1999 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE MAIN DRIVE BELT WOULD DETACH FROM THE ENGINE AND THE POWER STEERING WOULD SUDDENLY STOP FUNCTIONING. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. IN ADDITION, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT BUMPER WOULD SUDDENLY DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE AND FALL TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TOWER STRUT WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000.

REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND BURST WHERE THE STAINLESS STEEL BRAIDED LINES ARE WELDED TO THE REGULAR STEEL LINES ARE CONNECTED, CAUSING BRAKE FLUID TO DISPERSE AND LOOSE PRESSURE AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF BRAKES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO A FATAL ACCIDENT. THANK GOD MY 70 YEAR OLD MOTHER WHO OWNS THE VAN WAS NOT DRIVING IT. *TR

PREPARING TO EXIT A PARKING LOT, THE GEAR SHIFT WAS ACCIDENTALLY CAUGHT BY MY SLEEVE AND PULLED DOWN TO THE "DRIVE" POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING, BUT IT BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD. BEING ON SOMEWHAT OF A SLOPE, THE VEHICLE PULLED ONTO A BUSY STREET. I GRABBED THE WHEEL TO TURN THE VAN AWAY FROM TRAFFIC, BUT IT HIT AND SCRAPED AGAINST A HIGH CURB, FLATTENING 2 TIRES, DAMAGING THE WHEELS/RIMS OF THOSE TIRES, BENDING A STRUT AND OTHER DAMAGE TO THE SUSPENSION (I GOT A REPAIR ESTIMATE FROM FIRESTONE, WHICH TOTALED OVER $1,900.00). I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THE GEAR SHIFT TO MOVE WITHOUT HAVING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, BUT MOVE IT DID AND SO DID THE VAN. OTHER THAN BEING FRIGHTENED AND SHAKEN, WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT NO PHYSICAL INJURIES OCCURRED. HOWEVER, HAD I NOT HAD THAT SPLIT SECOND REACTION TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BAD COLLISION WITH AT LEAST TWO VEHICLES DRIVING DOWN THE BUSY STREET. WONDERING WHY THE GEAR SHIFT WAS ABLE TO MOVE WITHOUT THE CAR RUNNING AND WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT THIS GRIEVOUS OMISSION AND DID NOT WANT TO SPEND THE EXTRA $9.00 PER VAN TO INSTALL A BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK. I'M INCREDULOUS! I INTEND TO WRITE TO CHRYSLER IN HOPES OF BEING REIMBURSED FOR THE DAMAGES SUSTAINED TO MY VEHICLE, BUT FIRST WANTED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO THE APPROPRIATE AGENCY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND FOR NO KNOWN REASON. DODGE TOLD US THAT IT WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING IN THE DASH THAT CAUSED THE COMPUTER TO SHUT DOWN. THE TECHNICIANS INSISTED THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT COULD NOT BE REPLICATED ON DEMAND. THIS HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN PERIODICALLY, MOST RECENTLY IN JANUARY 2014, WHEN THE COMPUTER WENT OUT, SHUTTING DOWN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE WHEELS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTINUED FORWARD, WHICH PUSHED THE VEHICLE INTO A CURB, FLATTENING TWO TIRES AND DAMAGING THOSE RESPECTIVE RIMS. ALTHOUGH NO ONE WAS INJURED, HAD THERE BEEN A VEHICLE NEXT TO THE VAN, AS OPPOSED TO A HIGH CURB, THE DEFECT IN THE VEHICLES WIRING AND COMPUTER WOULD HAVE CAUSED A COLLISION. THERE IS NEVER ANY WARNING PRIOR TO THE ELECTRICAL AND INSTRUMENT PANEL GOING OUT. THERE IS NO KNOWN TRIGGER THAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM. IT IS NOT TRIGGERED BY GOING OVER A BUMP, DRIVING AT ANY PARTICULAR SPEED, STOPPING OR ACCELERATING. I WANTED TO REPORT THIS, BECAUSE A WITNESS (WHO HAPPENED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER) TO THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT ADVISED US THAT THIS IS A KNOWN AND COMMON ISSUE IN DODGE CARAVANS BUILT IN THE LATE 1990S/EARLY 2000S. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AND I NOTICED A DING DING SOUND THAT WAS TRYING TO INFORM ME THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG BUT I DID NOT KNOW WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM UNTIL I LOOKED UP AND SAW THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAD POPPED ON AND AFTER A MOMENT OR SO I TRIED TO USE MY HORN, IT DID NOT WORK THERE WAS AN ENGINE LIGHT ON AT THE TIME IT CAME ON ALSO WHAT WAS NOT ON PRIOR TO THE AIRBAG LIGHT POPPING ON. *TR

