1994 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

AFTER REPLACING BRAKES DROVE OUT OF DRIVEWAY, AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT COULD CAUSE BRAKES NOT TO OPERATE. *AK

THE METAL FATIGUE OF THIS PART IS SUSPECT SINCE WE HAVE HAD NO ACCIDENTS OR COLLISIONS. FAILURE OF THIS PART PREVENTS THE SEATBELT FROM WORKING PROPERLY AND COULD ACTUALLY CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS PART REPAIRED SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2001. WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS PART NUMBER HAD CHANGED 17 TIMES AND WAS ON BACK ORDER. FINALLY, AFTER HAVING TO RETURN TO THE DEALER TO RE-REPAIR THE AIRCONDITIONER, WE CALLED THE CHRYSERLER MANUFACTURER TO SEE HOW WE COULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY INFORMED US THAT THE PART HAD NEVER BEEN ORDERED. NOW THE COST OF THE PART HAS INCREASED FROM $25.00 TO $143.00. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND WE HAVE FOUND NO RECOURSE FOR A SOLUTION. PLEASE ADVISE US OF STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN TO BRING THIS PROBLEM TO THE ATTENTION OF OTHER DODGE CARAVAN OWNERS. *AK

WHEN PURCHASING VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY OF 2001 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD JUST BEEN REBUILT. TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE ON FEB 10TH, AND WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INCLINE AT APPROXMIMATELY 45 MPH ON MAY 28TH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

I LOST CONTROL OF THE VAN TRYING TO STOP INSTEAD OF HITTING THE TRUCK I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE THE BRAKES LOCKED AND THE GAS PEDAL SPED UP DODGE SAID ITS NOT THERE FAULT PLEASE CHECK IT OUT AND SEE IF THE VAN WAS TO BLAME ALSO THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT WORK BECAUSE I HIT THE WINDOW BEFORE THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED PLEASE HELP. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM EVAPRATING COIL FAILED WICH COULD BE HARMFULL TO FAMILY. *AK

CONSUMER HAD SMELLED FUEL ODOR INSIDE OF GARAGE. HE THOUGHT THAT SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE LANDMOORE. BUT, WHEN HE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, THEY FOUND OUT THAT FUEL TANK HAD A CRACK JUST LIKE MENTIONED IN MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 845. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE IN TRAFFIC, I RAN OVER A METAL OBJECT WITH THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AND SUBSEQUENTLY HEARD A THUD UNDER THE VEHICLE, BUT EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OK. I DROVE ANOTHER 20 MILES @ 60 TO 70 MPH WITH NO INDICATION OF PROBLEMS, UNTIL I APPLIED MY BRAKES TO GET OF AT MY HOME EXIT. AT THAT TIME THE CHECK BRAKES FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH ESSENTIALLY NO STOPPING ACTION. I FINALLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE OBJECT THAT I HAD RUN OVER (A RELATIVELY SMALL METAL OBJECT)HAD HIT THE EXPOSED BRAKE LINES WHERE THEY CONNECT TO A PROPORTIONING VALVE ASSEMBLY ABOUT HALF WAY BETWEEN THE LEFT FRONT AND LEFT REAR WHEELS. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A SMALL METAL AND RUBBER GARD TO PROTECT THE BRAKE LINES, THEY WERE INSUFFICIENT AND THE METAL OBJECT BENT THE GARD AND BROKE BOTH BRAKE LINES THAT CAME FROM THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER TO FEED THE REAR BRAKES. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS A DUAL MASTER CYLINDER, SINCE ONE CYLINDER FEEDS THE BACK RIGHT BRAKE AND THE OTHER FEEDS THE BACK LEFT BRAKE (WHILE ALSO FEEDING THE OPPOSITE FRONT BRAKE), THE FAILURE OF THE GARD TO PROTECT THE LINES RESULTED IN TOTAL BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT IN A CRITICAL STOPPING SITUATION, OR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. MY FEELING IS THAT THE PLACEMENT OF THESE EXPOSED BRAKE LINES DRIECTLY IN LINE BEHIND THE FRONT WHEEL WITH RELATIVELY LITTLE PROTECTION, RESULTING IN COMMON MODE FAILURE OF THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION, AND BETTER PROTECTION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. WITH AS MANY OF THESE SINILAR VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW MANY SUCH INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. I ALMOST LET THIS GO BY WITHOUT REPORTING IT, SO I AM SURE THAT IT MUST TO HAVE HAPPENED MANY MORE TIME THAN THE NUMBER OF REPORTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED. THANKS, NORRIS CRAWFORD. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASHBOARD HAS COME ON AND STAYED ON. CONSUMER HAS HAD A FUSE REPLACED A COUPLE TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS DEFECT. *AK THE AIR BAG LIGHT PROBLEM WAS CONNECTED TO THE REAR WINDOW WIPER, BECAUSE THE FUSE BURNS OUT WHENEVER THE WIPER IS TURNED ON. THE RECALL SERVIE ON THIS PROBLEM DID NOT CORRECT IT. *YH

THE LATCH ASSEMBLY AT THE REAR OF THE DOOR IS JAMMED SO THAT THE DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE. I HAVE MANAGED TO GET IT BACK INTO THE RIGHT POSITION ON TWO OTHER OCCASSIONS BY PRYING IT INTO PLACE (NO, I DID NOT BEND IT OR ALTER IT IN ANY WAY). THIS TIME, HOWEVER, IT SIMPLY WON'T CLOSE. THE "LOOP" IS UP. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME AS THE PROBLEM OCCURED WHEN I WAS SHOPPING. I HAD TO TAKE MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN HOME WITH THE DOOR BEING HELD SHUT BY A SEAT BELT. I DON'T BELIEVE A DOOR LATCH OF THIS AGE SHOULD FAIL. IT IS FULLY LUBRICATED.*AK

PASSENGER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR FAILED TO LATCH PROPERLY. HINGES KEPT BREAKING. DOOR WOULD FLY OPEN WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER OR CURB. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, NOT A DEFECT. HAD BEEN REPAIRED 15 TIMES, AND WOULD ONLY LAST ABOUT 3 MONTHS. TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC REPLACED OLD DESIGN WITH A NEW DESIGN.*AK