1998 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

VEHICLE HAS NO ADJUSTABLE RESTRAINTS. THERE ARE HOLES PLANTED INSIDE OF VEHICLE FOR A HEADREST. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK THE MIDDLE AND REAR SEATS HAVE NO HEAD RESTRAINTS. *SLC

WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON AND OFF. ALTHOUGH PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, THEY DON'T WORK WHEN NEEDED. IF SWITCH IS LEFT ON AND FORGOT THEY START WORKING WITHOUT BEING AWARE THAT THEY WERE LEFT ON. *AK

VEHICLE WAS SET ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 70-72MPH. CONSUMER MADE REST STOP/ GOT BACK ON ROAD RESUMING CRUISE CONTROL,AND IT QUIT WORKING. HORN WOULD NOT WORK EITHER. A DAY IN A HALF BEFORE, AIRBAG LIGHT JUST STAYED ON. CONSUMER HASN'T CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

HORN WOULD NOT BLOW, AND AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. TOOK TO DEALER, DEALER STATED VEHICLE NEEDED A CLOCK SPRING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

MY CARAVAN HAS BENCH SEATS THAT DO NOT HAVE HEADRESTS, BUT DO HAVE ATTACHMENT POINTS FOR THE HEADRESTS. I HAVE RECENTLY NOTICED (2 OR 3 WEEKS AGO) THAT MY DAUGHTER'S HEAD EXTENDS ABOVE THE TOP OF THE SEAT. IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, HER HEAD WOULD SNAP BACK OVER THE TOP OF THE SEAT. THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND FOUND THAT, WHEN I BOUGHT MY VAN, HEADRESTS WERE CONSIDERED ACCESSORIES, BUT ARE NOW STANDARD EQUIPMENT. I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE NOW STANDARD EQUIPMENT BECAUSE CHRYSLER REALIZED ITS POTENTIAL LIABILITY. THE APPROXIMATE COST OF 4 HEADRESTS IS $800. I E-MAILED CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS AND RECEIVED NEITHER SYMPATHY NOR SATISFACTION. IN MY LAST E-MAIL, I MENTIONED THE SAFETY ISSUE. THEY ARE NO LONGER ANSWERING MY E-MAILS. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THEY MAY BE RESPONSIBLE TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT. PLEASE HELP.

THE SAFETY SEATS IN MY VAN HAVE DEFECTIVE LATCH PLATES! THE LATCH PLATES THAT I'M REFERRING TOO IS THE PLATE THAT IS RIGHT AT THE CHILD'S ARMPIT LEVEL. THIS LATCH PLATE WHEN PULLED ON WILL PULL COMPLETELY APART. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS UNSAFE FOR MY SON TO RIDE IN. I HAVE READ A LOT ON CHILD SEAT SAFETY AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I VELIEVE THAT WITH THE KNOWLEDGE I HAVE IN THIS AREA THAT IN A CAR WREAK THIS LATCH PLATE WOULD PULL APART AND MY SON COULD BE VERY SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. HE WOULD PROBABLY BE THROWN BETWEEN THE TWO SHOULDER BELTS INSTEAD OF BEING HELD BETWEEN THEM. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO CHRYSLER AND THEY HAVE REPLACED MY BUCKLES 5 TIME. THEY DO NOT CONSIDER THIS TO BE A DEFECT YET I DO! I HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE MY SON A CENTURY CAR SEAT. ALL 5 OF THE BUCKLES THAT I WAS GIVEN ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY THINK A CHILD WOULD BE SAFE! I FEAR THAT THERE ARE OTHER CHILDREN RIDING IN THESE INTEGRATED CAR SEATS AND THERE PARENTS ARE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE LATCH PLATES AND THAT THERE CHILDREN ARE UNSAFE. I WOULD HATE TO SEE ANY CHILD HURT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF THE BUCKLES IF Y OU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I'LL BE GLAD TO GET THEM TO YOU!!! THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN! I APPRECIATE WHAT YOUDO TRYING TO KEEP THE ROADS AND OUR FAMILIES SAFE! *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. PARTS WERE SO BADLY DAMAGED THAT NOTHING WAS SALVAGABLE AND A NEW TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. WE HAVE KEPT THE PARTS IF THEY ARE NEEDED FOR AN INVESTIGATION. WE NOTIFIED DODGE WHO SAID THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REPAIRS, AND THAT WE HAVE NO APPEAL TO THIS DECISION (AMEY, FILE NO. 8723066). WE HAD A MECHANIC FIX IT. THE CHARGE WAS $2,417. IS THERE ANY COURSE OF ACTION WE CAN TAKE AGAINST DODGE? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT A TRANSMISSION COULD FAIL IN THIS WAY WITH SO FEW MILES ON THE CAR.

THE GUIDES THAT THE REAR SEAT BELTS RUN THROUGH ARE "MELTING" SO THE REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT GO THROUGH THE GUIDES AS THEY SHOULD. WE HAVE STOPPED USING THEM BECAUSE THEY WOULD FAIL IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT RETRACT SECURELY ON A PASSENGER.*AK

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED DRIVER TO HIT STEERING WHEEL DUE TO LACK OF RESTRAINT SUPPORT FROM SEAT BELT SYSTEM THAT WAS USED.*AK *SLC

ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ON, AND CONSUMER SAW SOMETHING HANGING FROM UNDER THE CAR, IT WAS SERPENTINE BELT. THEN, THERE WAS NO STEERING OR BRAKING.*AK