1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager

WHEN REMOVING CHILD FROM THE INTEGRAL CHILD SEAT HARNESS RETRACTED UP AROUND THE CHILD'S NECK, CHOKING THE CHILD. PARENT HAD TO CUT THE STRAP TO REMOVE THE CHILD. A DEALERSHIP WAS CALLED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. OWNER WAS TOLD VAN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL, AND WOULD NOT BE SERVICED FREE OF CHARGE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED AT THIS TIME. *AK

TRANSMISSION MAIN SEAL DAMAGED CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK AND IMMINENT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST SAID SUCH FAILURE IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE AND SUGGESTED RECALL MAY BE ISSUED FOR VOYAGER/CARAVAN MODELS. DEALER DENIED THIS IS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM. REVIEW OF NHTSA COMPLAINT SECTION REVEALS OTHERWISE. HOW MANY FAILURES DOES IT TAKE FOR A RECALL TO BE ISSUED?*AK

I AM A POLICE OFFICER AND HAVE TAKEN REPORTS TWICE ON GRAND VOYAGERS WHERE THEY HAVE POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND ROLLED UNNATTENDED. ON 5-10-2000 MY SISTERS VEHICLE WHICH WAS PARKED ON MY GRADED DRIVE DID THE SAME. IT NEARLY RAN ME OVER AND STRUCK MY VEHICLE. HER TRANSMISSION CAN BE PUT INTO GEAR WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKES. THE SAME WAS TRUE FOR THE TWO REPORTS I TOOK IN MY OFFICIAL CAPACITY. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT ALTHOUGH IT IS A MANDATED FEATURE IT ONLY LASTS SO LONG AND THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS A MATTER THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE THE DEFECT RESULTS INTO A FATALITY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING PRESSED ON ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND VEHICLE HESITATED. NOTICED WHITE SMOKE IN THE REAR OF VEHICLE. CHECKED SIDE MIRRORS & NOTICED FLAMES. STOPPED & TURNED VEHICLE OFF. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED & PUT FLAMES OUT. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INDICATED A SPARK CAUSED FUEL PUMP TO IGNITE & THE ELECTRICAL WIRES BURNED. WIRING HARNESS, ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SENSORS, FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, AND FUEL TANK WERE ALL DAMAGED. *AK *ML

A SPARK FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE IGNITED GASOLINE FROM A SMALL LEAK IN THE FUEL PUMP AND RESULTED IN THE MINIVAN CATCHING ON FIRE. THE WIRING OF THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO BURNED IN THE FIRE. THE REPAIR SHOP WHO INTIALLY LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE FELT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR CHRYSLER TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WORK DUE TO THE WIRING BEING INVOLVED. OUR LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO ALLOW THE CAR TO BE TOED TO THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL NATIONAL CHRYSLER SENT OUT AN INVESTIGATOR TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED LITTLE INFORMATION FROM CHRYSLER OTHER THAN THEIR BELIEF THE FIRE WAS NOT DUE TO A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. THEY HAVE NOT STATED WHAT THEY BELIEVE CAUSED THE FIRE AND THE DELAY IN GETTING OUR VEHICLE REPAIRED WAS OVER 1 WEEK. WE HAVE YET TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK! *AK

I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THE MAIN SEAL (PUMP SEAL) WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF LEAKING. I CHOOSE TO PULL THE TRANS MISSION AND FOUND A CRACK ON A MACHINED SURFACE INSIDE THE BELL HOUSING BEHIND THE TOURQUE CONVERTER. THE CRACK IS 1/16" WIDE AND 1" TO 1 1/2" LONG. THE MACHINED AREA LOOKS TO BE DESIGNED TO ALLOW CLEARENCE FOR THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE CRACK ALSO APPEARS TO BE PUSH THRU FROM THE PASSENGERS SIDE DRIVE AXLE ASSEMBLY MEANING IT IS RAISED INSIDE THE BELL HOUSING. MY COMPLAINT IS THIS APPEARS TO BE A FLAW IN THE DESIGN THAT ALLOWS CLEARENCE FOR THE TOURQUE CONVERTER CAUSING A THIN WALL IN THE BELL HOUSING. IS THERE ANY TYPE OF RECALL OR INVESTIGATION THAT WOULD ALLOW OWNERS TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLES FIXED OR CHECKED FOR THIS PROBLEM? *AK