1999 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

1999 DODGE CARAVAN WITH APPROX 195,000 MILES. PLASTIC FUEL LINE ATTACHED TO GAS TANK EXPERIENCED SPONTANEOUS RUPTURE AND SPEWED GASOLINE ONTO MUFFLER. I NOTED A TRAIL OF LIQUID COMING FROM VEHICLE WHEN BACKED OUT OF DRIVE. STOPPED AND LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE TO SEE GASOLINE POURING OUT AND ONTO HOT MUFFLER. CAR TURNED OFF IN MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND EMERGENCY EXITED VEHICLE TO BEGIN REMOVING CONTENTS IN FEAR OF EXPLOSION. DODGE REPORTS NO RECALL AND TO REPLACE FUEL LINE ENTIRE GAS TANK NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $530 FOR JUST THE PART. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT IF I HAD NOT NOTED THE LIQUID TRAILS BEFORE THE MUFFLER HEATED UP MORE. WHEN MOVING THE CAR OUT OF THE STREET, THE DRIVER DOOR WAS DAMAGED AS THE ENGINE WAS OFF AND CONTROL WAS DIFFICULT. *TR

1. VEHICLE: 1999 DODGE CARAVAN SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPAGE WHEN ROAD IS WET. 2. THE BELT SLIPS OFF THE PULLEYS, STEERING POWER IS LOST AND I GET STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY STREETS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! (I WONDER IF I WOULD HAVE MADE IT OUT ALIVE IF I WAS DRIVING ON I-95!) ON THE INTERNET THERE ARE 100S - IF NOT 1000S - OF STORIES/COMPLAINTS: WIVES STRANDED IN THE SNOW WITH CHILDREN, ELDERLY PEOPLE STUCK IN A STREET IN A RAINY NIGHT, AND CARAVAN /VOYAGER OWNERS CHANGING BELT AND PULLEYS 2 OR 3 TIMES, WITHOUT THE PROBLEM BEING CORRECTED. IT SEEMS THAT THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS WILLINGLY IGNORED THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1996! I AM READING OF MISALIGNED PULLEYS AND MOTOR MOUNDS. THIS ISSUE NEEDS A RESOLVE AND A RECALL! AND.... THERE IS A FIX!!! PLEASE CHECK GATES PART #38379K AND GOODYEAR PART #49215K. SO, THERE IS A PROBLEM WHICH IS TOTALLY IGNORED BY CHRYSLER IN A FINAL NOTE, I AM GOING TO BUY "THE FIX" IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE MY VEHICLE WITH NO FEAR OF GETTING STRANDED SOMEWHERE IN A RAINY DAY OR NIGHT. I BELIEVE THAT CHRYSLER CORPORATION SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF PARTS - NOT MY FAULT- THEIR SCREW UP! AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I CALLED CHRYSLER CORPORATION TO FIND OUT IF THEY WOULD REIMBURSE ME. I CALLED THE WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE AND MY CALLED WAS ROUTED TO A CALL CENTER IN INDIA (!). I ASKED TO BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUPERVISOR AT THE CORPORATE OFFICE IN THE US, WHICH I WAS. I SPOKE TO A SUPERVISOR, WHO TOLD ME "I AM SORRY. YOUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND CHRYSLER CORPORATION WILL NOT RE-IMBURSE YOU FOR ANY REPAIRS PERTAINING TO THIS PROBLEM." I WENT OUT TODAY WITH MY HUSBAND'S FORD AEROSTAR, TO CHECK THE ROADS AFTER TROPICAL STORM FAY (WON'T DARE TAKE MY CARAVAN) AND THERE WERE DOZENS OF CARAVAN LIKE MINI VANS STRANDED IN THE STREETS OF OUR CITY. SUPPOSE WE HAD EVACUATION ORDERS FOR FLOODING OR A HURRICANE EMERGENCY..... PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! *TR

SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHILE DRIVING ON WET ROADS. I REPLACE PULLEYS BELTS SEVERAL TIMES THIS HAS HAPPEN SINCE THE VAN RAN OUT OF WARRANTY. FINALLY I TOOK TO CHRYSLER AND THEY PUT DOUBLE PULLEYS ON AN A DOUBLE SIDE BELT COST WAS AROUND $300.00. CHRYSLER KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENS IN WINTER TIME ALSO. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL RAIL PREVIOUSLY LEAKED ON THE VEHICLE. ON DECEMBER 26, 2002, THE FUEL RAIL WAS REPLACED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V268000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT WOULD CONSTANTLY SMELL GASOLINE FUMES INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. HE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED GASOLINE LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE. CHRYSLER INITIALLY STATED THAT THERE WAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. THEY LATER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

BELT COMES OFF IN WET WEATHER. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. HAVE REPLACED TENSIONER 4 TIMES. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING IN WET WEATHER CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *TR

CORRODED STRUT TOWER ON DRIVER'S SIDE 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR 1998-1999 MODEL YEARS. BULLETIN 23-044-02 DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM AS "COSMETIC." MECHANIC SAYS REPAIR (USING CHRYSLER REPAIR KIT) SHOULD RUN $350-450 USD. IF CHRYSLER IS AND HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS "SAFETY RELATED" ISSUE FOR SO LONG, WHY ARE THEY NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM FOR THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF PULLEY. OCCURRED FOUR (4) TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. TWICE DURING WINTRY CONDITIONS OF LESS THAN THREE (3) INCHES OF SNOW AND TWICE DURING NORMAL RAINFALL. MOST RECENT OCCURRED JUNE 29, 2008. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. ON APRIL 24, 2008, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL ILLUMINATED, AND THE TEMPERATURE OF THE VEHICLE INCREASED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO COOL. HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE HOME. THE DEALER INSTRUCTED HIM TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN TO BE DIAGNOSED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN DRIVING CONDITION AND NO LONGER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE HIMSELF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,929. UPDATED 07/07/08.*LJ THE FAN RELAY SWITCH WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS. THE HEADLIGHT HAD CONDENSATION ON THEINSIDE. UPDATED

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT EVALUATED THE ENGINE AND NOTICED THAT THE OIL WAS LOW; HOWEVER, THE LOW OIL INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE AND HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.