2003 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

(1) COUPLE MONTHS BACK, OUR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. HOWEVER, THE AIR WAS STILL COMING THROUGH AND THE SYSTEM WAS WORKING, ONLY THE COOLING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. (2) WE WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REPORT THE ISSUE. THEY SAID THAT THE COMPRESSOR STOPPED WORKING. BECAUSE OF THAT, THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM HALTED. (3) THEY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE COMPRESSOR FOR THE NORMAL PART CHARGE, PLUS LABOR. WE DECLINED THE OFFER AND LOOKED AT OTHER OPTIONS, SUCH AS FINDING OUT IF THE CAR HAD ANY SERVICE BULLETINS ON SUCH A PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR HADN'T EVEN EXCEEDED 50,000 MILES! LOOKING AROUND, I FOUND SERVICE BULLETIN #24-004-04, UNDER GROUP: HEATING & A/C, DATED JUNE 1, 2004. IT ADDRESSES THE COMPRESSOR MALFUNCTION DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. I AM PRETTY SURE THAT THIS CAUSED OUR FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE BULLETIN, ACCORDING TO THE MOSS BROS. DODGE IN SAN BERNARDINO, APPLIED TO ONLY 3.3L OR 3.8L. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD APPLY TO OUR 2003 DODGE CARAVAN SE FWD. MY WIFE AND I HAVE SUFFERED BREATHING PROBLEMS DUE TO THE HEAT DURING THIS PAST SUMMER (2007), ESPECIALLY BEING ENCLOSED IN A VEHICLE WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO A FAULTY CALIPER. THE DEALER WILL NOT RELEASE THE VEHICLE THE UNTIL IT IS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,634 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,628.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE HIS SPOUSE WAS DRIVING 70MPH, THE GEAR BOX LIT UP AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY MERGED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT. AFTER SHIFTING IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE DROVE FORWARD. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,365 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, 56,432 MILES, ORIGINAL OWNER THE FIRST TIME IT WOULDN'T START BACK UP AFTER HAVING IT OFF FOR 5 MINUTES. ONCE IT WAS TOWED IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP (ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, IN THE DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT). THE NEXT DAY AFTER DRIVING IT ABOUT 10 MILES TWO DIFFERENT TIMES AND HAVING IT ON/OFF NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEN HAVING IT PARKED FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES, I GOT IN AND STARTED IT NO PROBLEM. TWO BLOCKS LATER IT DIED COMPLETELY. AGAIN EVERYTHING WORKED INCLUDING THE A/C, RADIO AND LIGHTS WITH NO SURGE IN POWER. ABOUT 1/2 HOUR LATER WHEN THE TOW TRUCK SHOWED UP, IT STARTED WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. WEIRD THING IS THE LIGHTS, AC AND EVERYTHING ELSE WORK JUST FINE!! IT DOESN'T EVEN SEEM AS IF THERE IS A DRAIN ON THEM. WHEN I TURN THE IGNITION, IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING, NO CLICKS, NO "STARTING", NOTHING!!! ALSO BOTH TIMES IT WOULDN'T START/STALLED, IT WAS ON AN INCLINE. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN A DRIVE WAY WHERE THE FRONT WAS UP HIGHER AND THE SECOND TIME WAS GOING DOWN A HILL. AND WHEN IT WAS STARTED IT WAS ON A FLAT SURFACE. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE LAST NIGHT AND OF COURSE IT IS NOT HAPPENING THERE. THEY DID HOOK IT UP TO THE MACHINE SINCE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE SECOND NIGHT WHEN IT DIED, BUT THERE WERE NOT ANY MESSAGES THAT CAME OUT. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR 9 DAYS, YESTERDAY WAS THE FIRST DAY THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET IT TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY HAD ALREADY REPLACED TWO PARTS, INCLUDING THE FUSE BOX. THE 3RD PART THEY ARE CONSIDERING IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER, BUT SUPPOSEDLY WAS SENT OUT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THE 3RD PART IS THE MAIN COMPUTER. *JB

