2003 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

THE CONSUMER HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH HIS 2003 DODGE CARAVAN; SUCH PROBLEMS WERE A KNOCK IN THE TRANSMISSION AND 2 BRAKE JOBS. *JB THE TWO BRAKES JOBS OCCURRED WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE STEERING WHEEL KNOCKED (RECALL CAMPAIGN #04V386000), THE VEHICLE HAD BROKEN DOWN AT 8K MILES, THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS OFF, THE GEAR PANEL ILLUMINATED, AND THE WINDOW HAD BECOME LOOSE. 80% OF THE VEHICLES PROBLEMS WAS UNDER 10K MILES. THE ROTATION NOISE CONTINUED AND THE RUBBER LINING AROUND THE SLIDING DOOR WAS COMING OFF. OTHER PROBLEMS: WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF PARK TO DRIVE, ALL OF THE LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE, THE FRONT RIMS/HUB CAPS WERE DIRTY DUE TO EXCESSIVE LEAKAGE AROUND THE BRAKES, EVEN DURING NORMAL WASHING, THERE WAS A MILD RINGING NOISE IN THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT DOOR RATTLED, THE REAR TAIL LAMP WAS DAMAGED, THE BRAKE LIGHT AND BACK-UP LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT, THE BRAKES WERE GOING BAD AGAIN, THE ENGINE WOULD SPUTTER DUE TO NO FUEL PRESSURE, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT, WHEN THE DRIVER DOOR WAS SHUT IT MADE A LOUD RATTLE SOUND, THERE WOULD BE A DELAY IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN GOING UPHILL, WHEN SITTING AT IDLE, THE ENGINE WOULD SOUND AS IF IT WERE REVVING BUT THE GAUGE DID NOT DISPLAY THIS. *SC *JB

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, WHEN TAKING OFF VEHICLE HESITATES SHIFTING INTO GEAR. WHEN COMING TO A STOP HARD DOWNSHIFT AND FEELS LIKE BEING HIT IN REAR END. ON ONE OCCASION RECENTLY GOING UP HILL VAN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL FOR NO REASON. FIRST TIME FIXED AT 4493 MILES 9/10/04, MILEAGE 2ND TIME PROBLEM APPX 5850 MILEAGE TODAY 5950 AS OF 6/17/05 REPORTED TO DEALER 6/14/05 5908 MILES APT FOR FIXING 6/29/05

TWO AND A HALF WEEKS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THERE WAS A JERKING AND CLICKING NOISE WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WENT UP A HILL. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 279 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. AT 1829 MILES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CYLINDER NUMBER 4 WAS MISFIRING. THE DEALER REPLACED A SPARK PLUG. AFTER 13,301 MILES THIS HAPPENED AGAIN. AT 14,456 MILES THE REAR WHEELS MOVED BUT THE FRONT WHEELS WOULD MOVE ALONG WITH BIG NOISE. THERE WAS HESITATION AND RUMBLING WHEN IN DRIVE. TOOK TO DEALER AND FOUND FRONT PUMP IN TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED. ON APRIL 4-7, 2005 AGAIN TO DEALER WHO FOUND NOTHING WRONG. ON APRIL 28, 2005 HESITATION ALONG WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. APRIL 29 CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. MAY 2, 2005 WAS TOLD NEED REPLACEMENT OF VALVE BODY AND TRANSMISSION. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES. ALL THIS OCCURRED AS CAR HAS YET TO HAVE 15,000 ACTUAL MILES. *NM *NM

I AM LEASING A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE IS UNUSUALLY HIGH. AT THE END OF A TWO YEAR PERIOD I HAD OVER 33000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I DRIVE 40 MILES PER DAY ROUND TRIP TO WORK 5 DAYS A WEEK MINUS 2WEEKS VACATION. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN NO MORE THAN 50 MILES ON THE WEEKENDS. WE PREVIOUSLY LEASED A VEHICLE FOR 18 MONTHS A KIA SPORTAGEAND DUE TO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS CANCELLED THE LEASE FOR THE CARAVAN. WHEN WE MADE THE TRADE THE KIA HAD 22000 MILES ON IT AND OUR DRIVING HABITS HAVE NOT CHANGED. IS THERE A WAY TO CHECK THE ODOMETER FOR ACCURACY? I BELIEVE THE DEALER HAS MODIFIED THE ODOMETER TO GET PENALTY MILEAGE AT THE END OF THE LEASE.

2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN LOCKED UP.*MR THE VEHICLE STEERING LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT A BELT HAD SHEARED OFF AND CAUSED A LEAK. SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE UPPER POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE AND BELIEVES THAT THIS RECALL IS RELATED TO THE PROBLEM HER VEHICLE HAD. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. *NM

MY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN WILL NOT START, SINCE FRI. MAY 20,2005. IT IS NOW AT SUPREME CO. 281-996-7888 FRANK FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE IGNITION SWITCH DESTROYED THE STARTER AND RELAY AND THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED THRU THE DEALER. WHY IS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN HAVE SUCH A PROBLEM? HAS SUCH A PROBLEM BEEN REPORTED? WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY FOR SUCH DEFECT?

CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED IT WAS A POWER STEERING HOSE THAT RUPTURED. *JB

DT CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING HOSE IS CROSSING OVER THE WATER LINE AND THE CLAMPS LEADING TO THE RADIATOR. HE STATES THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. *JB *SB

DT CONSUMER STATES THE HEADLIGHTS ON HER VEHICLE GOES OFF AND ON. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED ON TEN DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, BUT THE SERVICE DEALER STATES THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *TT

THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY ON MY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE IN 50000 MILES OF DRIVING. THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC EVENT LEADING TO THESE COMPONANT FAILURES. THE DEFECT CAUSES ROUGH VEHICLE HANDLING I.E. ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY INSTALLED ON THIS VEHICLE, FACTORY INSTALLED AND TWO REPLACEMENTS. ORIGINALLY INSTALLED ASSEMBLY WAS DISCARDED. THE TWO REPALCEMENTS WERE PERFORMED BY THE ORIGINAL SELLING DEALERSHIP, MONROE CHRYSLER SUPERSTORES, USING MOPAR REPLACEMENTS.*AK