2005 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK FAILED TO LOCK/UNLOCK ON MY WIFE'S 2005 DODGE CARAVAN. THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON FAILURE ON THIS MODEL AS I DETERMINED FROM A WEB SITE. HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/DODGE/CARAVAN/2005/ELECTRICAL/POWER_DOOR_LOCKS_QUIT_WORKING.SHTM THE PUSH BUTTONS ON THE KEY GIVE THE INDICATION OF LOCKING/UNLOCKING THE VEHICLE DOORS AS THE HEADLIGHTS BLINK AND THE HORN SIGNALS A RECEIPT OF THE SIGNAL, BUT THE DOORS DO NOT LOCK. ALSO, THE DOOR LOCK SWITCHES ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR DO NOT ACTIVATE THE LOCKS. YOU CAN LOCK AND UNLOCK MANUALLY BY USING THE BUTTONS ON EACH DOOR - MANUALLY PUSHING THEM DOWN TO LOCK OR RAISING THEM UP TO UNLOCK. HOWEVER, THAT IS HARD TO DO ON A VAN AS LOCK BUTTONS ARE NOT EASILY REACHED. WHILE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE FROM OUR FAILURE, I CAN SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF A PROBLEM, AS AN EXAMPLE : 1) A PERSON THINKS THE DOORS ARE LOCKED AND A CHILD IS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING, 2) A PERSON LEAVES THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING AREA THINKING THE DOORS ARE LOCKED WHEN THEY ARE NOT AND SOMEONE BREAKS INTO THE VEHICLE TO STEAL IT OR TO HIDE AN ATTACK THE DRIVER WHEN THEY RETURN. OUR DODGE DEALER WAS AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE AND OFFERED TO APPLY A FIX FOR AROUND $50. APPARENTLY, THE FIX IS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY OR PULL A 20AMP FUSE WHICH AS FAR AS I CAN DETERMINE FROM THE ABOVE WEB SITE "RESETS THE COMPUTER MODULE". SO, I DID THE 20 AMP FUSE REMOVAL MYSELF AND THAT FIXED IT. HOWEVER, FROM THE COMPLAINTS IN THE WEB SITE - THIS FIX APPARENTLY DOES NOT LAST (THAT IS SOMETIMES IT LASTS FOR HOURS AND SOMETIMES FOR DAY OR WEEKS). I WILL ADD THAT A FEW ON THE WEB SITE DISCUSSED HAVING THEIR COMPUTER "REPROGRAMMED"AND MY DEALER MENTIONED THAT TERM WHEN I LET HIM KNOW I HAD BEEN READING THE WEB SITE. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY FOLKS MENTIONED THAT PROBABLY THE ACTIVATOR MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. ALL I KNOW IS-IT IS A CLASS PROBLEM AND AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED SHOULD BE FIXED BY A RECALL. *TR

2005 DODGE CARAVAN. DOOR LOCKS INOPERATIVE. 4 TRIES TO HAVE CORRECTED. TEMP FIX. PROBLEM RE-OCCURS. A REAL THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF 4 CHILDREN PASSENGERS. *TR

2005 DODGE SXT CARAVAN, POWER DOOR LOCKS INDICATE LOCKED BUT ARE ACTUALLY NOT LOCKED. FOUND GRAND SON OPENING THE DOOR WHILE I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY, WHAT A SHOCK FOR ME THIS WAS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A BIGGER SAFETY PROBLEM THEN THE SAFETY SEAT IF A CHILD FALLS OUT OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE DOOR WAS NOT LOCKED. *TR

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS ON OUR 2005 DODGE CARAVAN HAVE STOPPED WORKING AT ONLY 35,555 MILES. THEREFORE, I DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER ALL THE LOCKS FROM MY DRIVING POSITION, AND THEY NO LONGER AUTO LOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE ATTAINS APPROXIMATELY 9 MPH. OUR SON COULD UNLOCK THE DOOR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. ONLINE RESEARCH HAS LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS FIXED BY THE DEALERSHIP PERFORMING A SOFTWARE UPGRADE DOWNLOAD. THEREFORE THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THEY SHOULD FIX IT. *TR

2005 DODGE CARAVAN SXT HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAKES BAD CONNECTION RESULTING IN HEADLIGHTS TO CUT OUT COMPLETELY! SEARCHED ONLINE FOUND SEVERAL OTHER CASES OF THIS HAPPENING TO DODGE CUSTOMERS. *TR

2005 DODGE CARAVAN HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY STOP WORKING. THE HIGH BEAMS CONTINUE TO WORK BUT THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOCK HIS VEHICLE THE DOORS, THEY WOULD NOT LOCK ELECTRONICALLY. HE HAS TO MANUALLY UNLOCK AND LOCK THE DOORS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 77002. UPDATED 11/12/09 *CN UPDATED 11/16/09.

2005 DODGE CARAVAN 2.4 ENGINE. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN TWICE UNDER WARRANTY TO REPAIR A "SQUEAL" OF THE BELT. IT SOUND LIKE THE BELT IS NOT TRAVELING CORRECTLY OVER THE TENSIONER PULLEY. NOW IT HAS STARTED THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. SEEM TO DO IT AFTER PUTTING ABOUT 3000 MILE ON THE NEW BELT. (THIRD TIME). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE CARAVAN. INTERMITTENTLY ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS AND GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL FAIL. USUALLY THEY FLICKER ON AND THEN BACK OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIANS HAVE NOT DEVELOPED A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

DODGE CARAVAN 2005 AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS DON'T WORK PROPERLY. WITH SMALL CHILDREN THIS COULD BE A REAL ISSUE IF THEY UNLOCK OR LOCK THEMSELVES IN THE CAR AND THE ADULT DOESN'T HAVE THE ACTUAL KEY ON HAND. ONLY WAY TO GET THE DOORS OR TRUNK OPEN IS MANUALLY WITH A KEY NOW AND ONLY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HAS A HOLE FOR THE KEY. THE AUTOMATIC SIDE DOORS WORK HALF THE TIME AND SEEM DANGEROUS FOR TODDLERS SINCE THEY ARE ERRATIC OPEN/CLOSING. *TR