2002 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

I HEARD A "BANGING" NOISE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH. SO I CALLED MY DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPT FOR MULTIPLE OF REASONS AND THEY FOUND THE FOLLOWING ISSUES AGAIN WITH MY CAR; MY FRONT BRAKES (SHOE PADES, ROTOR'S TURNED) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN SINCE I'VE HAD THIS CAR AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT AND PREVIOUS TO THAT, THE DEALER REPLACED THE SHOE PADES AGAIN AT 19,000 MILES?? ALSO AT 19,000 MILES, THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE "BUSHINGS AND LINKS" FOR THE FRONT END AND AGAIN AT 45,000 MILES TWO DAYS AGO. I AM STRATING TO WONDER IF THERE IS A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN THE TWO PARTS GOING PREMATURELY. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES BECAUSE DUE TO THE WEAR/TEAR ON THEM BECASUE THEY WERE UNSAFE. THE DEALER WON'T WARRENTY THEM, SO I HAD TO BUY NEW SET OF TIRES AT 19,000 MILES. I THINK THE TIRES WORN OUT PREMATURELY DUE TO ALL THE FRONT END PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING. THERE ALSO HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF "POWER STEERING" ISSUES WITH MY VEHICHLE SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN TWO RECALLS ON THE POWER STEERING UNIT AND HAD THE DEALER TAKE CARE OF THEM.(HAD THE CAR TOWED BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING WON'T WORK AND IT LEAKED ALL OVER MY NEW DRIVEWAY) I 'VE HAD THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES FOR "POWER STEERING" LEAKING. THE LATEST NEW WAS THE A "BOOT" OF SOME SORT IN THE "RACK-AND-PINION STEERING" WAS THE CAUSE OF THE POWER STEERING LEAK AND THEY ALSO FOUND AN OIL LEAK ON THE HEADCASK COVER TOO. AFTER EVERYTHING WAS FINALLY FINIHSED (AFTER 2 DAYS) I PICKED UP THE CAR AND DROVE IT HOME BUT I AM GOING TO BRING IT BACK TO THE DEALSHIP BECAUSE NOW THE CAR IS SWAYING LEFT/RIGHT AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY DID A FRONT END ALIGNEMENT BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK THEY HAD TO DUE TO THE VEHICLE. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT INSPECTED .THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE RIGHT FRONT TIE ROD END BROKE. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME. REPAIRS WILL BE MADE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. *AK UPDATED 1/11/2006. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED DURING STATE SAFETY INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT RIGHT FRONT TIE ROD ASSEMBLY WORE OUT. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK

BRAKES ON 2002 DODGE CARAVAN LOCK WHEN PARKING BRAKE IS USED OVERNIGHT. WHEN RELEASING PARKING BRAKE IN MORNING, UNABLE TO MOVE VEHICLE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. IN ATTEMPTING TO DO SO TO GET MOVING, AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, CUSTOMER WILL HEAR A LOUD POP NOISE AND BRAKES FREE UP. THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM, NOT JUST ONE TIME. TOOK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKES WERE DIRTY. WAS CHARGED $168 WHEN WE DID NOT PROCEED WITH "REPAIRS" TO BE TOLD THAT A HEADLIGHT WAS OUT AND THAT THE BRAKES WERE DIRTY. WE KNEW THE HEADLIGHT WAS OUT! AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT DIRTY. HAVE NOT RETURNED TO THIS DEALER SINCE (KENDALL IN COTTAGE GROVE, OREGON). *NM

STEERING FAILURE. WHEN TURNING THE STEERING TO THE FAR LEFT OR RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS IN THAT POSITION AND RELEASES ONLY AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. IN NORMAL STRAIGHT AHEAD OPERATION THERE IS A VERY NOTICEABLE NOISE AND COMING FROM THE STEERING APPARATUS. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER, THEY OPTED TO DO NOTHING--SUGGESTED THAT I GET IT REPAIRED. *NM

CHILD HAD THUMB SLAMMED IN VAN DOOR AND FAMILY WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR THREE MINUTES. CHILD FRACTURED BONE. A YOUNGER CHILD COULD HAVE LOST A LIMB. PARENT HAD TO GO INSIDE THE CAR AND PULL THE JAMMED LOCK TO FREE CHILD. IF PARENT WAS HOLDING A CHILD AND THEY GOT A LIMB STUCK THE PARENT COULD NOT LET GO OF THE CHILD TO GO INSIDE AND FREE THE DOOR. *NM

I HAVE 2002 DODGE CARAVAN AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG SENSORS FOR BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER BAGS SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2005. EACH FAILED AT A SEPARATE TIME. I HAVE A SERVICE CONTRACT ON THE VEHICLE (ROUGHLY 50,000 MILES) BUT HAD TO PAY THE DEDUCTIBLE. *JB

2002 DODGE CARAVAN CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED.*MR THE CONSUMER VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE 11 DAYS PRIOR TO RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE ON THE RADIO VENT SLOTS (RECALL# 04V531000). *NM

2002 DODGE CARAVAN HEADLIGHTS PERIODICALLY GO OFF, SOMETIMES STAYING OFF FOR 15-20 SECONDS. NOT RELATED TO ACCELERATION, BUMPS OR STOPS. AFFECTS BOTH HEADLIGHTS SIMULTANEOUSLY. VERY SCARY!! ESPECIALLY ON INTERSTATE AND HEAVY TRAFFIC. ALSO, CARS PULL OVER BECAUSE THEY THINK I'M FLASHING DELIBERATELY.*JB

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT BATTERY ACID HAD LEAKED ONTO THE WIRING HARNESS, CAUSING ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THIS PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO PAY FOR HALF OF THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS YET. *AK (11/21/05) THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO GO UP AND WAS REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE REVERSE LIGHT HAD BECOME INTERMITTENT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. ALSO THE FAN, WINDOWS AND THE RADIO FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN THE A/C OR DEFROST WAS TURNED ON. THIS ALL LINKED TO THE BATTERY DRIPPING ACID ONTO THE WIRING HARNESS. ALSO, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE HAD A SLOW LEAK. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED ON 10/21/05 *SC