2008 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE ANTILOCK BRAKE ACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THAT THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT WOULD RETURN HIS CALL AT A LATER DATE AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

VEHICLE IS A SHUTTLE VAN. VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED LOSS OF BRAKE PEDAL FIRMNESS FOLLOWED BY THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR AND NOT RAISING COMPLETELY BACK UP. ALSO EXPERIENCED SUDDEN IDLE SPEED DROP FOLLOWED BY A NEAR STALL. VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 55MPH. FOUND VACUUM BRAKE CHECK VALVE CRACKED WITH THE PIPE EXTENSION TO THE VACUUM BRAKE HOSE SNAPPED OFF. PLASTIC MATERIAL OF THE VALVE ITSELF HAD DETERIORATED, LEAVING A WHITE CHALKY RESIDUE. VALVE REPLACED AND VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH TOWARDS A STOP SIGN. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND I HAD NO BRAKES. NONE, WITHOUT WARNING THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO VEHICLES COMING AND NO PEDESTRIANS CROSSING. HAVE DRIVEN FOR 40 YEARS AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. VERY VERY DANGEROUS. HAD VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER IN SPOKANE. DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS YET. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR OF A REDESIGNED BODY STYLE. MAYBE THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLE FOR THIS VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE CALIPER BRACKET CAUSED THE BRAKES TO WEAR PREMATURELY AND CAUSE AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE AND TIME. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. ONE YEAR PRIOR THE THE FAILURE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE BRAKE CALIPER BUT THE UNIT MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE CALIPER BRACKET UNIT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BY ENGAGING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFTING TO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,500.

VEHICLE HAS BEEN SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN POWERING DOWN THEN REPOWERING. BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES ROTORS TWICE. POWER DOOR LOCKS WORK HALF THE TIME. AIR CONDITIONING HAS PROBLEMS. POWER SLIDING DOORS ONLY OPEN BY HAND. *TR

VEHICLE PURCHASED IN PUERTO RICO WITH 40,000+ MILES; REPLACED A ROTOR & ALL PADS ABOUT 65,000 MILES. COULD HEAR NOISES COMING FROM BRAKE MECHANISM (NOISES WENT AWAY UPON REPLACEMENT OF BRAKES WITH OEM PARTS). AROUND 70,000 MILES THE VEHICLE STARTED LOCKING ITSELF WITHOUT WARNING, AT LEAST TWICE WITH KEYS INSIDE. IMAGINE A HOT DAY AND A CHILD IN A RESTRAINT SEAT AND THE CAR LOCKED. I DID NOTICE THAT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE POWER LOCK SWITCH ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BECAME INOPERABLE. NOW AT 78,892 THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT ON THE BLINK (BLANK), EXCEPT FOR THE DIGITAL MILEAGE INDICATOR & 'GATE AJAR' . I STOPPED FOR GROCERIES & WHEN I WENT TO CRANK THE STARTER SOLENOID, NOTHING HAPPENS. HAD TO TOW HOME & AM TOLD THAT LOCAL DEALERS ARE CHARGING $1,000 TO REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER.... NO WONDER LESS & LESS PEOPLE ARE BUYING AMERICAN BRAND CARS. ANY SUGGESTIONS? I DO APPRECIATE THE NHTSA EFFORTS. THANKYOU! *TR

2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH MILEAGE AT 25,000 THE BRAKES AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON BOTH FRONT AND BACK AT A COST OF $815.00. NOT INCLUDED IN WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW IN FEBRUARY, 2009. RIGHT REAR WHEEL BECAME VERY HOT AND SMOKING. THERE WAS A TERRIBLE SMELL LIKE METAL ON METAL AND WHEN WE PUT WATER ON IT - IT SIZZLED. WE STILL HAD 80MILES UNTIL HOME AND NO GARAGE OPENED ON SAT. EVENING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE FURTHER. THE FAILURE RECURRED SPORADICLY DURING HOT WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE GROUND WIRE FOR THE WIRING HARNESS WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED DURING PRODUCTION. THE MECHANIC ALSO DETECTED FAULTY BATTERY CABLES DUE TO SUBSTANTIAL CORROSION WITHIN THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE ILLUMINATED AND NONE OF THE GAUGES FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON UNEXPECTEDLY AND THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK INVOLUNTARILY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000 AND THE CURRENT MIELAGE WAS 57,000.