2000 Dodge Grand Caravan

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT NOTICED RUST ON THE TOP OF THE STRUT TOWER. THE RUST HAS WORSENED OVER TIME. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP SO THEY COULD WELD A PIECE OF METAL TO THE STRUT TOWER. THE BODY SHOP STATED THAT WOULD NOT SOLVE THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE STRUT TOWER SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 73,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ

THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ABOUT MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. OVER THE PAST YEAR I NOTICED SOME RUSTING AT THE LEFT TOP STRUT TOWER. I QUESTIONED IT AT THE TIME, BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT SERIOUS. DURING THE PAST WEEK I WAS REPLACING THE AIR FILTER AND NOTICED THAT NOW OVER ONE HALF OF THE STRUT AREA WAS HEAVILY RUSTED AND HAD LARGE CRACKS ON ONE SIDE. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER TO SEE IF THE RUST THROUGH WARRANTY WOULD APPLY, OR IF IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE MANAGER LOOKED AT IT, LOOKED UP MY WARRANTY AND SAID EVEN THOUGH THE TIME PERIOD IS GOOD UNTIL 12/2006 THE MILEAGE OF 69700 WAS OVER BY 9750 MILES. HE WOULD NOT ADMIT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND SAID IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS, TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. I SINCE HAVE INVESTIGATED THIS COMPLAINT ON NHTSA, AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY IDENTICAL PROBLEMS, AND CHRYSLER HAS EVEN DEVELOPED A CORROSION KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM. SEE ODI ID: 10147504 CAN YOU ADVICE ME OF MY NEXT STEP. WE ARE NOT DRIVING THE VAN UNTIL IT IS REPAIRED. THIS IS A GARAGED VEHICLE. *JB

MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IS RUSTING AT THE TOP OF THE STRUT TOWERS ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES. MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT FAILURE IS IMMINENT. HAD A NOTICE BEEN GIVEN I COULD HAVE PROBABLY GOT DODGE TO WORK ON THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. AS IS IT IS 10,000 OVER WARRANTY, BUT THE PROBLEM HAD TO HAVE EXISTED BEFORE THE WARRANTY ENDED. NO DEATHS OR INJURIES YET. *JB

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE AND WHEN I HAD THE OIL CHANGED LAST SATURDAY, I WAS TOLD THAT THE "STRUT"" HOUSING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IS RUSTING, FLAKING OFF. I COULD NOT FIND ANY RECALLS OR SAFETY ISSUES NOTED, BUT, APPARENTLY, I AM NOT THE FIRST ONE TO COMPLAIN OF THIS PROBLEM. PLUS, NOW I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE CORRECTIVE KIT...SINCE IT'S BACK ORDERED. THE AREA CHRYSLER/DODGE DEALER STATED THAT DODGE DID NOT MENTION THIS UNTIL THE WARRANTY WAS COMPLETED ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. I HAVE MY WIFE NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE, SINCE IF THE HOUSING BREAKS, THE STRUT WILL COME THRU THE HOOD OF THE CAR. *NM

MY LOCAL AUTO SERVICE SHOP RECENTLY IDENTIFIED A CORROSION CRACK IN THE LEFT STRUT HOUSING OF MY VAN. I WENT TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY INDICATED THE STRUT COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK THROUGH THE HOOD ALLOWING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO COLLAPSE. THEY CONTACTED A LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHO INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THEY HAD A CORROSION KIT FOR THAT PROBLEM. THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT CHRYSLER HAD A PROGRAM TO HELP PAY FOR REPAIRS BUT THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NEAR 100,000 MILES AND IT MIGHT NOT QUALIFY. HE PURSUED IT AND CHRYLSER DID PROVIDE THE KIT AND $200 TO THE AUTO BODY SHOP, WHICH JUST PAID FOR THE KIT AND A SMALL BIT MORE. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $555.00 OF WHICH I PAID $355.00. THE BODY SHOP INDICATED THAT ACCORDING TO THE CHRYSLER INSTRUCTIONS, IF THE PROBLEM GOT MUCH WORSE BEFORE IT WAS CAUGHT, THE ENTIRE STRUT HOUSING MIGHT HAVE TO BE REPLACED, COSTING $2,000 OR MORE. IN TALKING TO THE ORIGINAL SERVICE SHOP, THEY HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS OCCURRENCES OF THIS APPARENT DEFECT. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS PROBLEM APPARENTLY GETS WORSE WITH THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND SINCE CHRYSLER VANS ARE SO POPULAR THIS COULD BE A LIFE SAFETY PROBLEM FOR THOSE NOT AWARE OF THE CORROSION DEFECT, ESPECIALLY SECOND OWNERS (LIKE ME). IF THIS IS A KNOWN POTENTIAL LIFE SAFETY MANUFACTURING DEFECT, WHY ISN'T THE REPAIR COST TOTALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER AND SHOULDN'T OWNERS BE NOTIFIED EVEN IF THEY BOUGHT IT AS A USED CAR? *JB

I BROUGHT MY 2000 GRAND CARAVAN IN FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. SERVICE MGR. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY LEFT STRUT TOWER/STRUT SEATING WAS BEGINNING TO RUST AND THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $700 TO REPAIR. STATED IT SHOULD BE REPAIRED SOON OR COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF IT FAILS. THE RIGHT ONE IS PERFECTLY FINE. I PROCEEDED TO DO RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON "FAILURE". WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED OTHER THAN TSB 2304402? ISN'T THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULDN'T THERE BE A RECALL? WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE BEFORE I SPEND THIS MONEY THAT I DON'T FEEL IS MY FAULT OR CAUSE? *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR A SAFETY EMISSION TEST. THEY SAID THE LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER WAS CORRODED AT THE TOP. FOUND THIS OUT ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2005, WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ( TSB) 2304402, THE CONSUMER CONTACTED CHRYSLER, THEY SAID THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT, BUT THAT WAS BASICALLY IT. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING AND NO NOISE. *AK