2003 DODGE CARAVAN BROKEN WHEEL STUDS/BOLTS CUSTOMER WANTS SOMEONE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ONGOING PROBLEM**NAR**CC THE CONSUMER STATED LAST JULY HE PURCHASED REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM COSTCO FOR HIS VEHICLE AND THEN HAD THE TIRES ROTATED IN DECEMBER FOR THE SAME VEHICLE. THEN THIS SPRING THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD THE FRONT BRAKE PADS REPLACED AND ONE WHEEL STUD, ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AGAIN AND THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC OF THE PREVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE STUDS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THEY COULD ONLY ROTATE 3 OF THE TIRES DUE TO THE FACT OF A POSSIBILITY THE STUDS WOULD BREAK AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE ROTATED THE REMAINING TIRE WHICH THE STUDS DID INFACT BREAK AND WERE REPLACED BY THE CONSUMER. THE CONSUMER STATED LAST MONTH CHRYSLER WAS REPLACING A WATER PUMP AND WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE STUDS WOULD HAVE TO REPLACED YET AGAIN WHEN THE MECHANICS WERE REMOVING THE STUDS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE 2 STUDS HOLDING THE WATER PUMP IN PLACE ALSO BROKE OFF WHILE WORKING ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WANTED THIS ISSUE INVESTIGATED. EITHER POOR QUALITY BOLTS WERE USED BY CHRYSLER OR COSTCO WAS CARELESS WHEN TIGHTENING THE BOLTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE NOISE BECOMES LOUDER WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED THE LINES ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP. HOWEVER, THE DEALER FAILED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 51,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE HEAD LIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS DIMMED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL AND POWER CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER MADE THE REPLACEMENT BUT, APPROXIMATELY TWO DAYS LATER, THE SAME FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER DID NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THERE WAS DEFECT INVESTIGATION # EA05009 FOR THE 2001-2002 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 52,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,422. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED REPAIR INVOICES. UPDATED 07/26/07 *TR

ON NOVEMBER 2, 2006 MY WIFE (7 MONTHS PREGNANT) WAS HIT HEAD ON BY ANOTHER SEDAN. SHE WAS DRIVING A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. I BELIEVE THAT AIR BAGS DEPLOYMENT AND VEHICLE DESIGN MAY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF SERIOUS BROKEN ARMS/WRIST AND FOOT. IN ADDITION TO WIFE'S INJURIES, THREE OTHER PASSENGERS ALSO SUFFERED BROKEN LIMBS AND SHOULDERS. *TR

TL* - THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT THE 2003 DODGE CARAVAN BRAKE SYSTEM WHICH WAS PURCHASED ON JULY 19, 2003. THE CONTACT EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BOLTS THAT HELD THE RIGHT BRAKE CALIPER OVER THE DRIVER'S SIDE ROTOR. THE CONTACT EXPLAINED THAT IN DECEMBER 2005 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PRECISION TUNE AUTO CARE AT 10515-B CENTRUM PARKWAY PINESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28134. THE VEHICLE HAD 31015 MILES. THE ROTORS BEGAN TO SMOKE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE PADS. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE ROTORS WERE OVERHEATED BECAUSE THE PADS WORE OUT PREMATURELY BECAUSE THE SQUEAKER NEVER ALERTED THE CONTACT OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT EXPLAINED THAT ON SEVEN MONTHS LATER ON AUGUST 2006 THE BRAKES WERE INSPECTED DUE TO SQUEAKING. ON THE 20 MARCH OF 2007 THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED VIBRATION COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND THEN TAKEN TO PRECISION TUNE. THEY CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A BOLT MISSING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT DRIVER SIDE CALIPER HOUSING. THE CONTACT WANTED TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE MAJOR BRAKE COMPANIES TO BETTER SECURE THESE BOLTS ON TO CALIPER HOUSING UNITS TO AVOID ANY OF THESE BOLTS FROM COMING OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUGGESTED SAFETY STANDARDS FOR BRAKES PADS, AND CALIPER INSTALLATION TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAPIR SHOP WOULD BE USING A LOCK TIGHT LIQUID ON THE MOUNTING BOLTS. UPDATED 04/12/07. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. THE ALUMINUM ON THE WHEELS DETERIORATED. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE DETERIORATION WAS CAUSED BY THE SALT ON THE ROAD. THE SALT FROM ROAD GOT IN BETWEEN THE COATING OVER THE ALUMINUM, WHICH CAUSED CORROSION TO THE ALUMINUM. THIS CAUSED THE TIRES TO CONSTANTLY GO FLAT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000. *AK