1997 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

HEADLIGHT HOUSING ON 1997 DODGE SE GRAND CARAVAN. THE PLASTIC LENS OF THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING IN WHICH THE HEADLIGHT BULB IS ENCASED HAS DISCOLORED, THEREBY, OBSCURING THE LIGHT GENERATED BY THE HEADLIGHT BULB. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT HEADLIGHT HOUSINGS. I HAVE SURVEYED OTHER MINIVANS OF THE SAME VINTAGE AND NOTICED THEY TOO WERE DISCOLORED. IT CONCERNED ME SO MUCH THAT I PURCHASED TWO NEW HEADLIGHT HOUSINGS FROM OFF THE INTERNET (NOT MOPAR). THERE IS PROBABLY A SAFETY FACTOR WITH THIS DEFECT.*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WHEELS LOCKED UP DUE TO A DIFFERENTIAL PIN WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILS ON A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, BUT NOT A SERVICE DEALER TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED WORKING EVERY TIME THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE OPERATED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP HOWEVER THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

HAVE OWNED A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN (BOUGHT AS NEW) FOR 108,000 MILES. RECENTLY WE'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH OUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS. FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE HAD THE PROBLEM OF THE "GHOST WIPERS" WHERE THEY WOULD COME ON ON THEIR OWN. BUT IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN VERY RARELY. NOW, WE HAVE A PROBLEM WHERE THE SWITCH DOES NOT REGULATE THE SPEED OF THE WIPERS. THE INTERMITTENT PART DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. WE RECENTLY HAD IT TAKEN TO A GOODYEAR DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BODY CONTROL MODULE GOING BAD. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE FIX. HAVE NOTICED A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT (#10154526) AND ALSO SEVERAL COMPLAINTS POSTED ON CARSPACE AUTOMOTIVE FORUMS. SOME SAY THE BCM IS THE PROBLEM AND OTHERS SAY IT ISN'T. *NM

SUMMARY: CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE ON NATIONAL BACKLOG: WIDES-SPREAD OCCURRENCE OF THIS DEFECT INDICATES THE NEED FOR RECALL ON THESE PARTS. DETAILS: OUR DODGE CARAVAN IS IN NEED OF NEW CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, HOWEVER THERE IS A NATIONAL BACKLOG FOR THESE PARTS AND THEY WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR 4-8 WEEKS OR LONGER. WE BELIEVE A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT IS A NEEDED AND FAIR WAY TO HANDLE THIS, AS THIS DEFECT IS OBVIOUSLY SO WIDE-SPREAD AS TO BE UNMANAGEABLE UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. WE HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER DIRECTLY AND THEY HAVE INFORMED US THAT THEY WILL NOT TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION. VIN: VB482644, MILEAGE: 82,000. *NM

1997 CARAVAN DASH GAUGES DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, ENGINE DIED. *TS ***NAR*** THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *NM

1997 DODGE CARAVAN 3.3 LITER V6 WITH 93000 MILES. STARTED VEHICLE AND THE STARTER MECHANISM LOCKED ONTO THE FLYWHEEL OR FAILED TO DISENGAGE, MAKING A SCREECHING NOISE. TURNED IGNITION OFF AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN BUT STARTER KEPT CYCLING ENGINE. REMOVED KEYS FROM IGNITION AND VAN WAS STILL ATTEMPTING START BY TURNING THE ENGINE OVER AND OVER. STRONG SMELL OF BURNING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AS THE STARTER CONTINUED TO CYCLE ENGINE, UNABATED, WITH KEYS OUT OF IGNITION. HOOD WAS POPPED AND BATTERY CABLES WERE DISCONNECTED SHUTTING THE STARTER OFF. THE STARTER CRANKED THE ENGINE, NONSTOP, WITHOUT KEYS IN IGNITION, FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. UPON IMMEDIATE INSPECTION OF THE STARTER IT WAS FOUND TO BE RED HOT. THE CABLES/WIRES COMING OUT OF THE STARTER WERE RED HOT AND SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC FILLED THE AIR. THE STARTER WAS REMOVED AND FOUND TO BE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ( WITH CHRYSLER CORPORATION LOGO INTACT). THE STARTER WAS FOUND TO BE LOCKED IN THE EXTENDED POSITION AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. A NEW STARTER WAS PURCHASED AND INSTALLED DUE TO THE ORIGINAL BEING INOPERABLE. OLD STARTER WAS TURNED IN TO PEP BOYS IN RAYNHAM, MA FOR CORE REFUND. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IF THE BATTERY WAS NOT DISCONNECTED, THE STARTER WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO START THE ENGINE UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY(STARTER)OVERHEATED ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE WIRES AND START AN ENGINE FIRE. *JB

HEADLIGHTS ON 1997 DODGE CARAVAN HAVE BECOME CLOUDED AND ARE NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. *JB

PURCHASED DODGE CARAVAN NEW. AT 40,000 MILES, WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN RANDOM WIPING ACTION UNRELATED TO TIME OR WEATHER CONDITIONS. THEY WOULD TURN ON, WIPE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES AND TURN OFF. AT 104,000 MILES, WITHOUT WARNING, WIPERS REFUSED TO RESPOND TO SWITCH EXCEPT FOR "WASH AND WIPE" CYCLE. VEHICLE COULD NOT BE INSPECTED AS WIPERS COULD NOT BE TURNED ON FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER. THREE TRIPS TO THE DEALER RESULTED IN A "BODY CONTROL MODULE" BEING REPLACED FOR A COST OF $741.00 IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM WORK. IF THEY HAD STOPPED DURING A BLIZZARD, IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD. (PLEASE NOTE, DATES ARE FROM MEMORY AND COULD BE SLIGHTLY OFF). *NM

DRIVER SIDE STRUT TOWER IN BOTH OF MY CHRYSLER MINIVANS 97 CARAVAN & 96 TC ARE RUSTING EXCESSIVELY. MY 97 CARAVAN LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BREAK THROUGH SOON. MY MECHANIC CLAIMS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MANY CHRYSLER MINIVAN'S. THE REPAIRS COST MORE THAN THE VAN IS WORTH. *JB