2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

WE OWN A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AT 20,000 MILES. TO WHICH THE MECHANIC SAID THAT WAS ABNORMALLY SOON TO NEED NEW PADS. NOW AT 35,000 MILES THE PADS NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND IT APPEARS THE ROTORS ARE WARPED. A RECENT DISCUSSION WITH A FRIEND WHO OWNS THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL HAS THE SAME SITUATION OF PREMATURE BRAKE PAD EROSION AND NEEDS A SECOND REPLACEMENT WITH EVEN LESS MILES THAN WE HAVE ON OUR VEHICLE. ORIGINALLY WE BELIEVED WE WERE JUST HARDER ON OUR BRAKES THAN NORMAL BUT WITH TWO REPLACEMENTS AND WARPED ROTORS WITHIN 35,000 MILES WE BELIEVE THERE'S A BIGGER ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY THERE ARE STRANGE NOISES FROM THE FRONT BRAKE AREA AND THERE'S A CONCERN THAT THERE COULD BE OTHER ISSUES. DUE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND HOW QUICKLY THE 2008 GRAND CARAVAN'S ARE FAILING WE BELIEVE IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE IS HURT DUE TO THIS ABNORMAL CONDITION. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FELT VERY SPONGY WHEN THE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND WOULD FALL FURTHER ONTO THE FLOOR BOARD THAN USUAL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY. THE REAR BRAKES BEGAN TO EXHIBIT THE SAME FAILURE AND THE DEALER STATED THAT A DIAGNOSTIC TEST HAD TO BE PERFORMED BEFORE REPAIRING THE VEHICLE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE DEALER PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ASSUMED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD ASSUME LIABILITY FOR THE REPAIRS; HOWEVER, HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE MADE AT HIS EXPENSE. THE CONTACT DECLINED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. HE STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED WHEN THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPAIRED. THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,200.

2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN REAR BRAKES. UPON VISUALLY INSPECTING BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE UNEVEN WEAR WAS DETECTED MOSTLY ON THE INSIDE PAD. SEMI-METALLIC COMPOUND LOCATED TOWARDS THE BACK SIDE OF THE PAD WAS ALMOST WORN DOWN TO THE METAL WHILE THE FRONT SIDE OF THE PAD STILL HAD ENOUGH COMPOUND ON IT THAT THE WEAR INDICATOR IS NOT MAKING CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR. BRAKE FAILURE IS IMMINENT AND THE WEAR INDICATOR WILL IS NOT PROVIDING ANY SOUND WARNING THAT THE COMPOUND IS WORN DOWN TO THE METAL. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR UNEVEN BRAKE PAD WEAR ON THE REAR BRAKES. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY THE WEAR INDICATOR WAS NOT MAKING CONTACT WITH THE PAD EVEN THOUGH THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE PADS ARE 95% WORN. CHRYSLER OFFER TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS TO REPLACE PADS AND ROTORS WITH SIMILAR MATERIALS. FRONT BRAKE PADS ARE ALSO WORN DOWN 95% AND DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED A TSB# 05-006-08 DID APPLY TO MY MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO APPLY THE SERVICE BASED ON THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE (27,288 MI). WHILE THE ISSUANCE OF THE TSB INDICATES A CONCERN FOR THE FRONT BRAKES ON THE VAN, HAVING MY DRIVING HABITS EXTEND THE BRAKE LIFE UP TO THE 27,288 MILE POINT DISQUALIFIED ME FROM HAVING SUCH TSB APPLIED TO THE VAN. MY CONCERN IS THERE IS NO PRIOR WARNING OF BRAKE FAILURE SINCE THE WEAR INDICATORS DO NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR WHEN THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR HAVING METAL TO METAL CONTACT BETWEEN THE ROTORS AND PADS. *TR

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED PREMATURELY, AT THIS TIME THE CAR HAS 45,000 THE FAILURE MUST HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE 40,000. COOLING A/C IS NOT WORKING, BLOWING WARM AIR. LOOKING ONLINE FOUND MANY 08 GRAND CARAVAN OWNERS WITH SAME COMPLAINTS. CAR AFTER WARRANTY WILL COST $135 TO INSPECT AND REFILL. I ASKED THE DEALER TO PRESSURE CHECK THE HOSES FOR LEAKS, THEY SAID THEY WILL DO A COLOR DYE CHECK ON THE A/C SYSTEM HOSES. BRAKES WERE DONE AT 12,000 MILES FAILED AGAIN AT 35,000, THIS TIME I AM NOT GOING TO HAVE THE DEALER FIX IT, I AM ORDERING REYBESTOS HYBRID ROTORS AND ADVANCED PERFORMANCE BRAKE PADS. WARNING - DODGE OEM BRAKES AND ROTORS ARE POS, DO NOT LET DODGE INSTALL THEM. I AM ALSO CONSIDERING REPLACING THE CALIPERS WITH REWORKED CALIPER FROM ANOTHER SOURCE. HORRIBLE NOISE FROM REAR BRAKES, WHEN DRIVING AND THE BRAKE IS NOT ENGAGED. SLIGHT RIGHT TURNS ALSO CAUSE SQUEAKS/GRIND NOISE THAT SOUND LIKE ITS COMING FROM REAR. WHEN BRAKE IS ENGAGED THE NOISE STOPS. *TR

AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS FAIL TO STAY OPEN WHEN PARKED ON A HILL AND HAVE CLOSED WHILE CHILD WAS GETTING IN. AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS FAIL TO CLOSE WHEN SITTING ON A HILL. THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN SITTING ON A HILL AND SOMETIMES WHEN SITTING ON FLAT SURFACE. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THESE PROBLEMS BUT NO RECALL. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR A CHILD GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE VEHICLE THINKING THE DOOR HAS LATCHED OPEN WHEN IT HAS NOT. *TR

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN BRAND NEW FROM ROYAL CHRYSLER IN OWEGO NEW YORK. SINCE THAT TIME OUR FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED 4 TIMES, EACH. IT HAS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE WHICH HAS RESULTED IN COMPROMISED SAFETY IN OUR VEHICLE. OUR DEALER HAS STATED IT IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM, YET CHRYSLER/DODGE HAS ISSUED NO RECALL OR BULLETIN. I HAVE ALL RECORDS PERTAINING TO THIS COMPLAINT WITH DATES AND DETAILS. UPON SEARCHING THE WEB I HAVE DISCOVERED THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH THIS SAME ISSUES. THIS IS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR

CALIPERS HANGING UP CAUSING BRAKES TO HEAT UP. HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DODGE DEALER THEY INITIALLY STATED NOTHING WRONG. THEN 1 WEEK LATER STATE I NEED NEW CALIPERS, ROTORS TURNED AND BRAKE PADS. THEY STATE THE ONLY THING COVERED UNDER WARRANTY IS CALIPERS. *TR

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON MARCH 31, 2008 AND HAVE HAD IT FOR 2 YEARS. WE WERE HEADED OUT OF TOWN ON VACATION AND HAD TO STOP AT 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS A LONG THE WAY FOR THEM TO TRY TO CORRECT THE PULLING. NEITHER ONE COULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IN THE 2 YEAR TIME IT HAS BEEN BACK IN FORTH TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT SEVERAL TIMES FOR IT PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND EATING THE FRONT EDGE OF EVERY TIRE THAT HAS BEEN PUT ON THE FRONT. TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED REGULARLY AND CROSSED AND STILL HAS THE OUTSIDE TIRE WEAR FROM THE PULL. CAM BOLTS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED BY THE DEALER TO HELP CORRECT THE ALIGNMENT WITH NO RESULTS. IT STILL PULLS. I HAVE FILED A LEMON LAW COMPLAINT WITH CHRYSLER WHO HAS PERFORMED THE FINAL REPAIR ATTEMPT AND IT STILL PULLS. I HAVE TOOK IT TO 2 LOCAL TIRE ALIGNMENT SHOPS HERE AND BOTH HAVE SAID THE ALIGNMENT CAN'T BE FIXED. CHRYSLER'S POSITION IS THAT THE VEHICLE DRIVES AS DESIGNED AND NO FURTHER ACTION WILL TRANSPIRE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A VEHICLE CAN BE DESIGNED TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OFF THE ROAD TO THE RIGHT IF YOU LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL. IT IS NOT A DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. A DRIFT DOESN'T EAT TIRES FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND. MY HAND ACTUALLY FALLS ASLEEP WHILE TRYING TO DRIVE THE VAN FOR LONG DISTANCES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TO KEEP THE VAN ON THE ROAD. WE HAVE DRIVEN 2 OTHER CHRYSLER VANS FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES AND THEY PULL TO THE RIGHT AS WELL BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT OF MY VAN. I AM STILL IN THE LEMON LAW PROCESS AND DON'T KNOW IF I WILL GET ANYWHERE WITH CHRYSLER BUT SOMEONE NEEDS TO CHECK THE STEERING AND ALIGNMENT OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL. YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FIGHT THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD. THIS ISSUE HAS MADE ME DESPISE THIS VAN AND IT WAS PERFECT FOR A FAMILY WITH 3 KIDS. BAD SAFETY HAZARD AND CHRYSLER SHOULD BE MADE TO CORRECT THE ISSUE AND NOT JUST PLAY GOD WITH THE FINAL STATEMENT OF "THIS VEHICLE PERFORMS AS DESIGNED". *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 45 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE BRAKES WERE SEVERELY WORN AND WOULD REQUIRE IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKES AND WITHIN ONE YEAR, THE EXACT FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,140 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,269.

WHILE DRIVING, WITH NO WARNING, VEHICLE STALLS (ENGINE DIES) STEERING COLUMN LOCKS AND BRAKES ARE HARD, THEIR IS NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE AND CAN'T GET OFF THE ROAD. I ALMOST GOT INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, I WAS APPROACHING A MAJOR INTERSTATE HWY WHEN MY VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALER MECH CAN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS, NOTHING RECORDS ON THE MEMORY OR FLIGHT RECORDERS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THE MECH WHILE ON A TEST DRIVE, THEY SAY THEY CHECKED ALL THE COMPUTER WIRES AND WANT TO GIVE THE VEHICLE BACK AND STATES IT IS SAFE. *TR