1997 Dodge Grand Caravan

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTO SHOP FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT AND A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE MECHANIC ALERTED THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE ABOUT A POSSIBILITY OF A LEFT SPRING SUPPORT MAY BECOME FRACTURED DUE TO HEAVY CORROSION. THE MECHANIC STATED TO THE OWNER THAT MANY OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE.

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. IN FEBRUARY 2005 WE HAD THE SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED, AND ALL PARTS RELATED TO IT ADJUSTED AND CLEANED. THIS WAS DONE DUE TO A HORRIBLE SCREECHING SOUND. IN NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF DURING A PERIOD OF COLD & RAINY WEATHER, AND LEFT ME WITHOUT STEERING OR COOLING FANS. I WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I COULD NOT STEER. THE BELT WAS REPLACED. SIX WEEKS LATER, AGAIN-IN COLD AND RAINY WEATHER. IT HAPPENED AGAIN, AND TODAY, 3 WEEKS LATER, YES, COLD AND RAINY WEATHER IT HAS HAPPENED FOR A THIRD TIME. MY GARAGE IS SET TO REPLACE THE STEERING FLUID PUMP, THINKING IT MIGHT BE LEAKING ON IT, THE BELT, TENSIONER AND A PULLEY. HOPING IT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM, THIS WILL BE A $500 BILL AT LEAST. HOWEVER, AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A REGULAR PROBLEM FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL, CROSSING SEVERAL MODEL YEARS. I CONTACTED DODGE, WHO TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT WITHOUT A RECALL, BUT AGREED THERE HAVE BEEN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSBS) REGARDING THE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM I DID RESEARCH ON THESE TSBS, AS WELL AS VARIOUS WEBSITES WHERE AUTO MECHANICS POST, AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SINGLE REPAIR THAT WORKS IN EACH VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. THIS BELT CONTROLS THE STEERING, THE ALTERNATOR AND THE FANS. THIS IS A MINI-VAN, MADE FOR FAMILIES. I AM FEARFUL OF ALLOWING MY THREE CHILDREN TO RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE NOW, KNOWING THAT EVEN AFTER THE REPAIRS COMING UP THIS WEEK, THE PROBLEM MAY NOT BE FIXED. DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE DANGER WHICH COULD OCCUR , LOSING STEERING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN POOR CONDITIONS, I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE SHOULD BECOME A RECALL.*AK

THE VEHICLE'S ABS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAVE BEEN GOING ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. WE HAD A MECHANIC LOOK INTO IT AND REPLACED A RELAY OR SWITCH THAT BELONGED TO THE BLOWER MOTORS (FANS BY RADIATOR). THE LIGHTS SEEMED TO GO AWAY UNTIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THE ABS LIGHT RETURNED AND THE BRAKES ACT AS THOUGH THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE OUT AT ANY TIME. THEY HAVE TO BE DEPRESSED FOR QUITE A LENGTH OF TIME BEFORE THE VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE IS ALSO A WEIRD SOUND OF AIR OR AS IF AIR WHERE COMING OUT WHEN THE BRAKES GET DEPRESSED. I HAVE HAD TO ADD FLUID ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A MECHANIC BUDDY THAT THERE IS VERY GOOD CHANCE ITS THE BRAKE BOOSTER DUE TO THE SOUND OF AIR. I WENT ONLINE AND NOTICED THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THIS IN A COUPLE OF GRAND CARAVANS BUT MY VIN # DOESN'T FALL INTO THE SUGGESTED VIN RANGE. *NM

DT: 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1996. THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO FIXED THE MASTER CYLINDER BECAUSE THE LIGHT TO AIRBAGS STAYED ON. THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL LIGHTS BLINKED OFF AND ON OCCASIONALLY. WHEN SEEING THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD THE CONSUMER COULD LOOK AT THIS AS A WARNING, BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE HOW FAST SHE WAS GOING OR HOW MUCH GAS THERE WAS IN THE GAS TANK. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A YEAR. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS. I THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP IN 2003, AND THEY CHANGED THE CLOCK SPRING. ALSO, THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. FIRST, THE ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF, NOW ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON, BUT NOTHING WAS WORKING ON DASHBOARD. *AK

DT: THE OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT LENSES WERE NO LONGER TRANSPARENT, BUT WERE TURNING OPAQUE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEALER, AND THEY STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS SPECIFIC COMPONENT. THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD BE REPLACED BUT AT T CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. THE CONSUMER DID NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER.*AK