2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED, AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN WHEN THE CONTACT DROVE OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING OVER A PERIOD OF NINE YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT AND IDLER PULLEY HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN ON BUT RUNNING LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON. BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS WOULD ONLY WORK IF I HELD THE LEVER PULLED TOWARD ME. ALL OTHER LIGHTS WORKED, INCLUDING TURNING AND BRAKING LIGHTS. AFTER RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT WERE IDENTICAL TO MY SITUATION. *JS

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE GONE OUT TO MY CAR ONLY TO FIND THAT THE INTERIOR CABIN LIGHTS ARE ON. THE VAN WAS IN MY GARAGE AT THE TIME SO I KNOW NO ONE COULD HAVE ENTERED THE VEHICLE. I SEE THAT DODGE HAD A RECALL FOR THERE DURANGO, BUT NOT THERE VAN IN THE YEAR 2005. I PURCHASED THE VAN FROM COON RAPIDS DODGE IN MPLS. MN. ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. I SEE BY THE DODGE RECALL ON THE DURANGO THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE. WAS THERE A RECALL ON THIS VAN FOR THIS CONDITION, AND SHOULD IT HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY THE DEALER. *TR

HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHUT OFF LIGHTS WHILE DRIVING. NOW WILL LEAVE LIGHTS ON WHILE IN THE OFF POSITION AND THEY WILL TURN OFF BUT SOUND WILL BEEP AS IF THEY ARE ON. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED!! *TR

POWER DOOR LOCKS ARE NOT WORKING. UNABLE TO LOCK OR UNLOCK DOORS WITH EITHER KEY REMOTE OR BUTTON LOCATED ON THE DOOR. THIS IS A CONCERN BECAUSE THE LOCKS DO NOT ENGAGE WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MODE OF TRAVEL. THIS FIRST STARTED IN AUGUST OF 2012 WITH THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR AND NOW BOTH SLIDING DOOR LOCKS ARE INOPERABLE AS WELL AS THE TRUNK HATCH. HAVE TRIED CHANGING FUSES WITHOUT SUCCESS. I RESEARCHED INFORMATION ONLINE AND FOUND A SITE THAT INDICATED THAT A BCM SOFTWARE UPDATE COULD FIX THE PROBLEM BUT DEALERSHIPS CHARGE FOR THE UPDATE. SHOULD THERE BE A FEE INVOLVED WHEN THIS MECHANISM IS SECONDARY TO A SOFTWARE ISSUE THAT CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD? BECAUSE SAFETY ISSUES ARE AT HAND SHOULD THIS BE LISTED AS SAFETY RECALL? *TR

ON APRIL 18, 2014, CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT LITHIA DODGE IN KENNEWICK WASHINGTON WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE TO CHECK TO SEE IF THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON THEIR 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN BEING ON CONSTANTLY WAS COVERED UNDER THE NHTSA RECALL 10V008000 "FRONT AIRBAG CRASH SENSOR FAILURE". WHEN CONSUMER ARRIVED FOR THE APPOINTMENT ON APRIL 21, 2014, THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE OR CHECKING THE VIN THAT THE VAN MAY OR MAY NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THEY JUST DIDN'T KNOW. THEY COULD DO A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE VEHICLE, THOUGH: IF THE VEHICLE WAS COVERED UNDER RECALL, THE VISIT WOULD BE FREE. IF THE VEHICLE WASN'T UNDER RECALL, THEY WOULD CHARGE A $125 "DIAGNOSTIC FEE" TO TELL THE CONSUMER THAT IT WASN'T UNDER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK WITH THE KEY FOB AND THE POWER SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS OF MY 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ARE NOT ABLE TO BE OPENED USING THE DOOR SWITCH OR THE KEYFOB. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE DOORS IS BY MANUALLY PULLING THE LOCK. ALSO, ONCE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVING THE LOCKS DO NOT CLOSE AT THE 18 MPH MARK AS STATED IN THE OPERATING MANUAL. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN AND WOULD HOE THAT DODGE VALUES ITS CUSTOMERS ENOUGH TO SEE IT AS THAT TOO. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE FOR A POSSIBLE CAUSE OR CURE I STUMBLED UPON A TSB (08-040-04) ISSUES REGARDING THIS ISSUE. A SIMPLE TSB IS NOT ENOUGH TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT BE CHARGED TO REPAIR A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH A DODGE VEHICLE. *JS

MY HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT COMPLETELY WHILE I AM DRIVING. THEY ALSO FLASH OFF AND ON WHILE I AM DRIVING. THEY FLASH AT OTHER DRIVERS AS IF I AM SIGNALING THEM TO PULL OUT IN FRONT OF ME, ONE TIME ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT IN FRONT OF MY DAUGHTERS SCHOOL. I ALSO HAVE INCIDENTS WHERE I CANT TURN THEM ON AT ALL, OR CAN'T TURN THEM OFF WHEN I PARK AND SHUT OFF MY CAR. I WILL PARK MY CAR AND SHUT OFF THE LIGHTS AND WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR, THE DOOR CHIME WILL RING AS IF I HAVE LEFT THEM ON. THEY TURN THEMSELVES ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY WHILE I AM DRIVING EVEN THOUGH THE SWITCH IN IN THE OFF POSITION. MY PARKING LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS FLASH BY THEMSELVES (AT RANDOM) AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT. WE HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JS

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS DON'T WORK. TAILGATE IS STUCK IN UNLOCKED POSITION. ALL OTHER LOCKS HAVE TO BE OPERATED MANUALLY, THERE IS NO WAY TO LOCK THE TAILGATE MANUALLY. REMOVING AND REINSERTING THE FUSE FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AT A TIME. EVENTUALLY REMOVING THE FUSE STOPPED WORKING. I RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS THAT THE REPAIR WAS TO FLASH THE BODY CONTROLLER. THIS ISSUE ALSO IS CAUSING A P0135 CODE WHICH IS FOR AN O2 SENSOR HEATER. THIS CODE COMES UP EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE O2 SENSOR. THIS ISSUE IS A SAFETY CONCERN WITH THE TAILGATE NOT BEING ABLE TO LOCK WHICH IS AN EASY WAY FOR SOMEONE TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE AND EITHER CARJACK IT OR STEAL IT, OR BELONGINGS. AS FOR THE P0135 CODE IT HAS CAUSED ME TO CHASE MONEY AFTER AN EMISSIONS PROBLEM THAT REALLY DOES NOT EXIST. THE CONTROLLER CAN ONLY BE FLASHED BY A DODGE SERVICE CENTER AND THEY FIRST WANT TO CHARGE TO DIAGNOSE AN ISSUE THAT IS COMMONLY KNOWN ABOUT, AND THEN PAY FOR THE FIX. I NEED TO GET THE P0135 CODE CLEARED IN ORDER TO PASS THE EMISSIONS TEST AND GET THE LICENSE STICKER, OTHERWISE I CANNOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. *TR