1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

WE BOUGHT OUR 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE (3.3 LITER) USED FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER IN 2000. AT THAT POINT, THE TENSIONER HAD BEEN REPLACED ONCE AT LEAST. SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD THE UNFORTUNATE AND DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCE OF BEING STRANDED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WITH OUR 3 CHILDREN BECAUSE OF THE TENSIONER BELT FALLING OFF, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE. IT COINCIDED WITH RAINY WEATHER BOTH TIMES. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER REPORTS ON THE INTERNET WITH OTHER CONSUMERS HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THEIR DODGE GRAND CARAVANS. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THIS COULD LEAD TO DEATHS VERY EASILY. WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET ACROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC, WITH NO STEERING OR POWER, AND PARK IN THE BREAK DOWN LANE WHILE TRAFFIC PASSED BY US AT 75 MILES AN HOUR. WE WERE NEARLY REARENDED A COUPLE TIMES, WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT OUR CHILDREN WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT FIRST, AND I DOUBT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SURVIVED THAT KIND OF IMPACT. IN THE MEANTIME, MY HUSBAND LITERALLY STOOD IN BACK OF OUR VAN WAVING OUR DETACHED SERPENTINE BELT IN THE AIR DESPERATE FOR SOMEONE TO HELP GET US OFF OF THE BUSY AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY HIGHWAY. THE NEXT 30 MINUTES WERE SCARY, I CRIED THE ENTIRE TIME SCARED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY 3 YOUNG CHILDREN (A NEWBORN, A 2 YEAR OLD AND A 3 YEAR OLD). THE NEXT TIME THE BELT FELL OFF, LUCKILY I WAS NEARER TO OUR HOME ON A QUIET STREET. I COULD ONLY IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD I LOST THE BELT WHILE ON A BACK COUNTRY ROAD IN MAINE, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTER, WITH MY 3 CHILDREN BY MYSELF. A FAMILY VAN SHOULD NEVER LOSE IT'S SERPENTINE BELT 3 TIMES IN 4 YEARS. WITH ALL THE RECORDED STATEMENTS FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM, SEVERAL TIMES OVER, THERE IS AMPLE PROOF THAT DODGE IS AWARE THAT THERE IS A HUGE PROBLEM. LOSING POWER, STEERING, ETC. IS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED. WE WERE LUCKY TO SURVIVE OUR INCIDENT. THERE WILL COME A DAY, IF THIS SITUATION IS NOT RESOLVED, WHERE A PERSON OR WHOLE FAMILY, WILL DIE BECAUSE OF THIS CARELESS DEFECT. *AK

NOVEMBER, 2003 - 1998 GRAND CARAVAN WITH 73500 MILES. HEAD GASKET FAILURE. LEAKING COOLANT TO THE OUTSIDE OF ENGINE FROM REAR HEAD. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH HEAD GASKET AND OIL PRESSURE SWITCH. VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND SERVICED REGULARLY. DRIVEN BY "SOCCER" MOM. ALSO, COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE-SEE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SECTION. *JB

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE THAT HADE ENGINE FAILURE. THE VAN HAS BEEN RUNNING GOOD AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. MY VAN AT THAT TIME HADE 126,000 MILES ON IT, SO IT IS PASS WARRANTY PERIOD. I STILL BELIEVE THAT THIS ENGINE SHOULDN,T HAVE FAILED AT 126,000 MILES. THIS IS MY SECOND MINI-VAN, AND UP UNTIL THIS POINT HAVE BEEN SATISFIED WITH THEM. I THINK CHYSLER SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FAILURE. MY VOYAGER HAS 208,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE AND STILL RUNNING. SOMETHING WENT WRONG WITH THIS 3.3 L V6 ENGINE. I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THE FAILURE OR WITH ME HAVING TO SPEND $2,500.00 TO REPAIR IT. THIS SHOULDN,T HAVE HAPPEN.*AK

THE CAR IS ON IT'S THIRD TRANSMISSION. WE LIKE THE CARAVAN AS A PACKAGE, BUT QUALITY IS LACKING AND PROBLEMATIC. THE MOST CRITICAL PROBLEM IS BODY RUST THROUGH. THE DRIVERS SIDE SHOCK MOUNT TOWER IS RUSTED THROUGH AND CHRYSLER OWNER RELATIONS REFUSING TO FIX IT. NEVER MIND THAT THE DEALERS SAY THE PROBLEM IS PREVALENT AND CHRYSLER USED TO FIX IT BUT RECENTLY STOPPED PAYING FOR (PERHAPS DUE TO FINANCIAL AND MARKET CONDITIONS).

THE VAN STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS LAST WEEK.IT DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO FIRST GEAR AFTER REVERSE OR AFTER STOPPING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN IS BROKEN AND WILL TAKE ANYWHERE FROM $1700 TO $2300 TO REPAIR. I AM TRYING TO GET CHRYSLER TO COVER THE COST OF THIS AS IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE VANS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE AGAIN.

MY 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (WHICH I PURCHASED NEW) HAD "THROWN" ITS' SERPENTINE-BELT 4 TIMES (APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10,000 MILES- IT NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER). THE DANGER/HAZARD IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE IS THAT POWER-STEERING, WATER-PUMP, ALTERNATOR, & POSSIBLY OIL-PUMP ARE DRIVEN BY THIS BELT! DODGE HAS REPLACED THE BELT, TENSIONER, TENSIONER-MOUNT BRACKET SUCCESSIVELY: I.E.- BELT AT 1ST INCIDENT, TENSIONER AT 2ND, BRACKET AT 3RD. NOW IT HAS OCCURRED AGAIN & THEY WISH TO CHARGE FOR ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED. THE VEHICLE HAD CAMSHAFT FAILURE AT 41,000 MILES & NOW HAS A REBUILT ENGINE- THE BELT/ TENSIONER/ BRACKET ARE SAID BY DODGE NOT TO BE AFFECTED BY THE REPLACED ENGINE. SO, DOES THIS MEAN THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW TENSIONER/ BELT/ BRACKET EVERY 10,000 MILES? *LA

SERPENTINE BELT FELL OFF THE TENSION PULLEY, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. TSB 6088784 WAS ISSUED ON THE PROBLEM, WHICH INDICATED THAT CAUSE WAS RAIN/STAGNANT WATER, AND SNOW.*AK 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WHERE SERPENTINE BELT FELL OFF THE TENSION PULLEY CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES AND ENGINE FAILURE. CHRYSLER CORPORATION SENT A MEMO TO THEIR DEALERSHIPS ADDRESSING HOW TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE MEMO ALSO STATED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE.*MR