1997 Dodge Grand Caravan

MY VAN WAS PARKED OUT SIDE LUCKYS ON MITALDA NEAR W MAUDE AVENUE IN SUNNYVALE CA 94086 I WAS USING THE WATER REFILLING STATION AND STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE WHEN I TURNED AROUND I IMIDEATLLY NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TAILLIGHT WAS ON FIRE. NOT HAVING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER I TOOK THE BOTTLE OF WATER I HAD IN MY HANDS AND STARTED TO THROW WATER ON IT UNTIL THE FLAMES WENT OUT. WHAT IN THE HELL WOULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN? IS MY VAN UP FOR RECALL? I JUST PURCHASED THE VAN JUST A WEEK AGO. IT HAS BEEN A NIGHT MARE FOR ME NOT TO MENTION EXTREMELY COSTLY REPLACING EVERYTHING'S THAT'S BEEN GOING OUT. THE A/C CLUSTER THE DASH CLUSTER THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR. THE REAR VENT MOTOR. COUNTLESS BULBS AND FUSES.

CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60MPH; ENGINE REMAINED ON. I PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE CAR, AND IT STARTED BACK UP AGAIN AND DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT 2 MILES. 'SERVICE ENGINE SOON' LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN IT LOST POWER AGAIN, I SLOWED AND THEN TRIED TO REACCELERATE, AND IT DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT 5 MILES, ENOUGH TO GET ME OFF THE FREEWAY AND TO A SAFE LOCATION. I CHECKED THE OIL AND TRANSMISSION LEVELS, WHICH WERE OK, AND THERE WAS NOTHING LEAKING UNDER THE CAR. WENT TO AN APPOINTMENT, AND CAME BACK TO THE CAR, WHICH STARTED UP AND DROVE OK FOR ABOUT A HALF MILE, THEN IT SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THIS TIME IT WOULDN'T START BACK UP AGAIN, SO I PUSHED IT ONTO A SIDE STREET, WHERE IT STARTED UP FINE AND DROVE TO THE NEAREST GAS/REPAIR STATION. NOW, THE VAN WON'T START AGAIN. VAN WAS PROCEEDING STRAIGHT IN ALL SITUATIONS.

SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHILE DRIVING IN SNOW CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING ON SLIPPERY ROAD SURFACES. LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND ABILITY TO REGAIN VEHICLE CONTROL WAS COMPROMISED BY LACK OF STEERING ASSIST CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LEAVE THE ROADWAY. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE.THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS A SCHOOL BUS WAS NEAR MY VEHICLE WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND A RECALL SHOULD BE MANDATED. *TR

PART 1.... I USED TO BE A MECHANIC AND TOW TRUCK OPERATOR. MY MINI VAN "LIKE MOST OTHERS" IS USUALLY DRIVEN BY A FEMALE & WITH A LOAD OF CHILDREN. IF DRIVING IN RAIN OR THROUGH A WATER PUDDLE THE BELT JUMPS OFF CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING OVERHEATING BATTERY DRAIN ETC, IS A DANGEROUS EVEN DEADLY PROBLEM, IF A TURN IS NEEDED AT THE TIME THIS BELT JUMPS OFF, EVEN A STRONG HEALTHY MAN CAN LEAVE THE LINE OF INTENDED TRAVEL AND HIT WHAT EVER IS IN THE WAY, A CURB, A PEDESTRIAN OR EVEN CAUSE A HEAD ON COLLISION. THIS MOSTLY HAPPENS DURING RAINY/NASTY DAYS & BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF REPLACING THE BELT, AND THE DAMAGE THAT IS CAUSED WHEN IT COMES OFF, THE VEHICLE USUALLY REQUIRES A TOW 4 REPAIR. IT IS STATED THAT, WHEN A CONSUMER MAKES A COMPLAINT & IF THE SAME COMPLAINT IS REPEATED AN INVESTIGATION WILL BE STARTED. THIS IS AN OLD PROBLEM WITH MANY, MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS YET, I SEE "NO ACTION, NOT EVEN AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS PROBLEM", WHY?? CONSUMERS ARE DEPENDING ON YOU "SAFECAR.GOV, NHTSA" ETC. WHAT WILL IT TAKE, "A DEATH" TO START AN INVESTIGATION? OR, SHOULD I SAY, HOW MANY??? I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS, AND A LOT OF DAMAGE JUST FROM THE BELT AS IT JUMPS OFF AND GOES FLOPPING AROUND, NOT TO MENTION THE PEOPLE THAT BURNED UP THEIR MOTOR EVEN STARTED A FIRE TRYING TO GET HOME, TO A SHOP ETC. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN A PLAGUE SINCE DAY ONE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT LEAST FIXED ON THE NEXT YEARS MODEL BUT CHRYSLER JUST IGNORED IT. THEIR HAVE BEEN MANY VEHICLES WITH THESE SERPENTINE BELTS,, CHRYSLER VANS IS THE ONLY ONES THAT I KNOW OF WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. THIS IS A DEADLY PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION SINCE THEY KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM FROM THE START AND JUST FLAT OUT IGNORED IT. THE GAS LINE DECAYING AND SUSPENSION STRUT MOUNTS RUSTING AWAY ON THESE SAME MODELS WILL BE MY NEXT POST