WHILE REPLACING REAR BRAKE DRUMS IN MY GARAGE, IT BECAME NECESSARY TO JACK THE VEHICLE TO RAISE THE REAR LEFT SIDE AND REMOVE THE REAR LEFT WHEEL. I BROKE THE LUG NUTS LOOSE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE GROUND, THEN, USING THE JACK SUPPLIED WITH THE VEHICLE, I FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO POSITION THE JACK IN THE RECOMMENDED LOCATION TOWARD THE LEFT REAR AT THE IDENTIFIED JACKING LOCATION. I RAISED THE VEHICLE JUST ENOUGH TO REMOVE THE WHEEL. AS I WAS SPINNING THE LUG NUTS OFF, THE CAR FELL OFF THE JACK. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE RUST HAD COMPROMISED THE STRUCTURAL METAL AT THE JACKING LOCATION AND THE WEIGHT, WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING RAISED, CRUSHED THE WEAKENED STEEL. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT TOO CLOSE AND WAS NOT CAUGHT UNDER THE WHEEL OR OTHER BODY PART. UPON CLOSE INSPECTION IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE STRUCTURE OF THE CAR, AT THE RECOMMENDED JACKING LOCATION, HAD BEEN SEVERELY COMPROMISED BY RUST. THE EXTENT OF THE RUST DAMAGE WAS NOT OBVIOUS UNTIL THE CAR FELL OFF THE JACK. AT THAT POINT THE PAINT WHICH HAD BEEN HIDING THE DAMAGE HAD FALLEN OFF AS THE STRUCTURAL STEEL UNDER IT COLLAPSED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR. THERE IS ALSO A RUBBER PAD THAT CONTRIBUTED TO CONCEALMENT OF THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE SINCE IT COVERED MOST OF THE DAMAGED AREA SURROUNDING THE STUD USED TO PROPERLY LOCATE THE TOP OF THE JACK. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE INJURY TO ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS THE PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN CHRYSLER'S OWNER'S MANUAL. *TR

DURING AN INSPECTION OF OUR VAN IT WAS NOTED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE STRUT TOWER IS RUSTING THROUGH. AFTER LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE ON LINE I NOTICED MANY CASES WITH EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE TO GET THIS CONDITION REPAIRED. ALSO I AM TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS SOME TYPE OF WARNING BEFORE THIS CONDITION FAILS RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

WITHIN 30 MINS. AFTER PICKING UP MY VAN FROM THE DEALER (CERRITOS DODGE) FOR THE FUEL RAIL RECALL. I NOTICED THE SMELL OF GAS,( I THOUGHT WAS O.K. SINCE FUEL RAIL HAD JUST BEEN REPLACED) AND I LOOKED AT THE DASHBOARD AND NOTICED GAS GAUGE FLUCTUATING MOVING BACK AND FORTH, AND SMOKE STARTED. COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. I CALLED [XXX] (CERRITOS DODGE SERVICE DEPT.) WHOM I HAD BEEN TALKING TO ABOUT MY VAN WHEN IT WAS IN SHOP. I CALLED HIM TO INFORM HIM ABOUT THE GAS/GAUGE. HE TOLD ME TO GO TO NEAREST GAS STATION. I DID. AFTER THAT, I TOOK CAR HOME, PARKED IT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THAT EVENING. THE NEXT DAY, SAME THING (SMELL OF GAS)AND FLUCTUATING GAS GAUGE), WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING TO GET OIL CHANGED,FUEL BELL STARTED RINGING. I CALLED MR. RICHARDSON, HE SAID TO BRING VAN IN, BUT.HE DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CHECK IT OUT THAT DAY. AT THAT POINT I WAS FRUSTRATED,BECAUSE THEY HAD THE VAN (3) DAYS MORE THAN THEY PROMISED. BOTTOM LINE, IS VAN WAS AGAIN CHECKED OUT, NOW HE SAYS ITS THE FUEL PUMP. PRIOR TO THE FUEL RAIL BREAKING. I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH MY FUEL SYSTEM. I WAS INFORMED OF ANOTHER RECALL WITH THE FUEL PUMP WITH THE 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ( BUT, WAS TOLD NOT WITH MY MODEL.) THAT CLEARLY IS A FORM OF BIASED DISCRIMINATION. AND, YET MY 1999 VAN HAS THE IDENTICAL FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEMS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS RUSTED AND WOULD NEED REPLACING. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT STRUT TOWER ASSEMBLY WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE ALIGNED AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.