1997 DODGE Caravan

I was involved in an accident where I collided with a vehicle stopped in front of me because my brakes failed. The brake pedal went right to the floor, I tried steering around the car but didn’t have enough time or space because of the brake failure. After getting the van home, I found where the leak was, and also that it is not an isolted incident. Therte are many Caravan owners who have experienced the same problem with corroded brake lines that fail under pressure. The problem is with incompatible materials that corrode the line to the point where eventually it will fail. I am 55 years old and have worked on cars for all of my adult life and have never seen brake lines fail like this. I feel it is a manufacturer issue. There is no telling how many accidents have happened and WILL happen as a result of these poorly constructed lines. It is simply a matter of time until the lines fail. I have found that Chrsler vans from 1997 to 2000 have this type of brake line. Fortunately I was not hurt but the car in front of me had the driver on a stretcher. The brake failure could happen when the brakes are needed the most!

Windshield has leaks, when raining and wipers run when engine starts up and sometime while driving with switch off and had to replace battery because of a short somewhere, not found yet

When the car was under warranty, the dealer–Dodge World of Des Plaines, now know as Mancari Dodge DBA Dodge World talked us into having some rust taken care of on the strut tower–this we did–last October when I was having my tires rotated–the mechanic notice the strut tower was loose–we took this back to the dealer–they wouldn\’t even let us drive it–they said this was a safety issue–They transferred the can to their south side dealer where their body shop was–the guy from there called me and wanted to know who had worked on this since there were areas never welded and areas that were not welded properly–once I informed him that it was work Dodge had done and farmed out to some body shop in Villa Park IL–he had nothing to say and offered no further info–now he had quoted me a little over 900.00–they also blew the computer in the car when they put it back together–I feel they hid the price of the computer in the price to fix the strut tower–I don\’t feel this vehicle is safe nor do I feel it is fair that I had to pay over $1200.00 to fix my van in order to fix some other mistake that was done under warranty–I would have hated to see what would have happened had I not taken my car in for a tire rotation–It is also and outrage that they had me pay over $100.00 in sales tax for repair work–they said since the vehicle had to be transferred to another dealer the state considers that to be work transferred, now lets see–the vehicle was unsafe for me to drive–they towed it to one of their other locations–Mancari Dodge is in Des Plaines, Il where I left my vehicle–they transferred it to Mancaris Dodge in Oak Lawn–same dealer–different location–sounds a little fishy to me!!!–Over all, I was very disgusted with this problem and the way it was solved

We are now awaiting the installation of a second transmission. The first failed at 58,000 miles, in August of 2001 the second at 97000 in December of 2003, but at 39,000 miles on the second MOPAR transmision. We also have replaced the serpentine belt twice, and paid $1100 to have the computer replaced. The cause of the computer problem was that coffee has spilled in the cup holder and seeped into the computer module which caused it to malfunction. When I reported this to Chrysler’s corporate relations department, the customer service representative asked me where I thought they should have put the cup holders. Then he hung up on me!!!!!

This car had the transmission replaced at approximately 35,000 miles. Fortunately it was covered by the warranty. Now more problems. We rely on this car for family transportation. Unfortunately this has caused us to rethink our policy of ‘buying American’. Other websites we have visited indicate that others are having this same problem with their Caravans as well.

The shock towers of caravans between 1996 and 2000 have are prone to massive corrosion and break through. As I live in Ontario where road salt is used heavily during the winter perhaps the corrosion was accelerated. No one was injured in my vehicle when the front driver side shock broke through it\’s housing however I will relate the story that one mechanic related to me any way. The design of the front shock towers facilitates the retention of moisture on the top… the surface that is visible from the engine compartment… as well as on an adhesive strip that is used during fabriction.This facilitates the corrossion process. Chrysler would not contribute at all to the repair costs as I was passed my corrosion warranty and stated that \’anyway their warranty only covers corrosion that is visible from the exterior\’. I have heard that many vehicles as they add up the km\’s are requiring repair and most are not getting assistance from the manufacturer. The mechanic at the private shop that did the repair work for me said that he had seen many vans come to him with the shock or shocks broken through. They hit the frame that supports the front windshield. He has seen front windshields shatered and has also seen airbag deployment in the case of perhaps hitting a bump or crossing a railroad track when the shocks break through. I was absolutely flabergasted that the manufacturer would not consider addressing this problem as it seems to me and the repair person I mentioned that someone WILLL BE KILLED or SERIOUSLY INJURED if this continues. One would not expect such corrosion for 25 – 30 years on a vehicle. Therefore it is easily discernable as a manufacturers defect. Now I need to buy a new van… Can you send me a quick summary of similar vehicles saftey ratings so that I may compare?Please and thanksGeorge TurcottePurchasing mangerJS REDPATH LtdContact Andy\’s welsing for more info on the repair and nature of the damage that I related above.622 KingswaySudbury, Ontario Canada 705 675 6339

The first time my transmission went out was when it had 29000 miles on it on October 1999.Oakland Dodge replaced the torq conferter and overhaul the transmission at their cost. The transmission went out again after a little over 36000 miles later and now they blamed it on a broken torq converter and put in a remanufactured transmission at my cost.Also this vehicle had 3 serpentine belts replaced in one year because of shredding.It is amazing to me how many people have problems with this vehicle and that there isn’t a recall on their transmissions. I will never buy a Dodge Caravan again.

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MY A/C STOPPED COOLING PROPERLY. WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY COIL WAS LEAKING FREON AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

I have a Caravan that had to have a rebuilt transmission per the dealer. I got a 12/12 warranty and had to take it back 6 times during the warranty for the same thing. No shift, slipping, vibrations. I moved to Florida in 1/2004 and it falied completely. I took it to a dealer here that said it should have nver been rebuilt but remanned. I got a new/remanufactured transmission and paid 2552 dollars. I have had to take it back twice so far for slipping

I bought this van used but in execellent condition in April 2002. As of today my van is in the shop for the 3rd time with a coolant/antifreeze leakage which is causing the car to overheat. The dealer has had the car for over 1 week and refuses to give me status updates.

After 2-3 days that we had the Caravan- we started having transmission problems. My fiance called the dealership that we purchased the vehicle from and they said that the transmission was just repaired a few days prior to us purchasing the vehicle. My fianc

Purchased the vehicle off Craigslist in February 2009 for $1,500. Had 165,000 miles on it. It is an outstanding vehicle, drives like a cloud and has plenty of get-up-and-go, exactly what one would expect from a vehicle if it were new. It has still-beautiful leather seats and surround-sound AM/FM/CD/cassette. We have taken the car on numerous family trips exceeding 600 miles. There are no available records of any major parts being replaced. (I’ve replaced the headliner and had the engine tuned). Now, the problems: The dark green paint on the roof and hood appears to have chrystelized and discolored. The rest of the paint is beautiful. The windshield wipers begin working periodically on their own at odd times. The burglar alarm goes off periodically when I unlock either-side-front door (the clicker doesn’t work). The automatic door lock button does not work properly. The automatic rear window openers do not work. There is a terrible leak at the base of the windshield on the passenger’s side. Except for these nuisances (which I hope to repair), I love this vehicle.

Baught new in Chicago in 1997. By August 1999 transmission failed in Michigan with 15904 miles, the transmission was repaired at Suburban Chrysler Jeep in Novi Michigan Invoice # 149282. Now it is April 2007 with a grand total of 34841 Miles and the transmission went out again with the same problem as before. I called and wrote to Dodge Chrysler main office to be told that the car is to old for them to worry about. This car has never been in an accident and always had the factory service done on it. They were very eager to take the money to service a vehicle that had very little miles for its years but will not recognize they have a defective component.
Thanks
Stephen Pawlwoski

Consumer states rear-seat shoulder-harness seat belts (both left and right) are jammed. enabling passenger to extend the seat belts out from the opening in the over the should interior roof trim. dealer found adhesive / insulation from the headlinder had melted onto the seatbelts. *tt updated *jb

Dt: air bag light stayed on/the cruise control switch didn't work, and the horn malfunctioned. noticed these failures on june 1, 2005. have not contacted the dealer. had checked the fuses, they were still good. *ak

I have a mini- caravan 1997 airbag light stays on or blinks intermittantly horn doesn't work or only works somtimes (thats fun) cruise control doesn't work

Hi my name is [xxx] and i purchased a 1997 dodge caravan for $3,600 and traded in my car which was worth $400 at least that's what the dealer man said. i brought back the caravan the next day to the dealership because i was told they were going to fix some minor problems, including the horn that was not functioning at all . they spent the whole day with the van and didn't do anything to it, then they said to bring it back the next day and told me that the horn was going to get ordered and that it was going to take a while because the part that they needed couldn't be sent via mail because it was considered to be explosive so when i decided to ask for my money back since it had a 30 day warranty they told me that they were going to fix it as soon as possible. i went to pick up my van and when i saw it they put it a different horn and told me that it would pass inspection and that they would replace the part that the van needed if i was willing to pay half on it. in conclusion to this the piece that they need is the clock spring which cost about $ 400 to $ 900 and they said that it was safe to drive the van with the horn that they put in instead of putting a new clock spring. they didn't tell me that once the clock springs breaks down the airbag , cruise control. and the radio wouldn't function properly. i don't think that i should pay for something that i think that they should've taken care of before selling that vehicle. please help me with this matter i will appreciate if you can help me. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

The dealership is refusing to honor recall 02v293000 for the air bag clockspring, indicating that there wasn't any recall although the consumer provided the recall letter.*ak

Consumer states that vehicle airbag light is on when driving the vehicle. ts

Another car hit consumer's vehicle front left end at a high speed and the air bags did not deploy, causing injuries. *ak the airbag sensor had broken. *scc

The airbag lightilluminated. horn no longer is operative. the dealership is aware of the problem. *mr

Hi my name is [xxx] and i purchased a 1997 dodge caravan for $3,600 and traded in my car which was worth $400 at least that's what the dealer man said. i brought back the caravan the next day to the dealership because i was told they were going to fix some minor problems, including the horn that was not functioning at all . they spent the whole day with the van and didn't do anything to it, then they said to bring it back the next day and told me that the horn was going to get ordered and that it was going to take a while because the part that they needed couldn't be sent via mail because it was considered to be explosive so when i decided to ask for my money back since it had a 30 day warranty they told me that they were going to fix it as soon as possible. i went to pick up my van and when i saw it they put it a different horn and told me that it would pass inspection and that they would replace the part that the van needed if i was willing to pay half on it. in conclusion to this the piece that they need is the clock spring which cost about $ 400 to $ 900 and they said that it was safe to drive the van with the horn that they put in instead of putting a new clock spring. they didn't tell me that once the clock springs breaks down the airbag , cruise control. and the radio wouldn't function properly. i don't think that i should pay for something that i think that they should've taken care of before selling that vehicle. please help me with this matter i will appreciate if you can help me. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. while driving approximately 35 mph, the engine shut down without warning. the vehicle was coasted to the side of the road and restarted after a few minutes. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the failure was due to electrical failures within the vehicle. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vin was not provided. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 250,000.

When the vehicle is on, the key can be removed and the engine remains on. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated that while driving approximately 15 mph over a puddle of water, there was a sudden loss of power steering assist. the failure only occurred whenever the contact was driving over a puddle of water, causing the serpentine belt to become detached. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic three different times where the serpentine belt was reconnected each time. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 2,000.

My wife park the van inside the garage, turn off the radio, engine and lights. she open the drivers door and see flames and smoke coming by the parking brake handler. and all the lights on the van were on. she remove the kids from the van and my son call 911.police and fire department came and extinguish the fire, remove the van from the garage and check it and found possible electrical malfunction .check the van today 8-24 2013 and found that the fire start at the head light switch. dim switch ok and mirror switch ok. the fire damage the left side of the dashboard, windshield, sun visor and celling. i have this van since new, never have a problem before. and never see a problem like this. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph, the air bags deployed inadvertently. the contact sustained bruises and scratches to the right arm when the air bags deployed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 39,000.

While parked at a stop sign the vehicle started to smoke. a fire then appeared coming out of the hood. 911 was called and fire squad came. within 5 minutes the entire front of the car was engulfed in flames. fire extinguishers were used but it could not put out the fire. fire truck came and by this time the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. firemen used water to finally control the fire. fire restarted and had to be put out again and eventually the fire was completely extinguished. it was perhaps only 10 minutes for the fire to start, spread, and completely and utterly destroy the van. because of the intensity, quickness of the fire, and the difficulty in putting it out, it appears to be a fuel related fire. i read that dodge had fuel line "o" rings that could be defective and that could have been the cause. i called dodge headquarters and explained the event. i am still waiting for a call back. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated while driving 25 mph, the power steering failed and the windows became foggy, causing very dangerous conditions for the driver. the vehicle was taken to a personal mechanic for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the serpentine belt needed to be replaced; however the contact had just replaced the serpinitine belt 2,000 miles prior. the manufacturer was notified, but offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 114,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan . the contact stated that while driving 3 mph and attempting a turn, the front passenger side tire rod fractured. the vehicle was then towed to the contact's residence. the dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was neither diagnosed nor repaired.the vin was not available. the failure and the current mileage was 200,000.

Was traveling home from work, rush hour traffic heavy but moving close to posted speed limit (65 mph). traffic slowed in front of me and i also slowed, then traffic came to a sudden stop, so i also increased pressure on the brakes. while doing so, the pedal went right to the floor, i lost brake pressure and started moving to the left to avoid a collision but was not able to. my van hit the car in front of me. i had time and space to stop and not collide if the brakes would not have failed, but when i lost brakes, the distance between my van and the car in front of me closed too quickly for me to avoid the collision. the van was damaged on the front right (passenger) side, but when i got the van back home off of the tow truck, i saw brake fluid on my driveway from the driver's side of the van. a few days later i got the van on jackstands to locate the fluid leak and found the problem to be terribly corroded brake lines running along the driver's side of the vehicle in the area of the driver's door. there is some flexible steel braided line and where it joins the rigid line, there is a so much corrosion that the line is literally rusting away. searching on the internet i have found this is a very common problem with chrysler minivans from 1997 to 2000. i feel it is a manufacturing problem. i am 55 years old and have worked on cars all of my adult life and have never seen brake lines corrode like this. as there are many vans like mine on the road, i wonder how many other vans have brake lines that are in similar condition as the ones on this van? it was simply a matter of time before these lines would fail. now when i drive in traffic and see a chrysler product van i ask myself "does that driver know anything about the brake line problem?" i think people need to be informed! there are so many potential accidents just waiting to happen! chrysler needs to do something! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated while driving 65 mph the vehicle lost power steering, the engine overheated, the alternator and air conditioner failed. the vehicle merged onto the side of the road and the contact inspected the engine and noticed the serpentine belt detached from the pulley and was dragging on the ground. the contact connected the belt back onto the pulley. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and stated there was no failure; however, the pulley could be replaced for $1000. this failure occurred several times. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 68,000 and the current mileage was 210,000.

While driving the abs system activated even though the pavement was dry. the problem is that the abs system prevented the brakes from functioning at all and i rolled through an intersection even though i was pressing firmly on the brake pedal. the abs warning indicator eventually illuminates indicating something is wrong with the system however, i don't think it should have failed in such a way as to prevent any braking action from occurring. this problem has only happened once but i was very lucky that no other vehicles were traveling through that intersection at the same time that this problem caused me to roll through it while the stoplight was red for me. *kb

Fuel leak in engine compartment from degrading o-rings on fuel injection rail. fuel dripping onto engine from fuel rail clamp o-rings replaced previously on nhtsa recall campaign id number 00v268000 in 2002. contacted daimler chrysler at 800-853-1403 requesting dangerous repeat problem with fuel o-rings be repaired by dealer at no-charge.manufacturer declined free repair request stating my 1997 vehicle has too many miles.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated while driving 25 mph the headlights malfunctioned and the vehicle stalled. the contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic for a diagnostic test who confirmed that the body control module was faulty and needed to be replaced. the contact did not have the body control module replaced. the contact called the manufacturer regarding the failure. the contact stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive at night. the failure mileage was 164,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact noticed steam coming from the front end of the vehicle as the radiator overheated and exploded. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was awaiting diagnosis. the contact did not inform the manufacturer. the failure mileage was unknown. the vin was unavailable.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated that the engine suddenly caught fire while he was driving at approximately 30 mph. the contact called the fire department to extinguish the fire and a fire report was available. the entire engine compartment was burned. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that they would send someone to inspect the vehicle. the local dealer stated that the vehicle was not included in recall 00v268000 (fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system). the vehicle had not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were approximately 170,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph in rainy weather, the fan belt suddenly failed, causing the steering and air conditioning system to also fail. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop where the contact was informed that the fan belt was not in a location around the fan unit to hold it in place and would fail again if wet. the failure mileage was approximately 31,000 and the current mileage was approximately 33,000.

1997 dodge caravan. starting at about 30,000 miles, the windshield wipers would mysteriously come on, make 4 to 5 wipes and turn off. we made jokes about the ghost riding with us. it was an intermittent problem, happening about every month or six weeks. it could not be reproduced on demand. finally, at 72,000, the windshield wipers refused to turn on from the stalk--except when the windshield was given a "squirt" of fluid by lifting up on the turn signal/wiper control stalk, then they gave the regular three wipes and turned off. the dealer replaced the entire switch unit. it did not help. then they called chrysler's "super tech 800 number" and no help was provided. since the car could not be inspected with no wiper function, the entire body control module was replaced (computer) which fixed the problem. cost: $741.00. since all of the mechanical parts of the wiper system worked, if this happened again, i determined i would simply pull a hot wire through the dash to an "on-off" switch and connect that up to the wiper feed--estimated cost of less than $10.00. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge grand caravan. while driving approximately 10 mph in rainy weather conditions, the steering wheel locked and would not steer to the left or right and then it the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer who stated that the serpentine belt came off. the belt was put replaced and the contact was informed this was a known failure for his year, make and model vehicle. the failure and current mileages were 150,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated while stopped at a traffic stop there was an unusual noise coming from the vehicle. she then noticed there were flames coming from the front drivers side fender. the fire department was called and was able to extinguish the fire. a fire report was available. the vehicle was towed to an undisclosed location. the contact believed nhtsa recall campaign id number: 00v268000 (fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system) was the cause the failure. the manufacturer advised her that her vin was not included in the recall. the failure and current mileages were 175,000.

1997 dodge caravan gas on the inside of the car*cw the consumer stated after he filled the gas tank, it quickly ran out. as the consumer was going back to the gas station, the vehicle caught on fire under the hood. the consumer was able to get out of the vehicle safely. the fire department came to put the fire out. the consumer was then informed the fuel rail had burst and came loose which caused fuel to leak, which caused the fire. *jb

Vehicle metal brake lines rusted to the point of failure. on a 1997 dodge caravan, the metal tube brake lines leading from the distribution box to the rear brake wheel cylinders rusted to the point that they failed under use. vehicle brake lines had to be replaced totally, and the failure occurred without warning. *tr

Belt slipped off my 1997 dodge caravan.... also when i got home fell from tow truck because of ice !~! but would not of happen if a recall would have happened already look at all those complaints out there.. *tr

Serpentine belt slips off pulley system when driven through standing water in road,this disables power steering,cooling and battery,which in turn disables lights,power windows and fuel pump. i have encountered this problem several times with both my 97 and 98 caravan. belt is dried off and re attached. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. while driving 45 mph, the contact was involved in a head-on crash. another driver lost control of the vehicle and struck the contact's vehicle. the driver's side air bag failed to deploy and no lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage yard. the contact sustained major injuries, including a broken nose and cheek bones, and also a shattered right foot. a police report was filed and pictures of the crash are available. the vehicle was not diagnosed. nhtsa campaign id number 02v293000 (air bags:frontal) was referenced. the dealer will be notified for more information about the recall. the failure and current mileages were 160,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. while driving at an unknown speed, the contact stated that the transmission appeared to be slipping. the vehicle would not shift from second gear and, once it stopped, it vibrated excessively. upon further investigation, the contact found metal shavings in the transmission pan. there were no recalls available for the failure and the vehicle has not been repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure and current mileages were less than 138,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. while driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact shifted from drive into park and the vehicle was able to be restarted. two days later, while making a turn at approximately 25 mph, the vehicle stalled and nearly crashed into a building. the vehicle persistently stalled after these incidents and was driven to a local repair shop. the mechanic stated that the computer and control body module were defective and needed to be replaced. he called the dealer and they stated that a diagnostic was needed in order to determine the cause of the failure. the manufacturer stated that there were no recalls related to the vehicle; therefore, they were not liable for the repairs. the vehicle has not been repaired. the vin was unavailable. the current and failure mileages were 135,000.

