1997 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, THE ALTERNATOR AND AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. THE VEHICLE MERGED ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND NOTICED THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY AND WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. THE CONTACT CONNECTED THE BELT BACK ONTO THE PULLEY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THERE WAS NO FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE PULLEY COULD BE REPLACED FOR $1000. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 210,000.

WHILE DRIVING THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATED EVEN THOUGH THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ABS SYSTEM PREVENTED THE BRAKES FROM FUNCTIONING AT ALL AND I ROLLED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION EVEN THOUGH I WAS PRESSING FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR EVENTUALLY ILLUMINATES INDICATING SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD HAVE FAILED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PREVENT ANY BRAKING ACTION FROM OCCURRING. THIS PROBLEM HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE BUT I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE TRAVELING THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION AT THE SAME TIME THAT THIS PROBLEM CAUSED ME TO ROLL THROUGH IT WHILE THE STOPLIGHT WAS RED FOR ME. *KB

FUEL LEAK IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FROM DEGRADING O-RINGS ON FUEL INJECTION RAIL. FUEL DRIPPING ONTO ENGINE FROM FUEL RAIL CLAMP O-RINGS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY ON NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V268000 IN 2002. CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AT 800-853-1403 REQUESTING DANGEROUS REPEAT PROBLEM WITH FUEL O-RINGS BE REPAIRED BY DEALER AT NO-CHARGE.MANUFACTURER DECLINED FREE REPAIR REQUEST STATING MY 1997 VEHICLE HAS TOO MANY MILES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE BODY CONTROL MODULE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AS THE RADIATOR OVERHEATED AND EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE HE WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS BURNED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND SOMEONE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 00V268000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 170,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, THE FAN BELT SUDDENLY FAILED, CAUSING THE STEERING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM TO ALSO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAN BELT WAS NOT IN A LOCATION AROUND THE FAN UNIT TO HOLD IT IN PLACE AND WOULD FAIL AGAIN IF WET. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 33,000.

1997 DODGE CARAVAN. STARTING AT ABOUT 30,000 MILES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD MYSTERIOUSLY COME ON, MAKE 4 TO 5 WIPES AND TURN OFF. WE MADE JOKES ABOUT THE GHOST RIDING WITH US. IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, HAPPENING ABOUT EVERY MONTH OR SIX WEEKS. IT COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED ON DEMAND. FINALLY, AT 72,000, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS REFUSED TO TURN ON FROM THE STALK--EXCEPT WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WAS GIVEN A "SQUIRT" OF FLUID BY LIFTING UP ON THE TURN SIGNAL/WIPER CONTROL STALK, THEN THEY GAVE THE REGULAR THREE WIPES AND TURNED OFF. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE SWITCH UNIT. IT DID NOT HELP. THEN THEY CALLED CHRYSLER'S "SUPER TECH 800 NUMBER" AND NO HELP WAS PROVIDED. SINCE THE CAR COULD NOT BE INSPECTED WITH NO WIPER FUNCTION, THE ENTIRE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED (COMPUTER) WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM. COST: $741.00. SINCE ALL OF THE MECHANICAL PARTS OF THE WIPER SYSTEM WORKED, IF THIS HAPPENED AGAIN, I DETERMINED I WOULD SIMPLY PULL A HOT WIRE THROUGH THE DASH TO AN "ON-OFF" SWITCH AND CONNECT THAT UP TO THE WIPER FEED--ESTIMATED COST OF LESS THAN $10.00. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND WOULD NOT STEER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT AND THEN IT THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF. THE BELT WAS PUT REPLACED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THIS WAS A KNOWN FAILURE FOR HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC STOP THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN NOTICED THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE FENDER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION. THE CONTACT BELIEVED NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V268000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM) WAS THE CAUSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HER THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 175,000.