2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

RUSTING STRUT TOWERS 2000 GRAND CARAVAN. I NOTICED RUST ON THE STRUT TOWER ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I SPRAYED UNDERCOATING ON THE TOP OF BOTH TOWERS TO PREVENT FURTHER RUST. I INSPECTED THE TOPS OF THE TOWERS THIS WEEK. BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TOWER CONTINUE TO RUST IN SPITE OF SEVERAL LAYERS ON UNDERCOATING APPLIED OVER THE LAST YEAR. AS I WAS SERVICING THE BRAKES I DETERMINED IT WAS TIME TO REPLACE THE STRUTS ON THE FRONT OF THE VAN. KNOWING THE TOWERS ARE RUSTED ON THE TOP SIDE I INSPECTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE STRUT TOWERS THIS AFTERNOON. A CRACK HAS APPEARED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE STRUT TOWER ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. I WILL INSPECT THE DRIVER'S SIDE TOMORROW. AFTER DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH I HAVE FOUND THE RUSTING STRUT TOWERS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN BOTH THE US AND CANADA. THE PROBLEM EXISTS ACROSS SEVERAL YEARS AND MODELS OF DODGE AND CHRYSLER VEHICLES. IF A STRUT RUPTURES A COMPROMISED TOWER AT HIGHWAY SPEED, LIVES CAN AND WILL BE LOST. WITH THE NUMBER OF DODGE AND CHRYSLER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, THE POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IS MULTIPLIED EXPONENTIALLY. I AM SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. SOMEONE MUST BE ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED, THEN BRAKES. SERPENTINE BELT WET FROM RAIN CAUSED POWER STEERING & BRAKES TO FAIL RESULTING IN VEHICLE FLIPPING ON ITS SIDE ON I-75. SERVICE DEPT SAID THAT THE POWER STEERING, ETC WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN WHEN BELT GOT WET. THIS WAS A NORMAL RAIN. VEHICLE WAS NOT IN HIGH WATER. VEHICLE WAS ULTIMATELY TOTALED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT SPORADICALLY SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE COMING FROM HIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V268000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS BETWEEN $312- $700. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. HE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

MY 2000 DODGE CARAVAN VAN HAS A RUSTED SHOCK TOWER ON DRIVER SIDE DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN. THIS ISSUES HAS BEEN REPORTED ON MANY DODGE BLOG SITES.*TR

1. NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION 2. THE FAILURE OF STRUCTURE SECURING AND RETAINING THE FRONT SUSPENSION (STRUT TOWER) DO TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION. UPON FAILURE THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION FALLS APART RESULTING IN CATASTROPHIC LOSE OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND SUPPORT. VEHICLE WILL SWERVE RESULTING IN COLLISION OR ROLL OVER. 3. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS A RECALL TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STRUT TOWER. *TR

DODGE CARAVANS DOOR SENSORS- I HAVE A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. DURING THE FIRST WINTER THE "DOOR OPEN" LIGHT WOULD FLASH AND DING AND THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK AND RELOCK, OVER TIME IT HAS BECOME WORSE ESPECIALLY DURING COLDER SEASONS. I HAVE LOOKED INTO THIS MATTER AND HAVE READ COMPLAINTS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO PEOPLE THAT JUST PURCHASED THEIR CARS BRAND NEW AND MANY MORE COMPLAINTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS NOT A RECALL AND BEING TAKEN CARE OF, I HAVE READ WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT OF THERE CARS BECAUSE IT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN THEY STEPPED OUT OF THE CAR AND LEFT IT RUNNING. I HAVE 2 TODDLERS AND THE THOUGHT OF THAT SCARES ME, FOR EXAMPLE IF I TURN ON THE CAR TO WARM UP AND PUT THE KIDS IN THE CAR AND GO TO PUT GROCERIES IN THE BACK, AND THE CAR LOCKS UP. BESIDES THE THREAT OF GETTING LOCKED OUT, IT IS ABSOLUTELY ANNOYING TO BE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND TO HAVE THE DOOR ALARM CONSTANTLY GOING OFF AND THE DOORS LOCKING AND UNLOCKING. I HAVE LOOKED INTO GETTING THIS FIXED AND I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE AROUND $600 TO GET THE SENSORS REPLACED.....THAT IS JUST RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

I PICKED UP ON A MATTER OF SAFETY WITH MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON, AND RUNNING THE VEHICLE CAN BE SHIFTED FROM PARK TO OTHER GEARS WITHOUT THE BREAK PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THIS ISSUES CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALER ABOUT THE ISSUE, AND WAS TOLD THAT IN THE 2000 MODEL IT WASN'T REQUIRED TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE. I AS THE CONSUMER DO NOT THINK THIS THE CASE. I CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN TIME AFTER TIME, AND CAN SHOW YOU IT HAPPENING. COULD RESULT IN PROPERTY DAMAGE, AND OR CRASH. *TR

REGARDING THE IGNITION PROBLEM WITH THE PROPER KEY BEING INSERTED AND NOT TURNING..I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS ALSO STRANDED. I LEARNED IF YOU PUT THE KEY IN AND TAP THE END OF THE KEY (AS IF YOU'RE TRYING TO TAP IT FURTHER INTO THE IGNITION) WITH A RUBBER HANDLED SCREWDRIVER A COUPLE TIMES IT WILL THEN TURN AND START RIGHT UP. *TR

DRIVER SIDE STRUT TOWER IS RUSTING THROUGH. APPEARS TO BE DEFORMED AROUND THE RUSTED AREA. AT THIS RATE I THINK THE STRUT TOWER COULD FAIL AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

1. HAD A FLAT AND TRIED TO LOWER THE SPARE TIRE WHICH IS HELD UP BY A WINCH UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. 2. FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE VEHICLE TO LOWER THE SPARE TIRE USING THE SUPPLIED WRENCH; HOWEVER, THE TIRE WOULD ONLY LOWER ABOUT TWO INCHES AND NOT LOWER FAR ENOUGH FOR THE SPARE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE 'T' THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE WHEN THE WHEEL IS SECURED. 3. THE SPARE WOULD NOT COME DOWN SO I HAD TO REMOVE THE FLAT TIRE FROM THE VEHICLE AND GET A RIDE TO GET THE WHEEL FIXED THEN GET A RIDE BACK TO THE VEHICLE TO RE-INSTALL THE TIRE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT LOWERING THE SPARE, I STILL COULD NOT GET IT TO COME DOWN SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AND AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE WHEEL TO COME DOWN EITHER AND HAD TO CUT THE "T" TO REMOVE THE WHEEL. *TR