No power to instrument panel 1997 dodge grand caravan. bad soldering joints in instrument cluster circuit board. *tr

Bought a 1998 dodge grand caravan in 1997. the serpentine belt came off numerous times, usually when going through puddles or snow. when the belt comes off, all power to steering, brakes, etc. is gone. this is a common complaint with these vans, yet dodge/chrysler has refused to admit it and recall it. i finally got tire of it and took a look at why it was happening. i noticed that the idler wheel closest to the front of the vehicle is shaped and mounted in a way that allows the belt to come off easily. the idler wheel is too far in and is beveled outward, causing the belt to come off when it became wet or got snow or ice pieces on it. the cure? a 5 cent washer placed behind this idler wheel, bringing it out ever so slightly, but enough to prevent it from coming off ever again. not the tensioner or the belt or any of the other excuses they charge you for, just a simple washer that acts like a spacer. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. two weeks after the vehicle was purchased, the check engine light illuminated. the dealer stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. two weeks later, the transmission failed and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. they took three weeks to repair the vehicle and, before the contact could pay for the repairs, the new transmission failed. the dealer informed her that she would have to pay for any new repairs made to the vehicle at the cost of $900. while the vehicle was at the dealer for three weeks, someone in the service center caused the front windshield to crack. the mileage information and vin were unknown.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the rear driver side vent window is stuck in an inward position and cannot be opened. while driving at any speed, the instrumental panel lights begin to flash and the vehicle shuts off. the vehicle can only be restarted after waiting 15 minutes. the dealer has not diagnosed the vehicle. the failure mileage was 150,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated that the vehicle would start, shut off, and the electrical system would malfunction. while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle would turn off and the speedometer would malfunction. the contact has taken the vehicle to be serviced multiple times. the current mileage was 142,000 and failure mileage was 32,000.

Instrument panel stops working. *tr

(1) no brakes, brake failure. (2) badly rusted brake lines. (3) replace brake lines. *tr

The strut tower on the 1997 dodge caravan, that has only 85,500 miles rusted and needed to be replaced. after researching this problem i discovered that this was a common problem. dodge admitted to a design flaw for the premature rusting strut towers. a tech service bulletin from chrysler dated october '02 explicitly stated that all '1996 to 19'99 chrysler vans plymouth, dodge, and chrysler, had the problem with the strut towers. all of them will eventually rust from the bottom up. as i stated, the strut towers were defective in there design. chrysler has a warranty part number 05086513aa but refuses to fix a known dangerous defect, because the van is over the 7 year, 100,000 mile, which ever comes first warranty. this is outrageous, especially since this van has been taken to the dodge dealer for almost all maintenance needs and yearly state of maine safety inspections, and this issue was never mentioned. clearly, when the rusted strut tower gives, the strut will come up through the hood. at that point, lives will be in danger, as the probability of losing control of the vehicle is inevitable. please consider this my formal complaint. will chrysler live up to the responsibility and repair this know defect for those of us out of the warranty timeline.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated that the transmission and the o-rings on the fuel injectors are failing. chrysler stated that the vehicle was not included in recall # 00v268000 (fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system). the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage is 192,000 and failure mileage was 30,000.

I have a 1997 dodge caravan se purchased new. two years ago i noticed a spot on the roof, and another on the hood where the polycoat was beginning to peel. within two years the car looked as if it had some kind of disease. i began to notice other caravans of similar age, and they had the same problem. i saw other makes of cars that were much older with original paint jobs and they weren't experiencing this problem. i am really disappointed with the paint job and poly coat on the dodge caravan. i feel for what we payed for, and with the problems we have experienced , such as the windshield wipers coming on by themselves, the service engine light coming on and going off, the interior light coming on or not when the door was opened, the warning bell not going off when the door was open, the emergency brake working or not working, the fogging of the plastic headlights - at least the paint job should have lasted!*ak

The van has a hard time going in reverse when it is cool outside. and when going in drive the van has a hard time shifting into any gear. sometimes the while driving down the road the speedometer flips out and shoots to 0 to 80 3 times before it stops and goes back to the right speed that i am going. *jb

March 3,2007 i was driving to work in the rain. i drove for 30 minutes and then the serpentine belt came off my 97 dodge caravan again. this has happened several times. when this happens, the vehicle is almost impossible to steer. once again, i was lucky and did not have an accident. secondly, my small child was not in the vehicle. this is a very dangerous situation and on this model and year of dodge caravan there are numerous complaints on the internet of this problem. i did miss a day of work and had to have the belt put back on the car, as well as having the vehicle towed for about 25 miles. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact received a safety recall notice for the vehicle after paying for the related repairs. the contact stated that the fuel pump was replaced three times. the contact had two faulty fuel pumps, and broke down twice while driving 35 mph. the vehicle was towed twice . the failure mileage was 110,000. after the third failure the mechanic installed a brand name other than the one listed on the recall notice. the contact requested 100% reimbursement and received 50% for the repairs. the replacement fuel pump wasan after market fuel pump module and the safety recall notice was from recall management, inc., and the manufacturer of the part was master/tigas. the contact would like a copy of the complaint sent to master tigas and not daimler chrysler due to the specifics listed on the recall notice. the current mileage was 145,000. *ak updated 03/19/07. *jb

Alternator belt came off, all power to vehicle was lost. *jb

Headlight housing on 1997 dodge se grand caravan. the plastic lens of the headlight housing in which the headlight bulb is encased has discolored, thereby, obscuring the light generated by the headlight bulb. this has occurred on both the right and left headlight housings. i have surveyed other minivans of the same vintage and noticed they too were discolored. it concerned me so much that i purchased two new headlight housings from off the internet (not mopar). there is probably a safety factor with this defect.*jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle wheels locked up due to a differential pin when the transmission fails on a front wheel drive vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic, but not a service dealer to look at the issue.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 20 mph on normal road conditions the windshield wipers started working every time the turn signal lights were operated. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealership however the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. *ak

Have owned a 1997 dodge caravan (bought as new) for 108,000 miles. recently we've had a problem with our windshield wipers. for several years, we've had the problem of the "ghost wipers" where they would come on on their own. but it would only happen very rarely. now, we have a problem where the switch does not regulate the speed of the wipers. the intermittent part does not work at all. we recently had it taken to a goodyear dealer and they diagnosed the problem as a body control module going bad. this is an expensive fix. have noticed a previous complaint (#10154526) and also several complaints posted on carspace automotive forums. some say the bcm is the problem and others say it isn't. *nm

Summary: control arm bushings replacement parts are on national backlog: wides-spread occurrence of this defect indicates the need for recall on these parts. details: our dodge caravan is in need of new control arm bushings, however there is a national backlog for these parts and they will not be available for 4-8 weeks or longer. we believe a recall for this defect is a needed and fair way to handle this, as this defect is obviously so wide-spread as to be unmanageable under normal circumstances. we have contacted chrysler directly and they have informed us that they will not take any corrective action. vin: vb482644, mileage: 82,000. *nm

1997 caravan dash gauges do not function properly, engine died. *ts ***nar*** the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times but they were unable to determine the problem. *nm

1997 dodge caravan 3.3 liter v6 with 93000 miles. started vehicle and the starter mechanism locked onto the flywheel or failed to disengage, making a screeching noise. turned ignition off and engine shut down but starter kept cycling engine. removed keys from ignition and van was still attempting start by turning the engine over and over. strong smell of burning electrical components as the starter continued to cycle engine, unabated, with keys out of ignition. hood was popped and battery cables were disconnected shutting the starter off. the starter cranked the engine, nonstop, without keys in ignition, for approximately 10 minutes. the only way to stop this was to disconnect the battery. upon immediate inspection of the starter it was found to be red hot. the cables/wires coming out of the starter were red hot and smell of burning plastic filled the air. the starter was removed and found to be original equipment ( with chrysler corporation logo intact). the starter was found to be locked in the extended position and would not retract. a new starter was purchased and installed due to the original being inoperable. old starter was turned in to pep boys in raynham, ma for core refund. there is no doubt that if the battery was not disconnected, the starter would have continued to start the engine until it eventually(starter)overheated enough to ignite the wires and start an engine fire. *jb

Purchased dodge caravan new. at 40,000 miles, windshield wipers began random wiping action unrelated to time or weather conditions. they would turn on, wipe four or five times and turn off. at 104,000 miles, without warning, wipers refused to respond to switch except for "wash and wipe" cycle. vehicle could not be inspected as wipers could not be turned on for inclement weather. three trips to the dealer resulted in a "body control module" being replaced for a cost of $741.00 in order to make them work. if they had stopped during a blizzard, it could have been very bad. (please note, dates are from memory and could be slightly off). *nm

Headlights on 1997 dodge caravan have become clouded and are no longer safe to drive at night. *jb

Driver side strut tower in both of my chrysler minivans 97 caravan & 96 tc are rusting excessively. my 97 caravan looks like it will break through soon. my mechanic claims it is a common problem with many chrysler minivan's. the repairs cost more than the van is worth. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated during a state inspection the dealership noticed corrosion on the front driver side strut tower. the vehicle was taken to a different dealer, which determined the strut tower needs to be replaced. the dealer is awaiting the replacement part.

Dt*: the contact stated after being parked for 15 minutes the vehicle caught fire under the hood. the fire department extinguished the fire. the vehicle has not yet been seen by a mechanic to determine where the fire started or the extent of the damage.

Consumer complaint regarding 1997 caravan clock spring assembly. *ts the vehicle's horn failed due to a faulty clockspring. the consumer did some research and found out that the vehicle's clockspring had been recalled, recall number 02v293000 . the consumer never received the notice. *nm

Transmission failed, vermont, 2003. replaced the transmission @ 114,152 miles - wilson dodge, vt - at 134,826 miles, transmission fluid leaking - had noticed clunking occasionally in reverse. complained to the dealer -ira dodge, medford ma re: clunking: was informed that the leaking or tear down for clunking not covered under warranty - to be my expense - sound not easily repeatable - dealer stated $150 diagnostic charge. argued with the service manager saying that the transmission was under warranty - he was not sympathetic. convinced him to have his mechanic test drive the van after fixing the leak (which he indeed did - mileage out was 134828) august 2005 - mileage 148781 - loud bang while backing up in the hotel parking garage. called mopar customer service at 800-992-1997 - date 8/20/05 - told that warranty was good in canada by rep; given the name of the montreal dealership - drove to dealership 8/21/05 (without incident); informed warranty not good in canada. service manager drove the car. unable to replicate problem. drove home (worcester, ma.) no problems. drove to the dodge dealer in worcester 8/23/05; transmission person was on vacation. told that a diag would be $150, teardown my expense. problem did not occur again. 10/27 - entire transmission locked - middle of busy prospect street in cambridge. van would not move. taken to the dodge dealership, 900 miles out of warranty. ira dodge said could do nothing about discounting the labor. they asked me to contact mopar warranty. called mopar service 11/2/05, told my story, no record of my call on 8/20/05. transferred to a "senior staff agent" (eddie - employee #9ew) in the business office - he called the dealer while i was on hold. when he came back to the line he was no longer friendly, saying i was beyond my warranty and that dodge would not cover anything. argued with "eddie", asked for supervisor. eddie declined. *jb

Built in car seat stopped latching with no warning. *jb

Serpentine belt keeps coming off after hitting a puddle or body of water. this problem started, after having work done to my 1997 dodge caravan. a automotive shop replace the original serpentine belt due to being damage (broken). the vehicle has been return to automotive shop five time, since the original serpentine belt was replace, each incident my dodge caravan hit a puddle of water, just the correct way in which causing the serpentine belt to come off after the serpentine belt come off the check engine light and the battery check engine light comes on then the power steering locks up in which the car is out of control. daimler chrysler corporation and the united states government knows their is a problem with the serpentine belt configuration, but chosen not to due the right thing. *jb

1) defect result of normal use, no exceptional situation just normal every day use.related to two vehicles one 1996 caravan, another 1997 caravan. 2) exesive haze buildoff on headlights(plastic lens) i can contribute a loss of proper distance ilumination, for witch several atempt´s of diferent method´s where tried to correct problem, resulting in pedestrian struct accident on dark night,my driving record had been ticket, accident clear for more than 30 year´s. 3) several polishing method´s where attempted with different advertised product´s resulting in slight temporary improvement´s alway´s resulting in lesser time recurrance of problem, can not afford to replace all 4 with new part´s due to excesive cost $135.00 each, anly replaced one after accident and yes have part´s if need to be submitted. point in case, my work is and has been for the past 20 year´s related to plastics, specifically injection molding, for witch i know first hand the consecuences for a poorly design chemical content plastic in this case policarbonates with incorrect uv aditive content, witch is the cause for not only my particular brand of vehicle,year or model, this problem is with all plastic headlight,sure tghey save weigth, sure its easier to manufacture to the weirdest shapes, so much so tha know a day´s the seem to be part of either the hood or the fender´s, so now their being exposed to direct sunlight from the top causing even prematurer condition´s, (this is not a scratching related issue here this is sunlight related damage causing reduced night driving visibility reach (since when a body part is subject to normal wear and tear. since astm d 1003-92 does mention otdoor exp. test-haze and loss of surface luster of plastic mat´s, i failed to locate proper time limit´s of accepted failure to consider them to be, non acceptable. (glass does not carry this condition), like it was mentined before, this is not only related to chrysler this problem is with all makes,brands

1997 dodge caravan transmission has been replaced three times.*mr when the transmission pan was removed, the mechanic found metal contamination and broken parts. *jb

Dt: air bag light stayed on/the cruise control switch didn't work, and the horn malfunctioned. noticed these failures on june 1, 2005. have not contacted the dealer. had checked the fuses, they were still good. *ak

Transmission is being rebuilt again this is my third transmission.the original was replaced at 16,500 miles with a remanufactured from chrysler transmission,which an independant shop purchased from darrow dodge and has installed it,and now only after 31,000 miles first gear went out on it and it is being rebuilt now.there is a definite problem with their transmissions and should be recalled.

The headlights don't turn on all times unless the switch is wiggled and some times is goes out after they come on

Dt: consumer complained about electrical problems. instrument panel did not work. the instrument cluster was digital. buttons for air conditioner and rear defroster flashed constantly. consumer took vehicle to garage, and they recommended dodge dealer. also, windshield wipers came on their own. vehicle did not have to be on running for windshield wipers to come on. they came on about every two weeks. also, traveling interior lights came on. consumer stopped lights from coming on by putting tape on door. consumer believed these were different issues. he replaced fan control module last year, and that did not help.*ak consumer added that pounding on the dashboard made the dash light illuminate. *tt

Dt: just back from a road trip the vehicle started acting up, it would keep speeding like it was accelerating on its on, had to pull off the road, turn off the engine and physically push the throttle down ,it's like it gets stuck. it would do that after turning on the cruise control, and even after turning it off, it still would run away. it would only do this during time periods of using the cruise control. during that particular trip. this would happen regardless if the cruise was off or on. had to brake very hard in order to get the vehicle to slow down to pull off. *ak customer stated the throttle sticks with cruise when on and after it has been on does not happen unless cruise has been on seems like it wants to drive away. *tt the consumer stated a vacuum hose associated with the cruise control was replaced. updated 09/14/07. *jb

I have a mini- caravan 1997 airbag light stays on or blinks intermittantly horn doesn't work or only works somtimes (thats fun) cruise control doesn't work

Dt: air bag light is on and cruise control and horn doesn't work. *ak consumer states having a recall notice for these problems but delearship refuses to fix because the vehicle is not a 1998 or newer. the consumer's steering wheel is getting worst. consumer's vin #'s are not on the recall list, consumer also owns a 2000 dodge van. consumer wants to be kept up to date on the progress of the claim. *nm

Dt: transmission: contact states vehicle had 28,000 miles when transmission went out. the transmission was rebuilt, and again at 50,000 the transmission went out, the transmission was again rebuilt. at about 70,000 the transmission failed again. transmission service mechanic stated that these vans needed to be equipped with another cooling system. the transmission was rebuilt and another cooling system installed.*ak engine: contact states the oil warning light comes on even when the vehicle is full of oil. three different mechanic shops said there is not enough oil pressure to keep oil on the bearings.

1997 dodge caravan two front strut towers are in a defective state.*mr *jb

1997 dodge grand caravan suffered transmission failure.***no answer required***.*mr in jan 2005 the engine light illuminated after the vehicle was diagnosed, it was determined there was a problem with the torque converter. the consumer was told there was chance that replacing the fluid and filter might resolve the problem, the problem remained and now the transmission is slipping. the consumer was told the only recourse was to replace the transmission which would be for the second time. *jb

I own a 1997 dodge caravan, i have two children the seat belt came unlatched several times. twice my 8 years old daughter leaned to the side and her elbo hit the release button it unlathed, my other daughter is 5 few times we noticed her booster seat is unlached for no reason. need help to solve this problem . *ak

Recall 00v268999 concerning fuel leakage. gasoline odor/fume was getting into the vehicle when idling or at a stop position. consumer contacted the dealer about this recall. dealer informed consumer that this vehicle was not covered under this recall due to vin. *ak *nm

Serpentine belt comes off dodge grand caravan whenever there is inclement weather -ie, rain , snow, slush, making it almost impossible to drive this vehicle. my specific concern is that - this defect- may cause an extremely serious accident on some super highway because steering becomes almost impossible. i think the potential for many deaths is there if this problem - which appears quite frequently on chrysler product minivans is not corrected. it is my opiunion that there should be a recall on all the minivans which have similar configurations as the 1997 3.3 series engines. *ak

Received a safety recall letter for the clockspring on my minivan (yr714091 notification code d17) issues with airbag deploying light and horn will not work. according to dodge, the reason this is happening is because of the clockspring in the minivan. went to have it repaired at dodge and the service man at dodge said my minivan does not apply to the recall. told him why my problems are that described in the recall letter. he said it's not part of the recall. *jb

Foia request info re chrysler minivan recalls initiated 1/25/02, engine and fuel line malfunctions that resulted in fires . *bf information request from consumers attorney. attorney is pursuing a wrongful death claim for the consumer. consumer burned to death in a vehicle wreck in 1997. campaign id number : 03e053000. this recall only pertains to aftermarket replacement fuel filters and has no relation to any original equipment installed on chrysler town & country, plymouth voyager, and dodge caravan minivans or any other products manufactured by daimlerchrysler corporation. *tc *jb

Consumer was having the same problems as stated in recall 04v480000 concerning air bag clock spring. dealership would not repair free of charge because the vin was not included.*ak

The headlights were made of plastic and have oxidized to the point that the consumer had to drive at night with the high beams on. *jb the consumer stated that the film was so bad that he could not see the bulb inside the cover. *tc

This is related to complaint 10090457. my 1997 dodge caravan has excessive rust at the top of the driver-side strut cap. large chips of rusted metal can easily be removed with a screw driver.*ak i would like to know if there is a risk in continuing to drive the vehicle. i bought the vehicle new in late 1996, and have kept it in minnesota since. the rest of the body has evidence of early rust that, in a couple years, will be ugly, but looks ok now and is typical for an 8-yr old car in minnesota. chrysler has issued a service bulletin, which describes the problem as cosmetic, but they have also provided a repair kit. the kit uses epoxy to glue on a replacement cap, so that suggests the problem really is cosmetic. however, i have not been able to have it fixed because the body-shop manager at the dealership said the kit is out of stock. is it safe?

