1999 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

CONSUMER PRESSED ON HORN AND IT DID NOT WORK. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

I BOUGHT A USED 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE IN 2002 WITH 28000 MILES. THE ORIGINAL MFG WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED SO WE BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRANTY. FROM THE FIRST WEEK THIS CAR GAVE US TROUBLE ENDING WITH A MAJOR ACCIDENT DUE TO GEAR SHIFT. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE GEAR SHIFTED ON ITS OWN FROM DRIVE TO LOWER GEAR. 5 MIN LATER THE CAR WHEN PARKED ON MY DRIVEWAY MOVED FROM PARK TO REVERSE ON ITS OWN. SINCE I WAS OUT OF THE CAR I WAS RUN OVER BY THE CAR CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES BUT I WAS LUCKY THAT I DID NOT DIE. THE FATALITY RATE IS OVER 50% IN SUCH ACCIDENT BUT I ESCAPED WITH RIB FRACTURES, INTERNAL BLOOD LOSS AND EXTENSIVE BRUISING. *AK

THE REAR DOOR ON MY 1999 DODGE CARAVAN WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE UNLESS YOU LOCK AND UNLOCK IT A NUMBER OF TIMES USING THE REMOTE DEVICE. PHYSICALLY UNLOCKING THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE WILL NOT OPEN IT; IN AN ACCIDENT, THE OCCUPANT CAN NOT RELY ON THIS EXIT; THE DEALER DOES NOT CONSIDER INABILITY TO OPEN THE DOOR AS A SAFETY OR WARRANTY ITEM AND CHARGE ME $83 TO FIX.*AK

VEHICLE WAS SLUGGISH ON TAKE OFF QUITE OFTEN..COULD SMELL FUEL ODOR IN AND AROUND VEHICLE . AFTER CRANKING VEHICLE ,,THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.BURNING ITSELF AND DURING ,THERE WERE SEVERAL EXPLOSIONS THAT CAME FROM THE VEHICLE..BOTH FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IN PASSENGER AREA.ALL WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES .MY HUSBAND WAS BURNED ON HIS LOWER LEG ATTEMPTING TO PUT OUT FLAMES. OUR HOUSE WAS DAMAGED FROM THE FLAMES ALONG WITH OTHER PROPERTY..WE SEE THIS VEHICLE AS BEING A POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP..ESPECIALLY POSSIBLE IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHERE SOME ONE COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND WAITING FOR HELP. THIS VAN IS MADE FOR FAMILYS WITH KIDS.AS WE HAVE 3 KIDS AND A TODDLER.. IT WAS DESIGNED AS A 7 PASSENGER VEHICLE..AS WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALERS AT DODGE THAT THIS WAS AN EXCEPTIONALLY SAFE VEHICLE AND PERFECT FOR A FAMILY WITH 2 TO 4 KIDS...WE FIND NOW ,THAT WE WERE LIED TO.AND WAS NEVER TOLD OF ANY RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE..OR ANY DANGERS OF THIS VEHICLE BEING SUSEPTABLE TO BEING A FIRE HAZARD.WE WERE NEVER TOLD THAT THESE VANS HAD EVER HAD ANY TYPE OF PROBLEM..AND DID NOT SUSPECT .OUR CHILDREN WERE IN CONSTANT DANGER EVEN BEING NEAR THIS VAN,.FOR WE FOUND IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE IN AN INSTANT..WITHOUT WARNING...NOTHING WAS EVER DONE TO THIS VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM..AND WE WERE NEVER WARNED IN ANY WAY OR FORM THAT THESE DODGE CARAVANS HAD A HISTORY OF FUEL LEAKS OR WERE FIRE HAZARDS WAITING TO HAPPEN...*AK

THE HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATE WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK

I AM CURRENTLY HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM REPORTED UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER RQ04001. I HAVE A NONFUNCTIONAL HORN, CRUISE CONTROL AND A AIR BAG LIGHT.*AK

EXCESS EXHAUST SMOKING WHEN ENGINE IS IDLING. HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT LIFTERS AND VALVE SEALS NEED TO BE REPLACED. MECHANIC HAS REPAIRED SEVERAL DODGE/CHRYSLER/PLYMOUTH VANS WITH SAME PROBLEM. *LA

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE CLOCKSPRING FAILED. *AK THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT WORK AT ALL. (THE AIR BAG, HORN, CRUISE CONTROL ALL TIE TOGETHER THROUGH THE CLOCK SPRING, SAME CIRCUIT FAILURE PER CONSUMER) *SC

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH THE STEERING PUMP FAILED, CONSUMER LOST THE CONTROL, BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OUT OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, MECHANIC DETERMINED STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK ALSO, AT 50,000 MILES, TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. FOLLOWING THAT THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED REPLACEMENT. CONSUMER CALLED IN TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. *AK