2005 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

CLUNKING NOISE OVER BUMPS. DEALER REPORTS BAD SWAY ARM BUSHINGS, VEHICLE HAS 36 MONTH 36000 MILES BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. I AM 7 WEEKS OUT OF WARRANTY AND HAVE 30,900 MILES AND DEALER AND DODGE REFUSE TO COVER .157.08 OUT OF MY POCKET IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

MY WIFE, 2 YOUNG SONS, AND I WENT OUT TO SPEND THE AFTERNOON RUNNING ERRANDS. WHEN WE LEFT OUR HOME, THE DOOR LOCKS WORKED WITH THE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM AS WELL AS WITH THE SWITCHES INSIDE THE CAR. AFTER MAKING OUR SECOND STOP OF THE AFTERNOON, MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE DOOR LOCKS WERE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. THEY FAILED TO WORK VIA KEY CHAIN, SWITCH, OR SPEEDOMETER OVERRIDE (WHEN CAR REACHES 20 MPH). COMPOUNDING THE ISSUE, THE CARAVAN ONLY HAS ONE OUTSIDE DOOR LOCK, WHICH MEANS THE CAR CAN ONLY BE MANUALLY UNLOCKED AT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE REMAINING DOORS MUST BE UNLOCKED FROM THE INSIDE. THIS MEANS THAT SOMEONE MUST CLIMB THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE'S INTERIOR TO LET OTHER PASSENGERS IN. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I HAVE 2 SMALL BOYS AND IT IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING, NOT TO MENTION DANGEROUS, TO HAVE TO LEAVE THEM STANDING BESIDE THE CAR WHILE MY WIFE OR I CLIMB ABOUT THE INTERIOR TO UNLOCK THE PASSENGER DOORS SO AS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THEIR CAR SEATS. OVER THE LAST YEAR, I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM ADDRESSED ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE LONGEST THIS PROBLEM HAS REMAINED RESOLVED IS THIRTEEN MONTHS. EACH TIME THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. TODAY WILL BE THE SIXTH OCCASION I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY DOOR LOCKS. *JB

ON MAY 24, 2006,I GOT A FLAT TIRE. I REMOVED THE SPARE TIRE TO PUT ON THE VAN. THEN I WOUND THE PART THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIME BACK UP. AFTER REPLACING THE TIRE, I WANTED TO PUT THE SPARE BACK UNDERNEATH. THE BOTTOM PIECE WOULD NOT RELEASE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY FIXED. THEY DID NOT SAY HOW IT WAS FIXED. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE FINE. THEN THIS WEEK, I GOT ANOTHER FLAT TIRE. I AGAIN REMOVED THE SPARE AND PUT IT ON THE VAN. I WOUND THE PART THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE. AFTER REPLACING THE TIRE, I WANTED TO PUT THE TIRE BACK UNDERNEATH. AGAIN, THE PART THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE WILL NOT RELEASE AND I HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET REPAIRED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A ROARING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END. HOWEVER, THE NOISE CEASED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REAR WHEEL AXLE ASSEMBLIES WERE DRY AND FAILED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER, THE ROARING NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. THE AXLE ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED A SECOND TIME AND THE NOISE WAS NO LONGER HEARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000. *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE LEFT REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED BECAUSE IT WAS DRY AND HAD NO GREASE. THE RIGHT SIDE WAS ALSO REPLACED AND THE ROAR NOISE HAS SINCE DISAPPEARED.

INCIDENT #3 THIS IS THE THIRD TIME MY CAR INSTRUMENT PANEL DID THIS UNDER 25,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND I CAN SEE THAT I AM ACTUALLY MOVING BUT NONE OF MY INSTRUMENTS ARE. NONE OF THEM MOVE ALL THE WHILE THE CAR DOOR AJAR LIGHTS ARE ON SO AFTER CHECKING THE DOORS 3-4 TIMES I JUST DROVE ON AS THEY WERE CLEARLY CLOSED . FUELED UP THE CAR AND RESTARTED. INSTRUMENTS ALL A GO .SOMETIMES IT TAKES OVERNIGHT BEFORE THE PANEL WORKS AGAIN. AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR 6 MONTHS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS POPPING ON AND OFF . HOW WILL I KNOW IF THE VAN IS REALLY IS DANGER OF BREAKING DOWN , OR PERHAPS RUNNING OUT OF GAS AS THIS VAN HAS CRIED WOLF TOO MANY TIMES .I WILL NEVER KNOW IF A PROBLEM REALLY EXIST . I CONSIDER THIS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE . I HAVE RECEIVED AN AIRBAG RECALL, SO THAT'S ONE DOWN BUT WHEN WILL THEY RECALL THE WHOLE INSTRUMENT PANEL IT IS EITHER SHUTTING COMPLETELY DOWN OR POPPING UP CHECK ENGINE LIGHT . I HAVE TAKEN THIS CAR IN FOR THIS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SEVERAL TIMES. THEY JUST SAY " MAYBE YOU DIDN'T PUT THE LID ON THE GAS TANK RIGHT" . SO AT ONE TIME THAT LID WAS REPLACED. I AM NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANY LONGER BUT I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH 4 KIDS AND NOT KNOWING HOW FAST IAM GOING OR IF I AM RUNNING OUT OF GAS. LIKE I SAID BEFORE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL JUST NOT WORKING AT ALL IS A MAJOR DEFECT . IAM NOT SURE BUT I THINK THE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT. PLANNING TO TRADE IF ACTION IS NOT TAKEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I PAY FOR A RELIABLE CAR AND THAT'S NOT WHAT IAM GETTING . I HOPE THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE SO THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL BE RECALLED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM GOES OUT A LEAVES THE VAN WITH NO POWER. AFTER NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE OFF THE ROAD AND 5 ATTEMPTS TO START THE VAN IT STARTED. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE AND THE DEALER CAN NEVER FIND ANY THING WRONG. OTHER INCIDENTS HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.NET/FORUM/AUTOS/DODGE-CARAVAN/ *TR