Complaint received via e-mail. my vehicle was met with an accident on route 516, old bridge, nj. my vehicle was hit from behind by a school bus and pushed into a lamp pole. my vehicle is totaled as per state farm insurance. both air bag failed to work. the driver and passenger seats collapsed backward instead of protecting our neck and body. the vehicle is with state farm insurance. *jb. also, driver and passenger seats collapsed backwards, resulting in two injuries. *ak

Consumer's vehicle was hit head on by another vehicle at 40 mph. only the passenger's side air bag deployed. however, driver's side air bag failed to deploy. driver sustained bruises to breast and stomach. recall 04v480000 air bag clock spring was issued. but this vehicle was not included in the recall due to model year. *ak

Strut towers rusted thru great looking van on out side i have seen more of these .the local weldig shop does these jobs vrey often for 1200 bucks!*ak

While driving, the srs light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. the driver pressed down on the horn, but it failed to work. please fill in additional information. *jb

The consumer requested reimbursement for recall repairs. the consumer was denied because the repairs were not done the dealer. *nm the a/c was inoperative, the cruise control was inoperative and the ses light. recall# 04v480000. *sc *jb

The consumer stated her husband was coming out of the driveway and the vehicle was hit on the side. she stated that he received some minor injuries and his air bag did not deploy. *jb *sc

When applying the brake from 5-50 mph, the brake pedal would intermittently go to the floor and caused extended stopping distance. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop. the mechanic replaced the master brake cylinder. within a week later the problem recurred. *jb

Consumer was having the same problem with vehicle that she had one year ago, but had it repaired via recall notice. vehicle did not want to start in the morning. consumer could not afford to pay for it, and dealer would not repair it again. it was repaired one year ago. *ak

While driving, a noise was heard coming from the rear of the vehicle. the steering wheel started shaking uncontrollably. the driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle and pulled over. the driver noticed that rear driver and passenger side tire treads separated from the wheel. firestone affinity p205/60r15 #dotw2vfait229/w2vfait169. please fill in additional information. *jb

While driving vehicle stalled. consumer was not able to restart vehicle. had the vehicle to towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic informed consumer that the problem could not be duplicated. *ak

The consumer was driving and the windshield wipers turned on by themselves, and run erratically, and will not shut off at the correct position. when it's raining, wipers cannot be controlled. the dealer told consumer that similar make, model and year vehicle have experienced the same problem. *la

The cruise control stopped working. then the air bag light came on. i later realized that the horn doesn't work. i reported this to the dealer service dept. at a nys inspection visit. the vehicle passed inspection.*ak i have had several incidents where i needed to use the horn, and was unable to. this is a serious safety defect.

The integrated child safety seat belt retractor will not allow the belts to be used. consumer's vehicle had two such seats in the vehicle, where seat belts could not be used. manufacturer claimed that the belts could not be repaired unless the entire seat was replaced. *ak

Left macon on i-75 south, nearing perry ga in center lane, cars all around, front, rear, left and right. speed was some where between 65 or 70. front right tire blew. i thank god i had enough skill to avoid hitting another vehicle. i managed to slow and other vehicles allowed me to steer to the emergency lane. after putting on my spare i retracted and located parts of the tire and still have what's left. i have been unable to locate a manufactures name. there are some numbers that can be used to identify the manufacturer. there is still a lot of tread left and the tire was in apparent good shape. i have driven more than a million miles in the last 45 years. this is my second blowout. this was a bad tire that was purchased at bloomfield tire company in macon, ga. that could have caused several vehicles to crash and could have killed. please respond to this to possibly save some lives. *jb

While driving at any speed and when turning corners center seat lifted up on the right side. consumer removed the seats, and replaced them according to her in the proper way.*ak

While driving 65 mph transmission slipped into second gear. dealer stated transmission sensor needed to be replaced, however, problem recurred. *ak

I bought this van new in 1997 just after buying the van there was ticking noise coming from the engine i feel it is the lifters but dealership says no it was the fuel purge valve. the noise countinues to get worse and i am sure the noise is the lifters when i change the oil to 10w-30 the noise goes away. the oxygen sensor was replaced at approx 50k miles. the van has recently been in the shop for the transmission two or three time since november 2003 aprox. 90,000 miles on it. the transmission was hanging up in second gear when dodge retuned to me the transmission shuttered while driving. vehicle is now in the shop for the transmission again it is leaking from the output shaft seals and while in park when starting the vehicle the van jerks foward like the trasmission is still engaged. this all happens while in park. sometimes when the vehicle is shifted from drive to park if the accelorator is pressed the vehicle jumps / jerks foward this seems to be a safety issue as my wife and i have three children that sometimes walk in front of the van to get in when we go off as a family. my check engine light came on just hours before i returned to the dealer for transmission service and it is the egr valve failure that caused the ckeck engine light to come on. the dealership tried to put the transmission off as that but i am also a mechanic the egr valve has nothing to do with the transmissionacting as if it is engage although it is acually in park.this is not good practice to lie about a serious problem with the vehicle. also the transmission leak was caused from the first removal of the transmission and chrysler warranty department said the leak would not be covered this is also very digusting when you remove an axle the seal should be replaced before you reinstall the transmission. the dealer is still trying to find out what is wrong with my transmission. the water pump has failed and also the cooling fan relay failed for the engine cooling system.*ak

The first time my transmission went out was when it had 29000 miles on it on october 1999.oakland dodge replaced the torq conferter and overhaul the transmission at their cost. the transmission went out again after a little over 36000 miles later and now they blamed it on a broken torq converter and put in a remanufactured transmission at my cost. also this vehicle had 3 serpentine belts replaced in one year because of shredding. it is amazing to me how many people have problems with this vehicle and that there isn't a recall on their transmissions. i will never buy a dodge caravan again.

I have had numberous brake problems for the past year. my brake pedal keeps going down to the floor. i have had the master cylinder replaced 3 times, the rear wheel cylinder replaced 3 times, i have needed a new front rotor and pads because only one of my brakes is actually working. i have also had my brake power bosster replaced and to still have the same result, my pedal goes down to the floor and i hope that i stop in time. no one seems to know what to do with the problem, they claim there is no leaking fluid and they just don't know where i am losing my pressure at. this has cost alot of time , money, and most of all aggrevation. this is my only vehicle and i have small children. please let me know of any recalls or what to do.*ak

Hi my name is lynneth vazquez and i purchased a 1997 dodge caravan for $3,600 and traided in my car which was worth $400 at least thats what the dealer man said. i brought back the caravan the next day to the dealership because i was told they were going to fix some minor problems, including the horn that was not funtioning at all . they spent the whole day with the van and didn't do anything to it, then they said to bring it back the next day and told me that the horn was going to get ordered and that it was going to take a while because the part that they needed couldn't be sent via mail because it was considered to be explosive so when i decided to ask for my money back since it had a 30 day warranty they told me that they were going to fix it as soon as possible. i went to pick up my van and when i saw it they put it a different horn and told me that it would pass inspection and that they would replace the part that the van needed if i was willing to pay half on it. in conclusion to this the piece that they need is the clock spring which cost about $ 400 to $ 900 and they said that it was safe to drive the van with the horn that they put in instead of putting a new clock spring. they didn't tell me that once the clock springs breaks down the airbag , cruise control. and the radio wouldn't function properly. i don't think that i should pay for something that i think that they should've taken care of before selling that vehicle. please help me with this matter i will appreciate if you can help me.

Headlights frosty or opaque, too dim to see with safely

A banging noise was heard either from the transmission or engine when shifting gears. the noise occured while driving or idling. dealership wasn't providing any assistance. dealership indicated that the noise could not be corrected.*ak

Daimler chrysler corp. won't reimburse for replacement of clockspring because repair wasn't done from a daimler chrysler dealership. (nar) *la

Consumer was injured when her vehicle slid into a ditch after the serpentine belt and other parts fell to the ground. *ph *jb

I own a 1997 dodge caravan, with approx 139,000 miles on it. i just read in the birmingham news about the nhtsa investigating daimler-chrysler's 1998-1999 dodge caravans/chrysler town & countrys/plymouth voyagers. the article states the vans had a defect with the steering wheel/airbag. mine is doing this exact thing. about a month ago, the airbag warning light came on, and the horn and cruise control quit working. please include the 1997 model years in the investigation.*ak

While driving over water puddles consumer noticed the serpentine belt froze, causing steering wheel to lock up. *ak the power steering had become inoperative, the gears would slip when shifted, the water pump leaked, the belt tensioner fell apart, the consumer would lose the steering when driving through a puddle of water,the a/c did not blow cool air due to a leaking evaporator, and the belt tensioner would stick and make noises when driving through water. *sc *jb

We bought this van one year ago and so far we had to replace both oxygen sensor, speed sensor, head gasket, water pump, the transmission is slipping, doors lock and unlock whenever they want not just the 16 mph thing, ball joints are clunking, the cd player quit and then soon after fm radio only am works. *ak

Vehicle recalled for anti-lock brakes. *ph the brake light had come and there was a clicking noise which had come from the abs brakes. the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc the hydraulic master cylinder, abs pump and motor assembly were all replaced. *jb

There was a gas smell inside the cabin of the van upon starting the van or when the heat was on. there was a recall (00v268000) issued for the fuel injection system, but the vin number was outside the remedy scope. *nlm *mr

While driving on the turnpike vehicle's tire blew out.*mr while driving the vehicle experienced a tire blowout. the driver lost control of the vehicle and side swiped the guardrail. the vehicle sustained damage to the driver's side (ohio traffic crash report). *nm

While driving at any speed, the vehicle intermittently stalled out without any warning. the engine was clunky. the vehicle was taken to the dealership on several occasions. *jb

I have talked with other owners of this same model vehile and they had the same complaints .i think the maker of this vehicle should do a recall and prorate a dollar scale on these mini vans. for i trust the vechicles that follwed have to be more reliable. this vehicle would stall with me driving and is currently parked in my front yard undrivible

Automatic transmission is slipping gears. dealer's mechanic recommends replacing the transmission. *ak

The strut that held the rear hatch snapped. the hatch crashed down, and nearly decapitated a small child. the dealer was contacted. *ak

I recently became aware of your services so that is why this is written way after the fact. may problem is that i own a 97 dodge caravan, at the time it had appox. 80,000 miles. the front passenger side wheel well that holds the strat rotted to the point that the strat was coming through. i called dodge and they said that part of the body wasn't warranted against rust through. i thought it was odd that the doors and hood was but not the under part. i had the repairs done for $900 and now the driver side is about to do the same. what is ironic is that the body ie doors and quarter panels are fine. is there a problem with this particular part of the car and if so do i have any recourse. thank you for your time. *cb

Air bag light appeared and remained on the dashboard until the vehicle was shut off. consumer took the vehicle to garage, and mechanic noticed that the clock spring needed replacement. *ak

Strong smell of gasoline inside and outside of vehicle. on occasion it has given me severe headaches and has made my husband dizzy and sick to his stomach. the smell is very strong. i have had the vehicle to the dealership (tim parker chrysler) here in hot springs and they state they can find nothing wrong. i am very concerned there could be a fire or an explosion. this needs to be remedied immediately. if the dealership cannot identify the problem, where might i go? *la

Air bags deployed without vehicle being in an accident. consumer stated the claim was denied by the manufacturer because they felt that the undercarriage was damaged due to a significant impact with the hard surface. a police report was taken. driver was injured. *ak

I consider ourselves fortunate after scouring thru the numerous customer complaints on the 1997 dodge caravan. we bought the vehicle used in 1999 with 23,000 miles on it. it was mainly used to transport myself and our three children all under the age of 6 at the time, but now my husband drives it back and forth to work. we to have had the intermitent ghost wipers ever since purchasing the vehichle and were constantly told by the dealer that nothing was wrong or could be found to be wrong. we have within the last six months replaced the drive belt, the water pump, & timing belt due to routine maintenance. however, the transmission at 123,000 miles just went out on my husband while he was driving down the road. we are told that it will cost $1,500 to fix. we have chosen to get it fixed, but at the time of that decision did not realize the number of complaints about the chrysler transmissions. this is definitely a safety issue, as the van left my husband stranded in the middle of an intersection with oncoming traffic. will it take someone getting killed before chrysler is held responsible for these defects? i do not like the fact that my husband will be driving this vehichle again, once the tramission is repaired. as i stated above i consider ourselves one of the fortunate ones to not have experienced so many problems as other owners have had with their vehichles, but when will the time come to hold chrysler responsible for their shody workmanship? i can honestly say this is the first and will be the last chrysler car i ever own. my other car is a ford f-150, which i am very proud to drive! *ak

Transmission failed at 39,000 miles. *ak

Vehicle was taken to the dealer for recall 96v215000 concerning master cylinder in july 2002. after the repairs, the brake system caught on fire and melted the tires. master cylinder was replaced. on 11/18/2003, the brakes failed, causing the vehicle to crash into another vehicle. the driver sustained a damaged disc in the neck and spinal cord.*ak

Problems with transmission on 1997 dodge caravan.*mr ignition tumble was replaced, fan assembly.*ts

Vehicle horn is inoperative and the air bag warning light stayed illuminated on dashboard. *mr *scc *jb

We have had our vehicle since 1999 and have been disappointed with its performance. this is our third chrysler/dodge van and this is the second of the three to have transmission problems. the first had them at 37,000 miles and this one is having them at 71,000 miles. we were smart enough to have an extended warranty for both vehicles, unfortunately, on the current van the warranty ran out last month...besides the poor engineering of the transmissions this van has had several problems with the tie rod and front end noise as well as going through front brakes relatively quickly (we do not drive it roughly and it is mainly used to transport our kids around our community approximately. 12000 miles or less a year since we have owned it. *la

The tension pulley sheared it's bolt and caused the pulley to fall off while driving. causing the power steering to go out and nearly losing control of the car. the bolt size was suprisingly small for a part that handles that much tension. my fear is that it will happen again while my kids are in it and at a higher speed. *la

The dealership is refusing to honor recall 02v293000 for the air bag clockspring, indicating that there wasn't any recall although the consumer provided the recall letter.*ak

Shock tower was decaying.*ak consumer watch tower strut rust to the point where the metal was ripping apart. dealer looked at it and stated they would replace the defective part regardless of mileage on the vehicle. consumer stated part is still on vehicle and available to look at. *ph *jb

Headlight lens discolored- car had to have replacement to pass state inspection. cost: $322 for one headlight assembly.

While driving 35 mph the vehicle was involved in a frontal collision. upon impact the air bags didn't deploy and the third row seat separated from the track an slid forward. no injuries were reported. *ak *nlm

While driving at 35 mph vehicle was in a frontal collision. none of the frontal air bags deployed upon impact. driver sustained serious lifetime injuries from impacting the steering wheel.*ak

Took my car in for a transmission to be serviced, picked my car up a hour later.he transmission locked on me. i had my vehicle towed to another shop. the total ost of repairs was $1400.00.*ak

Warning lights malfunctioned, causing brake lights to flash intermittently, and air bag sensor to stays on. *ak the brake light flashed, the engine light and air bag light illuminated and the horn was inoperative. the air bag and horn problem may be the result of a clockspring failure. *ph *nlm

Consumer received a recall notice regarding the air bag warning light. air bag light had been on since she owned the vehicle. the consumer received a letter from the dealer which asked her to bring the vehicle in for service. when the consumer arrived at the dealer it was too late. on the way back home she smelled smoke but kept driving until she reached home. the vehicle was turned off and the consumer looked under the vehicle and saw flames coming from under the vehicle. she got the hose and put the fire out. then, called the mechanic/dealer. there were also problems with the automatic door locks. *ak

There has been 5 replacement torque converters since purchase. vehicle shuts down due to the defect in the torque converter. *mr this problem had happened several times while traveling on the highway, every year the consumer had to have the transmission rebuilt, also the brakes. the transmission overhauled twice, there was an oil pan leak, the engine light stayed on, and the ac needed a new condenser. *scc

We have had to replace 4 batteries in 6 years. these include batteries by three different manufacturers. initially, the batteries were covered by the 3yr/36k mile warranty, and we were told the batteries were defective. obviously, there is an electrical problem with the van. in each case, the batteries went suddenly dead (would not hold any charge at all) long before they should have.*ak

Vehicle caught on fire inside of the engine compartment without prior warning while sitting at an intersection.*ak

When making a left turn and without warning windshield wipers would shut off, causing a distraction to consumer's view. dealer has been notified. *ak windshield wipers turn on when steering wheel is turned or theturn signal turns off.*ts

Consumer states that transmission is useless. transmission has already been replaced twice, and another one is needed. consumer complains that there is a burning rubber smell when the vehicle is driven, and when ever the brakes are depressed.*ak

While driving 35 mph the front brakes caught on fire. the dealer was notified and replaced the brake pads. the pads only had 1500 miles on them. *ak *ts *nlm

At one time, before 1960, front turn signals were white, then they changed to amber and have remained so for 40 years. i would like to have it stated that front turn signalsshall only be amber in color.*ak rear turn signals, also at one time they were red then the manufacturers created the 3 color tail light red for stop and tail, amber for turn and white for back-up. unfortunately many have combined the tail and brake in to a lower cost single lamp . i would like to see the return to the amber turn signal. with the huge market we have for vehicles we have the economic power to make an impact for change. side marker lamps. when these were required they were separate lights. now they are integrated into the tail lamps and have wrapped around the rear structure of the vehicle and in many cases are a now a single lamp that has tail, side marker and brakes as part of the dual filament bulb. so the issue is that when this lamp burns out we may have neither tail braking or side marker. over the years these lamps have grown smaller and less visible again a cost or design issue and ultimately a safety issue. i would like to see a minimum number of square inches for each lamp and minimum candle power. and for braking a return to the 7x difference between tail lamp/running and braking illumination. if my suggestions should be enacted it might force the manufactures to redesign their lighting systems to create some uniformity that we almost had some years ago ( about 1989 ). headlight: suv headlamps are not aimed low enough. they create a hazard to oncoming cars and blind the drivers of vehicles closer to the ground. the newet lamps have reduced visabilty as they are recessed and do not show very much to the side. many headlamps are now made from a plastic that des not remain clear. the amount of light transmitted is reduced and difused. i would like to see either a return to glass or a new plastic that remins clear. t

Consumer states while traveling and without any indication windshield wipers would start working. dealer has been contacted. *ak

Consumer states that the horn sometimes sounds unexpectedly for long periods of time. cause unknown. *ak

Brake master cylinder failed while driving, causing vehicle to enter an intersection and was hit by oncoming traffic. dealer notified.*ak

Consumer states that horn comes on by itself for long periods of time. cause unknown. *ak

The consumer received recall notice# 00v268000 subject: fuel leakage about a month ago. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who kept the vehicle over night. consumer called to find out when the vehicle would be ready. dealer stated the parts were on order. consumer picked the vehicle up, and the dealer stated they would notify by mail when the part were available. *ak the vehicle hasn't been called into the shop. *scc *jb

Windshield wipers come on by themselves all the time, sometimes they stop after a few swipes and sometimes i need to turn the switch on and then off again to make them stop. so far they have worked when i needed them but it may only be a matter of time before complete failure. this should be a recall item, it is very unsafe! (1999) airbag light comes on and stays on nearly all the time now. (jun 2003) sliding door lock doesn't always engage or disengage when using the power locks. *jb

I have a broken fuel line on my '1997 dodge caravan,3.0l engine. this is the exact same fuel line problem that dodge had a recall on in the 3.3 and 3.8l engine on all 1997 dodge caravans , recalled i think november, 2000. i went to my local dealer to have the problem fixed, but they refused to honor the recall repair because i had a 3.0 engine. the problem is the same. i think dodge should take care of the repair as well as recall these engines too. all engine sizes on this make and model for the year 1997 should be looked at. my mother-in-law was driving the vehicle at the time the fuel line erupted. the mini van could have caught fire. the fuel sprayed all over the engine.*ak

While driving at 60 mph, the steering wheel started to shake. *jb

Cruise control became inoperative and drove consumer off the interstate onto the shoulder at 70 mph. *mr the cruise would not respond to the brake pedal or the controls on the steering wheel. after replacing the clock spring per recall, the service dealer assured the consumer the cruise was repaired. the problem returned when the consumer's wife had driven the vehicle. it was found that the throttle cable leading from the cruise control mechanism to the throttle itself failed at the point of the exit from the cable strands in the cable were pulled back into the cable housing locking the action of the cable, and caused failure. *scc *jb

The vehicle hit a concrete wall, and the driver's air bag failed to deploy. *jb

While driving the vehicles windshield wipers came on by themselves. *nlm

Clock spring replacement / consumer requested reimbursement for repairs. *mr the vehicle was traded to consumer with the airbag light on. upon diagnosing the problem, the air bag clock spring was broken. *ts. also the right axle output shaft leaked oil, and the engine light illuminated on the dash board, the dealer replaced the spark plugs. *jb

In january 2003, i received a recall notice from chrysler for the air bag clock spring on my 1997 dodge caravan. the notice said that if i had already had the clock spring replaced ( i had), that i should submit the requested information and they would pay me back. i sent this information on january 12, 2003 to the address on the recall notice. the repair cost $142.22.i heard nothing unti april 4, 2003, when i received a letter asking for the same copies i had submitted in january. i resent them, and have heard nothing since. it has now been six months since i received the original notice from chrysler (reference # 10925018-vr102141-b24) and still have no reimbursement. it appears chrysler has no intention of complying with the information in their recall notice. what should i do?*ak

Vehicle is experiencing the same defect with fuel leakage as stated in recall 00 v 268 000; but this vehicle not included in recall due to vin. *ak

The vehicles clock spring failed prior to recall notice 02v-293000. the consumer requested reimbursement but only received partial reimbursement. *mr *scc *nlm

Right arm on liftgate snapped in two. mr. when the consumer opened the liftgate the right arm which held the liftgate up snapped in two and fell on the consumer's arm, also the sunvisor broke. *jb

The vehicle clock spring failed prior to recall notice #b24. the consumer requested reimbursement. *ak *nlm

Nar 04/01/2003. the consumer had the air bag problem fixed on the vehicle on the vehicle prior to the recall because the vehicle was already exhibiting problems. *jb

The vehicle was involved in a collision where the consumers vehicle rear ended a pick up truck. neither driver nor passenger side air bags deployed. no serious injuries were sustained. *nlm

Consumer states that while driving transmission failed causing lost of acceleration. please provide any additional information.

