1996 Dodge Grand Caravan

OUR 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN'S FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONE DAY WENT ON, AND STAYED ON WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS ON {NO MATTER WHAT WE DID, NOTHING WOULD SHUT THE WIPERS OFF -- NO WAY -- NO HOW ! WE TRIED EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL TO GET THEM TO TURN OFF.} I HAD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR DAYS/WEEKS WHILE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ON AND COULDN'T BE TURNED OFF, AND NEARLY GOT IN TWO ACCIDENTS BECAUSE I WAS SO DISTRACTED. THIS WENT ON FOR SEVERAL DAYS WHILE I WAITED FOR THE PROBLEM TO AUTOMATICALLY CEASE OF ITS OWN ACCORD, WHICH IT NEVER DID. THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE WITH TIME. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT ON OF THEIR OWN ACCORD INTERMITTENTLY IN THE BEGINNING, THEN AFTER DAYS/WEEKS, WE COULD NOT SHUT THEM OFF AT ALL. I WAS FORCED TO BRING THE MINIVAN TO A CHRYSLER AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE BCM (BODY CONTROLLER OR BODY CONTROL MODULE) AT A COST OF $574 AT OUR OWN EXPENSE. I HAVE ASKED CHRYSLER CORPORATE TWICE IF THEY WILL REIMBURSE US; BOTH TIMES THEY REFUSED. THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT THAT WAS NOT IN ANY WAY CAUSED BY US. CHRYSLER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF THIS DEFECT, AND DOING THE RIGHT THING BY REIMBURSING US THE $574. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. A PERSON CAN NOT DRIVE WHILE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE PERMANENTLY ON WHILE IT IS NOT RAINING!

THE SERPENTINE BELT THAT RUNS THE CAR JUMPED OFF TRACK THE FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER WHEN IT WAS RAINING. I FIRST NOTICED MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THEN A FEW MINUTES LATER IT OVER HEATED. SO WHEN I GOT UNDER THE HOOD TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, IT WAS THE BELT IT WAS NOT BROKEN JUST OFF TRACK. HAD IT FIXED. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN ON OCTOBER 25, 2003 SOME 3-4 WEEKS LATER. AGAIN IT WAS RAINING. THE PERSON WHO FIXED IT THE 2ND TIME STATES THAT EVERY TIME IT RAINS AND IF I GET WATER IN MY UNDERCARRAIGE IT IS GOING TO POP OFF. THIS IS VERY DISCOURAGING, I AM THE SINGLE MOTHER OF FOUR YOUNG GIRLS AND I SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VAN WHEN IT IS RAINING. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE SOME SENSE OUT OF THIS FOR ME.

UR 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN'S FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONE DAY WENT ON, AND STAYED ON WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS ON {NO MATTER WHAT WE DID, NOTHING WOULD SHUT THE WIPERS OFF -- NO WAY -- NO HOW ! WE TRIED EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL TO GET THEM TO TURN OFF.}. I HAD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR DAYS/WEEKS WHILE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ON AND COULDN'T BE TURNED OFF, AND NEARLY GOT IN TWO ACCIDENTS BECAUSE I WAS SO DISTRACTED. THIS WENT ON FOR SEVERAL DAYS WHILE I WAITED FOR THE PROBLEM TO AUTOMATICALLY CEASE OF ITS OWN ACCORD, WHICH IT NEVER DID. THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE WITH TIME. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT ON OF THEIR OWN ACCORD INTERMITTENTLY IN THE BEGINNING, THEN AFTER DAYS/WEEKS, WE COULD NOT SHUT THEM OFF AT ALL. I WAS FORCED TO BRING THE MINIVAN TO A CHRYSLER AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE BCM (BODY CONTROLLER OR BODY CONTROL MODULE) AT A COST OF $574 AT OUR OWN EXPENSE. I HAVE ASKED CHRYSLER CORPORATE TWICE IF THEY WILL REIMBURSE US; BOTH TIMES THEY REFUSED. THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT THAT WAS NOT IN ANY WAY CAUSED BY US. CHRYSLER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF THIS DEFECT, AND DOING THE RIGHT THING BY REIMBURSING US THE $574. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. A PERSON CAN NOT DRIVE WHILE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ON WHILE IT IS NOT RAINING!*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WINDOW ON DRIVER'S SIDE JUST FELL DOWN. FORTUNATELY, IT DID NOT BREAK, BUT IT DISTRACTED FROM DRIVING. DRIVER HAD TO HOLD WIDOW UP SO IT WOULD NOT FALL ON ANYONE IN VEHICLE. CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, AND WAS TOLD BY THAT HE COULD NOT REPAIR THE INDIVIDUAL WINDOW, BUT WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE WINDOW ASSEMBLY, AND SUCH REPAIRS WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO PAY FOR IT. *AK

I OWN A 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE WIPERS (FRONT AND REAR) ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE I PURCHASED IT. THE WIPERS COME ON "MAGICALLY" WHILE DRIVING. THE REAR WIPER SOMETIMES COMES ON AND STAYS ON FOR PROLONGED PERIODS, ESPECIALLY IF THE REAR DEFROSTER IS ON. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN THREE TIMES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED. THE DEALER NOW TELLS ME THAT THE MAIN COMPUTER OF THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED....A $700 REPAIR!!! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! I CAN NOT AFFORD $700 FOR THIS REPAIR, OR SHOULD I HAVE TO. I HAVE OWNED NUMEROUS CARS OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE WIPERS LIKE THIS. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THERE IS A FLAW IN DODGE'S DESIGN. THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY CONCERN. I KNOW OF OTHERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND SOMETIMES THEIR WIPERS JUST STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN OR SNOW. I HOPE AND PRAY THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ME....ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN A RAINSTORM! WHY HAVEN'T THESE VEHICLES BEEN RECALLED FOR THESE PROBLEMS? WILL IT TAKE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FATALITIES BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? IF DODGE DOES NOT DO SOMETHING TO FIX MY PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE, THIS WILL BE THE LAST CHYRSLER PRODUCT I WILL EVER OWN. PAUL BAZIL

BODY MODULE FOR 96 GRAND CARAVAN PART # 04686930 FAILED. *AK THIS MODULE CONTROLS BODY ELEMENTS: POWER WINDOWS, POWER LOCKS, A/C, INTERIOR FEATURES, INSTRUMENTS (ODOMETER SPECIFICALLY) AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS. WINDSHIELD WIPERS CEASE TO OPERATE UPON FAILURE OF THIS MODULE. THIS CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME, AT ANY PLACE (PARKED OR DRIVING) UNDER ANY DRIVING CONDITIONS (SUNSHINE OR HURRICANE). I SEE THIS AS A CRITICAL DESIGN FLAW. FUNCTIONALITY OF A VITAL SAFETY COMPONENT, WINDSHIELD WIPERS,IS TIED TO A PART THAT CANNOT BE REPAIRED EASILY. ACCODING TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, THE PART IS NOT PRODUCED ANY MORE, IT IS NOT STOCKED. THE ORDER WILL NOT BE FILLED. THE PART IS NOT READILY REPAIRABLE. THE MODULE MUST BE PROGRAMMED WITH VEHICLE INFORMATION (FEATURES, ODOMETER READINGS) SO THE PART IS NOT STOCKED BY DEALERS OR DISTRIBUTORS. CUSTOMERS MUST WAIT FOR OLD PART TO COME IN AND BE RECONDITIONED. DAIMLERCHRYSLER CANNOT DELIVER PARTS TO BE PROGRAMMED AND RESTORE FUNCTIONALITY AND SAFETY TO VEHICLES.