1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

ABOUT THREE OR FOUR TIMES A WEEK I WILL LOSE MY DASH GUAGES. THE LIGHTS AND UPPER DASH LIGHT WILL STILL WORK BUT GUAGES WON'T. AFTER NO SET AMOUNT OF TIME IT WILL POWER BACK UP AND DOORS WILL LOCK DOWN, SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL COME ON AND VAN WILL ACT LIKE IT JUST STARTED (GOES THROUGH INTIAL START UP SEQUENCE). SOMETIMES THE VAN WON'T START. KEY WILL BE TURNED AND VAN WILL START UP AND IMMEDIATELY STALL. THIS WILL HAPPEN THREE TIMES AND THEN DOESN'T ROLL OVER OR ANYTHING. LATELY VAN WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK ITSELF CONTINUALLY WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES UNLOCKING ITSELF AFTER ALARM HAS BEEN SET RISKING THE LOSS OF VALUABLES IN THE CAR WHILE WE ARE AWAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY AND WE TAKE IT INTO DEALER AND THE COMPUTERS AREN'T COMMUNICATING SO THEY REPLACE WIRES, ETC AND FIXES FOR A LITTLE WHILE BUT DOESN'T FIX THE STALLING PROBLEM, ETC. DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG AND SUGGESTED REPLACING ALL WIRING AT $2000 BUT NO GUARANTEE THIS IS CAUSING PROBLEM. WE HAVE ALREADY SPENT CLOSE TO $700 ON NEW STARTER, ETC. TO NO AVAIL. ON MESSAGE BOARD SOMEONE SUGGESTED WHEN IT DOESN'T START BEFORE IT COMPLETELY WON'T TURN OVER TO TURN THE KEY OVER AND HIT THE DASH AS HARD AS POSSIBLE AND IT WORKED....STARTED RIGHT UP. SUGGESTED THE CIRCUIT BOARD IS BAD. WHY CAN'T THE DEALER FIGURE THIS OUT. STILL COSTS $500 TO FIX. WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP PUTTING INTO VAN....WE JUST BOUGHT IT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO...BUT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW EITHER.*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

DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING RECALLED PART WAS ON A NATION WIDE BACK ORDER WHEN CONSUMER CALLED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. CONSUMER INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP THAT AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. DEALERSHIP REPLIED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC BECAUSE A NOISE DEVELOPED IN THE STEERING COLUMN. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT CLOCK SPRING WAS BAD, AND VEHICLE SHOULDN'T BE DRIVEN UNTIL CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED. MECHANIC CONTACTED A DEALERSHIP, WHO SENT HIM THE RECALLED PART. *AK

RE: RECALL # 02V293000: I HAVE A 1989 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. IT IS READILY EVIDENT TO ME THAT THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY HAS RECENTLY FAILED. AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON, HORN DOES NOT WORK, CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. THE LOCAL DEALER INFORMED ME THAT MY VAN WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL [XXX], WHICH IS PUZZLING. IF I AM IN A CRASH AND I OR MY FAMILY IS INJURED DUE TO SAFETY-RELATED FAILURES, I SUPPOSE DODGE COULD HAVE EASILY PREVENTED THE SAME AND DIMINISHED THEIR LIABILITY BY FIXING THIS PROBLEM UNDER THE RECALL. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET FOR SOMETHING THAT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. THE DEALER SAID HE WOULD FILE A COMPLAINT W/ DAIMLERCHRYSLER, BUT A RESPONSE COULD TAKE UP TO 2 WEEKS. WHAT IS MY FAMILY TO DO IF I AM IN A SAFETY-RELATED WRECK IN THE MEANTIME? *LA UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)