Prior to the recall notification, the consumer had paid for the repairs regarding the clock spring, the consumer requested reimbursement. in addition, the dealer replaced engine oil filter. *ak. also the gas filler door had to be replaced. *jb *ts

The dealer is refused to correct the recall regarding the clock spring , recall #02 v 293 000 until the airbag light remained on constantly. *jb

The dealer refused to correct recall 02 v 293 000 regarding the clock spring. the dealer stated the air bag light had to be on constantly, to correct the recall. *jb

The vehicles rack and pinion assembly failed. the dealer was notified. *nlm

The vehicles airbag light illuminated continuously and the horn was inoperative. the dealer was notified. *nlm

The windshield wipers worked intermittently. *jb

Clockspring failed, causing horn/air bag and cruise control to malfunction. *ak

The driver side seat belt did not release. *nlm

Engine block cracked when vehicle was approx 1 year old. dodge fixed crack in engine with putty. i was told by dodge service people that was the standard fix for that problem. the crack has either reopened or a new crack has developed. local mechanic reports that the head gasket has also failed. i just thought that this should be noted in your files, since i am sure other owners are seeing same problems. a co-worker has the same year dodge stratus with same engine and transmission, he has same problem- his was fixed at same time my caravan was by the same dealer with same putty. he has since traded his vehicle off. thank you. *ts *jb ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12-12-02 cut over to artemis***762668

The hydraulic fluid in the master cylinder reservoir decreases and the instrument panel brake warning lamp illuminates. reference nhtsa campaign id number: 96v215000. service advisor indicated that there was no recall on this problem, i showed copy of the nhtsa campaign id number print out and he said "we don't use that information; we only use the factory data base and there's no recall". i have been experiencing the exact problem specified in the nhtsa recall - search results! please help. thank you. *nlm

The vehicle failed to move foward, upon inspection of the vehicle, consumer was informed the transmission needed to be replaced. *jb

The vehicle failed to move foward, upon inspection of the vehicle, consumer was informed the transmission needed to be replaced. *jb

The paint on my 97 dodge caravan is peeling off on the top of the van. have you had other complaints? *jb

The anti-lock brake system light illuminated on the dashboard.*jb

The passenger side integrated child seat belt locked in position with the infant buckled in and the seat belt around the childs neck. *jb *ts

The tailgate and the right arm that hold it up snapped, as a result the arm fell onto the consumers left arm. the arm on the sunvisor snapped. *nlm

When the vehicle hit a minor bump in the road, the vehicle lost power steering.*jb

The serpentine belt popped off, which resulted in loss of power steering and function of the alternator, which caused the vehicle to stall.*jb

On the date given, my 19 year old daughter was driving on a secondary road in the town of peru, ny, when the right front (factory option) cast aluminum wheel split in two circumfrentially, pulling her violently into a snowbank. there was no prior indication of the failure, and the vehicle had never been abused or involved in any accident or incident. the vehicle is a 1997 dodge grand caravan ls, and the wheel in question is the factory optional aluminum cast item. we filed a complaint with the dealer and the manufacturer, and were told that there was nothing that can be done and that the failure was our fault. there was no previous damage to the wheel, it had never been abused, there was no air leakage over time to indicate a crack or fault, the temperature at the time was approximately 10 degrees f., and there was no obstacle in the road which could have contributed to the incident. the wheel simply brok into two pieces. we feel that your organization should be made aware of this possible defect since sudden and unexpected failure of such a vital piece of vehicle equipment could obviously prove fatal. if this had occurred on an interstate at highway speeds, or if the left front wheel had failed, pulling the vehicle into oncoming traffic, the possible results are obvious. please feel free to contact myself or my wife at any time concerning this matter, and we are curious to know if you have received any other complaints of this nature. thank you for your time and assistance.

Vehicle is experiencing the same exact problem as the recall number 00v268000 vehicle was not included. please provide correct vehicle identification number. ph

Driveshaft broke in half. *jb

The serpentine belt was replaced several times.*jb

The air bag light illuminated, which caused the horn to be inoperative, consumer was informed the clock spring needed to be replaced, there was a recall regarding the issued, however the manufacturer informed the consumer the problems were not related.*jb *jb *nlm

Transmission fail to move vehicle, accompanied by whirring sound.*ph *jb **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**770862

While driving or stopping vehicle , the service lights will suddenly come on. this is a result of the serpentine belt coming off. this has happened twice. the dealership has replaced the belt. ph

When consumer returned to the vehicle, it was discovered the gear had moved into reverse.*jb

Consumer stated the windshield wipers come on and go off on their own. *jb

Consumer states while driving 50mph hit a deer with front end and neither air bag deployed, causing injuries. please provide any additional information. ts

After the dealership metro chrysler; 718-479-6452; jamaica queens ny; did the recall for the clock spring; 02 v 293 000, vehicle was in a frontal collision and none of the air bags deployed upon impact. ts

Consumer stated dealer refused to perform recall remedy 02v293000 because air bag warning light was not illuminated at the time consumer brought vehicle to dealership.*jb

Consumer states that vehicle airbag light is on when driving the vehicle. ts

Consumer stated that the hatchback springs on the passenger side snap causing it to be hard for consumer to open and close. dealer notified. ts

While driving vehicle started overheating. the driver had vehicle towed, who indicated that this was caused by the way the head gasket was designed. the head gasket was replaced, but the problem recurred twice. ts

Fuel tank, been a problem since we bought it, every time we go to bring the vechicle in for them, then could not find an answer after about the 4th time we brought it in, we said this is to much and we brought it in more then 3 times for the same problem, and we should get repaired free, i belive by lemon law?, well nutthing yet 3 years and running, with several several problems, should all be a recall cause that tomany problems, such as on alldata.com and read about the 97 dodge caravan 3.3l, my lord ever problem on that sheet i have, realy getting on my nerves...

While driving the recline latch broke. the driver seat fully reclined back causing a distraction to the consumer. dealer was notified. ts

Consumer states the middle vehicle seat moves left to right and backwards due to the tracks under the seat. ph

Clock spring failed. ph

Consumer called compalining about having problems with the transmission. also stated that while the vehicle was park outside of his house and the vehicle went into reverse and hit the neighbors vehicle. ts

Consumer states that while driving at any speed the air bag light comes on and the air bag could be inoperative in the event of a vehicle accident. dealer notified. ts

Consumer states that they are having the same problems as recall#99v123000 lift gate support bracket. dealer will not repair because vehicle vin was not include with recall. ts

Consumer states that he notice that gas was leaking from the gas tank, causing gas fumes inside the vehicle. ts

Fuel leaking from o-rings. 3.0 engine not included in recall # 00v268000.

After stopping at light, van would not move. van towed to dealership. owner told that van needed a new transmission.

While driving 55mph the transmission slipped and when tap the accelerator pedal the vehicle violently surges forward. ts

Ea01 007/ clockspring airbag light remain illuminated while traveling and the horn is not operable. dealer is aware of the problem. please provide additional information. ts

Consumer called complaining about having problems with the vehicle head gasket leaking oil. dealer has inspected the vehicle and could not duplicate or correct the problem . ph

Consumer states of having problems with the air bag, horn and cruise control. dealer was notified. ts

Consumer state while vehicle is in park it automatically jumps into reverse gear. ts

Consumer states clock spring does not work in her truck which prevent her air bag, and the horn from working. consumer states she was told by a mechanic they can fix the problem, but that it might be a recall coming up on this problem, and was told that she could not bring the vehicle in for repair. ts

Consumer stated that twice while driving the vehicle's cabin filled w/gas fumes resulting in occupants becoming ill. occurred on 11/24/02 and 11/26/02. related recall 00v268000, consumer's v.i.n. is not included. ts

Consumer states that the air bag warning lamp illumination due to clock spring, which could result into driver's air bag open circuit. make model year is under recall consumer vin number does not comply. please provide further information. ts

Consumer states intermittenly air bag lights become innoperable obstructing the drivers view. dealer has not been notified. please provide further information:: mr

While driving vehicle on the road, the air bag light suddenly came on for no reason. this caused the horn and the cruise control to not work properly. have taken to dealer to have it repaired. was informed that the clockspring had broken. ts

The consumer went to take her child out of the carseat. and the strap tightened up, she had to cut the strap in half to retreive her child from the seat.*jb

Horn will intermittently work. contacted dealer, and the dealer stated that problem could possibly be becaused by a clock spring defect.*ak jlg

Clock spring broke, and air bag light has come on and will stay on. contacted dealer, and the dealer was not willing to do anything. *ak

The air bag light illuminated as an indcation that a malfunction had occured. the steering clock malfunctioned that caused failure of the air bag, horn assembly and the cruise control. please describe details.*jb

Air bag light came on while driving. owner then took van to the dealership. they informed her that air bag needs to be replaced with no further explanation or cause. please describe details. *ak

Consumer states horn does not blow and air bag light has illuminated. please provide any further information. mr

While applying brakes air bag deployed, cause injuries to consumer.*ak

Another car hit consumer's vehicle front left end at a high speed and the air bags did not deploy, causing injuries. *ak the airbag sensor had broken. *scc

While opening sliding door it keep coming off track.*ak

Consumer states that the parts for recall have not been available for 2 months. and was informed by dealer that they would call them back when part were available. but consumer was never called. ts

In a head on collision none of the air bags deployed on impact. driver sustained major injuries. *ak *slc

While driving air bag light stays illuminated. *ak

Airbag light was on. took vehicle to dealer and they replaced clock spring. *ak consumer states that other vehicles are included in a recall, however this vehicle is not included due to the vin. consumer stated that the air conditioner was leaking, dealer could not duplicate problem. *slc

Consumer states that the front seat belts buckles will not latch properly causing the consumer not to have a seat belt on while driving. dealer notified. nlm

Airbag light has illuminated. consumer feels airbag may deploy unexpectedly. please provide any further information.*ak

While driving at any speed engine light comes on. then, consumer can hear water in engine. this can result in a fire. dealer notified. *ak

Consumer discovered that foot does not have to be on brake to shift vehicle into gear. consumer very concerned about safety of children in vehicle. consumer's vehicle came w/2 built in css.*ak

Consumer states that the wipers work intermittently. dealer has been contacted. please provide any further information. nlm

While traveling on highway vehicle stalls and then shutdown. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

Ea-01007 consumer states the airbag light illumniates continuously which means the air bag has a malfunction. the problem has effected the horn not to alert others. the dealer is aware of the problem. please provide more information. mr

Consumer states that air bag light stay illuminated. please feel to add any additional information. *mr

While driving at 60mph, speedometer kept moving between 20mph and 90mph, without driver decreasing or increasing in speed. oil light started flickering along with engine check light, then the vehicle started jerking.*ak. consumer stated there was a shortage of transmission fluid and engine oil, the serpentine belt was frayed on one side eventually coming off idle pully, losing steering ability, chrysler was aware of the transmission and speedometer and fixed the problem as a goodwill gesture.*jb

Consumer states that the clock spring has been replaced on three separate occasions. consumer states each time the horn stops blowing, air bag light illuminated. consumer feels there is a defected in the clock springs. please provide any further information. mr problem was taken care of through chrysler. 09 dec 2002. mr

The airbag lightilluminated. horn no longer is operative. the dealership is aware of the problem. *mr

Consumer noticed water on the passenger side floorboard, dealer determined the hvac housing was leaking.*jb

When shifting from park to drive vehicle will lunge forward, accelerator not applied. please provide additional information.*jb

Consumer states she is able to shift gears without applying brake.*jb

At 15-20 mph vehicle was hit in rear. seatback broke and reclined backwards. dealer will be notified. *ak there were 2 injuries*yh

Ea 01 007/air bag clockspring: air bag light remains on while driving. horn and cruise control are inoperative. dealer and manufacturer were not notified at this time. *ak

While driving, the air bag light illuminated. the dealer has been notified, and the mechanic stated that the clock spring needed to be replaced. *ak the consumer also stated that the cruise control works part time, and the check engine light stays on. *scc

Due to a flat tire consumer tried to remove spare tire ,however, locking mechanism would not release. consumer was stranded, and vehicle was towed to dealer.*ak

While driving electrical wiring went out, and lost all power on vehicle. dealer contacted. *ak

Got recall notice 00v268000 on fuel rails. had repaired vehicle. however, currently, vehicle stalls. vehicle was running fine before recall. not satisfied with recall. *ak

While driving air bag light illuminated on dashboard.also, horn completely stopped working. please provide any further information.*ak

Windshield wipers come on by themselves when turning left or right. dealer has been contacted. *ak *scc

Instrument panel is electrical and light appeared on and off on dashboard intermittently. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

While backing out, noticed vehicle had no tail lights. dealer has been contacted, and repaired vehicle, but problem has returned every year. *akproblem is still occuring. a dodge mechanic told consumer that it's a problem with the switch on the transmission. *jg

While driving lost all gears, would not go into any gear. when applying gas vehicle felt like it was in neutral. contact dealer. *ak

Ea 01 007/air bag clockspring, air bag light remain on while driving and horn is inoperative. dealer contacted. *ak. the engine blew at 73000 miles according to the technician and advisor at the dodge dealership. *jg

Front passenger seat belt will no longer retract. vehicle has not yet been examined by dealer.*ak consumer thought it wasn't restraining tight enough. consumer had it checked and they seem to think it's working properly. *jg

While vehicle was in a standing position, consumer accidentally bumped gear stick causing gear to change and roll forward without having to apply brakes. mechanic stated the anti- lock brakes system was not operating properly. *ak *yh

Front crash at 25 mph, driver's airbag deployed, passenger airbag exploded. passenger suffered chemical burns on face. damage to vehicle unknown at this time.*ak

Air bag and the horn arev not working properly. contacted dealer, and dealer stated that it could be clockspring material on vehicle.*ak

Consumer received recall 02v076000 notification regarding seat belt failure. dealer was notified, consumer set an appointment to have services rendered. while taking vehicle to dealer, mechanic stated parts were no longer available consumer had to reset appointment.*ak

At a 50mph vehicle crashed. upon impact, airbags did not deploy. cause unknown. dealer notified.*ak

While driving on the highway, passengers side rear tire separated. model ft70c, dlt# bjkwjnb268, size p215-65r-15.*ak tire tread damaged rear side bumper molding, tire remained inflated. *nlm

Ea 01 007/air bag clockspring: air bag light remains on while driving. horn and cruise control are inoperative. dealer was notified.*ak. consumer stated the clock spring was replaced.*jb

Air bag/ horn and crusie control failed due to clockspring malfunctioning. horn could not be used in a emergency situation. dealer was notified. please provide more information.*ak

Cockspring mechanism has failed, resulting in airbag light on. vehicle was checked by dealer, who advised consumer that airbag could deploy or not deploy in event of a collision. frontal driver air bag is affected.*ak

While driving, vehicle started to make a funny sound, vehicle started to lose power when applying gas. took vehicle to a mechanic, and they stated it was a problem with the transmission. dealer has not been contacted.*ak. consumer stated both planetaries had to be replaced.*jb

While driving the vehicle at 35 mph accident occured, air bag did not deploy. nlm

Child started vehicle without applying brakes. child was able to shift gear into reverse, resulting into an accident, and causing minor injuries. mechanic stated there was a locking mechanism that prevented gears to shift without applying brakes.*ak

While driving car starting making noise and smoking, timming belt had caught on fire. air conditioner compressor was shut, and bearing was grinding that what caused the fire.*aik

While driving air bag light came on due to a malfunction in the clock spring that may have caused air bags to be inoperative in a crash. *ak

The manual driver seat will jump back intermittantly while driving vehicle. nlm

While driving horn stopped working, and all dash warning lights came on due to an electrical short under the dash that caused wiring to melt. dealer said wiring and computer had to be replaced. *ak

While driving, consumer attempted to activate cruise control, but it would not work, the dealer could not find the problem.*ak *jg

After noticing a leakage on the radiator, consumer had taken vehicle immediately to dealer. dealer repaired the problem, and could not determine the cause. *ak *jb

While driving, the air bag light will come on, and for the past month the light has been on.*ak *jg

Consumer received a recall 00v268000 for fuel rail. dealership had no parts available. mark thomas motor; 2315 santian hwy, southeast, albany. 541 967 9105 service manager for dealership. *ak

Fuel sending unit is linking fluid.*ak

Heard a click when turning wheel to the right. then, later on steering wheel would not turn at all. took vehicle to dealership, they sad it might be the rack and pinon or power steering that was causing the problem.*ak *yd

Got nhtsa recall notice 00v268000/ manufacturer's recall 895. called to make an appointment, and dealer indicated there were no parts. tried to contact dealer several times, but no return call. *ak

Airbag light illuminated/ horn stopped, and cruise control failed. dealer has been contacted. *ak *jg

Consumer noticed gas leakage also received recall 00v268000 letter. please provide any further information.*ak

Vehicle accelerated suddenly and unexpectedly while stopped,the dealer has been notified. *ak *mj

Intertermittently when the turn signal is activated the windshield wipers will come on. when driving the wipers will inadvertently come on. the dealer has been notified. nlm *jg

Consumer received a recall on the fuel line assembly. however, manufacturer and dealership do not have the part to replace the defective component.*ak *jg

Air bag light remains illuminated due to a malfunction within clock spring which could also cause a problem with horn and cruise control. in an collision the air bag will not deploy. *ak *yh

Horn is inoperative, and airbag light illuminates. took vehicle to dealer, and dealer indicated needed clockspring. please add vin. *ak

Received recall 00v268000 concerning fuel injection leak. dealer does not have parts and does not know when parts will be in. please add vin. *ak

Brakes were making a noise. took vehicle to dealer, and dealer indicated rotors were pitted.*ak

Brakes were making noise. took vehicle to dealer, and dealer indicated rotors were pitted.*ak

There was recall 00v268000 on a fuel injection system. it was confirmed with manufacturer. however, recall did not involve this vehicle. with out warning a fire broke out, resulting in total vehicle damage. *ak

Consumer states the transmission has been replaced twice, dealership states there is no fix for problem.*jb mechanics looked at the vehicle and it was determined the transmission did not need another replacement. *jg

Consumer received recall 00v268000 letter on fuel rail cross over. dealer told consumer that parts were not available.*ak

In heavy rain, serpentine belt comes off which causes vehicle to lose all power. forced water reduces friction, causing belt to loosen. this will be the fourth belt to be replaced. *ak *tt

Airbag light is on, and horn stopped working. dealer determined that clock spring assembly needed to be replaced.*ak

Vehicle experienced fire in the alternator/ignition system, claim 18-0315-533. *slc

Vehicle started to smoke under the hood, there was a flame burning in the engine, consumer doused the flame, claim 33-0204-047. *slc

Engine caught on fire while vehicle was parked in driveway, claim 35-w410-264. *slc

While parked, vehicle caught on fire in the left front corner of the engine compartment, it states that the only possible natural cause for the fire would be an electrical malfunction, however this was not present in the evidence that was examnined after the fire, claim 13-7000-834. *slc

While driving, vehicle caught on fire under the hood, claim 53-c624-851. *slc

Vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment while parked, it is a total loss, claim 13-1389-946. *slc

While driving, consumer began to smell gasoline fumes and pulled to the shoulder, the vehicle burst into flames in the engine compartment, fuel was leaking from the fuel delivery system in the engine compartment, claim 13-7076-635. *slc

Vehicle was totaled in a frontal crash on driver's side. neither passenger's or driver's air bag deployed. consumer sustained multiple injuries. dealer and manufacturer have been notified. *ak

Vehicle was involed in an accident. driver's air bag didn't deploy from a frontal impact. vehicle was totaled. chrysler representative examined, and stated clock spring wasn't functioning. consumer will add additional comments. *ak

Starter caught on fire, fire started in the alternator/ignition system, claim 18-0315-533. *slc

Vehicle started to smoke under the hood, there was a flame burning in the engine, claim 33-0204-047. *slc

Engine caught fire while parked in the driveway, claim 35-w410-264. *slc

While parked, vehicle caught on fire, the vehicle experienced a fire that originated in the left front corner of the engine compartment, the only possible natural cause for the fire would be an electrical malfunction, claim 13-7000-834. *slc

While driving, vehicle caught on fire in the engine compartment, claim 53-c624-851. *slc

While parked, vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment, claim 23-1389-946. *slc

While driving consumer could smell gasoline, consumer pulled to the shoulder and the vehicle burst into flames in the engine compartment, fuel leaking from the fuel delivery system in the engine compartment was determined to have caused the fire, claim 13-7076-635. *slc

While driving windshield wipers will automatically come on and rest in the middle of windshield, causing a disturbance with view of driver.*ak

While driving would smell gas fumes coming inside vehicle. have contacted dealership. please provide further information.*ak

Brakes: proportional valve had failed. consumer noticed that brake pedal was getting spongy. then, had check on brake fluid, where brake light had come on, and had lost brake power. mechanic said that brake fluid had been contaminated. please provide more information.*ak

Airbag light remains illuminated on dashboard. dealer stated clockspring material is the source of problem, please provide further details.*ak

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the radio stop working and the windshield wipers activated independently. in addition, the check engine, air bag and battery warning lights would illuminate and the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was unknown.

