2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WARP AND WEAR AT AN ACCELERATED RATE, CHRYSLER RESURFACED THE ROTORS AND REPLACED THE PADS THE FIRST TIME AT APPROX 8000 MILES, THEN 7000 MILES LATER THE PROBLEM WAS BACK. CHRYSLER DIDN'T WANT TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, BUT AFTER BEING PERSISTENT THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE PADS AND ROTORS WITH UPDATED PARTS IF WE PAID $50 OF THE BILL. WE WERE TOLD THIS WAS A ONE-TIME GOOD-WILL FIX. 10,000 MILES LATER WE ARE STARTING TO FEEL WARPED ROTORS AGAIN. SERVICE ADVISER HAD THE GALL TO SUGGEST DRIVER-ERROR AND IMPROPER BRAKING. *TR

BRAKE LIGHT FLASHED A FEW TIMES. WITHIN ONE WEEK OF LIGHT SPORADICALLY FLASHING THE BRAKES STARTED TO GRIND, METAL TO METAL. THE VAN IS ONLY 14MONTHS OLD WITH 10,000 MILES. OUT OF WARRANTY BECAUSE OF TIME LENGTH (MISSED BY ONLY TWO MONTHS). CHRYSLER WOULD NOT FIX SO HAD TO REPAIR AT OWN EXPENSE. BRAKE PADS REPLACED AND ROTORS TURNED. RESEARCHED ON-LINE AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT/PROBLEM ON THIS MAKE/MODEL AND YEAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT ROTORS WERE WARPED AND DAMAGED THE BRAKE PADS. THE BRAKES AND ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN SEVEN MONTHS. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFECT UNTIL THE BRAKE PADS WERE GRINDING AND FAILED INSPECTION. THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT THAT TIME; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE FAILURES WERE DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECTS AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,667 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,700. UPDATED 09/15/09. *LJ UPDATED 09/16/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A REMOTE CONTROL THAT OPERATES THE REAR HATCH. THE REMOTE IS USED TO PLACE THE WHEELCHAIR INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE LIFT. THE REMOTE CONTROL IS DEFECTIVE, AND OPENS AND CLOSES THE REAR HATCH AND SIDE DOORS WITHOUT WARNING WHETHER THE BUTTONS HAVE BEEN PRESSED OR NOT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE, BUT HE HAS NOT YET HEARD A RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE RESET THE REMOTE, BUT THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND UNATTENDED, IT COULD EASILY BE STOLEN DUE TO THE DOORS OPENING RANDOMLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE REMOTE CONTROL. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000. UPDATED 09/01/09. *LJ THE SLIDING DOORS WOULD OPEN ON THEIR OWN. UPDATED 09/03/09.*JB

I PURCHASED A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT USED FROM A FLEET SERVICE WITH APPROX 28K MILES ON IT. I WENT TO CHECK THE TIRES AND BRAKES MYSELF, AND HAVE DISCOVERED THE BRAKES AND ROTORS NEED REPLACING. THE PROBLEM IS, NO METAL IS TOUCHING THE ROTORS, YET THEY ARE WORE ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE DOWN TO THE MINIMUM THICKNESS OF 26.4 MM. THE PARTS DEALER WON'T TURN THEM, SO NEW ONES HAVE TO BE INSTALLED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PREMATURE WEARING ISSUE. *TR

MY COMPLAINT IS THAT YOU CANNOT SAFELY INSTALL MORE THAN 3 FRONT FACING CAR SEATS INTO A MINI VAN. I PURCHASED A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH SEATING FOR 7 THINKING THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT 5 CAR SEATS IN SAFELY. THERE ARE ONLY 3 TOP TEETHER ANCHORS, MEANING THAT I CANNOT PUT 4 FRONT FACING CAR SEATS INTO MY VEHICLE AS NEEDED. IT SEEMS THAT MOST MINIVANS ARE MADE THIS WAY, AND IN TALKING TO OTHER PARENTS, IT HAS LEAD ALOT OF PEOPLE TO INSTALL CAR SEATS WITHOUT USING TO TOP TEETHER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REMOTE SLIDING DOORS AND REAR HATCH WOULD OPEN AT WILL WHEN THE KEY REMOTE WAS IN THE HIS POCKET. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST. WHEN THE CONTACT WOULD BARELY TOUCH THE REMOTE, THE DOORS WOULD OPEN. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD ALSO NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,884 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,029. UPDATED 09/04/09.*JB

BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED AND ROTORS CUT AT 12,832 MILES. VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING WHILE BRAKING AND BRAKES ARE SPONGY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WITH 16,762 MILES ON IT. THEY TOLD ME THE ROTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY TELL ME THIS IS DUE TO HEATING FROM THE BRAKES. *TR

DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT 2008. BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS COMPLETELY WORN OUT AT LESS THAN 14000 MILES. COST ME CLOSE TO $400.00 TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW. IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED I WILL BE KEEPING THE PARTS THAT HAVE WORN OUT. *TR

DRIVING ON VACATION IN ST. LOUIS WE WERE ON HIGHWAY GOING 65 MILES/HOUR AND WE HEARD A RATTLING SOUND. THINKING WE HAD A FLAT TIRE, WE MOVED TOWARD EXIT AND NOTICED THE ENGINE HAD DIED. WE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY EXIT. WE JUST BOUGHT THIS BRAND NEW VEHICLE 2 WEEKS AGO!!! AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO SERVICE STATION, WE WERE INFORMED THE COMPUTER THAT TELLS THE ENGINE WHAT TO DO HAS MALFUNCTIONED. WE RENTED A VAN AND DROVE HOME TO MILWAUKEE. WE STILL DON'T HAVE OUR "NEW" VAN AND NOW THE REPAIR STATION SAID THEY WON'T GET THE PART FOR 5 MORE DAYS! THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO WORK ON IT. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS REPAIRED, WE WILL HAVE TO DRIVE BACK TO ST. LOUIS WITH A ONE-WAY RENTAL TO PICK UP OUR NEW, ALBEIT, DANGEROUS VAN. *TR