PART 1 1/2 THE GAS LINE DECAYING AND THE SUSPENSION STRUT MOUNTS RUSTING AWAY, BOTH OF THESE ARE DEADLY, A RUSTY/CORRODED BREAK LINE WILL JUST LEAK A DROP AT THE TIME, MOST PEOPLE JUST REFILL THE FLUID RESERVOIR AND NEVER THINK ABOUT AGAIN, EVENTUALLY THE BREAK LINE FAILS ALL AT ONCE, THIS IS BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY PUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE LINES THAN USUAL AND THE WEAK SPOT RUPTURES LIKE A WEAK SPOT IN A BALLOON WOULD. THAT MEANS THAT YOU WERE IN A BAD SITUATION ALREADY AND NOW YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BREAKING POWER AT ALL. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS NEXT??? ALL BREAK LINES ARE STAINLESS STEAL SO AS TO RESIST RUST AND CORROSION, THE ONLY REASON A BREAK LINE FAILS IN THIS LITTLE AMOUNT OF TIME IS BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURE IS PRODUCING AN INFERIOR PRODUCT AND SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NOW,, THE STRUT MOUNTS, AS SOON AS THE COMPANY FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE MOUNTS RUSTING THEY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE VEHICLES AND SPRAYED $10 WORTH OF UNDERCOATING OVER THE PARTS AFTER REMOVING THE RUST TO STOP ANY MORE RUST FROM FORMING. IF THE STRUT MOUNT IS RUSTED ENOUGH, IT CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME "USUALLY WHEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND YOU HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD,, THAT SENDS AN EXTRA AMOUNT OF FORCE TO THE SUSPENSION. THE STRUT COMES UP THROUGH THE HOOD AND THE WHEEL MAY GO ANY WAY AND HIT ANY PART OF THE WHEEL WELL AND SUSPENSION THE AXLE MAY COME OUT OF THE WHEEL OR TRANSMISSION , ALL OF THAT MEANS YOU MAY HAVE TOTAL LOSE OF BREAKS AND OR STEERING. ALL 3 OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD HAVE EASILY AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED WHEN FIRST REALIZED MANY YEARS AGO, INSTEAD THEY KEPT RIGHT ON MANUFACTURING VEHICLES THE SAME WAY WITH THE SAME IMPERFECTIONS AND IF YOU GO TO A DEALER TODAY WITH EITHER OF THESE PROBLEMS THEY WILL SAY IT IS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE HERD OF IT, IT OUT OF WARRANTY, ETC. AND WILL NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT FIXING IT UNLESS WE PAY