On rainy days when making sharp left turn, the 97 dodge caravan (3.0 v6) looses power steering and goes out of control. the serpentine drive belt slipped out of the tensioner pulley causing the power steering loss leading to this hazardous condition while driving in addition to the road being wet and slippery. there is a potential for a crash or deadly accident if this condition happens. this condition happened four times in the past two months. *tr

The driver's side sliding door will not open. this poses a safety hazard if consumer needed to remove children from vehicle in an emergency. ts

Air bag light on instrument panel has been illuminating/ horn does not function when needed, and cruise control fails to operate. dealership has examined vehicle, and determined that clock spring assembly in steering column has failed, and has to be replaced. please provide any additional information / attachments.*ak

Engine connecting rod broke while consumer was driving vehicle, traveling at 30 mph. contacted dealer, and the dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak

At 35 mph, the planetary gears and transmission exploded without warning. consumer has contaced dealer. *ak *slc

While driving 15 mph lost steering. dealer replaced tensioner belt that had fallen off. this had happened in december 2000, at 30000 miles. during routine inspection on 15 november, 2001 dealer noticed tensioner belt needed to be replaced a third time. *ak

Ea 01 007/air bag clockspring: air bag sensor light would come on and go out intermittently. village dodge dealer notified, and informed consumer that problem was clockspring failure. consumer requesting reimbursement due to investigation. *ak

Airbag light came on and horn stopped working. dealer was replacing clock spring assembly.*ak the consumer states that this vehicle has the same defect as the other models on recall but this vehicle is not recalled. *yh

Ea 01 007/air bag clockspring: air bag sensor light remained on while traveling. also, horn and the cruise control were inoperative. dealer/manufacturer were notified, and informed thatthey were not covered under a recall. feel free to provide any further information on this matter.*ak

Consumer was traveling 65mph on highway and came to a off ramp, he stopped at t stop sign and made right turn into traffic. roared and surged into traffic. had foot on brakes, and the vehicle continued to go. had to shut vehicle off. dealership was aware of the problem. in first incident vehicle ran into a tree. there were injuries. *ak

Was driving vehicle when distributor bearings seized up and caused transaxle to loosen up. transmission then failed. vehicle is an all wheel drive. towed to dealership. mechanic indicated plug on transmission canister cap had melted. this happened at 78,000 miles. had transmission replaced with new transmission. problem reappeared in new transmission. had previously smelled sulfur like fumes inside vehicle. vehicle gave big jerk , and made a loud noise before coming to a stop. also, noticed grayish smoke in rear. at dealership, mechanic noticed plug, made of plastic, had melted like the first one.*ak *slc

While driving on highway brakes failed without warning. everything failed lights/power steering. pedal went to the floor. also, pumped brakes to stop with no avail.*ak

Brakes would shutter when depressed. consumer took vehicle to dealer ,and they replaced pads and rotors consumer insisted that pads and rotors should have been able to be turned instead of replaced. also, parts were defective, and manufacturer should not sale these parts. consumer feared for safety of child. please provide any further information.*ak

When driving at any speed and without prior warning, after vehicle has been driven over a period of time, vehicle will completely stall out, causing loss of all power. after attempting to restart vehicle on the third attempt, it will restart. consumer has contacted the dealer. *ak *slc

Ea-01-007; air bag light was flashing off and on on dashboard, consumer contacted dealer, dealer replaced clock spring which prevented air bag light from flashing. please provide any further details.*ak

Air bag warning light stays illuminated whiel driving, and cruise control is inoperable. dealer has not been contacted. *ak clock spring connector failed. *slc

While driving at 25 mph consumer noticed white smoke coming from tail pipe. then, white smoke and flames were coming from under the hood. consumer stopped car and turned ignition off. consumer exited the car, and vehicle caught on fire. consumer feels this may related to recall for fuel leakage. *ak consumer states vehicle was in shop for transmission problems on february 16th, 2001. *slc

Air bag warning light illuminated, indicating a malfunction within the system. dealer replaced clock spring.*ak *jb

Consumer stated while merging on interstate and starts to accelerate vehicle ,vehicle stalls at 50mph. vehicle loses all power. consumer also stated vehicle starts back up immediately. contacted dealer and dealer can't find anything wrong.

Coolant is leaking between the cylinder and the engine block. coolant is leaking onto the ground. consumer has yet to contact dealer. please provide any further information.*ak

While traveling at 5 to 10 mph consumer ran over a rock in road and driver's side and passenger's side airbags deployed. consumer feels these airbags should not have deployed. please provide any further information.*ak

Belt retractor for the integral child safety seat has malfunctioned. belt is extended fully and cannot be used properly. dealership has yet to examine vehicle for this problem. please provide any additional information / attachments.*ak

Ea 01 007/air bag clockspring: vehicle air bag sensor light remained on while driving. dealer was notified. feel free to provide any further information on this matter.*ak

While driving transmission locked up, preventing vehicle from operating under normal conditions. vehicle slowly lost power, and nealry shut completely down. please give any further details.*ak

Air bag lights came on and the horn and cruise control do not turn on any more.*ak

Serpentine belt keeps coming off while driving at various speeds. this has happened 3 or 4 times already. was informed by mechanic serpentine belt would keep coming off whenever it gets wet. last couple of times belt came off there hasn't been any rain.*ak

Third row seatbelt on driverside will not pull out. consumer had not used this seat in the past, never noticed it before. *ak *slc

Brakes were changedat every 4,000 miles according to records. dealership was aware of problem. also, when applying brakes vehicle would not stop. *ak

Air bag light has come on and stayed on. also, cruise control has failed to function. dealership has examined vehicle and determined that clock spring assembly was a defective component. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak

While driving 25 mph in middle of intersection vehicle stopped moving, but engine was running. ttok vehicle to dealer who found that transmission needed to be replaced.*ak

Consumer was pulling into garage and heard a noise coming from underneath of vehicle. it was a broken pin from transmission. dealership told her that transmission had to be replaced.*ak

Ea 01 007/air bag clockspring: air bag sensor light is remaining on, and horn is inoperative. dealer was notified, and repairs were made at consumer cost. *ak the clock spring failure caused check the air bag light to come on. the fuse for the horen was replaced. *yh

Air bag light on dashboard will not go off during operation of vehicle/ horn will not function. also, consumer's wife smelled a burned rubber odor that went away before light on dashboard came on. *ak dealer replaced clockspring due to open circuit. *slc

Eao1-007; while traveling air bag indicator/ engine light would stay on. when making turns and going up hill ,vehicle would stall. please provide further informaiton.*ak

Consumer's airbag light has been intermittently on & off. for past 1 1/2 weeks the light has been staying on. problem must be affecting horn, it hasn't worked in past month. dealer wants consumer to cover cost. consumer doesn't know why it happening only that if in an accident it will not operate correctly*ak. consumer states everything on steering column is failing including cruise control. *slc

When driving in a parking lot and attempting to pull into a parking space consumer noticed a noise coming from front end, placed vehicle in reverse and vehicle would not respond, then placed vehicle in drive, and the vehicle would not respond in drive, consumer contacted dealer and dealer noticed major problems within transmission and oil pan, transmission needed replacing. *ak *slc

While driving serpentine belt would become loose. would have no prior warning. it caused problem with steering.*ak the loose serpentine belt caused power steering loss as well as power brakes and cooling fan. *yh

Was driving vehicle when it started to lose power. gears were not shifting properly. then would regain power. computer was going off. took to mechanic, and was informed cylinder head gasket was causing problem, and it could be repaired.*ak the head gasket was determined defective by the mechanic. water was leaking into the engine causing the computer to malfunctions. *yh

Consumer hit a pothole and both of the air bags deployed. consumer and wife were injured. *slc

Consumer was at the gasoline station when he filled up gasoline tank. gasoline was leaking from bottom of tank. this has happened more than one occasion. also, there has been gasoline smells coming inside of vehicle. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

Vehicle was placed into park so that consumer could exit vehicle. when consumer began to exit from vehicle transmission gear had slipped out of park into reverse gear, and vehicle began rolling. dodge has not been contacted.*ak

Air bag light has come on and stayed on. also, states horn does not work. *ak possible clockspring failure. *slc

While putting rear seat belt on seat belt bolt pulled from floorboard. *ak when the consumer purchased the vehicle, the side door had been damaged right where the seat belt was. this vehicle had been at the dealer three times for the same seat belt problem. *yh

Airbag light in on dashboard stays on constinously, and vehicle overheats. *ak

Engine check light stays on dashboard for a long period of time. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

While using air conditioner it stopped without a warning of any electrical problem. *ak a/c was replaced on warranty. the struts were leaking. the fuel sensor system failed prematurely and was replaced. *yh

When trying to open sliding door handle did break in driver's hand without a show of a crack. *ak the door lock system was replaced. the dealer pointed out that breaking of door was common with these vehicle. *yh

Consumer was standing next to vehicle when engine belt fell off, and engine stopped working. then, took vehicle to dealer for repairs. deale could not find out what causes belt to fall off when original belt did not show any brakeage. *ak

Consumer's vehicle hit another vehicle head-on to side of other vehicle. vehicle was moving apporximately 55 mph at the time of impact, and neither driver's side nor passenger's side airbags deploy.ed. *ak

While driving 5-7 mph, vehicle went over a manhole cover, and both airbags deployed.*ak

Serpentine belt pulley locking up and causing engine to cut off. dealer notified, and made repairs; but, problem was reoccurring. feel free to provide any further details on this matter . *ak

Clock spring was replaced due to air bag light on dash coming on, and cruise control failing to function. *ak *slc

Dealership repaired defect of airbag/steering column/electrical problems last february. consumer states that these defects have occurred again. please provide any additional information/attachments. *ak

While driving in heavy snow serpentine belt came off, causing powersteering to go out. dealer said there was a tsb out on that component, and that belt would come off as soon as vehicle went through 6 inches of snow. *ak installing a snow guard washer solved the problem. *yh

All six seatbelts needed to be replaced because seatbelt was wearing out which may cause less protection if involved in a crash. *ak the seat belts were possibly defective. *yh

Fuel injection delivery system leaks fuel from some of the sealing o-ring or from hair line cracks in thermostat fuel injection rail. *ak the o-rings had ruptured on the fuel injection rail causing the fuel to run on to the valve covers and manifolds. *yh

Teeth in emergency brake gear have worn out. when emergency brake is applied it does not hold. dealer has been contacted.*ak emergency brake failed because the brake gears are completely stripped. *yh

Engine had leaking seals which caused exhaust manifold to leak. fumes would come from blower (defroster) when it was turned on. there was an electrical short in engine. also, windshield wipers were erratic & would come on or off by themselves, and having a lot of problems with starter. *ak gasoline leaks from the tank due to the seal failure. inside door panel on drivers side is broken. *yh

Ongoing problem with transmission not engaging in reverse when weather is cold. notified dealer, and had some repairs done at an independent shop. but, problem still reoccurring. please feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

Rack and pinion was locking up on turns causing difficulty turning steering wheel. *slc

Had just turned on air conditioner when condensation started to build up & dripped on belt controlling steering. this caused belt to slip & loss of power steering. took to dealer & informed by mechanic a technical service bulletin #19-01-97 revised a was sent on the problem. replacing air conditioner. *ak the loss of power steering was due to design flaw by the manufacturer, according to the consumer. the manufacturer should be responsible for repair. *yh

While traveling at 55 mph engine immediately shifted down to 25 mph, and consumer could not go over 30mph. took vehicle to dealer, and transmission/ engine mounts had to be replaced. there were no recalls for this defect.*ak

While traveling and when depressing brakes pedal vehicle would still travel. dealer was notified. please provide further information. *ak

Once rear left side seat belt was pulled all the way out it would not retract back into the mechanism. van was brought to the dealership. whole seat belt was replaced. it took more than two months before the part was available to correct the problem. please provide any further information.*ak

Consumer was traveling about 35mph on street. transmission was replaced by warranty because transmission was making grinding noise, and gears would jerk when put in place. vehicle would not go into reverse, and there was no power in any of the gears.*ak

Windshield wipers comes on when in the off position.*ak

Vehicle was taking to mechanic for routine service. upon inspection of vehicle, dealer noticed oil was leaking onto the engine compartment. mechanic stated head gasket was going bad, needed to be replaced. *ak the auto shops that inspected the vehicle stated that the head gasket failure was a common problem with these models. *yh

When putting car in park it made a funny noise, consumer put it in reverse ,and it would not move. consumer had car towed to dealer. mechanic said it was transmission, and bits of pieces of metal was everywhere, like it had exploded.*ak

Braking system malfuncationed, causing extended stopping distance which may result in a crash. also, brake rotors rusted through. please provide further information. *ak

While making a left turn hard, vehicle shimmied very hard which may have caused a loss of vehicle control. dealer had to fix the stablizar bar. please provide further information.*ak

Oxygen sensor replaced. engine check light will come on the dashboard red.*ak

Windshield wipers self activate while driving. dealership has been notified about the problem. problem will be repaired at owner's expense. *ak

Airbag indicator light won't go off. also, it affected cruiser control. mechanic told consumer that it could be a defective clock spring. *ak

Spare tire carrier continually became loose and made a clunking sound. dealer notified and tightened it. problem has reoccurred. *ak *ml

While driving less than 30 mph serpentine belt tensioner pulley broke, causing all power steering to be lost. van was towed to the dealership, where the belt tensioner assembly and power steering pulley was replaced at owner's expense. dealership stated that this was a common problem,and happened all the time. owner very concerned for the safety of himself and others. *ak transmission jerks while taking off from stop. a/c does not cool enough. *yh

On two occasions while driving the door ajar light came on, indicating that a door is open. the passenger's door on driver's side had nearly come open. cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak

Came home from a long trip, pulled up in the driveway, put gear in reverse and it made a loud bang noise. kept foot on gas pedal, and transmission wouldn't shift. tried it in drive and same thing happened. contacted dealer. dealer had the transmission replaced for the third time. manufacturer was willing to pay for parts only. *ak

Consumer driving and the transmission started making noise and it slipped out of gear, and wouldn't go into 3rd gear. contacted dealer, and was told vehicle was not under warranty. consumer will be responsible for the cost to fix it. *ak

Cooling fan module was bad, causing vehicle to overheat. this caused vehicle to cut off while driving. dealer has been contacted. *ak

While driving at any speed or sitting at stop the van just quits. sometimes engine checklight will come on. the oxgyen sensor was replaced by dealership. owner kept experiencing the same problem. on nov 3, 1999, the van was taken to the dealership for the same problem. dealer could not find what caused the problem. *ak

When driving at any speed and applying the brakes, brakes grab and go half way to the floorboard and will come to a stop, brakes are working intermittently. *ak

Steering belt tension bar broke, causing a loss of vehicle control and power steering. *ak

While driving at 20 mph driver's side and passenger side air bags deployed inadvertently and without warning. both driver/passenger sustained injuries. dealer has been contacted. *ak

For no apparent reason, while the van was parked in the driveway with the ignition off, it caught on fire in the engine compartment. van had been parked for about 10 minutes before it caught on fire. the fire was put out the the fire department. van was totalled. please provide any further information. *ak

Intregrated child seat which folds outof either seat does not work due to a broken cable which prevents the seat from locking, and causing the child to slide forward. parts have yet to be replaced. please provide any further details. *ak

,,,,,,,,,,

While driving vehicle sporadically stalls out . dealer has vehicle, and cannot find a solution. *ak

When traveling 30 mph vehicle decreased in speed when the vehicle came to a complete stop in the middle of traffic. consumer contacted dealer, dealer has replaced transmission. please provide any further details. *ak

Went to change the brakes and noticed an oil leak. contacted dealer, and was told this is a common problem with a 4- cylinder after certain mileage. engine leaking from the head gasket. *ak

When driving at any speed and applying the brakes there is a sqeuaking noise coming from the rear brakes. also, transmission went out. *ak

While driving at 35 mph car started to feel as though it was in neutral. car would continue to drive, but only at about 25mph. there could have been an accident because there were other cars present. *ak

Engine heads cracked, causing anti-freeze to leak into the oil pan, the engine smokes vey bad because of this. dealer has been contacted. *ak

Conusmer has an integrated child seat and the belt tightened up around the child's neck when trying to get her out. consumer was going to cut it, but managed to slide child's head underneath the belt. dealer has not been contacted. *ak

The built-in child seat shield straps need to be pulled hard to buckle. the buckle would failed to release. sometimes after tugging on belt, it would rewind by itself. the straps put pressure against child's chest. the bottom hooks attached to belt, can come out. *ak

Front brake rotors and pads needed to be replaced at 14,000 mile of wear. can nhtsa provide additional information on this matter. *ak *ml

Tension pulley belt thats controls the power steering and battery was very low. the battery/ thermostat went into a hot mode. also, that there is water underneath the carriage of the vehicle, and it sounds like a boat. the water underneath comes from side to side when riding the vehicle. *ak

While driving at 67 mph on the highway engine pulley broke, causing the engine to shut down immediately. dealer has been contacted. *ak

While driving transmission would clunk into gear before taking off. also, lost reverse gear and low gea., vehicle was inspected / repaired at a independent shop. can nhtsa provide information concerning this condition is normal for this mileage of 52,000. *ak

While driving at 65mph vehicle shut down without warning. had vehicle towed to dealer & mechanic could not locate cause of stalling. *ak

Child moved shift lever without pressing on brakes. has happened twice. key was in ignition & vehicle was idling at time. lever suppose to be locked until brakes are pressed to release. taking vehicle to dealer.

