2003 DODGE CARAVAN Complaints

LTR FROM (OH) RE DEFECTIVE BRAKES ON HIS 2003 DODGE CARAVAN BELIEVES POOR JUDGMENT OF NHTSA AND DAIMLER CHRYSLER ALLOW THIS PROBLEM TO REACH THE MARKET. *TS THE CONSUMER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR BRAKES AT 12000 MILES. THE DRUMS HAVE BEEN REMOVED THREE TIMES TO BE CLEANED. THEY ACCUMULATED RUST WHICH CAUSED SEVER GRINDING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *NM

WE HAVE A 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN,WITH A HEADLIGHT/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM. WITHOUT WARNING, THE HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS WILL FLASH, SHUT OFF ALTOGETHER, OR DIM. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS (DASH BOARD) ARE ALSO AFFECTED AND WILL DO THE SAME. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE WITH THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH, HOWEVER, DIAGNOSIS IS INCONCLUSIVE. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN LIGHTS GO OUT AT NIGHT AND VERY AGGRAVATING FOR DRIVERS IN FRONT OF YOU WHEN LIGHTS KEEP FLASHING. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND NHTSA INVESTIGATION / RECALL ON 2001 -2002 VEHICLES FOR SIMILAR PROBLEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, A NOISE WAS HEARD AND CONTINUED FOR 20 MINUTES. THE NOISE RETURNED ON EVERY RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE POWER STEERING PUMP RESERVOIR AND PIPING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - THE CONSUMER EXPLAINED THAT THE NOISE WAS FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP DESIGN LOCATION AND INSTALLATION BY DODGE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED FOR THE NOISE PROBLEM BUT IT WAS NEVER RECALLED. THE SYSTEM DESIGN DID NOT ALLOW POWER STEERING FLUID TO RETURN FROM THE FLUID RESERVOIR TO THE PUMP AS QUICKLY AS THE PUMP DEMAND REQUIRED. *NM

2003 DODGE CARAVAN HEADLIGHTS - UNWANTED SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH MINIMAL ELECTRICAL LOAD. DANGEROUS FOR MOM & KIDS ON HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. PRECEDED BY OTHER, PROBABLY ASSOCIATED, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WIFE AT WAL MART RETURNED TO VEHICLE. GAUGES FLICKERED, DASHBOARD CRAZY, CLICKING SOUND FROM DRIVER'S SIDE/RELAY(S) BUZZING, POWER LOCKS WOULDN'T FUNCTION (GREAT IF SHE WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM MUGGER). WOULDN'T START. THIS EVENT PRECEDED BY HEADLIGHTS CYCLING OFF AND ON RIGHT AFTER STARTUP, BUT AFTER RUNNING A FEW MINUTES STAYED ON DURING THAT OPERATION CYCLE. BACK TO THE WAL MART EVENT. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP - REPLACED BATTERY. BACK TO THE FUTURE. CHECKED FUSES, CONNECTIONS, HARNESS, BATTERY CABLES FOR FAULT/CORROSION - NOTHING. NO CODES. COSTLY FIXES MAY INCLUDE:1) FUSES AND BOXES, 2) BATTERY CABLES AND TERMINALS CORRODED, LOOSE OR NOT GROUNDED/BATTERY,3) HEADLIGHT SWITCH,4) MULTI-FUNCTION WAND ON STEERING COLUMN (THERE WAS A 2003 VIPER RECALL FOR LAMP CONTACTS CORRODING - 20031010 - THIS COULD BE IT FOR THE CARAVAN TOO...DEALERS WERE SUPPOSED TO REFLASH THE BCM SOFTWARE),5) FCM,6) BCM,7) ALTERNATOR (CHARGING ISSUE AS OPPOSED TO CONTROL/REGULATION ISSUE...MAYBE SHORTED DIODES),8) GOD DARNED ELECTRICAL HARNESS,MIGHT THROW IN IGNITION SWITCH TOO. NOTED THAT DODGE HAS A TSB FOR OLDER MODELS WITH A SOFTWARE ALGORITHM ADJUSTMENT FOR FCM, BUT NOT IN EFFECT FOR 2003 MODELS?CAN THIS WORK FOR THE 2003?THIS WILL BE THE LAST DODGE WE EVER PURCHASE, OR THAT EXTENDED FAMILY EVER IS ASSOCIATED WITH, IF THIS IS NOT RESOLVED TO OUR SATISFACTION PROMPTLY. DR.Z AND/OR NHTSA - IF YOU WANT TO FLY SOMEONE DOWN HERE ASAP TO SEE THESE RESULTS REPRODUCED - WE GET THEM NIGHTLY - SO QUIT THE LIABILITY MITIGATION GAME AND GET THIS RESOLVED. FACTORY CAR. *JB

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN AND WHEN IT HAD ABOUT 20000 MILES, THE BRAKES BEGAN TO ACT WEIRD. IN NOVEMBER OF 2005, MY WIFE REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES WOBBLED. I HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED RIGHT AFTER THE ACCIDENT, BUT NOW THE BRAKES ARE DOING THE SAME THING. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 34000 MILES AND I AM GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEAD LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION HOWEVER THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. UPDATED 9/5/2006 - THE LAST TIME THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF THEY REMAINED OFF FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE THEY CAME BACK ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES HAD A RUST PROBLEM AND GRINDED EVERY TIME THEY WERE APPLIED. THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE BACKER PLATE ALLOWING WATER INTO THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE BRAKES WERE SERVICED TWICE BY AN INDEPENDENT DEALER AND ONCE BY A SERVICE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS A LEASE AND THE BRAKES WERE OUT OF WARRANTY.

THE BRAKE DRUMS ON THE CONSUMER'S 2003 DODGE CARAVAN WERE TAKEN OFF 3 TIMES TO CLEAN OFF RUST WHICH CAUSED GRINDING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THEY WERE FIRST CLEANED AT 12000 MILES.*TS THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NM

MY 1998 DODGE CARAVAN SUFFERED FROM THIS TWICE IN THE 5 1/2 YEARS WE DROVE IT. FAILURE OF THE CLOCKSPRING, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE HUB OF THE STEERING WHEEL. RECALL NO. D17. MY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN WITH 33000 MILES ON IT NOW HAS THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMING ON JUST LIKE MY 1998 DID. IS THERE A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON THE 2003? *JB

I HAD A FLAT TIRE AND TRIED TO USE THE SPARE. HOWEVER, THE WINCH TO LOWER THE SPARE TIRE HAD STRIPPED GEARS AND WOULD NOT LOWER. THIS IS ONLY THE THIRD TIME I'VE EVER USED IT. I FINALLY HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THEY CHARGED $265. *NM