1997 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

SPARE TIRE CARRIER CONTINUALLY BECAME LOOSE AND MADE A CLUNKING SOUND. DEALER NOTIFIED AND TIGHTENED IT. PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK *ML

I FEEL THIS VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON SOME OF THE PROBLEMS IT HAS. THEY ARE DEFENITELY A MAJOR FACTOR IN SAFETY. I HOPE THESE PROBLEMS ARE FIXED IN THE NEWER MODLES BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE PURCHASE MINI-VANS FOR THEIR FAMILY OR COMPANY VEHICLE. THEREFORE, THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE I FEEL COULD PROBABLY FALL UNDER THE LEMON LAW. OR, MANUFACTORS ARE JUST MAKING A BIG PROFIT AND ARE NOT CONSIDERING THE SAFETY OF THEIR DRIVERS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM PUT THEIR FAMILY IN A VEHICLE WITH THE PROBLEMS MINE HAS AND QUARANTEE THEIR SAFETY.*AK

I CONTACTED DODGE AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT A COMMON PROBLEM, HOWEVER SINCE MY TRANSMISSION FAILED, I HAVE HEARD FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT DODGE HAS THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR MINIVANS BETWEEN 75,000 AND 85,000 MILES. I EVEN SPOKE TO A MECHANIC AT A DODGE DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THAT IT IS FAIRLY COMMON.

COOLING FAN MODULE WAS BAD, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

VEHICLE WELL MAINTAINED, WAS REPORTED TODAY TO NEED MAJOR TRANSMISSION SEALS AND GASKETS REPLACED DUE TO LEAKS AND STRESS CRACKS. WITH ONLY 44,300 THIS REPAIR BILL WILL COST AROUND $700.SEEMS DODGE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS BECAUSE OF THE 5 OTHER ISSUES 5 OF OUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES HAD WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. DO YOU HAVE OTHERS WHO HAVE CONTACTED YOU WITH SIMULAR PROBLEMS? *AK

VEHICLE WILL TOP OUT AT 30 MPH AND NOT ACCEL AND CONTINUE WITH LITTLE POWER UNTIL VEHICLE "WARMS UP". CHRYSLER CONTACTED BUT LITTLE HELP. TRIED TO GET PROBLEM DIAGNOSED BY DEALERSHIP AND TOLD ME AT LEAST $200 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. HAVE BEEN TOLD BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM WITH TORQUE CONVERTER SHAVING OFF METAL AND DISTRIBUTING IT THROUGHOUT ENGINE CLOGGING ENGINE AND CAUSING PROBLEM.

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR REPAIR ON 3/6/00-DEALER COULD NOT EVEN DIAGNOSIS PROBLEM FOR 5 DAYS. FINALLY TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. DID REPAIRS WHICH TOOK A TOTAL OF 8 DAYS AND CHARGED ME ALMOST $2300.00. I REAS IN CONSUMER REPORT RE: THE DODGE CARAVAN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION GOING OUT WAY BEFORE ITS TIME, AND THAT THE 97 CARAVANS MAY HAVE DEFECTIVE TRANIS-SO I FOLLOWED UP WITH A CALL TO THE MAIN OFFICE AND SPOKE TO SOMEONE NAMED COLEEN PHELPS TODAY AT 800-992-1997 AND SHE SAID SHE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THAT, AND THESE SORT OF OUT OF WARRANTY ISSUES ARE DEALT WITH ON A INDIVIDUAL BASIS- SHE PUT ME ON HOLD FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND CAME BACK AND SAID THAT-SINCE MY VEHICLE IS WAY OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME WITH ANY OF THE COST THAT I HAD TO ENDURE. I EXPLAINED THAT IT IS STILL NOT EVEN 100%-IT STILL DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AND I HAD TO PAY FOR 8 DAYS OF A RENTAL CAR LAST TIME IT WAS IN-DO YOU GUYS COMPENSATE WITH A VEHICLE WHILE RE-LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM-SHE SAID THAT IT IS DOUBTFUL. BUT I CAN ASK THE DEALER-IN OTHER WORDS THEY ARE NOT BIG ON KEEPING CUSTOMERS. MY COMPANY PURCHASED 4 1997 DODGE CARAVANS AND ALL OF THEM HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION JOBS AT LEAST ONCE-SOME TWICE-WE WILL NO LONGER PURCHASE ANY MORE DOGE VEHICLES FOR THIS COMPANY. *AK

ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT CAME ON, INDICATING THAT A DOOR IS OPEN. THE PASSENGER'S DOOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE HAD NEARLY COME OPEN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CAME HOME FROM A LONG TRIP, PULLED UP IN THE DRIVEWAY, PUT GEAR IN REVERSE AND IT MADE A LOUD BANG NOISE. KEPT FOOT ON GAS PEDAL, AND TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T SHIFT. TRIED IT IN DRIVE AND SAME THING HAPPENED. CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME. MANUFACTURER WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR PARTS ONLY. *AK

FIRST IN JULY THE MASTER CYLINDERS ON OUR BACK BRAKES WERE SHREDDED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS DRIVING ON A BRIDGE WITH A CAR FULL TO TEEN AGE GIRLS. IN DECEMBER, I NOTICED A HESITATION AND SEEMINGLY "JUMPING INTO GEAR" ESPECIALLY IN REVERSE. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND ALTHOUGH WAS 2 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY DECLINED TO PAY FOR IT. THE JOB WAS TO COST ABOUT $1500. IN FEB, WE BROUGHT THE VAN TO A INDEPENDENT SERVICE PROVIDER, AND AS HE WAS LOOKING AT THE ENGINE, HE SAW THE BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WE DID CONTACT CHRYSLER AND WERE TOLD TO BRING IT TO A DEALERSHIP IN OUR AREA. TODAY, WE DID FIND OUT THAT THEY WOULD COVER THE HEAD GASKET BUT NOT THE TRANSMISSION. THERE ARE VOLUMES OF INTERNET SITES THAT SITE SPECIFIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 90-98 CARAVANS. THESE STORIES COULD BE RUBBER STAMPED. DURING THIS TIME, I FOUND ABOUT 15 PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING OR HAD TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS IN THEIR VANS. SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE CHRYSLER RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PRODUCTS. PLEASE HELP. *AK