1997 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

ENGINE CONNECTING ROD BROKE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE, TRAVELING AT 30 MPH. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

AT 35 MPH, THE PLANETARY GEARS AND TRANSMISSION EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACED DEALER. *AK *SLC

MY FAMILY OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN THAT IS FOUR YEARS OLD, AND HAS 48000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND STAYED ON DURING DRIVING 10/7. THE OWNER'S MANUAL CLAIMS THAT THE SYSTEM IS MAINTENANCE-FREE, AND IF THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. *AK

DURING THE TIME OF THE JUNE '01 FAILURE I DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WAS A PROBLEM. MY FAMILY AND I HAD JUST ENTERED A LOCAL ROADWAY WHEN A DEER CROSSED IN FRONT OF US. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND IT WAS LIKE STEPPING ON A ROCK. I WAS UNABLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE. THE BRAKES HAD JUST WORKED FINE AS WE ENTERED THE HIGHWAY AND THEY WORK FINE AFTER THIS INCIDENT. I HAD NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN PREVIOUSLY. NOR DID I REALIZE AT THE TIME THIS WAS GOING TO BE A REOCCURING PROBLEM. ON OCTOBER 6, '01 I WAS TRAVELING ALONG A RESIDENTIAL ROADWAY WHEN A CAR STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME I WAS TRAVELING AT A SAFE DISTANCE AND GOING APPROX 45MPH. I SHOULD HAVE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP. HOWEVER, I ONCE AGAIN WAS UNABLE TO STOP MY VAN NO MATTER HOW HARD I STOOD ON THE PEDAL! I BARELY MISSED OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, CROSSED OVER A SIDEWALK AND HIT A HOUSE THAT LINED THE ROAD. I ENDED UP IN AN EMPTY LOT BESIDE THE HOUSE I HAD HIT. MY SON SUFFERED BRUISING ON HIS UPPER LEGS FROM BEING BOUNCED AROUND AND I SUFFERED A CUT HAND AND CONTINUE TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH MY BACK. I AM SO ANGRY THAT MY CHILDREN 8 AND 1, AS WELL AS MYSELF WERE PUT IN DANGER BECAUSE OF AN AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER NOT TAKING THE RESPONSIBLE POSITION IN NOTIFYING THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO OWN THEIR PRODUCT OF A POTENTIAL BRAKING PROBLEM. I JUST HOPE A FAMILY ISN'T KILLED BEFORE CHRYSLER/DODGE WAKES UP TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE MANUFACTURING AN INFERIOR PRODUCT THAT COULD KILL FAMILIES. I AM EXTREMELY UPSET THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF SUCH A BRAKING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT I USE TO TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!

AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS BEEN ILLUMINATING/ HORN DOES NOT FUNCTION WHEN NEEDED, AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILS TO OPERATE. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY IN STEERING COLUMN HAS FAILED, AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK

INFORMED THAT CLOCK WORK MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE UNDER STEERING WHEEL COVER, THIS CONTROLS THE AIRBAG,CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN. TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY.*AK

MY TRANMISSION HAS GONE 4 TIMES THE FIRST TIME WAS 3 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE AND PROBLEMS CONTINUE. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND CAME TO A OFF RAMP, HE STOPPED AT T STOP SIGN AND MADE RIGHT TURN INTO TRAFFIC. ROARED AND SURGED INTO TRAFFIC. HAD FOOT ON BRAKES, AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GO. HAD TO SHUT VEHICLE OFF. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. IN FIRST INCIDENT VEHICLE RAN INTO A TREE. THERE WERE INJURIES. *AK

COOLANT IS LEAKING BETWEEN THE CYLINDER AND THE ENGINE BLOCK. COOLANT IS LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP, PREVENTING VEHICLE FROM OPERATING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. VEHICLE SLOWLY LOST POWER, AND NEALRY SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK