1998 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

SERPINTINE FAN BELT JUMPS OFF PULLEYS WHEN DRIVING THROUGH 3-4 INCHES OF WATER REPLACED BELT DEALER STATED BELT TENSTIONER WAS FAULTY IN 2000 I REPLACED TENSTIONER NOV 2000 IN JUNE 2001 AND NOV2001 BELT JUMPED THE PULLEYS AGAIN EVEN WITH A NEW BELT AND TENSTIONER INSTALLED. *AK

EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT STAY ENGAGED, INTERMITTENTLY WHEN ENGAGED IT WOULD BACK ITSELF OFF OR DISENGAGE COMPLETELY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ORIGINAL PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY BROKE AND WAS REPLACED. *YH

TIRE BLEW OUT AT FREEWAY SPEED, TREAD WAS IN GOOD CONDITION, CAUSE UNCLEAR (POSSIBLY PUNCTURE). *AK (TIRESIZE: P215/65R15)

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, SMELLED SMOKE. THEN, DASHBOARD WENT BLANK. CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM EDGE OF HOOD, HE PULLED OVER AND SAW FLAMES FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME. DEALER DETERMINED ABS SYSTEM CAUGHT ON FIRE. DAMAGE UNKNOWN. *AK *YH

WHILE DRIVING CAMSHAFT BEARING BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

VAN WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE WHEN FIRST STARTED, NEEDS TO WARM UP FOR AT LEAST 5-10 MINUTES. WAS EVALUATED BY INDEPENDENT GARAGE, NEEDS COMPLETE TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL. WHY DID CHRYSLER'S "GOODWILL" WARRANTY END ON 1997 MODELS? OBVIOUSLY, THEY DID NOT FIX THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. A 3.5 YEAR OLD VEHICLE WITH 51,000 MILES ON IT SHOULD NOT NEED A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL! THIS IS QUITE COSTLY, THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A "GOODWILL" WARRANTY TELLS ME CHRYSLER KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM. WHY ARE THEY CHOOSING TO ABANDON THEIR NEW CUSTOMERS (AFTER 1997?) ARE THEY TRYING TO LOOSE OUR BUSINESS? IF THIS IS HOW CHRSYLER TREATS IT'S CUSTOMERS, IT CERTAINLY MAKES ME WANT TO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR A VEHICLE IN THE FUTURE. PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN. THANK YOU.*AK

THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS REPLACED. THEN THE LEFT REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

DURING JANUARY 2001 THE TRANSMISSION WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT OFF IN MID TRAFFIC OR AT A TURN THEN EITHER STALL OR TURN BACK ON BY ITSELF. WE HAD IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES BEFORE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND THEY COULD TELL US WHAT THEY SAY THE PROBLEM WAS : THE EGR VALVE AND SOME KIND OF TRANSMISSION LEAK. THEY COMPLETED THE WORK FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS AND NOW IN OCTOBER 2001 THE TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING STARTED MAKING REVVING (ACCELERATING) NOISES THEN STALLED WITH NO WARNING, NOW IT WILL NOT SHIFT FROM FIRST GEAR WITHOUT STALLING AND ANOTHER CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP SAYS WE NEED A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION FOR OVER TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS.*AK

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

MY ACCELERATOR STUCK IN MY 98 DODGE CARAVAN. THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS FRAYED BADLY. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER MENTIONED HE TOWED ABOUT 50 DODGE CARAVANS IN THE LAST YEAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER WHERE WE GOT THE PART HAD "HEARD COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ACCELERATOR." SINCE THIS VEHICLE IS THE BEST SELLING MINI VAN AND MOMS, DADS AND USUALLY A LOAD OF KIDS ARE IN THE BACK, THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND DETERMINE WHETHER A RECALL IS WARRENTED.