1999 Dodge Grand Caravan

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STRUT TOWER WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE STRUT TOWER WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. RETURNED BY USPS. 2ND ATTEMPT ON 2/13/2013 FAILED. *KB

I HAVE 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND NOTICED RUST BUBBLES AT THE TOP OF THE STRUT TOWER MOUNTS WITH A ROUTINE INSPECTION. THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE THAN THE PASSENGER SIDE. I KNOCKED ON THE AREA WITH MY HAND AND ABOUT HALF OF THE STRUT TOWER METAL SUPPORT FELL APART! THE STRUT SUPPORT IS NOW JUST BEING HELD IN PLACE WITH ONE NUT AND MINIMAL METAL. I WENT ONLINE AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER MINIVANS AND THAT CHRYSLER HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SALES BULLETIN BACK IN 2002 ON THIS STRUT TOWER RUST PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A WARRANTY ISSUE AND CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL YEARS AGO. CONSIDERING THAT THESE MINIVANS ARE USED PRIMARILY AS A FAMILY TRANSPORT VEHICLE, THIS RUST PROBLEM IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALLED ASAP! THIS IS THE FIRST I HAVE EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS AND HAVE OWNED NUMEROUS VEHICLES INCLUDING AN OLDER CAR DRIVING IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENT. *TR

DEAR STAFF MEMBERS: I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH 104,000 MILES ON IT. THE FRONT STRUT TOWERS ARE RUSTING BADLY AND I WAS TOLD BY A DODGE MECHANIC AT SHERMAN DODGE IN SKOKIE, ILLINOIS (WHERE I BOUGHT THE VAN) THAT THE STRUT WILL POP THROUGH THE HOOD ANYTIME AND WOULD CAUSE THE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE DODGE PICK UP SOME, IF NOT ALL OF THE REPAIR COST. I ALSO INSPECT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED PRETTY SERIOUS RUSTING AT VARIOUS STRUCTURAL COMPONENT. DODGE NEED TO SHOW "AMERICAN" RESPONSIBILITY WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY ISSUES OF THEIR PRODUCTS. THANKS. *TR WL, CHICAGO, IL

MY CAR WAS JUST IN A MINOR FRONT END ACCIDENT DURING A SNOWSTORM. WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINOR FRONT END REPAIRS NOW IS RESULTING IN A BIG ISSUE FOR MY FAMILY. MY VAN WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. I AM THE 2ND OWNER. THE MECHANIC, WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, FOUND A BROKEN DRIVERS SIDE SHOCK TOWER. THIS IS DAMAGE IS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE SINCE IT IS CAUSED BY RUST AND IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES. HAD IT NOT BEEN COMMON, ALLSTATE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THIS LOOPHOLE AND THE COST TO REPAIR THE SHOCK TOWER WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED. I AM FINDING, THROUGH RESEARCH, THAT THIS FLAW IN CHRYSLER VEHICLES IS VERY COMMON, YET HAS NEVER BEEN RECALLED BY CHRYSLER. ON THE WEB I SEE BLOG AFTER BLOG ABOUT THIS DEFECT YET CHRYSLER DOES NOT DEEM IT NECESSARY TO RECALL. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS REPAIR IS ROUGHLY $3000 EACH SIDE! THAT IS 3/4 WORTH THE VALUE OF MY CAR. I THOUGHT THIS VAN WOULD BE WITH MY FAMILY FOR A DECADE, BUT I ONLY HAD THE VAN FOR 3 YEARS! DUE TO THIS FLAW IN THE VEHICLE, IT WILL BE SOLD FOR PARTS. I CANNOT AFFORD THE REPAIR COSTS. SINCE I AM A SINGLE MOM OF FOUR, JUST LAID OFF TWO WEEKS AGO, THIS "FLAW" OF CHRYSLER'S DODGE GC WILL COST ME MORE THAN JUST ITS REPLACEMENT VALUE. THIS IS WRONG. KNOW OF ANY CLASS ACTION SUITS AGAINST CHRYSLER FOR THE SHOCK TOWER FLAW? THEY HAVE ISSUED A TSB # 23-044-02 ON OCTOBER 14, 2002. SO THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND YET IT CONTINUES. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. SINCERELY, LAURA HOSKE *TR

FRONT STRUT TOWERS OF 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ARE RUSTING THROUGH CAUSING POTENTIAL FAILURE OF FRONT SUSPENSION. CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUSPENSION/BODY - STRUT TOWER CORROSION. NUMBER: 23-044-02 GROUP: BODY DATE: OCT. 14, 2002 SUBJECT: NS STRUT TOWER CORROSION THEY ARE CONSIDERING IT A COSMETIC ISSUE. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. CHRYSLER HAS PRODUCED A REMEDY WITH A CAP KIT, AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. NO NOTIFICATION TO PRESENT OWNERS TO INSPECT THIS SAFETY ITEM HAS BEEN PRODUCED. *TR

HELLO, MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A ABOUT WHAT I CONSIDER A DESIGN AND MATERIALS DEFECT ON THE STRUT TOWER MOUNTING ON MY DODGE CARAVAN. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DEFECT ON YOUR WEBSITE AS WELL AS OTHERS AND I FEEL THAT A RECALL IS WAY PAST DUE ON THIS ISSUE. I DID CONTACT CHRYSLER AT THEIR REQUEST AND PROVIDED THE INFORMATION WHICH THEY REQUESTED. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS ITEM AND BECAUSE I WAS THE THIRD OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE THAT THERE WAS NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WHICH THEY WERE WILLING TO PROVIDE. I AM HOPING THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST ME WITH THIS PROBLEM IN GETTING A FAIR RESPONSE FROM CHRYSLER. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE MY PAST CORRESPONDENCE WITH CHRYSLER WITH YOU ALONG WITH SOME PHOTOS. *JB