1996 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

PLASTIC FITTING MOLDED TO TANK CRACKED, RESULTING IN LEAKAGE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED , VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRED BY DEALER.*AK ALSO AC BELT WAS REPLACED.*JB

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING WHEN AIR CONDITIONING IS BEING USED. VEHICLE BEEN DEALER SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE.*AK

VEHCILE STALLS AND CUTS OFF WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AT ALL TYPES OF SPEED, STEERING IS LOST. ENGINE CAN BE RESTARTED AFTER IT CUTS OFF. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED THREE TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT IS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK *SLC

THE LEFT DRIVESHAFT INTERCONNECTING SHAFT ON MY 1996 CARAVAN SHEARED AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE DAMPER WEIGHT. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY, WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, AND HEARD AND FELT A LOUD THUMP WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE CAR WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND SAW THAT THE LEFT DRIVESHAFT (AXLE) WAS SHEARED. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND REPAIRED AT A DODGE DEALER. I COULD NOT GET A SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS TO WHY THIS HAD HAPPENED. I HAVE KEPT THE DAMAGED PART. THE "TUNED DAMPER WEIGHT" WHICH ENCIRCLES THE "INTERCONNECTING SHAFT" AT ABOUT MIDPOINT ON THE SHAFT HAD RUSTED AND ROTTED OUT (ETCHED) THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE SHAFT, WEAKENING THE SHAFT AND CREATING A STRESS FRACTURE POINT WHICH WILL SHEAR UNDER NORMAL STRESS LOADS. THE SHAFT IS 27MM IN DIAMETER WHERE IT IS NOT CORRODED, BUT AT THE CROSS-SECTION WHERE IT SHEARED AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE RUBBER COVER OF THE DAMPER WEIGHT, THE SHAFT IS CORRODED DOWN TO 21MM, MORE THAN A 22% REDUCTION IN SHAFT DIAMETER! APPARENTLY THE METAL USED IN THE DAMPER WEIGHT IS SUBJECT TO SEVERE RUSTING, AND THE RUBBER COVER AROUND THE WEIGHT TRAPS MOISTURE. NOTE: THE TRIPOD AND CV JOINTS ARE NOT DAMAGED; THE DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY IS LITERALLY BROKEN IN HALF. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE IN MOTION WE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED, PARTICULARILY IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR MAKING A TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. BECAUSE IT IS CAUSED BY CORROSION OVER TIME WEAKENING THE DRIVESHAFT, I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT DRIVESHAFTS OF THIS DESIGN (OR LOTS USING THIS COMBINATION OF MATERIALS) WILL BE BREAKING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY (APPROXIMATELY 6 YEARS BEFORE FAILURE?), CAUSING ACCIDENTS, INJURIES, AND DEATHS.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 5MPH ON DIRT ROAD AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

IT'S UNFAIR AND FRUSTRATING FOR CONSUMERS LIKE US TO PURCHASE A CAR AND LATER FOUND OUT CONTINUOSLY FULL OF PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP SPENDING MONEY ON RAPAIRING. CONSUMERS NEED A PLACE TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT AND GET A SOLUTION FOR IT. NO SAFETY DEFEC TMENTIONED. *AK

LEFT DRIVESHAFT INTERCONNECTING SHAFT ON MY 1996 CARAVAN SHEARED AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE DAMPER WEIGHT. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY, WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, AND HEARD AND FELT A LOUD THUMP WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE CAR WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND SAW THAT THE LEFT DRIVESHAFT (AXLE) WAS SHEARED. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND REPAIRED AT A DODGE DEALER. I COULD NOT GET A SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS TO WHY THIS HAD HAPPENED. I HAVE KEPT THE DAMAGED PART. THE "TUNED DAMPER WEIGHT" WHICH ENCIRCLES THE "INTERCONNECTING SHAFT" AT ABOUT MIDPOINT ON THE SHAFT HAD RUSTED AND ROTTED OUT (ETCHED) THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE SHAFT, WEAKENING THE SHAFT AND CREATING A STRESS FRACTURE POINT WHICH WILL SHEAR UNDER NORMAL STRESS LOADS. THE SHAFT IS 27MM IN DIAMETER WHERE IT IS NOT CORRODED, BUT AT THE CROSS-SECTION WHERE IT SHEARED AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE RUBBER COVER OF THE DAMPER WEIGHT, THE SHAFT IS CORRODED DOWN TO 21MM, MORE THAN A 22% REDUCTION IN SHAFT DIAMETER! APPARENTLY THE METAL USED IN THE DAMPER WEIGHT IS SUBJECT TO SEVERE RUSTING, AND THE RUBBER COVER AROUND THE WEIGHT TRAPS MOISTURE. NOTE: THE TRIPOD AND CV JOINTS ARE NOT DAMAGED; THE DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY IS LITERALLY BROKEN IN HALF. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE IN MOTION WE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED, PARTICULARILY IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THEWAY OR MAKING A TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. BECAUSE IT IS CAUSED BY CORROSION OVER TIME WEAKENING THE DRIVESHAFT, I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT DRIVESHAFTS OF THIS DESIGN (OR LOTS USING THIS COMBINATION OF MATERIALS) WILL BE BREAKING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY (APPROXIMATELY 6 YEARS BEFORE FAILURE?), CAUSING ACCIDENTS, INJURIES, AND DEATHS.*AK

AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD HAS COME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE, BUT INFORMED CONSUMER HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REPAIRS TO VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER STATES HORN ALSO IS INOPERABLE. AIR CONDITIONER EVAPORATOR COIL FAILED. DOOR LOCKS DO NOT GO DOWN AUTOMATICALLY. *SLC

CLOCKSPRING FAILURE - AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, HORN INOPERABLE. REPAIRED AT DEALER ~$260. ORIGINAL PART IS AVAILABLE FOR NHTSA USE IF DESIRED. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, THEN SEVERAL HOURS LATER WENT OFF. 3 DAYS LATER THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THEN BECAME INTERMITENT FOR A FEW WEEKS, SOMETIMES IT GOES OFF, THEN COMES BACK ON IN A FEW MINUTES. NOW THE LIGHT STAYS ON MORE THAN 95% OF THE TIME. AT FIRST, DEALER RECOMMENDED WAITING UNTIL THE LIGHT WAS ON AND THEN DRIVING BY THE DEALER FOR THEM TO CHECK OUT. WE HAVEN'T HAD THE DEALER CHECK IT OUT YET. *AK