1996 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD LIGHTS RETAINED WATER AND CAUSED THEM TO APPEAR FOGGY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS NEEDING NEW HEAD LIGHTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 175,000, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.*AK

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT DOING 3 OR 4 MPH, WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAGS UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE NEVER HIT ANYTHING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISES ON HER FOREARM. THE CONTACT DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYTHING COULD BE, AND GOT RID OF THE VAN. *AK

TL* - THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED AT THE LIGHT WHEN SHE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM HER CAR. SHE PULLED HER CAR OVER AND GOT OUT AND THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CONTACT SAID THAT SHE CAN GET A FIRE AND POLICE REPORT. THE CONTACT ALSO SAID THAT THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD. THE SAFETY RECALL NUMBER IS 96V006000.

RAIN CAUSE BELT TO SLIP OFF LOSING POWER STEERING. CAN NOT USE VEHICLE IN RAIN OF SNOW! 1996 DODGE CARAVAN HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST TEN TIMES. *JB

I OWN AN 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE STRUT TOWERS, ESPECIALLY THE DRIVER SIDE, ARE RUSTING HORRIBLY AND WILL NEED REPAIR TO AVOID A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. IF THE RUST GIVES WAY, THE STRUTS WILL GO UP THROUGH THE TOWER WHICH BEST CASE CAUSES HUGE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND WORST CASE COULD RESULT IN A FATAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. READING AROUND THE INTERNET, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FROM 1996 THROUGH 2000 VANS AND REPAIR KITS ARE BACK ORDERED AT DEALERSHIPS AROUND THE NATION. DAIMLER/CHRYSLER IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED AS THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HATCHBACK HANDLE ASSEMBLY JAMMED IN AUGUST 2002. THE HATCHBACK HANDLE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED IN AUGUST 2002. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS RETURNED AND THE HANDLE IS CURRENTLY JAMMED. SOMETIMES THE HATCH WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. THE DEALERS HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE REOCCURRING PROBLEM. UPDATED 06/16/06. *JB

1996 DODGE CARAVAN, PAINT IS PEELING ON THE TOP OF THE VAN AND ALSO ON THE SIDES. *JB

IN 2003 BCM REPLACED FOR MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT OPERATE. OVER $600 . LAST YEAR MY BATTERY CABLES AND BATTERY WERE SMOKING AND I WAS LUCKY I GOT TO THE DEALER JUST IN TIME AS BLACK SMOKE WAS GUSHING OUT FROM UNDER MY HOOD.... ANOTHER $600 REPAIR. IN JANUARY 2006 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CRAZINESS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND IT COULD NOT BE SMOGED. THEY REPROGRAMMED THE MODULE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IT SMOGED 2 DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WOULD TURN OVER AND DIE ....I RETURNED AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A PCM MODULE REPLACED $719. GETTING THE CAR BACK WAS ONE ELECTRICAL MISHAP AFTER ANOTHER....THE GAUGES WENT CRAZY...TAKEN BACK TO DEALER....REPROGRAMMED ....AND THEN TOLD THEY WERE NOT SURE HOW TO FIX IT...THEN GOT THE CAR BACK AND THE CLOCK AND RADIO INTERMITTENTLY WENT ON AND OFF.. THE COMPUTER SHUTTING DOWN AND NOT ALLOWING THE REMOTE TO OPEN THE LOCKS USING THE KEY THE ALARM WOULD GO OFF AND I COULD NOT SHUT IT OFF UNTIL THE COMPUTER CAME BACK ON AND I COULD USE THE REMOTE....I WAS THEN TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT I NEEDED A BODY CONTROL MODULE(BCM) WHICH I REPLACED IN 2003. HE WAS NASTY AND RUDE. I TOLD THE GENERAL MANAGER I REALLY DID NOT BELIEVE THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING ....FOR EACH TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN WITH ONE PROBLEM THEY RETURNED IT TO ME WITH ANOTHER. HE COULD ALSO NOT GUARANTEE THAT IF I PAID ANOTHER $550 FOR A NEW BCM THAT IT WOULD SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS.... ...AFTER 6 WEEKS AND FOUR TRIPS TO THE DEALER HAVING MY CAR OVER 2 WEEKS I WAS FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY....AND AFTER READING ON THE INTERNET COUNTLESS OTHER DODGE CARAVAN OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS I AM OUTRAGED DODGE HAS IGNORED ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO ITS CONSUMERS. .WHEN I DROPPED IT OFF THE CLOCK, RADIO, LOCKS AND ALARM WERE THE PROBLEM..BUT AN HOUR AFTER I PICKED IT UP IT STARTED RAINING AND GUESS WHAT....THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT OPERATING. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY GO INTO REVERSE ON TWO OCCASIONS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED IT WORKED PROPERLY. AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DETERMINED THE CODES NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE PERFORMED PROPERLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN IT STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN. HOWEVER, THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.

CONSUMER REQUESTING INFORMATION OF A RECALL ON DODGE CARAVAN PAINT PEELING. *TS *JB