DRIVING THE VAN ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT WENT CRAZY HORN BLARING WINDSHIELD WIPERS GOING REAL SLOW AND FLUID GOING EVERYWHERE I COULD NOT SEE BECAUSE THE FLUID WAS COMING OUT FASTER THEN WIPERS WERE GOING!!! I HAD TO PULL OVER UNTIL ALL THE WINDSHIELD FLUID WAS GONE. WHEN I GOT HOME MY HUSBAND HAD TO UNHOOK THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE HORN WAS STILL BLARING AND IT WAS 10.30 AT NIGHT AND I HAVE NEIGHBORS WITH CHILDREN SLEEPING. *TR

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH, VAN SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY HOWEVER, HORN, WIPERS, WIPER FLUID, DOOR LOCKS WENT CRAZY. WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HORN AND ELECTRIC STOPPED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES. AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES, I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND MAKE IT HOME. CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE BATTERY AND CABLE CONNECTOR ($300). ALSO FOUND MORE BRAKE AND AXLE SEAL ISSUES AT A COST OF $1,000. DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES (TO AND FROM WORK) WITHOUT PROBLEM. WENT FOR A SHORT ERRAND, DRIVING 35 MPH, CAR JERKED, WIPERS WENT HALFWAY AND HORN STARTED BLARING, WIPERS AND FLUID WENT CRAZY AGAIN, AND CAR STALLED. NEIGHBOR WAS ABLE TO DISCONNECT THE HORN BUT CAR WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. NEIGHBORS CALLED POLICE (EMBARRASSING). CAR WOULDN'T SHUT OFF (OPPOSITE PROBLEM FROM WHEN THE CAR SHUT DOWN BEFORE REPAIR.) DROVE THE CAR HOME WHERE IT IS NOW WAITING FOR A TOW. BEYOND FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY BECAUSE MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE DURING THE SECOND INCIDENT. CALLED DODGE CORPORATE WHERE "[XXX]" WAS LESS THAN EMPATHETIC AND TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF MILES ON THE VEHICLE, AS IF THIS MAKES IT OKAY. NO APOLOGIES. CAR IS A LEMON. THREE BRAKE JOBS DURING THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WILL BE MY 3RD TOW IN 6 MONTHS. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT HAD THE CAR SHUT DOWN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. ADDITIONALLY, VISION IS IMPAIRED DUE TO WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID SPEWING. *TR

8/24 - THE VAN WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH MY HUSBAND & SON SITTING IN IT. ANOTHER DRIVER CAME TO CLAIM THEIR NEARBY DODGE CARAVAN & BEEPED OPEN HIS VAN, AT THAT POINT OUR WIPERS STARTED GOING FULL SPEED & THE FLUID SHOT UP. IT STOPPED FOR A MINUTE THEN STARTED GOING FULL STRENGTH AGAIN WITH THE HORN GOING NON-STOP, THE LIGHTS ALL STARTED FLASHING, & THE DOORS ALL LOCKED. THE KEY FOB WAS IN THE IGNITION BUT IN THE OFF POSITION. MY HUSBAND TRIED UNLOCKING THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB (PULLED OUT OF THE IGNITION), TRIED USING THE INDOOR UNLOCK BUTTON BUT ALL WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. WE WERE ABLE TO MANUALLY OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE. ALL OF THIS KEPT GOING FOR ABOUT 5 MINS UNTIL I CLIMBED IN THE BACK TO OPEN THE SIDE DOORS TO AIR OUT THE CAR & GET MY 2 YEAR OLD OUT. WHEN I MANUALLY UNLOCKED THE DRIVER SIDE BACK DOOR EVERYTHING STOPPED. WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT THAT DAY. 8/25 - WE WERE DRIVING BACK TO CHICAGO WHEN THE WIPERS DID THE SAME THING BUT NOTHING ELSE. 8/26 - I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN ALL THE DOORS UNLOCKED & ALL THE WARNINGS ON THE CONTROL PANEL LIT UP. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WHEN I STARTED DRIVING AGAIN THE RPM STARTED GOING CRAZY LIKE IT COULDN'T SHIFT GEAR. I PULLED OVER AGAIN, TURNED THE VAN OFF & LET IT SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE MY DRIVE TO WORK & GOT HOME OK. *TR

