2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

I BOUGHT A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN JUNE 09 WITH 5,000 MILES. AS OF TODAY, AT 57000 MILES IT IS ON IT IS NEEDING ITS FIFTH SET OF BRAKES AND ROTORS. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 20 YRS AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES AT A RATE LIKE THIS. BY THIS TIME I SHOULD HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MAYBE ONE SET AT A MAXIMUM. CHRYSLER HAS FAILED TO ADMIT THEIR MISTAKE IN UNDERSIZING BRAKES WHICH CLEARLY ARE BEING "EATEN UP" AT A RATE 5-6 TIMES WHAT THEY SHOULD. CHRYSLER DID REIMBURSE ME $100 FOR A $500 BRAKE JOB ONE TIME STATING THAT THEY REALIZED THAT ORIGINAL BRAKES WERE BASICALLY SHODDY, BUT THEY HAVE FAILED TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN OF THE VAN ITSELF. IN FACT, THEY BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON THE EPA NO LONGER ALLOWING ASBESTOS IN THE BRAKES. IF THIS IS THE CASE, WHY ISN'T EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD REPLACING BRAKES AT THIS ASTRONOMICAL RATE? I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS CARS, BOTH NEW AND USED, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES LIKE THIS. I AM VERY ANGRY REGARDING THIS AND FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE PUBLICIZED SO AS TO NOT PUT OTHERS AT RISK FOR BECOMING VICTIMS OF THE SAME DISAPPOINTING SITUATION OF A VAN. I PERSONALLY PLAN ON TRADING THIS VAN AS SOON AS I AM ABLE. *TR

POWETRAIN-AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. 1. MADE GRINDING NOISE WHEN IN DRIVE OR REVERSE GEARS 2. OCCURRED ALL THE TIME UP UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY GAVE OUT. 3. TEARDOWN OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND REBUILD/REPLACEMENT OF "THRUST BEARINGS" AND OTHER PARTS DETERMINED BY THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE BRAKING, THE CONTACT NOTICED A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE AND NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE OCCURRED A THIRD TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE CALIBER MECHANISM. I HAS THE CALIBER REPLACED IN MARCH AND HAD NEW BREAK PADS AND ROTORS INSTALLED. I DROVE ABOUT LESS THAN 3000 MILE AND HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN. IN THIS LAST EPISODE I HAVE PAID OUT $1300 IN JUST PARTS, NOT TO MENTION LABOR COSTS, AND TWO $100 TOW BILLS AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL NOT FIXED. I HAVE REPLACED THE ENTIRE BREAK CALIBER FULLY LOADED MECHANISM AND DROVE 20 MILES AND HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED DUE TO THE BREAK CALIBER FREEZING AGAIN. THIS ISSUE IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE DEATH OF MYSELF MY PASSENGERS, AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND FAMILY EVENTS. I GOT THIS CAR BECAUSE OF IT SIZE AFFORDABLE FOR ME AS A SINGLE MOTHER OF THREE LIVING ON A FIXED INCOME. I THOUGHT BECAUSE IT WAS NEWER THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE IT FOR AWHILE BEFORE MAJOR ISSUES WOULD HAPPEN. I HAVE ONLY THIS CAR A YEAR AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE IT MORE THAN 20 MILES BEFORE HAVING IT TOWED TO A GARAGE SINCE THIS LAST ISSUE. I HAVE HAD THE PAD AND ROTORS REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE OF IT IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THIS LAST TIME I HAD TO TOW IT TO MY HOME AS I CANNOT PUT ANY MORE MONEY INTO IT YET I STILL HAVE 6 YEARS OF PAYMENTS LEFT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. IF THEY CANNOT FIX IT THAN THEY NEED TO GIVE ME A NEW VAN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FOUR SECOND DELAY BEFORE STARTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT SUGGESTED A PROPER REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. WHEN SHE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IT SUDDENLY STALLED A SECOND TIME AND WAS TOLD BY A DEALER THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A FEW MONTHS LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED HER THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR HAD COMPLETELY BURNED OUT WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 39,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

