1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NUMEROUS REPAIR SHOPS REPORT THAT PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS A NEAR-CERTAINTY ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR VEHICLE, DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW IN THE DIFFERENTIAL GEAR LUBRICATION SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT DENIES RESPONSIBILITY. *LA

FRONT STRUT TOWERS RUSTING THROUGH. TOLD BY SERVICE 'VEHICLE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE'. TOLD TO REPLACE VEHICLE. *NM

WHILE DRIVING SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. ALSO, HORN DIDN'T NOT WORK. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINS ABOUT A HEADLIGHT PROBLEM. THE LENS IS NOT GIVING OFF ENOUGH LIGHT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. IT APPEARS THAT THE LENS IS FILLED WITH CONDENSATION, AND LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT BEING PROJECTED DURING NIGHT DRIVING.*AK

WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *JB

WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND GOING 65 TO 70 MPH, THE CAR LOSES RPM'S, BACKFIRES, JERKS, LOSES SPEED. I AM UNABLE TO GIVE IT GAS. I HAVE TO PULL OFF INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND IT SLOWS TO A STOP AND STALLS. I CANNOT START IT BACK, HOWEVER IF I SET FOR A FEW MINUTES, OPEN AND SLAM THE HOOD, IT WILL START BACK. MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CODE THAT WAS FOUND SAID THAT A MISFIRE WAS FOUND IN CYLINDER 6. IT HAS HAPPENED SINCE FIXING THAT PROBLEM, BUT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO TRY TO FIX MANY DIFFERENT PROBLEMS BUT NO ONE, NOT EVEN THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP CAN TELL ME FOR SURE WHAT IS WRONG AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED. THIS IS AMAZING TO ME, BECAUSE I CAN FIND MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, AND NOT ONLY WITH 1996 GRAND CARAVANS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN STALLING AT SUCH HIGH RATES OF SPEED. IF SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE RECALLED AND FOUND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FOR SURE WHAT TO DO TO FIX IT BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER ONE AND I LOVE THIS VAN (LESS THIS MAJOR PROBLEM). PLEASE HELP.*AK

AT 72,691 MILES, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. AT 120,000 MILES TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN AND NOT MOVE. *AK *JB

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH TRANSMISSION FAILED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. CONSUMER MANAGED PULL OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN CAME LOOSE MAKING A HOLE THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION CASE. TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TORQUE CONVERTOR AREA AND THEN ONTO MY GARAGE FLOOR. THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 74,789 MILES. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. HE SAID IT OCCURS WHEN ONE WHEEL SPINS WHILE THE OTHER WHEEL IS STOPPED. IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU LIVE IN A CLIMATE WITH SNOW OR ICE, THIS FAILURE CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME TO YOUR VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY TELL ME THIS IS NOT A DEFECT AND THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEIR DIFFERENTIAL PINS. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, HE SAID THAT HE HAS CERTAINLY SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, BUT SINCE IT OCCURED OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY, I AM ON MY OWN. THE MINIVAN HAS BEEN REPAIRED, BUT SINCE THE REPLACEMENT DIFFERENTIAL IS THE SAME AS BEFORE, A SERIOUS DEFECT STILL EXISTS IN MY VEHICLE. I HAVE RETAINED THE WORN/BROKEN DIFFERENTIAL UNIT IN CASE DODGE ENGINEERS WANT TO INSPECT IT.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST BRAKE POWER, AND SOMEHOW THE DRIVER STOPPED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT. CONSUMER DETERMINED THAT A HOLE IN THE BRAKE DIFFERENTIAL PROPORTIONAL VALVE CAUSED THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT VALVE WAS WELDED IN THE WRONG SPOT, CAUSING THE VALVE TO WEAR OUT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. BRAKE DIFFERENTIAL PROPORTIONAL VALVE WAS REPLACED . *AK