Intermittently while driving vehicle will stall without any warning which may result in a crash. dealer cannot determine the cause of the problem. please provide further information and vin#. *ak

While car is being driven engine dies.has to put the vehcile in park in order to start car again. cusumer has contacted dealer . *ak

Vehicle was hit from the rear in which driver's seat released from the upright position. please give any further details. *ak

While traveling down the highway at 55 mph driver was trying to swerve due to a piece of metal on the road. in doing so, the metal was run over with the tire and struck the fuel tank, puncturing a whole and causing a leak. the dealer has been contacted. *ak

Front and rear brake rotors and drums are rusted,cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak

In the reverse position in which the indicator is on "r" but actually the vehicle is not in reverse, but in drive position. intermittently, the speedometer malfunctions. also, a no start condition. please provide further information. *ak

Intermittently, right in the beginning of making a left turn, steering wheel becomes a little stiff. after a popping nosie is heard steering becomes normal. the problem was reported to the dealership. the dealer was not able to duplicate this problem. please provide any further details. *ak

Vehicle experiencing ongoing problem with accelerator pedal stickig while driving. consumer can move foot off pedal and the vehicle would maintain speed as though the cruise control was engaged. foot needs to be placd uder the pedal and push upward to unstick pedal.... vehicle been in dealer shop on three occasions, and dealer refused to correct the problem due to warranty dispute. can nhtsa help in tis matter. *ak

The clutch had burnt out in the air conditioner compressor. had taken vehicle to dealer for oil change & was informed by mechanic about the problem with air conditioner compressor. *ak

Whenever making left turn the windshield wipers would go off, now they go off at anytime. *ak

Vehicle is experiencing unexpected stalling while driving down the highway, it will suddenly stop. dealer has been contacted.*ak

As soon as vehicle is started up and starts to move carbon monoxide fumes start to come through the ventilation system, choking the consumer. dealer has tried to remedy the problem, but can't find the source. *ak

Had lost timing belt from transmission due to leakage. transmission would shutter & clunk when in low speed & jerk. also, brakes would squeal/squeak & grind loudly when applied. had them replaced. *ak

The consumer was a passenger in vehicle, and rear tire blew out, causing consumer to apply the brakes, which did not work. vehicle hit a curb, and passenger's side air bag deployed. *ak

All four brake rotors deteriorated. dealer has been contacted. *ak pads replaced. mjs

In a high speed rear end collision with a semi truck, driver's seatback broke, causing the occupant to fly back. driver sustained injuries. please provide further information and vin#. *ak

While driving windshield wipers will intermittently come on without manual operation. cause unknown. *ak

Consumer was driving at approximately 30 mph when the window on the sliding door shattered, exploded mostly in the inward position which could have caused injuries. *ak

Consumer noticed there is an oil leak coming from the engine or anohter part of the vehicle. the oil is in the driveway of the consumer's house. *ak

While pulling into driveway the flywheel: pulley belt popped out, causing total loss of control and shut down of the engine. dealer was contacted. *ak

When driving at low speed the vehicle pulls to either side cause uinknown. please give any further details. *ak

The consumer has been experiencing problems with accelerator. at times whe apply the accelerator, it gets stuck. the manufacturer has been contacted. *ak

Serpentine belt tensioner is not working properly, it breaks away from serpentine belt every 10,000 miles. please provide further information. *ak

Consumer can smell fumes getting into the vehicle when the gas tank is full. vehicle has been into the shop for service, and they can't determine the problem. *ak

Integrated child safety seat harness failed to retract which resulted in choking the child while in the seat, harness had to be cut in order to free the child. dealer notified/ was the one who cut the harness . *ak

Sliding door failed, door could not be opened from inside. owner is very concerned for safety. please provide further details. *ak

Consumer complained that manfacturer's warranty of 12000 miles on the rotors are not condsidered to be normal for consumer to replace them. dealer/manufacturer was notified and refused to repair or replace unless cost goes was covered by the consumer. *ak consumer states taht the rotors rusted, causing violent shaking on the front wheels and shaking of the dash and steering wheel, consumer was told this occurred due to a design problem. *slc

Received recall notice in the mail (#97v200000). had contacted dealership. informed tires not available, and do not know when they will be. will try another dealership. *ak

Consumer's son suffered injuries in a collision when driver fell asleep at wheel. son's seat belt disconnected from floor anchor while he was belted in it. son broke back. *ak

Brakes are defective, brakes go to floor when applied, resulting in extended stopping distance. when pedal is pushed very hard, the car continues to roll. investigator looked at the car and cannot remedy the problem. *ak

While driving at any speed, vehicle died out or stalled for no reason, no warning. took vehicle to dealer & left it for mechanic. picked vehicle up a week later & had to take it back. happened once more. mechanic said manufacturer claimed it was a software problem & there is no corrective fix for it. *ak

Brake system is defectiive. the brakes have been replaced and the vehicle still does not stop. when brakes are applied, it results in extended stopping distance. dealer states that if red indicator light does not come on then there is no problem, and cannot duplicate the problem. *ak

Intermittently the windshield wipers will sweep across the windshield once or maybe twice, then stop. consumer will be contacting the dealer about the problem. *ak

While driving the van, the windshield wipers come on without application. the dealership was notified about the problem. the problem has been corrected by dealer. *ak

Front headlights are not bright in low or high beam operation. dealers have realigned headlights which did not correct problem. possible design flaw. *ak

Brakes are defective, and rotors/pads have failed four different times. also causing brakes to grind. dealers cannot correct cause. *ak

While driving the windshield wipers turned on without applying the windshield wiper switch. please provide details. *ak

While backing up and turning right or left steering makes noise, sounds like a horn. problem has occurred 5 times. cause unknown. *ak

While driving at 20 mph, oil began to come from the engine. when owner brought van to dealership, dealer stated that the engine head gasket was blown. the head gasket has been replaced. *ak

Vehicle was being driven with emergency brake still engaged, without knowledge due to poor location of brake warning light. also, vehicle would not stop when brakes were engaged. *ak

Consumer received recall letter contacted dealer. dealer does not have replacment tires to remedy recall probelm. recall 97v200000. please give any further details. *ak

Driving on an icy hill and applied the brakes truck slid into a curve. this was the result of what happened after that; broke wheel in three parts underneath steering arm. truck has been with dealer for 5 1/2 weeks, and the dealer said that problem was fixed. well driver went down same hill and the same problem happened again. *ak

Engine check light comes and the truck will stop in the middle of the road and will only be going 50-55mph. a couple of days later, the dealer said that is okay, and they cannot fix the problem. the enginecheck l ight stopped again, a day later after the owner had 339.00 of service done. *ak

Driving at various speeds engine will die out suddenly without any warning, resulting in loss of control of vehicle. usually takes about 10-15 minutes before it will restart. dealer has replaced power and relay modules. this is a intermittent problem. *ak

Took vehicle to dealer to have recall repair done, and was told by the dealer they didn't have the tires, and they would call the owner's once they get the tires. (97v-200). *ak

There was no deployment of the driver's or passenger's air bags when van was involved in a rear end crash, going about 25-30 mph. everything from the engine block forward was crushed, including the dip stick. the van has been repaired. *ak

Vehicle leaks fuel while driving. owner notes problem has been corrected 4 different times, but problem returns. cause unknown. *ak consumer states that problem began at 55 miles when the service engine soon light illuminated, dealer stated vehicle was fixed, however engine light illuminated 30 miles later, dealer replace the fuel tank, problem occurred again and dealer replaced the o-ring and holding nut, problem still exists. left side door glass was bowed. unusual noise occurs when vehicle shifts from park to reverse, neutral to reverse, and neutral to drive, dealer stated this was normal. oil pan bent, dealer replaced. *slc

When traveling at any speed on wet or dry pavement the abs light illuminated on the dash. upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle became very hard to stop, causing extended stopping distance/brake fade away. consumer has contacted the dealer has replaced parts. *ak

Recall 97v200000; the brunner dodge dealership did not replace the tires as instructed in the recall notice. the dealer said that they were only to inspect and rotate the tires. *ak

While driving vehicle's transmission indicator gives false readings.transmission also slips out of gear in reverse.dealers stated wires were faulty. *ak

While driving over water puddles or if water accumulates underneath of the vehicle, the power steering becomes inoperative which may result an accident. dealer said that's the way the vehicle was made and supposed to do.

Was coming off highway at approximately 25 mph when transmission exploded, causing the wheels to lock up and come to a complete stop without any warning, dealer claims that a pin within transmission broke off, causing the transmission to explode. *ak

While driving at 30mph, driver's and passenger's airbags deployed without warning and without the sensor being triggered. previously had problems with a/c, but no airbags problem. occupant sustained injuries due to the airbag deployment. *ak *slc

The straps on the intergrated child seat were retracting into the seat while the child was in the seat. owner pushed the release button on the seat, the seat did not release. owner had to cut the straps in order to free child from pressure on choking. child was not injured. the dealer has ordered the replacement part for the seat. *ak

Right side sliding door: driving approximately 50mph and the door opened,hit brakes and door slammed shut, but did not latch. took to dealer and they said it was the electric motor lock. *ak

Moaning sound developed upon braking. inherent defect: warped rotors. could result in total loss of braking system. *ak

The retracting seat belts in the intergrated child safety seats are catching the child's hair. dealer has no solution. *ak

The engine blew up when the driver accidently ran into a puddle of water. chrysler said it was the driver's fault. *ak

Traveling short distances driver begins to accelerate. steering column begins to vibrate and automatic transmission jerks. this constitutes poor handling. *ak

While driving the driver's and passenger's side air bags deployed without reason. cause unknown. dup of 813912, added on 25-feb-98. *ak

While driving the transmission fluid hose became detached from transmission, causing the fluid to leak and the vehicle to lose power. *ak

Fuel tank leakage while parked in garage, could smell gasoline. first time dealer replaced gas tank, second time, gas leaked onto garage floor and dealer replaced fuel pump. *ak

When applying the abs brakes, the pedal went to the floor and the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. replaced master cylinder. *ak

Consumer stated when depressing the brake pedal there was a grinding sound in the rear end, resulting in extended stopping distance and brakes fading away. consumer contacted the dealer, dealer refused to replace any part. *ak

While driving the truck slipped out of drive into neutral. please describe. *ak

When placing the vehicle from park into drive the vehicle suddenly accelerated, causing the consumer to have an accident. *ak

Consumer stated the vehicle experienced a clockspring failure. *jg

Information request.*jb

Consumer states transmission failed, consumer paid $2,500 to replace sensor and transmission, manufacturer notified. *tt

Parking brake pedal assembly failed. *tt

Head gasket failed. *slc

The coil pack caught on fire and melted. *et

Transmission failed. *et

Air bag light stays on and cruise and horn quit working at the same time. this is just like my brothers van his is 97 dodge sport identical situation with his this tells me that their is a design issue in the column . dt

A/c not working, salesman said it needed freon so consumer had it put in but the air conditioner still is'nt working.

No summary. dt

No summary. dt

Timing belt broke causing vehicle to loose power and stop on a major highway in heavy traffic, vehicle was less than 1 year old at that time. *et

Transmission failed on rush hour traffic.*et

We have built in child seats in this car. the straps on the car seats do not retract properly, so the seats are unsafe. one seat has been heavily used, the other stopped retracting on first few uses. worse there is no place to get these seats repaired. dodge has offered one location, about an hour away. where the seat could be repaired at standard automotive repair rates. in fact when i called this location they could not do it. note this means that dodge is comfortable with two unsafe child seats in this vehicle. dt

Gasket failed causing oil leak.*et

I recently learned about your web site service and decided to use it. because i have experienced too many problems (various in addition to this list) over the past years with this vehicle. dt

Front brake rotors failed. sudden development of moderate to severe brake shimmy. also,found warped brake rotors.

Air bags not working, horn not working, and cruise control not working. was told by dealership it was the clockspring. dt

Windshield wiper switch malfucntioned, causing windshield wiperd not to operate, making it difficult to see in inclement weather.

Air bag light always on no horn to work wipers come on at any time by themselves. dt

No summary. dt

On the same van they found it need rewiring of the o2 sensor 200+ dollar repair. other problems they have fixed on the van since we purchased the van in march of this year have totaled over 1200 dollars now they have found the clockspring and this rewiring problem

The transmission overdrive blew. i was approaching an intersection when i lost power. this cause the car to come to a stop in the middle of the intersection, causing several cars to swerve in order to avoid a collision.*ak

Bolt which holds one of two hydraulic lifts on hatchback sheared. as a result, the hatchback closed very quickly due to weight of door.

While on the highway at 70 mph the transmission shifted to 1st gear causing the van to slow suddenly. nlm

Airbag, horn, and cruise control all failed at the same time. cause is the clockspring module behind the steering wheel. this is a safefy hazzard and chrysler should pay the repair. this is a common problem on this mini van.*ak

Horn does not work consistently. airbag light stays on. nlm

The windshield wipers start up sporadically on their own (no one turns them on - they just start wiping). this problem has gotten progressively worse. our mechanic tells us that dodge is aware of the problem, but can not isolate what causes it. instead, they recommend you start with one expensive repair to see if that works, and if not, you move on to progressively more costly repairs. i believe this is a safety hazard because you never know when they will go off and it is sometimes startling when they do. you then have to take action to turn them off taking your attention away from what you are trying to do (driving!).*ak

I noticed my airbag light staying on and the horn not working. i called a dealer and was told that it was probably a clockspring. she said they go out regularly. it evidently affects the airbag, horn and other components. not long after mine went out, my mothers started doing the same thing. she also has a 1997 model dodge, but hers is a grand caravan. i then went to my mechanic to ask him if he could fix it and he said he had just had someone else come in with the same problem. it seems to me that this is very unsafe.*ak

While driving air bag warning light came on due to a malfunction in the clock spring that would have caused air bags to be inoperative in a crash.*ak

On at least 4 occasions i've been driving with my children in the back seat (ok front bench of minivan) and on sharp turns or abrupt braking the seatbelts have just popped undone. both the one that holds my 18 month old son's car seat and the one that my 4 1/2 y/o daughter uses with her booster. up to now it's been a matter of incovenience or minor bumps, but i'm scared it could happen at a more crucial moment and they could be seriously injured. both seatbelts on the front bench are shoulder harness types.*ak

Dodge caravan failure of clock spring mechanism which is failing in 1996-2000 caravans and the nhtsa is investigating.*ak

The air bag indicator light came on and stayed on and now the cruise control and horn do not work. i have researched this problem and it seems that this is a very common problem. it is stated that the "clock spring" is the part in question, this seems to have been a safety issue at one time (nhtsa# 98v046) for a different model , why is it not a safety recall item now? it is my understanding the the air bag will not perform with this particular part defective, which would lead me to believe that this could cause serious damages or worse yet "death ". if we get a reduction in our insurance premiums for purchasing restraint systems such as this , it should be upon the manufacturer to stand behind the product.*ak

The airbag light came on and never went out. the horn didnt work, cruise control didnt work, and dealer said the airbag would deploy while driving. i have 2 caravans and the other is a '96 and that one was diagnosed at the dealer for 35 dollars and they told me it needed a new airbag and a clockspring for over $1,000 dollars. later finding out they lied saying it need the whole airbag in reality it only needed the clockspring, i replace the clockspring on both my vans. the dealer wanted 250 dollars a peice to install it. this is a safety issue. the horn doesnt work and the airbag could deploy at anytime. mr

The steering wheel clockspring failure results in the simultaneous failure of the airbag system, horn, and cruise control.*ak

Transmission failed to go in reverse. *ak

Transmission replaced. informed by 5 professional mechanics that the transmission in our model is of poor manufacturer's design , and is on going problem with all 1996 & 1997 dodge caravans which dodge refuses to acknowledge. the vehicle would "jump" out of gear & no accelerartion was possible. our problem was detected early and repaired before any serious accident occured. because we are sure dodge is aware of this problem they should be responsible for the cost of the repairs on our vehicle! because our problem was detected early, our family avoid serious injury. i am very disappointed that this company is allowed to get away with avoiding responsibility for their own poor workmanship! i am filing complaints with any & all applicable organizations & agency about this problem.*ak

First the air bag light went on and did not go off. then the horn stopped working. then the cruise control did not come on. i took the van to the local dodge dealer and the diagnosis is that clock spring in the steering wheel needs to be replaced. in the current condition the air bag will not deploy on the driver side in the event of an accident. the estimated cost is ~ $300.00. i have scheduled the work for next week. i called chrysler and was told that since there is not a recall for this they will not participate in the repair cost. this is a safety issue if the air bag will not deploy. per articles on the internet chrysler has replaces over 124,000 clock springs, on their own admission!

Dodge caravan safety issue with the air bag. the air bag light stays on, the horn does not function and the cruise control does not work. my mechanic and the dealer both found this to be a defective clock spring in the steering wheel.*ak

I was trying to back out of my drive and the car failed to move. *ak

Mopar belt tensioner part 4536154 has been replaced 4 times, counting oe part. the tensioner fails between 25,000 and 30,000 miles destroying the belt. the last dodge dealer mechanic to replace the part stated that this is a common problem and that it persists with mopar replacement parts.*ak

First time clockspring failure rendered driver airbag inoperative. second failure rendered cruise control inoperative. a non-working airbag is a safety issue.*ak

Clock spring failed, causing cruise control/air bags,and horn not to work. chrysler said part not covered under warranty. if part is considered a wiring harness then it should be covered under warranty that we purchased.*ak

Am filing a complaint in regards to reportedly unsafe "gen-3" seatbelts installed as oem equipment in our van. the mfr. refuses to replace these reportedly defective by design seatbelts, and wants us to pay the cost ($1600.00) to replace these belts. due to the fact that these belts have failed the industry standard "ball test" i feel that they are unsafe and should be replaced at no cost to us. *ak

Please make chrysler recall these gen-3 seatbelts before i have to make a claim about a death in my family because of a failed seatbelt problem. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

"clock spring" defective. under nhtsa recall no.: 98v046, earlier dodge models showed similar problem and were subject to a recall. i want to see a recall issued for this model *aky

Driving down the road at 35 mph when both air bags went off at once. no reason for deployment, no other vehicles or damage involved. caused miner abrasions to driver and passenger as well as damage by spilled soda of passenger. also cracked the windshield. *ak

Air bag equipment should have a life time warranty and should not be up to owner to repair. the clockspring also clicks in the steering wheel even when it was new. the new clockspring clicks too. it does not seem i should have to listen to the clockspring or pay for it when it goes out. *ak

This failure causes the airbag to not work, the horn to not work and no cruise control. i have also heard the the airbag may deply at any time. this could be a problem if going down the road at 65 mph. this is a defective part and chrysler should recall and repair. i understand that other cars with same problem has been recalled (some jeeps and trucks). *ak

Airbag light came on - horn stopped working. diagnosis is failed clockspring. cost of repair is $100 "goodwill" repair price from dodge. not covered by premium extended warranty.

I believe the vehicle is design with the kids in mind, the case has been reported and even show on odi board with number odi id 515856. the problem is reported to chrysler but turned it down to be an option on the vehicle which supposed to be error to the vehicles. i am making claim to recall the vehicle because of this problem. the problem is the transmission can be easly out of parking by kids. other cars even my 1991 toyota needs you to depress the brake before you can engage the transmition. d/ chrysler is claiming that is stated on the manual not to leave the kid in the car. buy this is not an excuses to put amercan kid in danger. i was advised to sell the car but i am not willing to put another kids in danger, please talk to chysler to stop putting this as option but as part of savety in the car. why ordinary cars in other model are equiped with this safety in mind and why should we allow chrisyler to put our kids in danger because of their selfish act?.for a reminder , the problem is the ''transmission engage easly from parking even if the ignition is not on or key on the ignition. if you are reviewing this case, america kids life is in your hand. please handle with care.thanks. *ak

My wife and i have had several incidents of gasoline smells inside our van over the past two years. we have brought this to the attention of chrysler/dodge dealers two or three times. they indicated they could not do anything about the problem as it wasn't happening when they looked at the vehicle. we have recently read an article in the december 16, 2001 issue of the detroit news and free press which indicates a serious problem. we wanted to bring it to your attention that our engine size and vehicle year were not indicated in this article. after reading this article we really do not want to drive the vehicle for risk of serious injury or death. we cannot believe daimlerchrysler has been so slow in their response to this serious problem which has went back at least two years for us. thank you!*ak

My family owns a 1997 dodge caravan that is four years old, and has 48000 miles on the odometer. the air bag warning light came on, and stayed on during driving 10/7. the owner's manual claims that the system is maintenance-free, and if the warning light comes on and stays on, to take the vehicle to a dealer for inspection and repair. *ak

During the time of the june '01 failure i didn't realize there was a problem. my family and i had just entered a local roadway when a deer crossed in front of us. i applied the brakes and it was like stepping on a rock. i was unable to depress the brake. the brakes had just worked fine as we entered the highway and they work fine after this incident. i had never had anything like this happen previously. nor did i realize at the time this was going to be a reoccuring problem. on october 6, '01 i was traveling along a residential roadway when a car stopped in front of me i was traveling at a safe distance and going approx 45mph. i should have had plenty of time to stop. however, i once again was unable to stop my van no matter how hard i stood on the pedal! i barely missed other vehicles on the road, crossed over a sidewalk and hit a house that lined the road. i ended up in an empty lot beside the house i had hit. my son suffered bruising on his upper legs from being bounced around and i suffered a cut hand and continue to have trouble with my back. i am so angry that my children 8 and 1, as well as myself were put in danger because of an automobile manufacturer not taking the responsible position in notifying the millions of people who own their product of a potential braking problem. i just hope a family isn't killed before chrysler/dodge wakes up to the fact that they are manufacturing an inferior product that could kill families. i am extremely upset that i was not aware of such a braking problem with this vehicle that i use to transport my children. please help!!!!!!!!

