1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

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 WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER, THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD BECOME DETACHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP WHERE THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES AND THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS EITHER RE-ATTACHED OR REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECURRING PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WHEN MY VAN IS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE RADIATOR FAN FAILS TO TURN ON TO COOL THE ENGINE TO HELP IT COOL. ALSO IT OVERHEATS AT RANDOM IN HOT WEATHER. MY VAN USES A LOT OF COOLANT/ANTIFREEZE BECAUSE OF THIS. I HAVE HAD THE RADIATOR REPLACED AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM IN AN EFFORT TO FIX THIS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. BECAUSE OF THIS I DON'T DRIVE MUCH AS IF IT OVERHEATS I AM STRANDED. *TR

STRUT TOWER ASSEMBLY CORROSION (STRUTS ASSEMBLY COULD COLLAPSE) I AM PROUD OWNER OF DODGE VEHICLES FOR MANY YEARS AND DRIVE A 98 GRAND CARAVAN. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A STRUT REPAIR THE MECHANIC REFUSED TO REPLACE THE STRUTS AS HE FOUND THE CORROSION AND SAID ITS A SAFETY ISSUE.TO MY SURPRISE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE FOR MANY AMERICAN FAMILIES WHO OWN A SIMILAR MODEL MINIVAN. I WANT THE SAFETY AUTHORITIES TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER IMMEDIATELY. ALL THE VEHICLES WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR GOD FORBIDDEN LOOSES THEIR LOVED ONE IN AN ACCIDENT. CAME TO KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON ISSUE IN THESE MINIVANS AND SURPRISE THE INSPITE OF KNOWING THE ISSUE THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL ???. I AM A FAMILY PERSON AND CANNOT PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR IN THESE TROUBLE TIME AND REQUEST THE AUTHORITIES TAKE THIS TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND GET A RECALL OUT. HOPEFULLY THIS MAY SAVE SOMEONE. I THINK HAVE DONE MY JOB AND IT IS YOUR TURN NOW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD REFUSE TO TURN. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT BUT AFTER A MONTH THE BELT FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 118,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOUR TIMES. THE MECHANIC INSTALLED A TENSIONER TO HOLD THE SERPENTINE BELT IN PLACE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,500. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BELT TENSIONER AND IDLER PULLEY WAS REPLACED ON 03/04/12 UPDATED 03/30/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT AND THE TENSIONER. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONE MONTH LATER AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PLACE THE BELT BACK IN PLACE. THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES AND ONLY WHEN DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWENTY OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE CONSISTENT PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

STRUT TOWER HOUSING ON DRIVERS SIDE OF VEHICLE UNDER THE HOOD IS SEVERELY RUSTED. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND HAS TO GO TO A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 4 OTHER CUSTOMERS COME IN WITH THE SAME ISSUE IN THE SAME PLACE ON THE SAME MODEL OF VEHICLE WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. THIS CAUSES A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS THIS HOUSING IS WHAT HOLDS THE STRUT IN PLACE ON THE VEHICLE. IF THE WEAKENED STRUCTURE FAILS, THE PRESSURE OF THE STRUT WILL CAUSE THE STRUT TO FLY OFF AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITH GREAT FORCE. THIS WILL NOT ONLY CAUSE THE SUSPENSION TO FAIL, BUT THE VELOCITY OF THE STRUT ITSELF WOULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN. DODGE HAS ENACTED RECALLS FOR THE SAME SITUATION ON EARLIER MODELS OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THE RECALLS WERE ENACTED AFTER MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. THE COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE INTO SAFE OPERATING CONDITION IS $2000. *TR