1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

DEAR NHTSA: IAM POSTING THE EXACT PROBLEM AS LISTED UNDER YOUR "DEFECTS" PAGE FOR MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE: MAKE : DODGE MODEL : GRAND CARAVAN YEAR : 1998 MANUFACTURER : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION ERVICE BULLETIN NUM : 98771 DATE OF BULLETIN: MAY 01, 1998 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 601474 COMPONENT: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN SUMMARY: THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY MAY NOT TURN ON THE RADIATOR COOLING FANS, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. *AK ================ THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ME A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY FAILED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I WAS STRANDED AND HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO MY DEALER, TEAM DODGE OF STONE MOUNTAIN, GOERGIA. THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE RELAY AS A RECALL (A TINY MODULE LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF THE RADIATOR), AND CHARGED ME IN EXCESS OF $150.00 TO REPLACE IT. SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME, I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MANY DODGE CARAVAN OWNERS THAT THIS IS INDEED A COMMON PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF A FACTORY-WIDE RECALL, AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU MAY BE ABLE TO OFFER. THANK YOU.

THE ENGINE "BLEW UP". APPARENTLY THERE WAS AN OIL PROBLEM" ON THE INSIDE OF ONE SIDE OF THE ENGINE AND A CHUNCK OF IT ACTUALLY "BLEW OFF". THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED INCLUDING HOSES, ETC. THE ORIGINAL ENGINE HAD ONLY 77,326 MILES!!! I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEIR ENGINES IN THIS SAME MINI-VAN AT OR AROUND 70,000-80,000 MILES! NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I SPOKEN WITH AND WAS WARNED THAT THIS WOULD PROBABLY HAPPEN BY THE OWNER OF AN AUTO BODY SHOP, PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. HE SAID "WE SEE THESE ENGINES ON THESE MINI-VANS GO BAD RIGHT AROUND 70,000 MILES, LYNN". THIS SEEMS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM FOR THE DODGE/CHRYSLER MINI-VAN. *AK

I PURCHASED MY 1998 GRAND CARAVAN IN OCTOBER OF 2003. I LOVE THIS VEHICLE, IT HAS EVERYTHING I WANT AND NEED. I PURCHASED THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE AFTER THE OTHER ONE WAS TOTALED BY A DEER. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHY THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE AIR CONDITIONER? I REPLACED THE EVAPORATOR IN MY OTHER VAN AND THIS ONE NEEDS THE SAME THING DONE TO IT. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN THE COOLER MONTH, BUT NOW THAT IT REACHES 100 DEGREES HERE IN FLORIDA, I NEED AN AIR CONDITIONER THAT WORKS. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY $1,400 TO FIX THIS ONE, I DID IN MY OTHER VAN AND AM STILL MAKING THE PAYMENTS ON THAT REPAIR BILL. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND CANNOT GO ANYWHERE WHEN THE HEAT IS SO INTENSE. MANY PEOPLE WITH A CARAVAN HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. CAN YOU HELP, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS MALFUNCTIONING PROBLEM? THANK YOU!*AK

WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF THE FAN CONTINUES TO RUN. CONSUMER DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY SO IT WOULDN'T BURN OUT THE MOTOR. THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY DOES NOT TURN THE COOLING FAN OFF OR ON, WHICH IS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM DEALERSHIP HAS TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY, AND REPROGRAM THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE AS STATED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

ENGINE FAILURE OF SECOND ENGINE IN VEHICLE WITHIN 55,000 MILES. I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED THE REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE IN MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AT 37,000 MILES DUE TO A LIFTER FAILURE OCCASIONED BY WHAT WAS DESCRIBED BY THE REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER AS "SOFT METAL." A LONG BLOCK REPLACEMENT WAS INSTALLED AND NOW AT 55000 MILES I AM TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAS A "BAD LIFT" AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. THUS, I NOW HAVE HAD TWO ENGINES IN THE SAME CAR EACH OF WHICH HAS FAILED IN ABOUT THE SAME WAY. I HAVE A WARRANTY CLAIM PENDING BUT FEEL STRONGLY THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I ASSURE YOU THAT THE CAR WAS WELL CARED FOR AND THAT ALL REQUIRED SERVICE WAS MET OR EXCEEDED. I HAVE HAD MANY CARS NOT ONE OF WHICH HAD ENGINE FAILURE EVEN AFTER A HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND MILES AND CONSIDERABLY LESS METICULOUS CARE.

AFTER DRIVING THROUGH STANDING WATER, THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPED OFF, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL. THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED IN JUNE 2003, ABOUT THREE WEEKS AFTER THE DEALER HAD REPLACED THE BELT AND TENSIONER. THE TENDENCY FOR THE BELT TO SLIP OFF AFTER DRIVING THROUGH WATER IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM, WHICH COULD EASILY LEAD TO A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR BY A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER.*AK

MY 1998 GRAND CARAVAN SUDDENLY STARTED BURNING OIL. MY MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS DUE TO LEAKING VALVES THAT ARE COMMON IN THE 3.0L ENGINE. THE DISTURBING PART IS THE OIL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON DESPITE A VERY LOW LEVEL OF ENGINE OIL. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING BOTH PROBLEMS AND RECEIVED NO ASSISTANCE WITH EITHER PROBLEM. THE ENGINE AND WARNING LIGHT MALFUCNTIONS RESULTED IN LIFTER DAMAGE THAT WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $500.*AK