1997 Dodge Grand Caravan

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEEDS OF 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE STORE, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL PACK MALFUNCTIONED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY COULD NOT ASSIST THE CONTACT WITH THE FAILURE OF THE COIL PACK. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES AND IT WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 03/05/12*LJ UPDATED 03/08/12

THE BELT TENSIONER ON MY 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE 3.3L ENGINE IS A SAFETY HAZARD. IT HAS A DESIGN FLAW, THE BELT COMES OFF WHEN THE VAN IS DRIVEN THROUGH PUDDLES. I HAVE OWNED MY VAN FOR 2 YEARS AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BELT AND COORDINATING PARTS ABOUT 7 TIMES. I AM AT THE POINT WHERE I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY CHILDREN AROUND DURING WET WEATHER CONDITIONS NOR DO I FEEL COMFORTABLE SELLING THIS VEHICLE TO ANOTHER FAMILY AND PASSING THIS SEVERE PROBLEM ON TO THEM. PLEASE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO THIS DESIGN DEFECT AND DO A RECALL!!!!! *TR

THE PROBLEM IS WITH A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, THE ACCESSORY BELT KEEP COMING OFF IF YOU DRIVE THE VEHICLE THROUGH WATER. IT HAS HAPPEN A LEAST 20 TIME IN THE LAST YEAR WHICH LEAD TO POWER STEERING FAILURE AND OVER HEATING AND BATTERY FAILURE. I TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY CHANGING THE TENSIONER THE BELT ALSO THE IDLER PULLER ALL ABOUT TWICE WHICH DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHENEVER THE CONTACT SHIFTS, THE VEHICLE MAKES AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED, IT OPERATES NORMALLY. THE TRANSMISSION STALLS AND WILL START BACK UP, BUT IT IS UNRELIABLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD REV AND HAVE TO BE RESTARTED IN ORDER FOR THE REVVING TO STOP. IF THERE IS A POWER FLUCTUATION, THE REAR WIPERS WILL TURN ON AND OFF AT RANDOM. THE HIGH BEAMS ON THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK, BUT THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED. THE PARKING LIGHT ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED. HE REPLACED THE BULB, BUT IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE IS CONSTANTLY REPLACING THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS. THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF; HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF AND THERE IS A BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLY IS RUSTING AND ROTTING. THE ROCKER PANEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS RUSTED COMPLETELY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 186,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,766. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/11/08.*JB

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN LAST YEAR ON DECEMBER 2007 MY SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF WHILE I WAS MAKING A RIGHT ON ONE STREET UNDER THE RAIN, I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OFF MY CAR BUT I WAS FORTUNATE THAT NO CARS WERE AROUND. IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO DRIVE MY CAR BUT I CALLED THE MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME NOT WORRY THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET SAFE TO THE SHOP. THAT INCIDENT BROKE MY WINDSHIELD HOSE WATER, MY AIR CONDITIONER AND MY STEERING WHEEL HOSE AND HEAT IT UP THE CAR SO I HAD TO STOP SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I GOT TO THE MECHANIC SHOP. I WAS SO AFRAID BUT I GOT SAFE. THEN IT HAPPEN AGAIN A WEEK LATER, I WAS SO ANGRY WITH THE MECHANIC BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT HE DIDN'T DO NOTHING TO MY CAR AND THAT HE WAS TAKING MY MONEY ONLY, SINCE I WAS AROUND THE CORNER I WAS ABLE TO GO BACK TO HIM. WITHIN THE LAS 7 MONTHS, MY SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF AROUND 5 TIMES AND EVERY TIME THAT IT CAME OFF IT BROKE SOMETHING, SO I HAD TO PAY THE MECHANIC MORE MONEY. I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR SOMEONE TO TRY TO CONTACT CHRYSLER AND TRY TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO, UNLESS THEY ARE EXPENTING FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILL BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MANEUVER THE WHEEL. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME MONICA HUAMAN *TR

TL*THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND AIR BAG LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE CLOCK SPRING, BUT HE DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED BECAUSE THE DODGE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO NEED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE SINCE THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS DISCONNECTED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS THAT MY SERPENTINE BELT FELL OFF WHILE TURNING A CORNER. I HAVE A 97 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SPORT SE (3.3). THE FIRST TWO TIMES IT WAS RAINING AND THE SECOND TWO TIMES WERE IN GOOD WEATHER. EACH TIME IT WAS QUITE A JERK WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON THE TURN. WHAT IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE??? OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS QUITE A HASSLE HAVING TO GET THE CAR TOWED EACH TIME AND HAVING THE MECHANIC PUT THE BELT BACK ON AND LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO TRUST MY VEHICLE ANYMORE. MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE TENSIONER,BELT, AND PULLEYS WITH THE GATES MV CONVERSION KIT. HE WAS AWARE OF THIS BEING A COMMON PROBLEM. I ALSO READ ONLINE ABOUT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND HOW THIS SEEMED TO BE THE ONLY FIX THAT WORKED. THE DODGE DEALERSHIP HERE SAID THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM! THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY CHRYSLER. DO PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE CHRYSLER WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DESIGN FLAW AND PROVIDE THIS FIX FOR EVERYONE? *TR