I WAS TURNING LEFT ONTO A MAIN HIGHWAY AND I HEARD A CLICKING NOISE, A LOUD THUD AND SCRAPING NOISE ONTO THE ASPHALT. I COULD NOT MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. I COULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY OTHER CARS THAT ARE USUALLY TRAVELING ABOUT 60 MPH ON HIGHWAY 211 IN BARROW COUNTY. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. I WAS ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY WITH A GULLEY ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE AND HEAVY 5:00 TRAFFIC ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. DUE TO THE INABILITY TO MANEUVER THIS VEHICLE, THE TAIL END WAS BARELY OFF THE HIGHWAY. PEOPLE WOULD HONK AT ME AS THEY SPED BY. I HAD MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE 2ND ROW SEAT, AND HAD TO GET OUT OF THE VAN, MAKING SURE I WOULD NOT BE STRUCK BY SPEEDING CARS, AND DETERMINE WHICH WAY TO GET HER OUT SAFELY. I TOOK HER OUT THE BACK OF THE VAN VERY CAREFULLY. THIS ENTAILED HER HAVING TO CLIMB OVER THE 3RD ROW SEATING. IF THE VAN WOULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK, IT WOULD HAVE ROLLED DOWN THE EMBANKMENT. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER STATED THIS WAS THE 4TH CARAVAN HE HAD TOWED THAT DAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP IS REPAIRING AT A COST OF $500.00 TO ME PLUS TOWING OF $50.00. I CALLED DODGE AS THIS IS THE 2ND DEFECT WITHIN 4 MONTHS OF OWNING THIS VAN. THEY TOOK THE REPORT AND THAT WAS IT. THEY DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR EITHER REPAIR. THE FIRST WAS IN APRIL, THE ENTIRE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, COSTING $900 AND THREE WEEKS TO REPAIR IT. AKINS FORD IN WINDER DID BOTH REPAIRS. *JB

DEFECTIVE SWAY BAR AT 28,000 MILES-DEALERSHIP STATED IT IS NORMAL WITH THIS YEAR OF CARAVANS & THAT I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE REPLACED LIGHTS WOULD NOT SHUT OFF OR TURN ON WITH MANUAL OPERATION - WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF FOR A LONG TIME THE LIGHTS TURN ON FOR NO REASON AT ALL. WE HAVE REPLACED THE LIGHTBULBS ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FUSE KEEPS ON BLOWING IN ENGINE AT 32,000 MILES, 34,000 MILES AND 39,050 MILES. ELECTRONIC WINDOWS, DOOR LOCKS, AUTOMATIC SIDE DOOR NO LONGER OPERATE AT 41,000 MILES. EXCESSIVE CORROSION AROUND BATTERY EVERY 4,000 MILES PAID TO HAVE CLEANED 5 TIMES AND THEY SAY MY BATTERY IS FINE OTHER THAN THE CORROSION BUILD UP. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 DODGE CARAVAN. THE LOCKS, INCLUDING THE CHILD SAFETY LOCKS HAVE QUIT WORKING. I MUST MANUALLY LOCK MY DOORS INCLUDING BOTH SLIDING DOORS. MY CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO UNLOCK THESE SLIDING DOORS AND OPEN THEM WHILE TRAVELING. BECAUSE THIS POSES A HUGE DANGER FOR THE SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN, I FEEL THAT DODGE SHOULD RECTIFY THIS DEFECT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT LENSES DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHT WAS NOT ATTACHED WITH SCREWS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74,000.