1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ALARM WOULD REMAIN ON EVEN WHEN SHE MANUALLY TURNED IT OFF. THE FAILURE PREVENTED HER FROM STARTING THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERIES IN THE REMOTE. SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED. THE EQUIPMENT INFORMATION WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

BESIDES ALL THE 1998 RECALLS ON THIS VAN, I FOUND A PINHOLE LEAK IN THE HEAD ITSELF. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A GASKET LEAK BUT ITS NOT. WHEN IT RAN OUT OF WATER, TEMPERATURE GAUGE DID NOT TELL ME IT WAS HOT BUT INSTEAD REGISTERED COLD. ON TOP OF THE FRONT SPEAKERS GOES OFF AND ON AND THE REAR SPEAKERS DO IT ON OCCASION. STEREO GETS REALLY HOT TO THE TOUCH. TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE DOING STRANGE THINGS LIKE NOT KICKING DOWN WHEN STOPPED AND THEN LUNGING WHILE STOPPED OR ACCELERATING WHEN STOPPED. I THINK THIS WHOLE VAN SHOULD BE ON RECALL. *NM

FLAT TIRE REQUIRING NEED FOR USE OF COMPACT SPARE TIRE. THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SPARE TIRE REMOVAL DO NOT SHOW A RELEASE MECHANISM THAT IS CRITICAL FOR LOWERING OF THE SPARE TIRE. THE RELEASE MECHANISM IS REQUIRED TO LOWER A NYLON FIXTURE THAT SECURES THE COMPACT SPARE TIRE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE THE INSTRUCTIONS DID NOT MENTION THE RELEASE MECHANISM, AND THE RELEASE MECHANISM WAS NOT VISIBLE, I HAD TO CUT THE NYLON FIXTURE (SUGGESTED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF A DODGE DEALERSHIP I CONTACTED), WHICH THEN CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL DOWN. I WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED BUT IF SOMEONE HAD THEIR HEAD UNDERNEATH THE SPARE TIRE WHEN IT DROPPED DOWN, THEY COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE NYLON FIXTURE IS NOW RUINED. THE ORIGINAL DESIGN IS POOR AND THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE CLEARLY LACKING IN THE USE OF THE RELEASE MECHANISM. *JB

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

THIS WAS SENT TO DODGE'S WEBSITE EMAIL CONTACT. I AM SENDING IT TO YOU FWIIW JUST IN CASE ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS. I REALLY DON'T EXPECT A REPLY. I JUST WANT TO DOCUMENT MY PROBLEMS WHICH ARE: 1. AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR GOING OUT AT 58298 MILES 2. MOTOR PUTTING A CONNECTING ROD (WE THINK) THROUGH THE CRANKCASE AT 62,500 MILES. THE MECHANICS I KNOW SAY THESE ITEMS SHOULD NOT HAVE BROKEN DOWN, RATHER STRANGE THEY SAY. I WANT TO SEND YOU MY GRIPE SO THAT IT IS DOCUMENTED. AFTER BEING TOWED 130 MILES HOME AND TALKING TO 2 TOW TRUCK OPERATORS, A JUNK YARD MECHANIC(EX-DODGE WRENCH), AND A PATRON AT MY WIFE'S RESTAURANT, I LEARNED THAT NO ONE WAS SURPRISED THAT THIS MOTOR DIED WITH THIS LOW OF MILEAGE. THEY HAVE SEEN IT HAPPEN TO OTHERS OR HAD IT HAPPEN TO THEM AT NEARLY THE EXACT MILEAGE. THIS MAY BE, AND PROBABLY WILL BE, THE LAST CHRYSLER I EVER BY. HONDA AND TOYOTA ARE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD RIGHT NOW. SOOOO, IF YOU HEAR ENOUGH GRIPES, MAYBE YOU WILL BE FORCED TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. REGARDING EXTENDED WARRANTY, YES I WAS OFFERED IT, BUT REFUSED BECAUSE IT IS EXPENSIVE AND IT SHOULDN'T BE NEEDED. SEE HONDA/TOYOTA QUOTE. THE HEAD MECHANIC AT MY SHOP, WITH A FLEET OF DOZENS OF VEHICLES OPINED THE SAME REGARDING EXTENDED WARRANTIES, THEY ARE AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE. EVERYONE KNOWS EXTENDED WARRANTIES ARE A MONEY MAKER FOR THE SELLER, OR ELSE IT WOULDN'T BE SOLD, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER INSURANCE. MY 2CENTS.*AK

WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN AUGUST 2001. AFTER TWO MONTHS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE WE HAD TO REPLACE THE SERPENTINE BELT, WHICH BROKE AS SOON AS I TURNED A CORNER,(WE WERE TOLD THE DEALERSHIP, MAROONE TOYOTA IN WESTON, FL SOULD SEE NOTHING WRONG) WE THEN HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT AS OUR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON (WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE) WITHIN THE NEXT 2 YEARS OF HAVING THIS CAR, WE HAVE REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT 4 ADDIOTNAL TIMES, WE HAVE HAD THE MOTOR IN THE DRIVER DOOR BREAK AND WE CANNOT GET THAT WINDOW DOWN, WE HAVE THE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM (WHICH I JUST NOTED IS A RECALL ISSUE THAT I NEVER RECEIVED NOTICE), WE HAVE JUST EXPERIENCED THE A/C BREAKING DOWN, WICH LOOKS IN TURN THAT THIS WILL BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PULLEY OR SYSTEM IT IS ATTCHED TO ( A COIL PROBLEM). WE HAVE 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND I MUST ADMIT THAT THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED WITH A USED VEHICLE. WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT COMPLICATIONS WITH THIS VEHICLE - I SHOULD HAVE RETURNED THEVEHICLE AND COUNT MY BLESSINGS, I'M AFRAID THE NEXT TIME SOMETHING GOES WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE - IT MAY COST US OURLIVES. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE CONTACT ME AND TELL ME MY OPTIONS.*AK