1994 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE SEEMS PROBLEMATIC; NEEDS NHTSA INVESTIGATION & RECALL. HATCH LATCH FAILED AFTER RECALLED PART REPAIRED. *AK

WHILE BRAKING, THE INSTANT THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE ANTILOCK BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON- AT THE SAME TIME IT FEELS LIKE THE FRONT BRAKES RELEASE, THE PEDAL FEELS HARD, AMOUNT OF BRAKING FORCE IS GREATLY REDUCED RESULTING IN NEAR ACCIDENT DUE TO INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE. ESTIMATED OCCURRENCE IS FOUR TIMES OVER A FEW WEEKS. OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING. OTHERWISE BRAKING IS NORMAL. LOCAL DEALER ADVISED NO RECALL FOR THIS YEAR MODEL BUT THERE IS A RECALL ON PRIOR YEAR MODELS WITH SAME PROBLEM. THANKS

IN JAN 1998, I NOTICED SURFACE DAMAGE THAT LOOKED LIKE SPOTS. OVER THE MONTHS AFTER REPEATED WASHES AND WAXES, THE SPOTS GREW IN SIZE. THE SPOTS STARTED ETCHING BELOW THE TOP SURFACE. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTERWARD I STARTED TO SEE A GRAY SURFACES APPEAR WHERE THE SPOTS WERE. DURING A SERVICE VISIT IN MID 1998 TO MY LOCAL CHRYSLER/DODGE DEALER IN FORT COLLINS, CO., I THEN ASKED THEM WHAT CAUSES THIS AND WHETHER TOUCHUP PAINT WOULD WORK TO FIX THE SURFACE. THEY SAID THE CAUSE WAS ENIVORMENTAL EFFECTS ON PAINT. I TOOK THEIR WORD ON IT AND PURCHASED THE TOUCHUP PAINT. SINCE THAT TIME, THE PAINT ON THE TOP ROOF IS COMING OFF IN LARGE FLAKES. A GRAY SURFACE NOW COMPRISES ABOUT 15% OF THE TOTAL AREA. AT THE PRESENT RATE OF FLAKING, THE ENTIRE TOP WILL BE BARE WITHIN TWO MONTHS. ESTIMATES FOR SANDING AND REPAINTING THE TOP WITH BE $1500.00 AND CHRYSLER WILL PARTICIPATE $220.91 TOWARDS REPAINTING THE ROOF AS A GOODWILL GESTURE. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH COMPENSATION. I FEAR THAT OTHER AREAS ON MY VEHICLE WILL SOON START TO SHOW THE SAME PROBLEM. MANY OTHER FAMILY, FRIENDS AND OWNERS NATIONWIDE ARE REPORTING SIMILIAR PROBLEMS. INFORMATION THAT I OBTAINED THROUGH SOURCES INDICATES THAT CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE INCOMPATABILITY OF THE WATER BASED CLEAR COAT AND THE DRY BASED PRIMER AND HOW THE SUN CAUSED THE PRIMER TO OXIDIZE AND CAUSED THE PAINT NOT TO ADHERE. INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY A CHRYSLER EMPLOYEE ON THE INTERNET ON PAINTS USED BY CHRYSLER AND SOME OF THE RELATED PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO STEM FROM CHRYSLER NOT ACKNOWLEDGING A PEELING PROBLEM RELATED TO THE ELIMINATION OF SPRAY PRIMER ON THEIR ASSEMBLY LINES. THEY ARE PRESENTLY BEING SUED IN SEVERAL STATES OVER THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE LAWSUITS ARE NOT SPECIFIC ABOUT THE AFFECTED MODELS OR YEARS. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT CARS AND TRUCKS MANUFACTURED WITH SPRAY PRIMER, AS WELL AS VEHICLES NEWER THAN MODEL YEAR 1993. I WOULD BE WILLING TO SEND PHOTO'S TO BACKUP MY COMPLAINT. *AK

CONSUMER COTNACTED THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL NUMBER 99V113000, DEALER STATED NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. THERE WAS A NATIONWIDE BACK LOG. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BUSHINGS ON SLIDING DOOR FAILED AND DOOR FELL OFF WHEN OPENED. DEALER CLAIMED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION WAS JERKING THE VEHICLE BETWEEN GEAR CHANGES. VEHICLE IS STUCK IN SECOND GEAR.DODGE WAS CONTACTED.PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER INFORMATION. *AK

RECALL RELATED: CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR OF MFR RECALL 818. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE AIRBAGS, HOWEVER THE PARTS FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WERE NOT AVAILABLE, VEHICLE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE DEALERSHIP UNTIL PARTS CAME--2 MONTHS LATER. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND THERE WAS OIL LEAKING FROM THE HOOD. CONSUMETOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP. *AK

THE ROD THAT HOLDS RIGHT FRONT TIRE STRAIGHT BROKE, CAUSING A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK *ML

THE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION TWICE INDICATES INHERENT FACTORY DEFECT NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.