2000 Dodge Grand Caravan

TRANSMISSION LINES LEAKED AND WERE TIGHTENED UNDER WARRANTY. TRANSMISSION LINES STARTED LEAKING AGAIN BUT THIS TIME I HAD TO PAY BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LINE WAS FRACTURED DUE TO SOME EXTERNAL CAUSE. TRANSMISSION STUTTERS AND SHIFTS HARD ESPECIALLY BETWEEN 25 AND 35 MPH. STARTED COMPLAINING TO DEALER AROUND 30,000 MILES, OF COURSE WHEN I RETURNED FOR THE 3RD TIME TO COMPLAIN AT JUST OVER 37,000 MILES THEY HAD NO PREVIOUS RECORD IN THEIR COMPUTER SO I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THEY STILL INSIST NOTHING IS WRONG AND THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. THE COOLANT RESERVOIR IS ALWAYS ALMOST EMPTY NO MATTER HOW MUCH I POUR IN. DEALER INSISTS THIS IS NORMAL AND PRESSURE TESTS INDICATE NOTHING IS WRONG.. IF THE SYSTEM IS SEALED WHERE IS ALL OF THE COOLANT GOING?*AK

TENSIONER ASSEMBLY REPLACED 4 TIMES WITHIN 12 MONTH PERIOD. 3 OF WITHIN 60 DAYS. AS A RESULT THE SHAFT AND PULLEY ON THE POWER STEERING WAS BENT REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. DODGE IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND PROVIDED A PART TO HOLD THE BELT ONTO THE TENSIONER. IT DID NOT WORK. THE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES UNDER 70K MILES. MOPAR PART WARRANTIES HAVE BEEN USED, HOWEVER, $100 DEDUCTIBLES FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS BEEN COLLECTED 3 SEPARATE TIMES. FORTUNEATLY, TO DATE, NO INJURIES HAVE OCCURRED.

ON FEBRUARY 8, 2004, HERMAN LINO, CO OWNER OF CAR, CALLED ME TO REPORT SOME TROUBLE WITH THE DODGE CARAVAN. THE RED LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. HE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE AND FELT THAT THE ENGINE WAS WARM. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW SOME SMOKE WHICH HE THOUGHT MAY HAVE BEEN FROM AN OVERHEATED ENGINE. I TOLD HIM, BY PHONE, TO ADD SOME COOLANT TO THE RADIATOR. HE PURCHASED A CONTAINER BUT THE RADIATOR ONLY TOOK 1/2 OF THE CONTAINER. AFTER A WHILE, THE RED LIGHT AND CRUISE LIGHT WENT OFF SO HE STARTED THE CAR TO DRIVE HOME WHICH WAS ABOUT 2 MILES AWAY. AS HE ASCENDED A SLIGHT INCLINE, HE SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF THE HOOD, MORE FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE. HE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND STEPPED OUT TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY BURST INTO FLAME. THE FLAME WAS ABOUT 5-10 FT HIGH. HERMAN SAID IT LOOKED LIKE A HOUSE ON FIRE. HE STEPPED BACK WHEN ANOTHER EXPLOSION ERUPTED. POLICE AND FIREMEN CONVERGED ON T HE SCENE AND AFTER THINGS COOLED DOWN, AN INSPECTION WAS MADE. A REPORT FROM THE FIRE DEPT WAS ISSUED. THE FIRE ERUPTED ABOUT 8PM. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO ACE TOWING ABOUT 5 MILES AWAY FROM THE SCENE THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 15,000 MILES, IS IN GOOD SHAPE AND HAD REGULAR SERVICE AT THE DODGE DEALER. THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS BURNED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. THERE'S A LARGE HOLE IN THE WINDSHIELD WHEN THE FIRE ENTERED THE VEHICLE. TOP OF THE DASHBOARD SUSTAINED MELTING AND DAMAGE. FRONT SEATS, UPHOLSTERY INCURRED LITTLE DAMAGE. THE CEILING OF THE VAN SHOWS SOOT MARKS. THIS VEHICLE HAD IT'S ORIGINAL BATTERY. THERE WAS ONLY ONE DRIVER . OWNERS HAD NO OTC COVERAGE. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE TO REPLACE OR REPAIR THE CAR. IT IS AN IMS VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THAT IT IS A COMPANY DEFECT. I HAVE THE CAR HERE ON MY PREMISES. MRS. P. CAINDEC. *AK

I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2002 WITH 15250 MILES. HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS ON 12/2002, 1/2003, 3/2003, 4/2003, 5/2003 - 6/2003, AGAIN 6/2003, 12/2003, 3/2004 MOTOR BLEW. VEHICLE HAS 45,000 MILES AND A BLOWN MOTOR. DODGE REFUSES TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THEY TELL ME ITS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND THEN FAILED TO ASK ME FOR MAINTENANCE RECORDS. THE SERVICE DEALERSHIP IS GATHERING MY SERVICE RECORDS TO PRESENT TO THE DISTRICT MANAGER TO TRY TO CHANGE HIS MIND. VEHICLE IS A LEMON BUT BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE, FAILS TO FALL UNDER THE LEMON LAW. DODGE WANTS ME TO PAY $5500 FOR A NEW MOTOR. DON'T THINK I SHOULD BASED ON THE VEHICLE HISTORY. PLEASE HELP!!! *JB

AC FAILED COOLING. UNIT HAS LOST ITS FREON CHARGE. UNIT WAS RECHARDEG AND DYE INSTALLED TO LOCATE LEAK. LEAK WAS FOUNG IN FRONT EVAPORATOR. WAS ADVISED CORE LEAK, NOT A COPPER TO ALUM JOINT, BUT THROUGH ALUMINUM PART OF CORE. APPEARED TO BE DETERIORATED BY ACID. OTHER INVOLVES THREE FAILURES ON BATTERY ON THIS VEHICLE. THE ORIGINAL, A REPLACEMENT INSTALLED IN OCT 2001 AND THAT FAILED THIS JULY 2003.