1998 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

I STARTED OUT IN THE MORNING TO TAKE MY SON TO SCHOOL, AND WE HAD TO MAKE A STOP AT THE GROCERY STORE. WHEN I GOT TO THE STOP SIGN TO TURN INTO THE GROCERY STORE I HEARD THIS CLANKING SOUND. THE CAR HAD STOPPED AND WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY SAID MY TRANSMISSION BROKE INTO PIECES AND FELL OUT FROM UNDER THE VAN. HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HAPPENED BEING THAT I ONLY HAD 67,000 MILES ON THE VAN. HE COULD NOT FIX IT SO I HAD TO GET A NEW ONE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE WHOLE PROCESS COST ME $2400.00 (OUTRAGEOUS). BEFORE THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED THERE WAS LEAKING COMING FROM UNDER THE VAN. WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION I CANNOT BELIEVE DODGE/CHRYSLER HAS NOT DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.*AK

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN WITH ONLY 66,332 MILES THE PROBLEM'S THAT HAVE COME UP IS FIRST THE TRANSMISSION HAD A INTERNAL PIN BUST WHICH CAUSED SEVERAL PARTS TO COME APART. THIS CAUSED THE TRANSMISSIONTO BREAK, IT HAD TO BE REBUILT ON 2-17-04 WITH 61995 MILES AT THE COST OF $1685.25. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM HAD A FAILURE WITH THE EVAPORATOR WHICH SEEMS TO BE VERY COMON ACCORDING TO SEVERAL SERVICE CENTERS THAT I HAVE CONTACTED OUTSIDE THE CHRYSLER COMPANY. WHICH SPITZER DODGE WANTED TO CHARGE $1100.00 TO REPAIR. I KNOW THE VEHICAL IS 6 YEARS OLD BUT WITH THE LOW MILAGE I THINK THIS IS A LITTLE UNCALLED FOR AND THOUGH IT SHOULD BE REPORTED.*AK

WE SMELLED COOLANT, AND BROUGHT OUR VAN TO A MECHANIC. HE TOLD US WE HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. HE SAID OUR ENGINE WAS FAULTY. WE HAD 48,300 MILES ON THE ENGINE. THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPAIRED, DON'T KNOW IF OUR MECHANIC KEPT THE OLD GASKET. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON, THE HORN DID NOT WORK, AND CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. RECALL 02V950000 CONCERNING CLOCK SPRING FAILURE WAS ISSUED. *AK

PREPARING FOR TRIP, NOTICED LARGE AMOUNT OF RUST/CORROSION ON DRIVER SIDE STRUT TOWER. LARGE CHUNCKS OF RUSTED METAL LOOSENED WHEN LIGHTLY TOUCHED. THIS WAS WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF AN OIL CHANGE, LUBE AND FILTER AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED IN 1999. HAD CHECKED BY LOCAL MECHANICS, ALL SAID, "GET RID OF THE CAR". DID RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP STATED "NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. *AK .

BRAKE LINE ERUPTED BECAUSE OF CORROSION. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. *AK

WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE TO LEAVE FOR WORK, I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. AS I LET THE VAN RUN, THE NOISE SLOWLY STOPPED BUT THE VAN WOULDN'T MOVE. I TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH CARAVANS TO SEE IF THIS WAS COMMON. AND TO MY SURPRISE, EVERYONE SAID THEY HAD TO REPLACE/OVERHAUL THEIR TRANSMISSION. I WAS INFORMED TO LOOK AT THIS SITE TO SEE IF ANY COMPLAINTS MATCHED MINE AND THERE WAS AT LEAST TEN WHEN I STOPPED COUNTING. I NOTIFIED DODGE AND THEY WERE OF LITTLE HELP BECAUSE THEY SAID MY VEHICLE HAD 77,000 MILES.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE STRUTS RUSTED.*AK

CONSUMER HAD THE POWER STEERING BELT REPLACED FOUR TIMES. EVERY TIME IT RAINED THE BELT FELL OFF. CHRYSLER REPAIRED FOUR TIMES AT NO COST TO CONSUMER. THE BELT FELL OFF AGAIN YESTERDAY WHEN IT RAINED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND WASS AWAITING REPAIR.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD A GROANING NOISE.. THE DRIVER STARTED TO PULL OF F TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN SHE EXPERIENCED A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL. WHEN THE CONSUMER'S HUSBAND CHECKED THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR HE NOTICED IT WAS DRY. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THE BOTTOM OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD CORRODED THROUGH AND THE FLUID LEAKED OUT THROUGH THE HOUSING. *AK *NM