1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

THE DRIVER'S HORN DOES NOT WORK AND HASN'T SINCE IT WAS TAKEN IN TO REPLACE THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY. THIS WAS DONE AS PER A RECALL ISSUED BY NHTSA AND DAIMLERCHRYSTLER CORPORATION RELATING TO DRIVER'S AIRBAG BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER. HE ALSO DID NOT HAVE THE ORIGINAL PAPERWORK ON THE VAN. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND WHEN I DISCOVERED THE HORN DID NOT WORK. AFTER RESEARCHING AND SUBSCRIBING TO THE THE NHTSA RECALL ALERTS I DETERMINED THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE CLOCK SPRING REPLACEMENT. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT CLOCK SPRING COULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE AS WELL, BECAUSE IT WAS DONE SO SOON AFTER THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE I LIVE AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ISSUED AND THEY WERE SORRY, BUT THEY COULDN'T REPLACE IT AGAIN. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED FROM ORIGINALLY. EVEN WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD PAY THE COST OF THE REPAIR, THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO TOUCH IT BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH INVOLVED IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT COULD GO WRONG AND HE DIDN'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO DO IT. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE AND HASN'T BEEN SINCE BEFORE AND AFTER I PURCHASED IT. MY CONCERN IS IF THE HORN DOESN'T WORK'THEN HOW CAN I BE SURE THE AIRBAG DOES. I'M STILL DRIVING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I CAN'T SELL IT TO SOMEONE ELSE IN THIS CONDITION. IS THERE NO RECOURSE IF THE VEHICLE AS NOT REPAIRED AS PER THE NHTSA'S RECALL? THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 91054 MILES ON IT AS OF THIS DATE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 45 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH STRUCK THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT (THE CONTACT'S SEAT) SEPARATED FROM THE SEAT TRACK. THE CONTACT STRUCK THE SIDE DOOR AND WAS THROWN INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONTACT AND HE WAS THEN STRUCK BY THE SEAT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK. THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE WERE ALSO INJURED, AS THE FRONT PASSENGER'S FEET WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND TWO OF THE OCCUPANTS SUFFERED WHIPLASH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED FOR ALL THE INJURED OCCUPANTS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE AND THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. SEE ALSO 11004763. *DSY ..UPDATED 08/04/17 *BF UPDATED 10/11/2017*JS *JS *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V373000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNSATISFACTORY SERVICE ON VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, ALONG WITH A COPY OF THE SAFETY RECALL LETTER REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH THE CLOCKSPRING. AFTER AN HOUR, THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, NOT THE CLOCKSPRING AND THAT IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN TWO HOURS TO TROUBLESHOOT THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, AND THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, PLUS THE REPAIR CHARGES. THE CONSUMER REFUSED THEIR OFFER. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT, WHERE THE MECHANIC'S FIRST REACTION WAS THE CLOCKSPRING. AN HOUR LATER, THE CLOCKSPRING WAS REPLACED AND ALL OF THE LOST FUNCTIONALITIES WERE RESTORED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE LINE FAILED AND WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE CLOCKSPRING WAS ALSO REPLACED ACCORDING TO A RECALL WITHOUT THE CONTACT'S CONSENT. WHEN THE CONTACT RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE, ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WERE FLASHING ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE HORN DID NOT OPERATE AND THERE WERE OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 59,492. UPDATED 08/19/09 *BF UPDATED 08/20/09.*JB

1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRING. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE RECALL STATED IF THE PROBLEM WASN'T ACKNOWLEDGED THEN, AND DID HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE TO TAKE IT TO GET IT FIXED FREE. CONSUMER WAS TOLD NO ABOUT GETTING REIMBURSED FOR REPAIR. KB THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THE CONSUMER TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE SHOP INSTEAD OF THE DEALER. *JB