Informed that clock work mechanism is defective under steering wheel cover, this controls the airbag,cruise control and horn. told by dealership this was a common problem and was not covered under extended warranty.*ak

My tranmission has gone 4 times the first time was 3 days after purchase and problems continue. *ak

The airbag warning light came on. at the same time, the horn and the cruise control ceased to function. in addition, the wipers come on at random, but especially upon using turn signals (wiper controls are incorporated into the turn signal lever).*ak

This was a fuel leak on the top of fuel tank at one of the openings for the three items that connect to the tank. this was diagnosed in march, 1999. however, we had noticed a gas smell prior to this (1998-1999 most likely) and reported it, but nothing was found. we live on a steep hill and from aug, 1997-dec, 2000, we primarily parked the van in the garage where it was level. in dec, 2000, we started parking it on the hill and started noticing a gas smell and a gas drip from the tank when the car was parked up hill. most likely the leak has been from day one and when we had a full tank and drove up the hill, some of it would leak out. the servicing dealer (hayes chrysler, lawrenceville, ga) identified the problem in march, 2001 and estimated a ~$700 repair to replace the tank, as the gaskets were most likely the problem, but it was more reliable to replace the whole tank. i believe, this was an improper and high quote and stated such and then i requested a repair under safety considerations and asked them to contact the manufacturer's rep. they did and chrysler provided the tank and i paid the labor ($198) -- i probably should not have paid the labor. i know they have had some recalls related to simlar issues and rollovers. i do not understand the signature requirement -- i assume you relay the vehicle information, but not my personal information, correct? *ak

Idler/tension pulley failed causing the timing belt to skip and causing valves to be struct by the pistons. total engine failure with no compression at only 26,160. vehicle was maintain very well. dealership wants to charge full price but agreed to a 50/50 split of cost. they are driving up the cost of repairs by finding other problems. can you help?

Tire blew-we spun out, hit a semi, totaled van..insurance co inspector said tire was defective-tread totally came off-just had tires serviced in july 2001. neither airbag deployed and we hit semi in front-cut engine in half . when bought car, dealer said it had been in no previous accidents, but we're later told when we found glass in the back, that the rear bumper/panel had been previously replaced. wondering now if airbags were not recharged from a previous accident. accident occured 6 hrs outside san antonio (van horn, tx) and van is now in el paso, tx.*ak

Air bag clockspring: air bag sensor light remained on while traveling. also, horn and the cruise control were inoperative. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Windshield wipers come by there self while driving down the road or making a turn. *ak

Radiator was leaking, flushing coolant into the transmission, but temperature gauge in dash never showed a high reading. also-shook auto was where i bought the van, but i had the repairs done at a chrysler dealership. ned adams chrysler-jeep, 544 e liberty st,

Radiator leak causing anti freeze to enter transmission and cause complete transmission failure. $2100 repair after owning vehicle 1 year, total milage 58620. seems to be a rather common problem. please investigate

On july 19th we lost all brakes on our 1997 dodge caravan. the next day full use of the brakes returned. on july 21st we once again had complete failure of the brakes. we are only owners of this low mileage vehicle. we took the van to tires plus to have the system checked. the only thing found was slight wear on the front brakes. we had them replace the pads but the vehicle still had intermittent brake loss. next the bled the lines again and we had brakes again. we took the vehicle home and drove it for seven days but lost brakes again on the 29th of july. this time the master cylinder was replaced but still brakes were intermittant. right now the van is at jim's dodge country being worked on. this time the claim is that the ride high proportioning valve is defective. we use the van for our children and all the times we have lost our brakes children have been in the vehicle. we have managed to avoid any accidents but we have been lucky. our vehicle is very low mileage and has been well cared for so i think mechanically this needs to be investigated before someone gets hurt.

I am worried that the air bag may not deploy in an accident - this appears to be a common problem with chrysler mini-vans. shouldn't there be a recall? *ak

Airbag light remains on and horn is inoperative. authorized dealer replaced clockspring to restore driver airbag and horn operation at $212.95 cost to consumer. *ak

Airbag light remains on and horn is inoperative. authorized dealer replaced clockspring to restore driver airbag and horn operation at $212.95 cost to consumer.*ak

Tie rod end became disassembled while backing out of a parking stall. the knuckle came out of the cup resulting in loss of steering control, lucky we were not on freeway. *ak

Van in reverse backing out of my garage, we heard a large knock from the engine and the van rocked. at this point the van locked up, could not move in reverse or drive. the vehicle was locked up to the point that it could not be pushed in nuetral, the tires even skid on the driveway when being pulled onto the back to the tow truck. transmission repair ($1800) required. was told that "planetary" exploded and destroyed transmission, a typical problem with chrysler 3 speed transmissions. called chrysler customer service, but denied any help due to over warranty and did not purchase an extended warranty (they just want money). it didn't matter that i had transmission service in jan. 01 and everything looked fine. this a very dangerous problem, i had my wife and 2 and 4 year old children in the van. what happens if vehicle locks up on the highway?? please look into this before someone gets killed.*ak

The exact same components failed on my 1994 dodge intrepid at 30k miles, in 3 model years, chrysler has made no change to the obviously low quality/poorly designed/defective ac pump. *ak

I have experienced failures in my steering colmn which does not allow me to use my horn, cruise control, and i am afraid that my air bag does not work. the airbag light stays on along with abs and intermitant other lights. i have had to repair my transmission and it still does not work properly. slipping from time to time. the rear a/c fan switch only works in the low and high position. trassmision gives off a burning smell when hot.*ak

The front, driver side calipers do not release which overheat the wheel. on two occasions the brake pads have sheared off, and when the tires are removed to inspect, studs easily brake off. sears auto center broke off two studs after the 1st incident, and i broke off one stud after the 2nd incident on june 15, 2001. the negherbon service dept had replaced the caliper kit (springs and tracks) on 3/13/01. the wheel gets so hot that you burn your finger if you touch it. this problem does not happen every time. the overheating happens during times when the brakes are used often (benicia is very hilly), and does not happen during highway rides, when there is no traffic. my concern is that when the brakes starts to heat up do to use, the caliper does not release as freely, and eventually locks up and does not release at all (after the 1st incident i had to hammer off the old brake pads/caliper assembly from the rotor). hopefully you can help identify the root problem before this causes a serious accident. i am very concerned that this overheating will cause a blowout or a wheel to come off if the studs fail while the van is being driven.*ak

Airbag light will not go out/horn does not work. *ak

While driving mirror detached from windshield. *ak

3rd gear clutch pack in transmission failed and vehicle stuck in second gear. research has shown that these transmissions have an extremely high failure rate at low mileage.*ak

Safty issues - air bag warning light came on and vehicle was taken to the dealer repair shop. i was advised that the air bag would not work as the "clock spring was defective" . also, the dealer indicated the "clock spring" could also cause the horn & cruise controll to fail. i had the clock spring replaced by dealer at my expense.

Engine surges when cruising at speeds ranging from 30 to 80 mph. *ak

Electrical component failures have resulted in five visits, four repairs - counting this current incident. warranty issues have prevented immediate repair, even though we hold an extended gold warranty. dealer claims clockspring involvement - customer claims operation perfect without for several months. customer left clockspring unrepaired due to warranty issue, since, a possible recall is under review. customer refuses payment for repair. dodge is unresponsive. dealer is unresponsive. lawsuit will be pursued. *ak

Rear seat belts got jam inside the spring mechanism that retracts the belts. cause = the "tar"used at the factory (dodge) for rustproofing got to the inside of the retraction mechanism making totally useless the safety belts.*ak

The air bag warning light came on the dash at the same time the horn stopped working and the cruise control did not function. *ak

Cruise control failed first - then airbag light started coming on at random - horn worked throughout. took vehicle to dealer. dealer repaired on 04/04/01. repair order shows "clock spring, open circuit".*ak

Air-bag warning light is on, however the air bag has never been deployed in this vehicle. dealer charged $140 just to diagnose problem, and wanted approximately $1,000 to fix the problem. dodge/chrysler customer service has been contacted. associated press is indicating the nhtsa is looking into the matter although there has not been a formal recall.

My speedometer is moving eratically back and forth. *ak

Windshield wipers come on without driver intervention. so far, no accident but this indicates a problem with this essential safety system. this happens about twice a month. the car is driven daily. dealer has no explanation. *ak

Replacement of failed bulb caused abrasions to hand access door is too small, and a wiring harness obstructs access to light socket. two bulbs shattered. dealer had to disassemble battery and electrical bus to access the light socket, 30 min labor, $45 cost. difficulty of replacement discourages safe maintenance of lighting, and cuts your hands.

Parking brake has never be able to hold veh., even on slight incline. dealer said parking brake "normal".*ak

I have been seeking information regarding id # 00v26800, numerous e mails to daimler chrysler have resulted in frustration, ref#8309811 ticket# 207346,i can't get them to answer questions regarding my vehicle, they say it is out of warranty! they say there was no media notification! it was in the usa today!i asked who determines what vans will be recalled and they don't answer. the recall clearly says 1995-1999. can you please help?*ak

Could you please tell me if recall of fuel injectors has been done ?

We have already fixed the transmission three times and this will be the fourth. we have had a breakdown a year after the first repair. exactly a year later it breaks down again. then eight months later it breaks down for a third time. now exactly a year later it breaks down for a fourth time. they insinuate it is our driving but then this should have happened with all of the cars we have owned. we are not careless or inexperienced drivers. who would be responsible the manufacturer or the repair company (in this case aamco)?*ak

Car traveling north bound on 10th avein brooklyn, n.y. car proceeded to make a left turn at the intersection of 10th ave and 76th st. car proceeded approx. 5-10mph making a left turn on the 76th street, when the car when over a manhole cover. at that time air bags deployed. *ak

3 speed (non aod) transmission failed while trying to pull out of driveway. teardown revealed massive internal failure.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Driving along and the windshield wipers come on without notice. also numerous times having to change out the fuel injection electrical parts. all of these have been told to us that they were not covered by the warranty. we have been told that there was a recall of the master electrical system under the hood of this model of car but we have never received any information of this situation. please notify us if such a recal exists. we would be very appreciative of this information. we are affraid that it will cause the car to have an elecrical fire.*ak

Lemon of a caravan - serpentine belt has freyed at the following milage points: 14138, 14661, 47724, 48333, 51280, 97143, 105647. ghost whipers at the following mile points: 17606, 47724, 105647. transmission rebuilt at the following mile points: 27000, 78868. luckly for us our dealer was understanding of our problems, but only after going to the service manager, and getting on a first name basis with the shop manager (who was tired of seeing our van in his shop every few months if not less). i have 24 instances of my van going into the shop, some instances having service bulletins. our latest adventure is yet another serpentine belt with the new dealership in bellevue, wa saying that the altinator bracket is misaligned. also, my drivers side sliding door will nolonger open. the new dealership stated that it needs to be taken to a body shop? i've had my van for almost 4 years, and when it's not in the shop, it acts like a good van, but that only lasts for at most 3 to 4 months at a time. my van was also a demo and was purchased with 5,822 miles on the odometer. *ak

Car was parked in my driveway, as i started car and put in to reverse drivebig noise (thump) came from engine. it would not move in any gear. called tow truck have it towed to auto shop guy at auto shop diagnosed engine, transmission problem. nothing was wrong when i parked my car. this is a very comon problem with chrysler minivan. my neighbour had same problem with plymouth (which is a similar model) at very low milage 40k. *ak

Just don't understand how a transmission can die after three years os services . i have had other chrysler cars that last for 9years and no problems. some how i need to find out if there is a problem with transmissions . i have heard of other people complaining about thier transmissions as well. i f you can give me any help in trying to get chrysler to replace this with no charge it would be much appreciated.

When the belt flew off, the dealership we took it to said that theis was a recurring problem they saw every day. and the replacement parts were the same as the original, and would probably fail agian within a few months. the last one was replaced in august. it is squealing again, indicating that the arm has again begun to fail. *ak

Had brake trouble; told needed new master cylinder at same time told needed new transmission.... when i asked why both would need replaced so soon, dealer said "these things happen"; both issues could have led to major safety issue. i use this vehicle to transport my two children, both under age 4; then dealer failed to correct brake problem (left air in the lines) which led to brakes continuing to lock... another major safety issue! i was told the calipers needed to be replaced as well... but brakes continued to lock until they finally discovered air in the brake lines! i thought this might be an isolated incident until i checked with colleagues who also own caravan with similar problems... checked nhtsa web site and was shocked at the number of similar complaints!

Vehicle bought brand new, well maintained, but oil started leaking approximately 3 years from purchase. then dealer inspects vehicle and conveyed that manifold needed to be replaced also. very frustrating. service person at dealer could not viable explanation as to why there were leaks in gasket or manifold failure.

Sliding door locking mechanism fails--door remains locked and door will not open, or door is impossible to lock. just before failure door has problem latching successfully. auto door lock makes buzzing noise when locking is attempted. after second failure, dealer service technician stated that it is common to require replacement of rockwell actuator part for these vehicles. we've had 3 failures of drivers side and 5 on passenger side. latest was today, 10/11/00. vehicle is now out of warranty, but the failures keep happening.

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

I've had my windshield chipped twice while driving behind a dodge caravan. i've noticed that on newer vans probably '96 and up the side of the rear wheels are exposed and need rear mud flaps

Transmission jumped out of gear while driving along the highway. the brake shoes were rubbed into the drum so badly that the drums had to be replaced. no indication of brake wear, noise, or stopping prior to this event.*ak

Speed control dis-engaged at 70 mph, speedometer needle dropped to approx 40 mph, then bounced back to approx 55 mph, shut off speed control then turned back on and work fine. this happened one other time in may 2000. both times it was after slowing down by touching brake, using gas pedal to control speed, then pushing the resume button on speed control.

Steering: steering wheel vibrations, difficult to control, especially when breaking, and popping noises. had to replace rack and pinion at 37,100 miles. replaced lower control arm bushings at 54,354 miles. replaced lower control arm joints at 59,421 miles. tires: tires loose air pressure and go flat for no apparent reason intermitantly, resulting in the replacement of two tires. tire burst while driving, resulting in replacement of a third tire. door locks: intermittent failure of right side sliding door power lock. will not lock/unlock with power control. radio tape deck: tape player activated without tape in the deck. unable to stop tape player. required replacement.( dot number: tire size: p215/65r15 )

When brakes are applied for quick stop, the vehicle seems to travel too far before completely stopping.

The front disc brakes have been a constant problem, after the latest brake replacement, rotors only lasted a few weeks before they warped again. *ak

The driver side sliding door will not open several tsb's on the doors dealer said it is not a safety issue. *ak

In vehicle, rear 3rd row passenger side shoulder restraint/seat belt device failed. the failure was that at roof anchor point, the bolt assembly "unscrewed" and fell out when daughter attempted to secure seat belt assembly. there was no injury, but should this bolt be able to do this? there had been no physical contact outside of normal seatbelt use. if a collision had occurred at the time this bolt was failing, the restraint saftey system could have failed causing injury and/or death when it ought not be possible. please investigate and respond. vehicle will be taken to chrysler dealer for reinstallation. also, all other anchors ought be removed and reinstalled to insure no occurrances of same.

Deal said can not find the problem, but i notice there is a difference lacth mechanism between the right and left doors. the right door has one latch and the left has two latches. *ak

Windshield wipers occassionally come on by themselves (even when the wiper switch is in the off position) and run until the driver jiggles the switch a little to stop them. *ak

I contacted dodge and was told this was not a common problem, however since my transmission failed, i have heard from several people that dodge has this problem with their minivans between 75,000 and 85,000 miles. i even spoke to a mechanic at a dodge dealership who said that it is fairly common.

I feel this vehicle should have a recall on some of the problems it has. they are defenitely a major factor in safety. i hope these problems are fixed in the newer modles because most people purchase mini-vans for their family or company vehicle. therefore, this particular vehicle i feel could probably fall under the lemon law. or, manufactors are just making a big profit and are not considering the safety of their drivers. i would like to see them put their family in a vehicle with the problems mine has and quarantee their safety.*ak

Dealer said seat is not covered by warrenty will not fix it. *ak

Vehicle will top out at 30 mph and not accel and continue with little power until vehicle "warms up". chrysler contacted but little help. tried to get problem diagnosed by dealership and told me at least $200 diagnostic fee. have been told by independent mechanic that problem with torque converter shaving off metal and distributing it throughout engine clogging engine and causing problem.

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

Vehicle well maintained, was reported today to need major transmission seals and gaskets replaced due to leaks and stress cracks. with only 44,300 this repair bill will cost around $700.seems dodge is having problems with the transmissions because of the 5 other issues 5 of our friends and relatives had with transmission problems. do you have others who have contacted you with simular problems? *ak

I took my car in for repair on 3/6/00-dealer could not even diagnosis problem for 5 days. finally told me that the transmission was gone. did repairs which took a total of 8 days and charged me almost $2300.00. i reas in consumer report re: the dodge caravan having issues with the transmission going out way before its time, and that the 97 caravans may have defective tranis-so i followed up with a call to the main office and spoke to someone named coleen phelps today at 800-992-1997 and she said she knew nothing about that, and these sort of out of warranty issues are dealt with on a individual basis- she put me on hold for a couple minutes and came back and said that-since my vehicle is way out of warranty they would not help me with any of the cost that i had to endure. i explained that it is still not even 100%-it still does not shift properly and i had to pay for 8 days of a rental car last time it was in-do you guys compensate with a vehicle while re-looking at the problem-she said that it is doubtful. but i can ask the dealer-in other words they are not big on keeping customers. my company purchased 4 1997 dodge caravans and all of them have had transmission jobs at least once-some twice-we will no longer purchase any more doge vehicles for this company. *ak

Fuel tank leaking gasoline near left rear tire. *ak

A pin in the transmission came loose and moved forward into the transmission assembly, making a hole the size of a silver dollar in the transmisison. this van is only 3 years old, and 75,000 miles is not a ridiculous amount on today's engine's & transmissions. i would like to know if this pin that came loose has been a problem for any other owners. the entire transmission had to be replaced, at a cost of $2000.00.

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

First in july the master cylinders on our back brakes were shredded and had to be replaced. this happened as i was driving on a bridge with a car full to teen age girls. in december, i noticed a hesitation and seemingly "jumping into gear" especially in reverse. brought it to the dealer and although was 2 months out of warranty they declined to pay for it. the job was to cost about $1500. in feb, we brought the van to a independent service provider, and as he was looking at the engine, he saw the blown head gasket. we did contact chrysler and were told to bring it to a dealership in our area. today, we did find out that they would cover the head gasket but not the transmission. there are volumes of internet sites that site specific transmission problems with 90-98 caravans. these stories could be rubber stamped. during this time, i found about 15 people who are having or had trouble with the transmissions in their vans. someone needs to make chrysler responsible for their products. please help. *ak

Blown headgasket in regularly maintained vehicle. no known cause. *ak

Snow build-up under front-end caused steering lines to leak leading to fire and damage to lower engine components. only 6inches of snow on ground.lines positioned too close to ground. *ak

Transmission failure/stuck in 2nd gear. *ak

Bad design, very poor performance and durability. rotors warp and pads fall apart. *ak

The transmission just failed after 48,000 miles. we purchsed the car used in august of 1999, and it failed 6 months latter after we had driven only 10,000 miles. we had it towed to the dealer, who inspected it and said that ( i think)the drive pin had broken and torn out part of the casing of the transmission. we could not afford the extened warranty at the time of purchase. the dealer stated that chrysler would replace the transmision if we would pay for the labor. i expected a transmission to last far longer than 48,000 miles. am i wrong in my assumption?we will have to use most of our meager savings to pay for the repairs, but we are greatful to still have a vehicle to get around in. please let me know what you think. thank you for you time and effort. *ak

Dealer service manager stated that they (dodge) have had many failures of the head gaskets on the caravan 4 cylinder. even though the car was out of warranty, dodge agreed to fix the engine head gasket. this is the second head gasket failure. thank god that i noticed the small oil leaks in the carport. if i haddn't the engine could have let go on the highway. something is very, very, wrong when you have to get a head gasket replaced every 10-30k miles. *ak

Relay is recall item on 96 model not 97 same part wonder why? *ak

The windshield wipers would automatically come on while traveling on the road. they would come on for two to four wipes and then stop. this intermittent problem was rare at first, then started to happen more frequently. we finally took it in to the dealership for repair. they replaced the windshield wiper switch at no cost to us. (only because we were under the 36mo./36,000mi. waranty.) the next problem was the battery went dead. we took it in for repair, and the dealership replaced the battery at no cost to us. (only because it was under the 36mo./36,000mi. waranty) . the other problem was that the inside rear view mirror became unglued from the front windshield. i went to a auto repair store and purchased a rear view mirror glue kit. i glued the rear view mirror on myself. ( i don't have confidence in the dealerships glue) thank you ........ richard maldonado. *ak

No summary

At 57,048 miles, the head gasket began leaking coolant on the driveway. dealer stated that there should be no way these vehicles leak form the head gasket this soon.

Van caught fire while parked in front of house. not driven for two&one half days. *ak

During higway driving me, and later my friends inside the car start to smell someting burnig. when we pull over and stop the car, there was smoke coming from an engine compartment. when we opened a hood, there was a fire inside engine compartment. hood padding was burning without apparent reason. fortunately i always have a fire extinguisher in my car and we extiguished this fire. now all interior of my car has terrible smell. my concern is: why padding inside engine compartment is highly flamable? do chrysler corporation need more peoples dead in car fires? what happen if somebody else will get fire and will not have a fire extinguisher handy? how many peoples cary fire extinguisher, maybe this spouse to be mandatory for all cars? thank you, zbigniew lucki

Dashboard interior light switch (part number p04685630 36033e) started burning when ignition switch was turned on. the unit stopped smoking only after switch was unplugged.

Dodge does not want to pay for the defective brake systems. even when this is the second time in two years.

No summary

I feel this model, caravan se sport, needs alot of upgrades. i feel that this vehicle is not a safe vehicle for families. i believe that dodge is

On a slow turn, the power steering pump shaft sheared, causing complete loss of power assist on the vehicle

Camshaft broke in half at 59,000 miles, necessitating engine replacement. service mgr. & technician both iniststed this was very unusual in any engine, especially one with this low mileage. dodge refused to help with repairs as car was "out of warranty". the wipers turn on by themselves every now and then, sometimes when just opening the doors. the whole brake system had to be replaced at 43,000 miles as it had never been properly looked at, even though service records showed inspection at three occasions before breaking down. original dealer was dutchess dodge, 614 south road, poughkeepsie, ny 12601 (914) 462-7700. they never responded to correspondence regarding the brakes & wipers. the engine was repaired at hyde park motors. i've contacted dodge (daimler/chrysler) and the district mgr. (phil fornabaio) but they refuse to help with the engine and wouldn't even meet with me.

Dome lights just start flashing rapidly when ever they want dealer can not fix problem ,has happened every few thousand miles.

Having a hard time for dealer to repair problem. always delaying tactics, because warranty is almost over.

At present we are without a car for 8 days this time. the car has been into the shop 9 times for the same problem. this time because we are in arbitration the dealership says that chrysler wants them to try a few more things. they are not telling us what is wrong with the car but say that the are trying what the technicians are telling them to do. last week we were told that a technician was going to come down and look at the van. on friday we went to the dealership and were told that they were going to do this over the phone and that we could absolutely not have the car. they have our car and we are paying $50 a day

No summary

Loss of steering after hitting puddle causing belt to slip.

The van was taken on serveral occasions to be repaired and still has not been repaired. the dealer was contacted and would not help us get the matter resolved. we would like to know if the van was wrecked before our purchase.

I was parked at burger king, turned the ignition and put my caravan in reverse to get out of my parking space. to my surprise, the car gave a sever jolt, and would not go into reverse....i tried again and the same jolt occurred, this time sounding like stuff inside was being smashed up (like a trash compactor sounds). i tried to get it into drive (even though i was almost as far up as i could go) and it wouldn't budge either...the sounds getting worse. afraid i was crushing things inside, i turned the car off. my two children and i walked the mile or so home and i called a tow truck. the mechanic said it appeared to be a transmission problem. once he looked it over and took the transmission out, it was a severe problem, "bizzarre" is the exact word of the mechanc who asked me if i had any warning signs. i had none. he said he couldn't believe the extent of stuff broken apart inside the transmision like broken glass...and said he could not even come up with an explanation of how it might have occured since it was so unlikely for a car this new (97) with only 43000 miles and then for the "rear planetary (sp) gear carrier to have been mutilated like it was without the front happening. i have photos to show the horrific damage. and i am reporting this because, god forbid, i had not been parked but stopped for a light or something or on a dark road or wherever, i cringe at the thought of the accident that could have occurred with this happening with absolutely no warning and i feel chrysler should answer to this!!!!!!!! i did call their customer svc center to report this and to demand restitution as it cost me $2134; they did not want to know nothing since i had not brought it to a "chrylser/dodge dealer" to be fixed....the catch 22 is that i did not do so because i was passed my warrantly and my experiences with dealers' service center prices for major work has been beyond my pocketbook!!! please investigate this matter

The above mentioned vehicle was in route on a 12 hour road trip. about 2 hours before our destination, the van started making noises (when i applied pressure on the brakes they made a grinding noise). we arrived at our destination, and the next day the steering wheel started to "lock up". i called a dodge dealer, but i was afraid to drive it that far, so i drove to the closest full service garage. the mechanic got behind the wheel, and before he got it out of the lot, he pulled back in and said he thought he knew what was wrong. he raised the van up, and i was shocked to see the engine falling out. he said to stay out of the van that it was very dangerous. i immediately had it towed to the dodge dealer. they verified the engine was falling out and kept the van a few days to install two bolts that they said were missing. i asked them if it was a factory error and he said no - the bolts were in at one time and somehow fell out. p.s. we had to rent a car for 6 days while it was repaired. the dealer said he never saw this happen before - true or not?

Recurring water leak , dealer tried to correct by adjusting hatch and replacing seal. no longer shuts properly. oftentimes have to get out of car and reshut. dealer will adjust but will not be responsilbe should it start leaking again. suggests i keep a door or window open in order to shut the hatch. water cam ein thru seatbelts.

Manufacturer contacted and refused to help even though vehicle had such low miles. *ak

Poor front disc design. pads worn out 3 times in less than 40k miles. $235 per repair. *ak

The serpentine belt pully has broken twice, resulting in vehicle being towed twice, there is a constant thud from the gas tank when accelerating, stopped drains from the "ac" are a continous problem, car stutters at turnpike speeds as well as normal city driving, car has been in the shop 22 times in 27 months, tried to get information concerning "lemon law" but was asked to "give us the chance to make it right" .have had a niagra falls from under the dash twice since they "fixed the problem" car vibrates at turnpike speeds. door locks break/foul smell when the "ac" comes on, engine service lights come on for no reason, the van was leased, and to get out of the lease would involve several thousand dollars. i would take my 7 year old bonneville on trip before i would take my 2 year old van. what can be done about this? *ak

The pulley that keeps the tension on the fan belt snapped off. a single bolt that holds this snapped in half. we lost the steering and other components all at once. how can something that takes the abuse of a fan/surpentine belt only require one bolt. i found others in your listing that had the very same problems. my parents also had the same problem on the town and country mini van. *ak

At low speeds usually in traffic jam or toll area, vehicle stalls with no reason. i lost control of the vehicle. on a separate incident at 50 mph i heard the egine rev up and slowly losing speed. i took it to the dealer, but cannot replicate the problem. *ak

Vehicle stalls at low speeds and lost all control. took to dealer, but cannot replicate the problem. problem started at around 36000 mi.les. *ak

Engine will stall during deceleration, usually in the 20-40 mph range. this has occurred over 20 time during the last 6-9 months. on two occasions the stall nearly caused a rear end mva while my three children were passengers. local dealer unable to indentify or duplicate problem. i am an emergency medicine physician and feel this jeopardizes my family safety. thank you.

The transmission is not reliable, broke within 2yrs. owner had noticed a noise when shifting gears. with dealer service manager during first year, but he said that was normal! *ak

Steering wheel seems to lock up when van turns corners and the van becomes hard to handle

The first incident involves the air conditioner system, i reported a whining noise to the dealer and on the first inspection they indicated that they could not duplicate the problem, on the second visit i insisted that the service advisor ride with me at which time he did infact hear the noise,they inspected the van and said that it was leaking freon.the noise still prevailed and when i took the van back to the dealer they reinspected the vehicle and indicated that they had to replace the compressor,a move to a new location by the local dodge dealer required me to wait over a month, and caused my van to go out of warranty, which the dealer told me not to worry that they would handle any problems associated with the air conditioner outside the warranty period with no charge. i returned the van to the dealer on wednesday nov. 18,1998 to have the vehicle looked at again, and informed them that it still makes noise and in fact it makes other noises, possibly the fan belt was loose etc. they replaced the fan belt and charges me $71.00 to do so as it was not covered by the warranty.i have purchased a max warranty from chrysler for $1200.00, in october before it went out of warranty. the second problem i have been having is that the vehicle is burning oil, and i have returned the vehicle to the dealer on several occations to have this looked at. they did a milage check to see the consumption over a given time period.it was first done over a 3000 mile period at which time it burned a half quart of oil,which the dealer said was acceptable, the second test was over a 6000 mile period and the vehicle burned a half a quart of oil, the third time was over a 3000 mile period and now the vehicle burns a full quart of oil, and when i returned the vehicle to the dealer they said that was still acceptable. i am confused, this does not seem right i think that i may have a lemon, please respond, as i am not sure what to do at this point.

I have a 1997 dodge caravan that i purchased new in june of 1997. i have had my van to the dealership (roberts dodge) in meriden approx. 6 times for a noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. so far they have added extra padding to quiet the noise, replaced the gas tank, and replaced the rear shocks. to me this sounds like they admit to have known about a problem. i brought a mechanic for a ride on 11/12/98 to show him the noise is still there, he admitted to hereing the noise and they contacted chrysler. the service man (bob) called me back after he heard from chrysler and told me that they have done all they can do for me but i still have the problem. i also found this bulletin: service bulletin number: 14-09-96 bulletin sequence number: 158 date of bulletin: 9609 nhtsa item number: sb049112 make: dodge truck model: caravan year: 1997 component: structure:frame:members and body summary: 'thud/thump' sound when accelerating from a stop &/or when stopping quickly.

Left front brake pad wore out.

Transmission failed (master clutch/front pump). yh

Windshield wiper switch failed. mjs

Rear brake drums failed. nlm

Front window seal failed. nlm

Windshield wipers comes on for no reason. *yc

High beam lights failed.

Parking brake failed.

Rear bumper failed.

"service engine soon" loght came on/failed. yh

Rear tire was damaged and losing air. yh

Attorney is writing on behalf of mr. ernest b. reeves who was struck head on by another vehicle. even though mr. reeves had his seat belts on, the air bags did not deploy and mr. reeves sustained a concussion, neck, shoulder and back injuries. *tt *dt

Consumer wants to be reimbursed for clock spring work done on vehicle on march 21, 2002.

Consumer states rear-seat shoulder-harness seat belts (both left and right) are jammed. enabling passenger to extend the seat belts out from the opening in the over the should interior roof trim. dealer found adhesive / insulation from the headlinder had melted onto the seatbelts. *tt updated *jb

Consumer states power steering turns hard to left and when backing up. dealer found power steering gear binding and replaced power steering gear assembly. *tt

Consumer states air bag light, abs light and cruise light is on intermitently. dealer replaced clockspring. *tt

Consumer states wipers come on anytime. dealer had to replaced multifunction switch. *tt

Consumer states transmission is not engaging on cold start. dealer replaced transmission. *tt

Consumer states front suspension was misaligned and front sway bars had to be replaced. *tt

Consumer states the wheel trim ring / cover / hub cap had to be replaced. *tt

The radio had to be tested and replaced with exchange unit. *tt

Consumer states battery had to be replaced. *tt

Transmission failed and was replaced, consumer feels the manufacturer is aware of the problem and should reimburse her for the replacement of the faulty product. *slc

On several occasions, while driving, both fans remain on, and the dashboard temperature gauge drops to c (bottom). dealer replaced relay by the radiator and the computer (power train module) but the problems remains. *tt

Michael schottland on behalf of the deceased owner stephanie berman. ms. bermans vehicle, while in motion, turned over and became engulfed in a fire that led to her death, there was a recall 00v268 regarding the possibility of a fire. *jg

On three occassions consumer smelled a strong smell of raw gasoline after the vehicle had been parked for a period of time. the strong smell is in the interior of the vehicle. *jg

Consumer had parked vehicle and went inside place of employment, upon returning to vehicle he noticed vehicle was smoking under the hood, the engine area had caught fire and vehicle was totaled, driver of the vehicle was treated for smoke inhalation. *slc

While driving in driveway the sway bar in the front suspension snapped, the manufacturer was notified. nlm

Driver side sliding door would not open and door link actuator was inoperable due to door latch control assembly failure. *yh

Vehicle made humming noises upon acceleration, failed to shift into gear, dealer replaced transmission assembly. *yh

Wheel threads stripped on caliper brackets, new brake pads installed, however brake pedal loses pressure. *slc

Air bag light illuminated, service department stated that consumer's air bag could deploy at any time. *slc

Vehicle experienced several electrical problems: windshield wipers inoperable due to a short in switch, radiator fan relay replaced, ground wire loose in engine causing dash cluster to go haywire, horn, power windows, radio, speedometer, and air conditioner inoperable at times. *slc

Vehicle stalls, on one occasion vehicle hit a pot hole and vehicle stalled along with the failure of all power accessories, dealer replaced oxygen sensor and cam sensor, temperature gauge read hot, belt tensioner made humming noise, and flywheel was replaced. *slc

While driving the overdrive transmission failed causing the van to suddenly begin to loose power due to poor construction and design, as the consumer continued to depress the accelerator the vehicle continued to slow down until it would no longer move. nlm

The vehicle transmission needs to be replaced/overhauled for the second time, the consumer is requesting assistance for the cost of the repair. nlm

While accelerating transmission failed without warning. nlm

When the vehicle reaches operating temperature the engine will intermittently stall out, the engine was replaced once due to oil leak but the problem still exist. nlm

Power steering pump leaked. nlm

Parking brake cable failed. nlm

Cd player inoperative. nlm

Transfer case failed. nlm

Starter failed. nlm

Battery failed. nlm

Vehicle was broadsided by another vehicle, causing both airbags to deploy, the passenger who is under 5 feet tall experienced damage to the face and eyes because of the violent deployment of the airbag. *slc

Transmission was replaced. nlm

Consumer had to cut the strap on the integrated seat in order to remove the child, the seat was under recall 98v-0185 but could not be repaired due to lack of parts. nlm

The power steering failed during emergency causing the vehicle to crash. yh

The windshield wiper turns on sometimes on its own. yh

Air bags failed to deploy during accident. yh

Integrated child safety seat design of the yolk/cable joint is weak, resulting in breakage, this part actuates the locking mechanism, when broken the seat belt does not lock properly. mjs

Left front brake pad and rotor unevenly worn causing consumer to hear a metal on metal noise.

Passenger sliding door intermittently will not lock when other doors are locked (manually / remote). *yc

Windshield wipers work intermittently causing poor visibility. *yc

Heat shield which covers the catalytic converter failed caused the vehicle to warp next to the oil pan. nlm

Wiring for blower motor resistor failed causing the blower motor to only work on high. nlm

Rotors pitted and rusted prematurely due to inferior materials used to construct them. nlm

Starter failed causing the vehicle to not start on first try during cold weather. nlm

Possible flaw in the casting of the rotors may have caused the brake rotors to rust/pitt.

Vehicle experiences hesitation, bucking and misfires continually, several repair attempts to several components however continues to experience symptons. mjs

Steering wheel locks up on occasions several repair attempts however continues. mjs

Windshield wipers go on automatically for no reason intermittently. mjs

Torque converter locking up due to faulty spark plugs. mjs

Right front door latch failed. mjs

Transmission failure causing gears to slip. *yc

Lifter noise developed when engine was started after sitting overnight. many components replaced and cleaned but noise still exist. nlm

During night driving the headlights do not fully illuminate the road far enough ahead to see potential hazards.

Vehicle is continually shutting down repair have not rectified problems, when shut down occurs the power steering is lost and difficulty in maintaining control is severe.

Vehicle shut down due to failure of the (pcm) power control module and oxygen sensor.

Multi-function switch failed causing wipers to fail intermittently.

Battery failed.

Serpentine tensioner fell off resulting in loss of control of the power steering.

Van overturned while trying to regain control of vehicle.

Brakes pads and rotors failed.

Recall work not completed, all tires including spare tire were to be replaced however dealership did not replace spare tire.

Windshield wipersonly work on intermittent slow speed.

Headlights too dim. qcaw

Steering wheel locked during a turn across traffic, driver could not straighten the vehicle and ended up in the grass. driver believes something broke in the steering column.

Transmission gears fractured in heavy traffic rendering the vehicle undrivable.

While driving through standing water at right front wheel, water spashes onto power steering belt, resulting in temporary loss of power assist steering. tsb service bulletin number: 19-01-97.

Vehicle's prndl indicator goes blank and the vehicle will lose all drive while traveling, reset can only be done by stopping and restarting the vehicle.

Rattles noise can be heard from the front end.

Vehicle went through water, causing engine to lock up.

Vehicle not designed with interlock system, allowing child to engage gears.

During collision seat collapsed causing injuries.

Vehicle stalling continually.

Car only gets 12 miles per gallon--advertises 20 to 25 mpg.

Transmission jumped into reverse, vehicle lost control, resulting in a collision. *ak

Driver placed the key in the ignition, turn the key and vehicle went into reverse at full throttle. the vehicle was not shifted out of park.

Windshield defroster design problem.

Warped rotors caused the vehicle to vibrate when the brakes are applied.

While driving the brakes activated by themselves.

Integrated child safety seat locked up and got tighter.

Driver and passenger side locks failed on sliding doors.

Vehicle must be lift by a straight flat bed or the windows would break out and the gas tank could blow out.

Water leaked into air breather intake when consumer drove through water, water went into the engine, causing engine to seize/fail.

Fuel leak from the gasoline tank, replace fuel pump level unit, gasket, o ring.

Steering rack pinion.

Grommett split during van conversion, causing fuel leak.

Noise caused by fluid motion in the fuel tank , thud/thump sound when accelerating from a stop and/or when stopping.

Vehicle has a problem with acceleration when it is cold. the vehicle is sluggish until warmed up. dealer states that is the way all caravans are. the problem corrects itself after five to ten minutes. *ak

Gas moves violently in the gas tank upon initial acceleration. *ak

Transmission hesitates and stumbles at turnpike speeds.

Headrest on the second and third row seats are not sold as a standard features on this model, the owner feels this is a potential safety hazard that can result in neck injury if in a collision.

False deployment of air bags when driving over pot hole caused facial injuries.

Abs failure, resulting in extend stopping distance/brakes fading. *ak

Accident. vehicle pulls to right, steering wheel off center. tires leaking air. bent oil pan.

Transmission fails to stay in park gear, allowing vehicle to roll down the street.

Exterior rearview mirror design distorts vision.

Distorted windshields results in distraction and unsafe driving conditions.

My airbag light came on, cruise control was lost and horn does not work. i understand there have been other complaints regarding the clock spring failure on dodge caravans.*ak

Airbag light came on and horn stopped working, mechanic stated clock spring assembly needed to be replaced. *ak also consumer was having problem with the radio that has been worked on five times and replaced twice and still doesnot work to consumer's satisfaction, consumer also had brakes replaced, also the tensioner belt on the timing belt, also the water pump broke, also transmission went out.*jb

While driving vehicle suddenly slowed down and eventually stopped. after dealer inspected vehicle it was determined that gear had broken, affecting transmission.*ak

Consumer was sitting with vehicle running, letting it warm up. when consumer applied the brakes to place into gear, vehicle launged forward with a sudden burst of acceleration. to stop vehicle, the engine had to be turned off while it was moving.dealer has been contacted. *ak