ON A HIGHWAY RAMP ENTERING THE HIGHWAY THE HORN ON MY VAN STARTED TO BLOW ON & OFF, AT THE SAME TIME THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE WIPING & THE SPRAY WAS SPEWING AT ME AT HIGH SPEED. THE LIGHTS BLINKED ON AND OFF & THE DOOR LOCKS WERE GOING UP & DOWN. THE RADIO WAS BLASTING AS WELL. I CAME TO A STOP BEFORE ENTERING THE HIGHWAY TO TRY & FIGURE THINGS OUT BUT NOTHING WORKED. FOR 5-8 MINUTES I SAT THERE IN FEAR IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE. I PUT IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF & TOOK THE KEYS OUT. IT CONTINUED TO DO ALL THE ACTIVITY WITH THE KEYS IN MY HAND! WHEN IT STOPPED & I TRIED TO STARTING IT. IT STARTED & RAN OK TILL IT HAPPENED NOT MORE THAN 15 MINUTES LATTER ON MY WAY TO THE DEALER. THIS TIME IT LURCHED FORWARD AT A FASTER SPEED WITH EVERYTHING WIPING, BLOWING, SPEWING & BLINKING WHICH CAUSED ME TO DROP IT INTO NEUTRAL & BRAKE TO A STOP IN THE MEDIAN. THIS TIME WHEN IT BECAME QUITE IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN & WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY SAW THE CODES IT LEFT BUT COULDN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THEY SAID THEY COULD KEEP IT THRU THE WEEKEND & TRY AGAIN ON MONDAY OR I COULD TAKE IT & BRING IT BACK WHEN IT DID IT AGAIN. THIS IS THE CAR I DRIVE MY FAMILY IN ALL THE TIME. MYSELF & 4 YOUNG GIRLS PLUS FRIENDS. ALTHOUGH I AM THANKFUL TO HAVE ONLY HAD TO PAY FOR TOWING I AM VERY UPSET THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE. I AM ESSENTIALLY DRIVING A TICKING TIME BOMB. THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME, ANYWHERE & WITH A CAR FULL OF KIDS! I HAVE SAID FROM DAY 1 THAT THE VAN HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS & NO ONE TOOK ME SERIOUS. THE ONLY THING THE DEALER FOUND THAT RAISED A RED FLAG WAS THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WHEN YOU USE THE TURN SIGNAL - THIS HAS BEEN A CHIEF COMPLAINT ALL ALONG. MY FAMILY HAS HAD DODGES FOR A LONG TIME, HAVE BEEN LOYAL CUSTOMERS & EMPLOYEES. WE EXPECT BETTER FROM A COMPANY WE'VE GROWN TO DEPEND ON & REFER OTHERS TO FOR THEIR NEXT VEHICLE. *TR

THE BRAKE ROTORS WARP EVERY 20,000 MILES OR SO, SO BAD THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH MY 2008 AND MY 2011 CARAVAN. DODGE HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND HAS REFUSED TO ADDRESS IT OTHER THAN TO GIVE A DISCOUNT ONLY IF YOU ASK FOR IT. GETTING THEM FIXED AT THE DEALER IS A PAIN CAUSE THEY TAKE THE VAN FOR AT LEAST A DAY SOME TIMES TWO. ALSO THE WHEEL BEARINGS ON THE 2008 DID NOT LAST VERY LONG AT ALL FIRST SET WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY(37,000 MILES) SECOND SET(68,000MILES) WAS NOT. I HAVE NOT HAD THE WHEEL BEARING ISSUE ON THE 2011. THE WHEEL BEARINGS ARE SEALED SO IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WARPED ROTOR ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER HE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,800. UPDATED 1/30/13 *CN THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE. 01/31/13

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. AFTER MERGING OFF THE HIGHWAY THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE LEFT REAR BRAKE AND CALIPER BECAME TOO HOT AND WORE THE PAD DOWN CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR BRAKE AND CALIPER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

VEHICLE STARTED WITH DOORS SUDDENLY AND REPEATEDLY LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THEN DRIVERS LOCK SWITCH STOPPED WORKING THEN WEEK LATER PASSENGERS AT THE SAME TIME RADIOS CD PLAYER STARTED TRYING TO EJECT CD REPEATEDLY WITH OUT EVEN BEING ON OR HAVING ONE IN IT ALSO AT SAME TIME FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. NOW THIS MORNING WIFE COMING HOME FROM WORK BRAKING SYSTEM STARTED TO MALFUNCTION ALMOST CAUSING A CRASH. UPON SIMPLE WEB SEARCH THIS SEEMS TO BE COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH 2008 GRAND CARAVANS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REPEATEDLY HEARING OR SEEING AS THE CASE MAY BE A FAULTY TIPM (TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE) AS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP MECHANICS. IT SEEMS IT IS CAUSING SO MANY DIFFERENT PROBLEMS SUCH AS THOSE JUST DESCRIBED TO HEADLIGHTS SHUTTING OFF,WIPERS COMING ON HORN BLOWING ECT,ECT,ECT. HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO DIE BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION. A COPY OF THIS WILL BE SENT TO SENATORS,CONGRESSMAN,AND NEWS MEDIA MAYBE IF IT MAKES THE NEWS SOMEONE WONT HAVE TO DIE DUE TO FAILURE TO ACT BY YOUR AGENCY OR DODGE AND CHRYSLER. *TR

WHEN STARTING MY CAR IN THE AM THE HORN BEEP WIPERS WENT OFF WITH WASHER FLUID AS I STARTED TO DRIVE I NOTICED THE CAR WASN'T SHIFTING OUT OF 1ST GEAR. GOT TO WORK ABOUT HALF A MILE AWAY AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IT DID IT ALL AGAIN THIS TIME NON STOP AND THE DOORS LOCKED AND WOULDN'T LET ME UNLOCK THEM. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THE SAID IT WAS MY ANTI THEFT SO THEY JUST RESET IT. EVERYTHING WAS FINE TILL THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST WHEN IT DID IT AGAIN THIS TIME WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE TIP MODULE. AND SO FAR SO GOOD. FINGERS CROSSED HOPE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN!! *TR

2008 DODGE CARAVAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING VALVES. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH COMPUTERIZED TIRE PRESSURING MONITORING VALVES WHICH WERE DEFICIENT IN NATURE DUE TO THE POOR QUALITY OF THE MATERIALS. AFTER THREE YEARS OF USE, WHILE TRYING TO SIMPLY UNSCREW THE VALVE COVER TO CHECK THE AIR PRESSURE, THE CHEAP PLASTIC END BROKE OFF IN HIS HAND, DUE TO CORROSION. LEAVING HIM WITH A FLAT TIRE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED, ANOTHER TIRE MONITOR HOLDING SCREW RELEASED DUE TO CORROSION OF THE HOLDING THREADS, AND THE TIRE WENT FLAT, DESTROYING IT IN THE PROCESS. *JB