2000 Dodge Grand Caravan

DT: NOTICED THERE WAS A SQUEAKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE ON JULY 1, 2005. WAS ON VACATION, AND THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE THE GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE BOLT SEPARATED FROM THE ARM, AND IT FELT LIKE DRIVING IN A RUT. A BOLT IN THE CONTROL ARM BROKE LOOSE; IT WAS TIED TO THE BUSHING. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE IT. *AK

DT: DODGE MINIVAN 2000 GRAND CARAVAN. CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE STRUT PLATFORM WHERE THE STRUT MEATS PART OF THE BODY. ALSO, CALLED STRUT SEATING. THE STRUT SEATING, OR PLATFORM RUSTED PREMATURELY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO GARAGE LAST WEEK, ON JULY 7, 2005, AND MECHANIC INFORMED HER THAT THE RUST WAS THERE, AND THIS MADE VEHICLE UNSAFE. MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN RUST ON THIS NEW VEHICLE. CONSUMER ALSO CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN GETTING COMPLAINTS ON THIS MATTER. DEALER WAS GILBERTS CHRYSLER DODGE. SHE THEN CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE UNTIL THERE WERE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS FILED. CONSUMER VISITED OTHER DEALERS TO LOOK AT SIMILAR VEHICLES AND FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTED IN THE OTHER DODGE VEHICLES, BUT NOT OTHER MANUFACTURED VEHICLES.*AK

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE FRONT LEFT STRUT TOWER RUSTED, ALMOST COMPLETELY THROUGH. HAD I NOT NOTICED THIS WHEN CHECKING THE OIL, THE STRUT COULD HAVE BUSTED THROUGH THE TOWER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO BODY SHOPS, BOTH OF WHICH TOLD ME THAT THEY REPLACE A LOT OF THESE. THIS IS A STRUCTURAL PART OF THE VAN, NOT A FENDER OR A DOOR. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS IS OVER $1200. IN OCTOBER OF 2002, THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED REGARDING STRUT TOWER CORROSION.*AK

MAKE : DODGE MODEL : GRAND CARAVAN YEAR : 2000 MANUFACTURER : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION CRASH : NO FIRE : NO NUMBER OF INJURIES: 0 ODI ID NUMBER : 10100418 DATE OF FAILURE: NOVEMBER 20, 2004. *JB VIN : NOT AVAILABLE COMPONENT: CV JOINT.AXLE PROBLEM SUMMARY: I TOOK MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN ON A FRIDAY TO THE DEALER FOR THE AIR BAG RECALL (CLOCKSPRING- WHICH BY THE WAY THE AIRBAG REALLY STAYS ON NOW, WHERE IT DID NOT BEFORE THE DEALER REPLACED/REPAIRED THE CLOCKSPRING) AND PLUS THE DEALER CALLED ME TO TELL ME THAT HAD FOUND A LEAK IN THE MASTER CYLINDER WHICH THEY WANTED TO FIX. I SAID YES (NOW I SEE THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS) I PICKED UP MY VAN UP ON FRIDAY EVENING AFTER WORK. SATURDAY MORNING I RAN A COUPLE OF ERRANDS AROUND TOWN AND AT 12:30 P.M. BEGAN TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE. I PROCEEDED OUT OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE AND ONLY MADE IT AS FAR AS THE STREET BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. I CALLED FOR A TOW. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID THAT MY WHEEL ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE COMPLETELY ATTACHED TO THE AXLE. HE TOWED IT TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON MONDAY INFORMED ME THAT MY CV JOINT/AXLE HAD BROKEN. A BROKEN AXLE ON A 2000 THAT HAS 18,222 MILES ON IT. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS? MY KIDS AND I WERE LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT GOING FAST OR DRIVING DOWN A FREEWAY. NOW I SEE ON THE NEWS THIS MORNING THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR DAKOTA TRUCKS AND DURANGOS, BUT NOT CARAVANS. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? *JB

I TOOK MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN ON A FRIDAY TO THE DEALER FOR THE AIR BAG RECALL (CLOCKSPRING) AND PICKED UP MY VAN UP ON FRIDAY EVENING AFTER WORK. SATURDAY MORNING I RAN A COUPLE OF ERRANDS AROUND TOWN AND AT 12:30 P.M. BEGAN TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE. I PROCEEDED OUT OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE AND ONLY MADE IT AS FAR AS THE STREET BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. I CALLED FOR A TOW. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID THAT MY WHEEL ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE COMPLETE ATTACHED TO THE AXLE. HE TOWED IT TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON MONDAY INFORMED ME THAT MY AXLE HAD BROKEN. A BROKEN AXLE ON A 2000 THAT HAS 18,222 MILES ON IT. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS? I WAS VERY LUCKY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON A BUSY STREET OR FREEWAY. *AK

THERE IS A CLUNKING LOOSE RATTLE SOUND UPON ANY TYPE OF MOVEMENT LOCATED SEEMINGLY AT THE BASE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE MUST BE ROLLING FORWARD OR COMING TO A STOP TO BE HEARD. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A SHOP AND THEY CONFIRMED THE NOISE BUT COULD NOT VISIBLY SEE A PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED I HAVE THE DEALER TAKE IT APART. THE CLUNKING IS GETTING PROGRESSIVLEY WORSE AND LOUD.*AK

FIRST NOTICED BUMPING NOISE UNDER FRONT END WHEN I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND GOING OVER A DIP OR BUMP IN THE ROAD. EVENTUALLY, THE NOISE HAPPENED TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT OR GOING OVER ANY BUMPS OR DIPS IN THE ROAD (EX. RAILROAD TRACKS, SPEED BUMPS ) THE FRONT END OF VAN SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS ACTUALLY HITTING THE PAVEMENT. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS THE FIRST FIVE TIMES, THEN THE SIXTH TIME WE TOOK IT IN, THEY REPLACED THE STRUTS AND THE SWAY BAR LINK AS WELL. THAT WAS JULY 2001. AS OF 2 WEEKS AGO (DEC. 2001) THE BUMPING NOISE UNDER THE VAN HAS STARTED AGAIN.