1997 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

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

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

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

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

VEHICLE HORN IS INOPERATIVE AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD. *MR *SCC *JB

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION ON 1997 DODGE CARAVAN.*MR IGNITION TUMBLE WAS REPLACED, FAN ASSEMBLY.*TS

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

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

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

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