1997 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED DURING A STATE INSPECTION THE DEALERSHIP NOTICED CORROSION ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE STRUT TOWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT DEALER, WHICH DETERMINED THE STRUT TOWER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER IS AWAITING THE REPLACEMENT PART.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 15 MINUTES THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC TO DETERMINE WHERE THE FIRE STARTED OR THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE.

CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING 1997 CARAVAN CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY. *TS THE VEHICLE'S HORN FAILED DUE TO A FAULTY CLOCKSPRING. THE CONSUMER DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE'S CLOCKSPRING HAD BEEN RECALLED, RECALL NUMBER 02V293000 . THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTICE. *NM

TRANSMISSION FAILED, VERMONT, 2003. REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION @ 114,152 MILES - WILSON DODGE, VT - AT 134,826 MILES, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING - HAD NOTICED CLUNKING OCCASIONALLY IN REVERSE. COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER -IRA DODGE, MEDFORD MA RE: CLUNKING: WAS INFORMED THAT THE LEAKING OR TEAR DOWN FOR CLUNKING NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY - TO BE MY EXPENSE - SOUND NOT EASILY REPEATABLE - DEALER STATED $150 DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE. ARGUED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER SAYING THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS UNDER WARRANTY - HE WAS NOT SYMPATHETIC. CONVINCED HIM TO HAVE HIS MECHANIC TEST DRIVE THE VAN AFTER FIXING THE LEAK (WHICH HE INDEED DID - MILEAGE OUT WAS 134828) AUGUST 2005 - MILEAGE 148781 - LOUD BANG WHILE BACKING UP IN THE HOTEL PARKING GARAGE. CALLED MOPAR CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800-992-1997 - DATE 8/20/05 - TOLD THAT WARRANTY WAS GOOD IN CANADA BY REP; GIVEN THE NAME OF THE MONTREAL DEALERSHIP - DROVE TO DEALERSHIP 8/21/05 (WITHOUT INCIDENT); INFORMED WARRANTY NOT GOOD IN CANADA. SERVICE MANAGER DROVE THE CAR. UNABLE TO REPLICATE PROBLEM. DROVE HOME (WORCESTER, MA.) NO PROBLEMS. DROVE TO THE DODGE DEALER IN WORCESTER 8/23/05; TRANSMISSION PERSON WAS ON VACATION. TOLD THAT A DIAG WOULD BE $150, TEARDOWN MY EXPENSE. PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR AGAIN. 10/27 - ENTIRE TRANSMISSION LOCKED - MIDDLE OF BUSY PROSPECT STREET IN CAMBRIDGE. VAN WOULD NOT MOVE. TAKEN TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP, 900 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. IRA DODGE SAID COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT DISCOUNTING THE LABOR. THEY ASKED ME TO CONTACT MOPAR WARRANTY. CALLED MOPAR SERVICE 11/2/05, TOLD MY STORY, NO RECORD OF MY CALL ON 8/20/05. TRANSFERRED TO A "SENIOR STAFF AGENT" (EDDIE - EMPLOYEE #9EW) IN THE BUSINESS OFFICE - HE CALLED THE DEALER WHILE I WAS ON HOLD. WHEN HE CAME BACK TO THE LINE HE WAS NO LONGER FRIENDLY, SAYING I WAS BEYOND MY WARRANTY AND THAT DODGE WOULD NOT COVER ANYTHING. ARGUED WITH "EDDIE", ASKED FOR SUPERVISOR. EDDIE DECLINED. *JB

SERPENTINE BELT KEEPS COMING OFF AFTER HITTING A PUDDLE OR BODY OF WATER. THIS PROBLEM STARTED, AFTER HAVING WORK DONE TO MY 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. A AUTOMOTIVE SHOP REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SERPENTINE BELT DUE TO BEING DAMAGE (BROKEN). THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURN TO AUTOMOTIVE SHOP FIVE TIME, SINCE THE ORIGINAL SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACE, EACH INCIDENT MY DODGE CARAVAN HIT A PUDDLE OF WATER, JUST THE CORRECT WAY IN WHICH CAUSING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO COME OFF AFTER THE SERPENTINE BELT COME OFF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE BATTERY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN THE POWER STEERING LOCKS UP IN WHICH THE CAR IS OUT OF CONTROL. DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT KNOWS THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT CONFIGURATION, BUT CHOSEN NOT TO DUE THE RIGHT THING. *JB

