1992 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED PEDAL BECOMES HARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FAILED WHEN VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. THE 2ND FAILED WHILE DRIVING, WENT FROM 35 TO 15 AND RPM WENT FROM 2 TO 5. HAD TO BE COAXED TO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. THE 3RD, AT 113,500, IS PRESENTLY NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY, BUCKING, AND CUTTING OUT WHILE DRIVING, ALTHOUGH NOT ALL THE TIME. HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE 3RD. *AK

FUEL RAIL PIPE THAT JOINS FUEL INJECTORS TO BOTH SIDES OF THE ENGINE STARTED SPRAYING FUEL ON VALVE COVERS. USED PARTS DEALERS IN THE PHOENIX AREA TELL ME THEY RECEIVE 3-4 CALLS PER WEEK FOR THIS PART. IT IS AVAILABLE NEW FROM THE DEALER ONLY AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $500 WITH ALL SEALS. SINCE SO MANY CARAVAN OWNERS SEEM TO BE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, THE NHTSA SHOULD LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE PROBLEM. *AK

OVERDRIVE "O" RING BREAKS, CAUSES VEHICLE TO GO INTO LIMP MODE. REPLACED TRANSMISSION AT 85000, CURRENT TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT AT 110000 MILES (25000 CURRENT MILES ON TRANSMISSION)- SAME CAUSE

HARNESS STRAPS ON THE INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT NO LONGER FUNCTION. THE LOCKING MECHANISM NO LONGER LOCKS THE HARNESS STRAPS IN PLACE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT. THE BENCH SEAT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

I BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WAS RUNNING EXCESSIVELY, THEY CHECK IT OUT AND SAID THEY WASN'T ANYTHING ABNORMAL. ON 4-13-1995 MY BRAKES FAILED AND I BARELY AVOIDED A COLLISION. I BROUGH MY VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT 2 SWITCHES ON MY ABS SYSTEMS FAILED. IN JANUARY 1997 I RECEIVED RECALL 685 FROM CHRYSLER SAYING BRAKE FAILURE MAY OCCUR AND A SUBSTANTIAL INCRESE IN BRAKE PEDAL FORCE IS NEEDED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS IS NOW THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT OF COURSE IT'S NOW PAST THE 100,000 MILES OF COVERAGE THAT CHRYSLER WOULD COVER THE REPAIRS.

MY WIFE, TERRIE WAS DRIVING EB ON A LOCAL INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH WHEN THE SPARE TIRE FELL ONTO THE ROADWAY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VAN. THE SPARE WAS ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM REAR OF THE VAN. SHE DID NOT HIT ANY BUMPS OR DEBRI ON THE ROADWAY. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE DEVICE THAT HELD THE SPARE, IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE CABLE THAT HELD THE SPARE, WAS FRAYED AND BROKEN. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS TRAVELING IMMEDIATELY BEHIND HER, OR THE TIRE MAY HAVE "CRASHED" INTO THEIR VEHICLE OR ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. *AK

RECALL 97V079000; THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE AIR CYLINDER FOR THE HATCHBACK SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE DOOR TO FALL ON TOP OF CONSUMER. *AK

ON 12/27/98 MY ANTI-LOCK LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT REMAINED ON. BRAKES HAD MINIMAL POWER AND STOPPING. NO DEALERS OPEN ON SUNDAY. MONDAY WENT TO NEAREST SERVICE CENTER, FIRESTONE MASTERCARE, 1/2 MILE FROM HOTEL IN PALM HARBOR, FL. AFTER DIAGNOSTICS OF ABS FAILURE, FIRESTONE CONTACTED SEVERAL DEALERS FOR THE PARTS. NO DEALER WOULD RELEASE THE PARTS TO A 'RESELLER'. NEAREST PART COULD BE SHIPPED FROM ATLANTA. I AGREED TO OVERNIGHT SHIPPING. NEXT DAY, NO PART. CHRYSLER WOULD NOT SHIP TO A 'RESELLER'. ONLY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER CAN MAKE THE REPAIR. I WAS HEADED BACK HOME TO ATLANTA, SO I DROVE WITHOUT THE ABS AND ONLY MINIMUM BRAKING. ON 12/31/98 TOOK VAN TO DEALER. ON 1/4/99 DEALER ORDERED PARTS. BY 1/8 NO PARTS AVAILABLE. PARTS FINALLY AT DEALER ON 1/14 OR 15. VAN FIXED AND RETURNED. MY CONCERN IS THAT 1) THE PARTS FOR THE BRAKE RECALL #685 WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO A RESELLER, AND THEN NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2 WEEKS TO THE DEALER. THEN ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, MY SERVICE RECORD INDICATED THAT THIS RECALL WAS SERVICED ON 08/11/97 AND 12/17/97. I DO NOT REMEMBER A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES AT EITHER OF THOSE TIMES, NOR DO I REMEMBER HAVING THE BRAKES FIXED. HOWEVER, IF THE ABS WAS FIXED, IT HAS NOW FAILED FOR A 2ND TIME!!

COMPLETE FAILURE OF BRAKING OCCURRED W/O WARNING. SECOND FAILURE SINCE OWNING CAR. FIRST FAILURE HAD NO WARNING LIGHTS, BUT BRAKING TOOK APPROX. 100 FT. TO STOP CAR FROM 25 MPH. LATEST FAILURE OCCURRED 425 MILES FROM HOME IN PARKERSBURG, WVA. RENTED A CAR TO RETURN TO RICHMOND. TOOK LOCAL DEALER 14 DAYS TO GET PARTS FROM CHRYSLER. RETURNED RENTAL CAR TO PARKERSBURG ON DEC. 3, 1998 AND DROVE VAN BACK TO RICHMOND. CHRYSLER REIMBURSED US FOR RENTAL EXPENSES AND TOWING. REQUESTED THAT CHRYSLER REMOVE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING AND INSTALL STANDARD BRAKING, BUT THEY REFUSED. TALKED TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND ALL CONFIRMED MY OPINION THAT THIS PARTICULAR SYSTEM USED BY CHRYSLER IN '91, '92, & '93 IS FLAWED IN DESIGN AND IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I OR A MEMBER OF MY FAMILY WILL BE FACED WITH COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE AGAIN. THE NEXT TIME WE MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY! I FEEL THAT I CANNOT EXPOSE MY FAMILY TO THIS DANGER ANY LONGER, & THEREFORE MUST DISPOSE OF THIS VAN. SINCE THE NHTSA IS OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND THE SAFETY IMPACT OF BRAKE FAILURE, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A COMPLETE RECALL ON ALL CHRYSLER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THIS SYSTEM. YOUR COMMENTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. YOU MAY CONTACT ME AT ANY TIME TO DISCUSS THE MATTER FURTHER. REGARDS, R. C. POAGE, JR.