2002 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

THE HEADLIGHTS IN MY 2002 DODGE CARAVAN HAVE BEEN FLICKERING ON AND OFF, CREATING A HIGHLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN I CAN NOT SEE WHERE I AM GOING AND OTHER CARS CANNOT SEE ME. A QUICK CHECK ONLINE SHOWED THAT SEVERAL OTHER 2002 DODGE CARAVAN OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT HAD CAR SERVICED YET. *NM

I AND MY WIFE WHILE DRIVING UP HWY 44 AT 1730 HRS TO PICK UP OUR SON FROM WORK AT SIX FLAGS(IN THE RAIN), SHE WAS DRIVING OUR 2002 DODGE CARAVAN EC. WE CAME DOWN PAST ANTIRE HILL RD THERE WERE A WARRING BUZZER AND A ENGINE WARRING LIGHT CAME ON. ABOUT A HALF MILE LATER THE VAN SEEM TO HAVE A SHUTTER IN THE STEERING, SHE STATED AND I SAW THIS. AS WE CROSSED THE MERAMAC RIVER THERE WAS A LOUD METAL POPPING AND GRINDING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ALMOST THROUGH ME OUT OF THE SEAT I THOUGHT SHE HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES. SHE STATED SHE HAD NOT AND THAT SHE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME CONTROLLING IT. SHE HAD LET OFF THE GAS AND SLOWED BUT NOT BEFORE HEARING THE DRIVER FRONT TIRE LOCK UP AND SKID ON THE WET PAVEMENT PULLING US TOWARD THE TRAFFIC COMING FROM BEHIND. THEN THE VEHICLE GAVE ANOTHER LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND POP AND SHE GOT TO THE SHOULDER. I HAD HER POP THE HOOD AND FOUND THE TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK PUSHED OUT OF THE TUBE WITH FLUID SPRAYED EVERY WERE. I SAID I WOULD TRY AND GET US TO WALMART SO WE COULD CALL FAR HELP AND GET A RIDE FOR MY SON. I THEN STARED THE VAN PLACED IT IN (L) AND CONTINUED TO THE HWY 109 EXIT. THEN TO THE OUTER ROAD THEN FINALLY MAKING IT TO WALMART'S PARKING LOT. WHILE TRYING TO PULLING TO A PARKING SPOT THE TRANS GAVE ONE LAST LOUD SNAPPING SOUND, THAT WAS ALL I HAD TO ROLL BACK DOWN THE HILL AND COST TO PARK VAN. ENGINE WOULD RUN NOTHING FROM TRANS IN ANY GEAR. WE WALKED TO THE AUTOMOTIVE SECTION AND CALLED MY FATHER TO COME AND GET US. WE ARRIVED BACK HOME AT 2030 HRS. THE VAN IS NOT FIXED THIS JUST HAPPENED I AM GOING TO CALL CHRYSLER MONDAY TO SE IF THEY WILL COVER IT. IF NOT I WILL BE FIXING IT MYSELF AND YOU MAY HAVE THE PARTS IF NEEDED. THE ODOMETER HAD JUST TURN TO 72,000 MILES ON THIS DAY OF HAPPENING. *NM

AIR BAG LIGHT TURNED ON. TOOK IT TO CHRYSLER/DODGE DEALER TO BE EXAMINED, THEY FOUND THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPLACING. CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED FOR A COST OF $250.00. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE EMITTED A FOGHORN-LIKE SOUND FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. THIS ONLY OCCURRED WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WAS RUNNING ON LOW FAN SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, HOWEVER THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.

I PURCHASED MY 2002 DODGE CARAVAN NEW. IT HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS IN THE FOUR YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED IT. ASIDE FROM ALL OF THE RECALL WORK, MY TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE NOW. THE FIRST TIME IT FAILED WAS TWO MONTHS AGO, THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A SENSOR PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS FIXED. IT WENT OUT AGAIN LAST NIGHT WHILE DRIVING. NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME ANOTHER DEDUCTIBLE TO "FIX" IT AGAIN. MY AIR CONDITIONER HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY IN OVER A YEAR, WATER LEAKS DOWN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR, AND COLD AIR ONLY COMES OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE VENTS, THE DRIVER SIDE VENTS BLOW OUT HOT AIR. MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW HAS NOT WORKED IN OVER A YEAR, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF AT RANDOM, AND THE ARM REST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT JUST SNAPPED OFF. THE DEALER IS NOT VERY HELPFUL AT ALL. *NM

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY THE SEAT BACK ON MY 2002 DODGE CARAVAN BROKE, DROPPING ME BACK AND ALMOST CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. ON EXAMINATION I FOUND THE TUBULAR STEEL ON THE LEFT SIDE SNAPPED IN HALF. THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE AS CHRYSLER DEEMED IT BUT A SAFETY AND DESIGN ISSUE. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE SEAT. I AM 6'4" TALL AND 200 POUNDS, NOT AN OVERLY LARGE PERSON BY ANY MEANS. *NM

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER STATES CLOCK SPRING IS DEFECTIVE AND CHRYSLER DOES NOT DEEM THIS TO BE SAFETY HAZARD,WARRANTY OR RECALL ISSUE. THEREFORE WILL NOT PAY TO FIX PROBLEM. PARTS FOR FIX UNAVAILABLE AND REPAIR IS EXPENSIVE. *NM

AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON, GO OFF, COME ON, WHEN DRIVING. TOOK DODGE CARAVAN INTO DEALER SERVICE DEPT. THEY RAN A AIRBAG SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS AND DETERMINED AIR BAG WOULD NOT WORK, THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN AN AIRBAG DEFECT. DEALER CALLED DODGE REPRESENTATIVE AND REPRESENTATIVE DENIED THE REQUEST TO CORRECT (PAY FOR) THIS PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A SERIOUS DEFECT AS IF AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT HAVE WORKED/INFLATED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS AN ALERT THAT AIR BAGS SENSORS WERE NOT ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP EIGHT TIMES. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT LEMON LAWS DO NOT APPLY WHEN THE PURCHASE TRANSACTION WAS MORE THAN TWO YEARS OLD EVENTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 50.000 MILES

DURING NORMAL DRIVING OPERATIONS THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON. NOW IT COMES ON AT THE START OF THE ENGINE, AND DOES NOT TURN OFF. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS THE SAME CLOCKSPRING PROBLEM AS WAS RECALLED EARLIER. *NM