1) DEFECT RESULT OF NORMAL USE, NO EXCEPTIONAL SITUATION JUST NORMAL EVERY DAY USE.RELATED TO TWO VEHICLES ONE 1996 CARAVAN, ANOTHER 1997 CARAVAN. 2) EXESIVE HAZE BUILDOFF ON HEADLIGHTS(PLASTIC LENS) I CAN CONTRIBUTE A LOSS OF PROPER DISTANCE ILUMINATION, FOR WITCH SEVERAL ATEMPTS OF DIFERENT METHODS WHERE TRIED TO CORRECT PROBLEM, RESULTING IN PEDESTRIAN STRUCT ACCIDENT ON DARK NIGHT,MY DRIVING RECORD HAD BEEN TICKET, ACCIDENT CLEAR FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. 3) SEVERAL POLISHING METHODS WHERE ATTEMPTED WITH DIFFERENT ADVERTISED PRODUCTS RESULTING IN SLIGHT TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENTS ALWAYS RESULTING IN LESSER TIME RECURRANCE OF PROBLEM, CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE ALL 4 WITH NEW PARTS DUE TO EXCESIVE COST $135.00 EACH, ANLY REPLACED ONE AFTER ACCIDENT AND YES HAVE PARTS IF NEED TO BE SUBMITTED. POINT IN CASE, MY WORK IS AND HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS RELATED TO PLASTICS, SPECIFICALLY INJECTION MOLDING, FOR WITCH I KNOW FIRST HAND THE CONSECUENCES FOR A POORLY DESIGN CHEMICAL CONTENT PLASTIC IN THIS CASE POLICARBONATES WITH INCORRECT UV ADITIVE CONTENT, WITCH IS THE CAUSE FOR NOT ONLY MY PARTICULAR BRAND OF VEHICLE,YEAR OR MODEL, THIS PROBLEM IS WITH ALL PLASTIC HEADLIGHT,SURE TGHEY SAVE WEIGTH, SURE ITS EASIER TO MANUFACTURE TO THE WEIRDEST SHAPES, SO MUCH SO THA KNOW A DAYS THE SEEM TO BE PART OF EITHER THE HOOD OR THE FENDERS, SO NOW THEIR BEING EXPOSED TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT FROM THE TOP CAUSING EVEN PREMATURER CONDITIONS, (THIS IS NOT A SCRATCHING RELATED ISSUE HERE THIS IS SUNLIGHT RELATED DAMAGE CAUSING REDUCED NIGHT DRIVING VISIBILITY REACH (SINCE WHEN A BODY PART IS SUBJECT TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. SINCE ASTM D 1003-92 DOES MENTION OTDOOR EXP. TEST-HAZE AND LOSS OF SURFACE LUSTER OF PLASTIC MATS, I FAILED TO LOCATE PROPER TIME LIMITS OF ACCEPTED FAILURE TO CONSIDER THEM TO BE, NON ACCEPTABLE. (GLASS DOES NOT CARRY THIS CONDITION), LIKE IT WAS MENTINED BEFORE, THIS IS NOT ONLY RELATED TO CHRYSLER THIS PROBLEM IS WITH ALL MAKES,BRANDS

DT: JUST BACK FROM A ROAD TRIP THE VEHICLE STARTED ACTING UP, IT WOULD KEEP SPEEDING LIKE IT WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS ON, HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND PHYSICALLY PUSH THE THROTTLE DOWN ,IT'S LIKE IT GETS STUCK. IT WOULD DO THAT AFTER TURNING ON THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND EVEN AFTER TURNING IT OFF, IT STILL WOULD RUN AWAY. IT WOULD ONLY DO THIS DURING TIME PERIODS OF USING THE CRUISE CONTROL. DURING THAT PARTICULAR TRIP. THIS WOULD HAPPEN REGARDLESS IF THE CRUISE WAS OFF OR ON. HAD TO BRAKE VERY HARD IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN TO PULL OFF. *AK CUSTOMER STATED THE THROTTLE STICKS WITH CRUISE WHEN ON AND AFTER IT HAS BEEN ON DOES NOT HAPPEN UNLESS CRUISE HAS BEEN ON SEEMS LIKE IT WANTS TO DRIVE AWAY. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED A VACUUM HOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 09/14/07. *JB

DT: CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. INSTRUMENT PANEL DID NOT WORK. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS DIGITAL. BUTTONS FOR AIR CONDITIONER AND REAR DEFROSTER FLASHED CONSTANTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO GARAGE, AND THEY RECOMMENDED DODGE DEALER. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON THEIR OWN. VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE TO BE ON RUNNING FOR WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO COME ON. THEY CAME ON ABOUT EVERY TWO WEEKS. ALSO, TRAVELING INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON. CONSUMER STOPPED LIGHTS FROM COMING ON BY PUTTING TAPE ON DOOR. CONSUMER BELIEVED THESE WERE DIFFERENT ISSUES. HE REPLACED FAN CONTROL MODULE LAST YEAR, AND THAT DID NOT HELP.*AK CONSUMER ADDED THAT POUNDING ON THE DASHBOARD MADE THE DASH LIGHT ILLUMINATE. *TT

1997 DODGE CARAVAN TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES.*MR WHEN THE TRANSMISSION PAN WAS REMOVED, THE MECHANIC FOUND METAL CONTAMINATION AND BROKEN PARTS. *JB

DT: AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON/THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH DIDN'T WORK, AND THE HORN MALFUNCTIONED. NOTICED THESE FAILURES ON JUNE 1, 2005. HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER. HAD CHECKED THE FUSES, THEY WERE STILL GOOD. *AK