MARCH 8, 2011; VEHICLE WAS AT DEALER FOR SERVICE,WHILE PERFORMING THE SERVICE THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, PRESSURE SENSOR FELL APART.THIS WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW SENSOR. OTHER SENSORS IN THE OTHER THREE TIRES WERE NOT CHECKED AT THAT TIME. JUNE 5, 2011; COMPUTER WARNED OF LOW TIRE PRESSURE, I ATTEMPTED TO PUT AIR INTO LEFT FRONT TIRE, TOOK THE CAP OFF, PUT THE AIR NOZZLE ON AND THE VALVE STEM BROKE OFF. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I FOUND OUT HOW TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE. JUNE 6, 2011; I WENT TO A LOCAL TIRE DEALER, SNOW TIRES REMOVED, TO BE REPLACED WITH SUMMER TIRES. THE TECHNICIANS REPORTED THAT TWO OF THE SENSORS, VALVE STEM ASSEMBLY CAME APART. I REQUESTED STANDARD VALUE STEMS TO PUT IN 3 OF THE TIRES.I FEEL THIS IS SAFER, SEEING THAT THE VALVE STEM IS NOW, A ONE PIECE UNIT. NOT SOMETHING THAT TWO PIECES OF METAL THAT ARE ADHERED TOGETHER AND DON'T STAND A CHANCE IN OUR CLIMATE. THIS IS A 3 YEAR OLD VEHICLE, VALUE STEMS ARE 3 YEARS OLD, I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL CONCERNED. I HAVE CONTACTED THE COMPLIANT DEPARTMENT AT CHRYSLER DODGE IN MICHIGAN, AS WHAT WILL BE DONE, DON'T KNOW YET. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH 16,700 MILES. DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY BRAKE PADS WERE NOT READY TO BE CHANGED, I HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS IN BOTH FRONT TIRES. I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY BRAKING AT 35 MPH. *TR THE VAN WAS DRIVEN ONLY ONE HALF OF A MILE TO THE MECHANICS AND THE MECHANIC MEASURED THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AIR NEAR THE FRONT TIRES AT 198 DEGREES F; THE REAR TIRES MEASURED 140 DEGREES.

I HAVE COMPLAINED MANY TIMES OF MY VAN NOT STARTING. IT HAS ONLY BEEN DOCUMENTED 3 TIMES, AND EACH AND EVERY TIME I BRING IT IN THE MECHANIC TELLS ME THERE IS NO FAULTY CODE. THE FIRST TIME IT IS DOC. WAS OCT. 12 2009, SECOND WAS JULY 23 2010. THE LAST ONE THAT WAS DOCUMENTED WAS JUNE 1 2011. THEY WANTED TO TOW IT IN, IN THE MEANTIME MY HUSBAND GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME TO TURN THE CAR ON, APPLY BRAKE AND SHIFT TO N, THEN TURN OFF AND RESTART. THIS DID HELP AND I WAS ABLE TO START THE VAN. IT WAS 'DEAD MANS SWITCH'. THEY STILL DID TOW IT IN AND SURPRISINGLY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME NEXT TIME TO NOT START IT LIKE THAT AGAIN AND JUST GET IT TOWED IN AGAIN. WHEN I WENT TO PICK MY VAN UP THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A 'PENDING' RECALL. SO WITH THREE KIDS, A HUSBAND WHO TRAVELS FOR WORK AND I HAVE TO WAIT TO HAVE A SOLID RECALL. THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE WAIST OF MY TIME AND IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND WORRISOME. EACH AND EVERY TIME I HAVE BROUGHT MY VAN IN THEY HAVE TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS MATTER AT LEAST 6-7 TIMES. MY DOORS HAVE ALSO LOCKED ON THEIR OWN AND THE REMOTE START WILL FAIL OFTEN, THEY HAVE REPLACED MY KEYS, BUT THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

2008 DODGE CARAVAN SE... BRAKE CALIPER SEIZED UP. CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR AND TEAR ON BOTH THE BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR. VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AT 30 MPH+. THE CALIPERS CAUSE BRAKES TO WEAR OUT BETWEEN 8000 MILES TO 14000 MILES, FAR SOONER THAN NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR WOULD CAUSE. DEALERSHIPS ARE REPAIRING FAULTY CALIPERS UNDER "GOOD WILL" TICKETS, WHICH ARE TREATED LIKE A WARRANTY REPAIRS IN RESPECTS TO CHARGES TO THE VEHICLES OWNER. TECHNICIANS AT THE DEALERSHIP ALLUDED THAT THE 2008 AND 2009 MODEL YEAR FOR DODGE CARAVANS AND CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY VANS ARE KNOWN FOR SEVERE BRAKE PROBLEMS. SEIZED CALIPERS CAN ALSO CAUSE SEVERE SHIFTS IN THE STEERING WHILE BRAKING, WHICH COULD CAUSE COLLISIONS OR ACCIDENTS. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDELY KNOWN TO OWNERS WHO HAVE REPORTED IT TO MANY WEBSITES AND DEALERSHIPS. *TR