1994 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

DT: CONSUMER STATES HIS 1994 DODGE CARAVAN THAT HE PURCHASED USED ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS IMMEDIATELY. THE TRANSMISSION WILL POP OUT OF GEAR WHEN IT IS HOT. THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE SHUT OFF AND THEN IT WILL START AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, SEPTEMBER 2004, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT 30 DAYS AGO AND HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY. *JB

WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE CONSUMER. THE CONSUMER PROCEEDED TO STRIKE THE VEHICLE IN THE FRONT OF HIM. BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SEATS COLLAPSED. THE DRIVER SEAT FELL ONTO THE CHILD PASSENGER, BREAKING SEVERAL BONES IN HIS FACE AND HAD TO UNDERGO SURGERY. *JB

NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 99V213000, THE BOLT TO THE HATCH BROKE, CAUSING THE PISTON TO BREAK IN HALF. A STICK MUST BE USED TO HOLD THE HATCH UP. CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. *AK

THE SERPENTINE BELT CONTINUOUSLY SLIPS OFF WHICH CAUSES THE STEERING TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILS. *AK

THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR FELL OFF THE HINGES. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO OPEN/CLOSE DOOR. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

HAVE A 1994 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. ALREADY REPLACED ONE TRANSMISSION AND I AM LOOKING AT REPLACING ANOTHER. TOLD BY TRANSMISSION MECHANICS AND OTHERS THE TRANSMISSIONS IN THESE VEHICLES ARE NOTORIOUS FOR FAILURE AND THAT THE COMPANY KNOWINGLY INSTALL SUCH EQUIPMENT AT THE CONSUMER'S ULTIMATE EXPENSE. *JB

THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE ROOF OF THE VAN (THE ROOF IS NOW ALMOST BARE, A YEAR LATER) AND NOW HAS BEGUN TO PEEL OFF THE HOOD, AS WELL. WE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED BY ANY SORT OF WARRANTY OR LEMON LAW AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO REPAINT THE VAN. OTHER THAN THE PAINT PROBLEM... THE VAN IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT SOON IT WILL NO LONGER HAVE ANY PAINT. IT IS A DARK BLUE COLOR, AND WE HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER DODGE GRAND CARAVANS FROM THAT SAME YEAR WITH EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM. OTHERS HAVE SOLD THEIR VANS RATHER THAN PAY TO REPAINT AN AGING, HIGH-MILEAGE VEHICLE.

I HAVE NOT ACTUALLY TRIED TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED BECAUSE I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR DEFECT, AND I AM SIMPLY TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THAT IS TRUE. MY PROBLEM IS WE HAVE A LIGHT BLUE DODGE CARAVAN AND THE PAINT IS PEELING BADLY!!!! I HAVE SEEN OTHER LIGHT BLUE DODGE CARAVANS THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL THAT ARE ALSO PEELING BADLY. WHAT CAN I DO TO GET IT REPAIRED?

PLASTIC HEADLIGHTS ARE FOGGING OVER MAKING NIGHT DRIVINGA CHORE. SO FAR I;VE HAD TO ADD ACCESORY LIGHTING AND BRIGHTER BULBS IN HOPE OF JUST STAYING EVEN.*AK

TRANSMISSION FELT LIKE IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE ON OUR WAY HOME, AT NIGHT, THEN IT JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD ON A CORNER. WE PUSHED IT SOMEWHAT OFF THE ROAD AND TURNED ON THE HAZARDS. THEN I PROCEEDED TO HAUL MY FIVE KIDS OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND DOWN THE ROAD TO TRY TO PHONE FOR HELP. WALKING AT NIGHT WITH 5 YOUNG CHILDREN ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD IS DANGEROUS. I TRIED TO GET IT REPAIRED AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY $3,000.00 TO FIX AND THEN IT COULD TURN AROUND AND HAPPEN AGAIN. NO INDICATOR LIGHT EVER CAME ON. THE DEALER TOLD ME THESE WERE GOOD VANS AND VERY DEPENDABLE TOO. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BY BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC BEFORE SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING? THESE TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD BE DECLARED LEMONS, RECALLED AND MADE GOOD ON. *LA