2002 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

I HAVE A 2002 GRAND CARAVAN. THERE IS A LOUD WHINING SOUND FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. I HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM FROM THE TIME IT WAS PURCHASED. ORIGINALLY THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE MY COMPLAINT. AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED I WAS TOLD THERE WAS AN INTERNAL LEAK IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE RACK, PUMP AND LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS DONE AND THE NOISE IS STILL THERE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE CARAVAN. IN 2007, THE CONTACT BROADSIDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND NEITHER FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, BUT THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED $3,800 WORTH OF DAMAGE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLICKERED AND THEN REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS A RECALL FROM 1998 TO 2000 REGARDING THE CLOCK SPRING. THE SPEED AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

DRIVING ON A BOULEVARD THOROUGHFARE IN A SNOWSTORM, I LEANED BACK SLIGHTLY ON THE SEATBACK TO SHIFT MY WEIGHT SO I COULD SEE BETTER. I HEARD A LOUD SOUND SIMILAR TO A BULLET BEING FIRED, AND THE SEATBACK IMMEDIATELY FELL BACKWARD TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION. I WAS NOW ON MY BACK, UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD OR OTHER REFERENCES THROUGH ANY WINDOW. I PULLED MYSELF UP USING THE STEERING WHEEL AND REGAINED CONTROL OF THE CAR. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURY. I PHONED THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER AND REPORTED WHAT TOOK PLACE. THEY ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER AND TOLD ME TO HAVE MY DEALER MAKE A DIAGNOSIS AND CALL THEM. THEY PHONED ME BACK THE SAME DAY SAYING THE MANUFACTURER WILL PAY TO HAVE THE SEAT REPAIRED IF I AGREED TO A $200. CO-PAY. I AGREED AND THE DEALER REPAIRED THE SEAT RECLINER, STATING ON THEIR PAPERWORK "THERE WAS A NUT ON THE SEAT FRAME THAT BROKE/SNAPPED OFF OF ROD." I ASKED FOR THE BROKEN PARTS, BUT THE DEALER SAID THE MANUFACTURER REQUESTED THEY BE SENT TO THEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE CARAVAN. THE POWER STEERING FLUID BEGINS LEAKING AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT IT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,014 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,995.

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO A SPEED OF 45-50 MPH WITHOUT MY HAVING PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR. THE RMP GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING WILDLY AND THE ENGINE EMITTED A LOUD "REVVING" SOUND. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKES WHICH REDUCED THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE TO ONLY APPROX. 25-35 MPH. IN ORDER TO BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP, I HAD TO "STAND" ON THE BRAKES (PRESSING EXTREMELY HARD). AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE STALLED. WHEN MY MECHANIC TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, HE, TOO, INDICATED WHAT DIFFICULTY HE HAD "CONTROLLING" THE CAR AND WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS ULTIMATELY TAKEN TO D'AMBROSIO DODGE IN DOWNINGTOWN, PA FOR REPAIR. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM, INDICATING TO ME I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED WITH MY VEHICLE. DODGE SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE 2002 CARAVAN SPORT TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE ELSE IS PUT IN DANGER. *TR

I HAVE HAD 2 RECALLS TAKEN CARE OF HOWEVER THE STEERING IN MY 2002 CARAVAN STILL CONTINUES TO LOCK UP WHEN MAKING TURNS. THIS HAS CAUSED ME TO ALMOST HAVE MORE THAN ONE COLLISION BECAUSE THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC AND TURNING. I AM A BUSY MOTHER WITH FOUR CHILDREN WHO DEPEND ON ME FOR THEIR SAFETY. TODAY MY SON WHO IS IN COLLEGE BORROWED MY VAN TO GO TO SCHOOL AND ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS WHY I AM DOING RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM. IF YOU FORCE THE STEERING IT WILL FINALLY BREAK AWAY AND CONTINUE TO STEER HOWEVER YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN TO EXPECT IT TO BE DEFECTIVE. I THOUGHT WHEN I TOOK CARE OF THE RECALLS THAT THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM HOWEVER, WE STILL HAVE TO BATTLE WITH THIS PROBLEM ON A REGULAR BASIS. MOST OF THE TIME IT HAPPENS WHEN THE WEATHER TURNS COLDER. I HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED OF ANY NEW RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. WE KEEP A REGULAR CHECK ON THE FLUIDS SO I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE PROBLEM. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOMETHING BEING RESOLVED BEFORE ONE OF MY CHILDREN OR MYSELF END UP DECEASED. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 59,000 MILES- WILL COST ME AT LEAST $2650 WHEN I PICK IT UP THURSDAY, 10/25/07. WHAT CHOICE DO I HAVE, I HAVE TO GET TO WORK. I BOUGHT IT NEW AND IT WILL BE PAID OFF NEXT OCTOBER, 2008. I'VE HAD THAT VAN TO THE TWO DODGE DEALERS AND AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL MECHANICS. I'VE PAID FOR EMISSIONS REPAIRS, 3 SETS OF TIRES. I HAD THE "CARAVAN" LETTERS REPLACED AND THEY ARE NOW ETCHED OUT AGAIN, I'VE BEEN DRIVING IT AND IT QUIT BEFORE, BUT TODAY'S INCIDENT, WAS JUST A NEAR MISS I WASN'T CRUSHED BETWEEN A SCHOOL BUS AND A TRACTOR TRAILER. THE VAN JUST WOULDN'T GO. I WAS JUST SICK ALL DAY-SCARED AND ACTUALLY LEFT WORK EARLY. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2002 DODGE CARAVAN IN DECEMBER 2006. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I TWICE HAD TO BRING IT IN TO GET IT FIXED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THEN THAT THE TENSIONER WAS LOOSE. THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON SEVERAL MONTHS LATER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. IS THIS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT? *JB

THE REAR SEAT BELTS IN OUR 2002 DODGE CARAVAN HAVE STOPPED FUNCTIONING AGAIN. THEY WERE REPLACED IN FEBRUARY 2003, JANUARY 2007 AND ARE GOING IN TO BE REPLACE AGAIN TODAY JULY 2007. THEY DO NOT ENGAGE WHEN PULLED AND THEY DO NOT RETRACT AFTER USE. *TR

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AS SOON AS WEATHER TEMPERATURE EXCEEDS 20 CENTIGRADE. . DID THIS IN 2006 AND HAS DONE AGAIN IN MAY 2007. LOCAL DEALER SAID IT WAS A POSSIBLE SENSOR PROBLEM IN FRONT BUMPER AREA. HAD DONE NOTHING AS PROBLEM DISAPPEARED WHEN TEMPERATURE FELL TO BELOW 20 CENTIGRADE. *AK