PART 1 1/2 THE GAS LINE DECAYING AND THE SUSPENSION STRUT MOUNTS RUSTING AWAY, BOTH OF THESE ARE DEADLY, A RUSTY/CORRODED BREAK LINE WILL JUST LEAK A DROP AT THE TIME, MOST PEOPLE JUST REFILL THE FLUID RESERVOIR AND NEVER THINK ABOUT AGAIN, EVENTUALLY THE BREAK LINE FAILS ALL AT ONCE, THIS IS BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY PUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE LINES THAN USUAL AND THE WEAK SPOT RUPTURES LIKE A WEAK SPOT IN A BALLOON WOULD. THAT MEANS THAT YOU WERE IN A BAD SITUATION ALREADY AND NOW YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BREAKING POWER AT ALL. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS NEXT??? ALL BREAK LINES ARE STAINLESS STEAL SO AS TO RESIST RUST AND CORROSION, THE ONLY REASON A BREAK LINE FAILS IN THIS LITTLE AMOUNT OF TIME IS BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURE IS PRODUCING AN INFERIOR PRODUCT AND SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NOW,, THE STRUT MOUNTS, AS SOON AS THE COMPANY FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE MOUNTS RUSTING THEY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE VEHICLES AND SPRAYED $10 WORTH OF UNDERCOATING OVER THE PARTS AFTER REMOVING THE RUST TO STOP ANY MORE RUST FROM FORMING. IF THE STRUT MOUNT IS RUSTED ENOUGH, IT CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME "USUALLY WHEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND YOU HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD,, THAT SENDS AN EXTRA AMOUNT OF FORCE TO THE SUSPENSION. THE STRUT COMES UP THROUGH THE HOOD AND THE WHEEL MAY GO ANY WAY AND HIT ANY PART OF THE WHEEL WELL AND SUSPENSION THE AXLE MAY COME OUT OF THE WHEEL OR TRANSMISSION , ALL OF THAT MEANS YOU MAY HAVE TOTAL LOSE OF BREAKS AND OR STEERING. ALL 3 OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD HAVE EASILY AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED WHEN FIRST REALIZED MANY YEARS AGO, INSTEAD THEY KEPT RIGHT ON MANUFACTURING VEHICLES THE SAME WAY WITH THE SAME IMPERFECTIONS AND IF YOU GO TO A DEALER TODAY WITH EITHER OF THESE PROBLEMS THEY WILL SAY IT IS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE HERD OF IT, IT OUT OF WARRANTY, ETC. AND WILL NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT FIXING IT UNLESS WE PAY

PART 2 I'VE READ ON HERE THAT GATES HAS A BELT/PULLEY FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. IF THEY HAVE ONE, CHRYSLER CAN MAKE ONE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT CAN HAPPEN ANY TIME TO MANY DODGE VANS, IT RESULTS IN OTHER DAMAGES, SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL, POSSIBLE INJURY EVEN DEATH TO MANY PEOPLE AT ONE TIME. MANY OTHER VEHICLES HAVE SERPENTINE BELTS WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM SO IT CAN BE FIXED. IT'S A REPEATED DESIGN FLAW & SHOULD BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. A NTSB RULE GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS "A COMPANY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY FORESEEABLE PROBLEMS IN THEIR PRODUCT" THE SAME GOES FOR THE BRAKE LINES CORRODING ENOUGH FOR FAILURE TO OCCUR IN JUST A FEW YEARS, THIS IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS A $29,850 VEHICLE NOT A $2,000 1967 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, MY BEETLE HAS THE ORIGINAL BREAK LINES. AND IN GOOD SHAPE. ALL BREAK LINES ARE TO BE STAINLESS STEEL TO RESIST RUST AND CORROSION. THIS IS PURELY LACK OF QUALITY IN MATERIALS USED TO MAKE THESE LINES AND THE COMPANY ALSO SHOULD BE MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BY WARNING ALL OWNERS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND REPLACING ALL DEFECTABLE LINES WITH GOOD QUALITY LINES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING AT 62 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

THIS IS ACTUALLY MY MOTHER'S VAN AND A VAN THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY OWNED. IT SEEMS THAT THESE VEHICLES SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE SECURITY SYSTEM NOT DISARMING AS YOU TRY TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. YOU CAN UNLOCK THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT AS SOON AS YOU GET IN THE VEHICLE AND TRY TO START IT, IT IMMEDIATELY SHUTS BACK DOWN AS A SECURITY PRECAUTION. A SIMPLE SMACK ON THE DASH CURES IT RIGHT UP, BUT BEING AS HOW IT'S MY MOTHER'S VAN NOW; SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE STRENGTH TO SIMPLY "SMACK" THE DASH AND GET EVERYTHING WORKING AGAIN. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY KNOWN ISSUE. I HAVE READ ABOUT IT THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND HAVE EXPERIENCED IT MYSELF ON TWO SEPARATE VANS. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT DAIMLER/CHRYSLER SHOULD ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND NOT HAVE THE CONSUMER FIX IT, SEEING AS HOW IT IS AND ISSUE THAT'S BURIED IN THE DASHBOARD AND NOT OUT IN PLAIN SIGHT, LIKE SOME MECHANICAL ISSUES. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH THE CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL, BECAUSE IT COULD SET OFF THE AIRBAG AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. WELL, WITH ME HAVING TO SMACK THE DASH SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES, HER SPEEDOMETER IS OFF BY 50 MPH NOW. I AM HOPING FOR A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS ISSUE, DUE TO THE FACT THAT ONE MORE GOOD WHACK COULD SET OFF THE AIRBAG AND REALLY INJURY SOMEBODY. THANK YOU. *TR