1999 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

BOTH PARKING BRAKE CABLES DISCONNECTED, LEAVING VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY PARKING BRAKES.*AK

SEAL AROUND WINDSHIELD IS LEAKING, CAUSING ELECTRICAL SHORTS IN VEHICLE. DEALER CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK THE WATER DROPS ONTO THE COMPUTER CONTROL AND CAUSES ALL INSTRUMENTS TO WORK IRRADICALLY ON THE DASH BOARD. CONSUMER FEELS THE MAIN CONTROLS SHOULD BE SHIELDED FROM WINDSHIELD LEAKS. ALSO, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS WENT OUT. *JG

SEATBELT IN MIDDLE POSITION OF BACKSEAT HAS COME UNBUCKLED 3 TIMES. CHILD SAFETY SEAT IS INSTALLED IN THIS SEAT. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER.*AK *TT

I BEGAN TO NOTICE OIL UNDERNEATH MY 1999 DODGE CARAVAN ON MY CONCRETE DRIVEWAY. IT APPEARED TO COME FROM THE VALVE COVER. THE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS ONLY 47,000 AND THE VAN LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD. ALLSTAR DODGE SERVICE TOLD ME IT COULD BE THE VALVE COVER OR THE HEAD GASKET WHICH HE ADVISED COULD COST AROUND A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR. MY CARAVAN WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (3YR/36,000 MILES) I TOOK THE VAN TO A MECHANIC. HE REPAIRED THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND NOTICE NO OTHER PROBLEM AT THE TIME. TWO MONTHS LATER THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. I CONTACTED ALLSTAR DODGE SERVICE WHOM ADVISED ME THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CARAVAN AND NO RECALLS. I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO MY MECHANIC TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET REPAIRED. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THE ENGINE IN THIS VAN IS THE SAME 2.4L ENGINE THAT WAS RECALLED IN THE DODGE NEONS 1997 WITH FAULTY GASKETS. HE STATED THAT I MAY WANT TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE FOUND COMPLAINTS ABOUT BOTH THE VALVE COVER AND THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I PRAY OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS WOULD FILE COMPLAINTS SO THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE TO REMEDY THESE PROBLEMS AND BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR DIES. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED LACK OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. DEALER DETERMINED HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT COSUMER'S VEHICLE IN REAR AND PUSHED VEHICLE INTO THE ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

CONSUMER PLACED VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND VEHICLE TOOK OFF BACKWARD, HITTING A TRUCK. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE BEING DRIVEN RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED, RESULTING IN DIFFICULT STEERING.*AK

IN OUR 1999 CARAVAN, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORK. THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY WOULD COME ON WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE PARKED. AT THIS TIME NEITHER THE HORN, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND SOMETIMES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL STILL COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. WE CALLED THE DEALER'S REPAIR SERVICE AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY THOUGHT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE CLOCK SPRING MECHANISM. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR PHYSICAL INSPECTION/ DIAGNOSTICS, AN OPEN CIRCUIT WAS DETECTED AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE CLOCKSPRING INDEED NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME THE NECESSARY PART IS BACKORDERED (ON A NATIONAL BASIS) AND IS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD US THAT IF WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. SINCE WE DRIVE OUR MINIVAN PRIMARILY WITH OUR ENTIRE FAMILY ON BOARD (IE, MYSELF, MY SPOUSE, AND 4 YOUNG CHILDREN) I AM GREATLY CONCERNED THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATLY FIXED. UPON VIEWING YOUR WEBSITE I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS HAS BEEN STARTED BUT DID NOT FIND OUT THE STATUS OF THIS INVESTIGATION. IF THESE PARTS ARE "NATIONALLY" BACKORDERED, THAT SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM OUT THERE. IF EVEN ONE OF THOSE VEHICLES IS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY, THERE IS SEVERE RISK OF PHYICAL INJURY TO THE DRIVER/PASSENGER AND POSSIBLY ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS IN THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR INVESTIGATION AND REQUEST A RECALL. ISN'T SAVING A LIFE THAT IMPORTANT? WE ALSO ARE BEING ASKED TO PAY CLOSE TO $300 FOR THE DIAGNOSTICS AND INSTALLATION OF THIS CLOCKSPRING (IF WE CAN GET ONE), FOR SOMETHING THAT APPEARS EVEN TO AN AMATEUR DETECTIVE TO BE A DESIGN FLAW AND A VERY SERIOUS ONE! PLEASE HELP!*AK

DEALER IS REFUSING TO ALLOW ME TO TALK TO THE DODGE FACTOR REP. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK