1997 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

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

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

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

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

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

CONSUMER WAS INJURED WHEN HER VEHICLE SLID INTO A DITCH AFTER THE SERPENTINE BELT AND OTHER PARTS FELL TO THE GROUND. *PH *JB

DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORP. WON'T REIMBURSE FOR REPLACEMENT OF CLOCKSPRING BECAUSE REPAIR WASN'T DONE FROM A DAIMLER CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. (NAR) *LA

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

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

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