1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

WHILE DRIVING SERPENTINE BELT DISENGAGED, CAUSING POWER STEERING TO FAIL, AND WATER PUMP TO OVERHEAT. THIS HAPPENED FIVE TIMES. A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK

THE CROSS OVER MANIFOLD WAS RECALLED. HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THE PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER CONSUMER WAS WAITING FOR EIGHT MONTHS. AS A RESULT, FUMES SEEPED THROUGH THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO PASS EMISSIONS INSPECTION. *AK

THE DRIVE BELT HAS REPEATEDLY COME OFF RESULTING IN THE IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP EACH TIME, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. FINALLY A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A FLEXING ENGINE MOUNTING BRACKET. THIS PROBLEM IS SO COMMON THERE IS A CHRYSLER SERVICE BULLETIN #07-02-99. THIS REPAIR SHOULD BE COVERED AS A SAFETY RECALL. *JB

BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING A COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE HORN NOT WORKING, AND THE BRAKE FAILURE. MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NO DEFECTS. RECALL 04V480000 FOR CLOCK SPRING WAS ISSUED, AND CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. *AK *NM

WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FIRST. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED.SOMETHING UNDERNEATH THE VEHILCE BROKE, WHICH WAS THE FRAME. *AKI AS A RESULT OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING THE CONSUMER HIT A CURB AFTERWHICH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *TC

THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED 4 DAYS BEFORE SHE RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL REGARDING THE AIR BAGS. THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY THAT CHANGED FROM PAVEMENT TO GRAVEL, WHEN THE PAVEMENT ENDED, SHE STARTED TO FISH TAIL, SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, WHICH SENT HER INTO A SPIN TWICE. *JB

THE BOLT ATTACHING THE HANDLE TO THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINING MECHANISM BROKE. HERE WAS NO WARNING AND NO EVENTS LEADINGUP TO THE FAILURE.SEAT WILL NOT STAY UPRIGHT.VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED, I WILL RETAIN DEFECTIVE PARTS.*AK

WHILE PRESSING DOWN THE HORN A LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE(WB663712D17) FOR THE CLOCK SPRING. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS RECALL WAS NOT FOR THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

DEAR NHTSA: IAM POSTING THE EXACT PROBLEM AS LISTED UNDER YOUR "DEFECTS" PAGE FOR MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE: MAKE : DODGE MODEL : GRAND CARAVAN YEAR : 1998 MANUFACTURER : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION ERVICE BULLETIN NUM : 98771 DATE OF BULLETIN: MAY 01, 1998 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 601474 COMPONENT: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN SUMMARY: THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY MAY NOT TURN ON THE RADIATOR COOLING FANS, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. *AK ================ THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ME A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY FAILED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I WAS STRANDED AND HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO MY DEALER, TEAM DODGE OF STONE MOUNTAIN, GOERGIA. THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE RELAY AS A RECALL (A TINY MODULE LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF THE RADIATOR), AND CHARGED ME IN EXCESS OF $150.00 TO REPLACE IT. SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME, I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MANY DODGE CARAVAN OWNERS THAT THIS IS INDEED A COMMON PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF A FACTORY-WIDE RECALL, AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU MAY BE ABLE TO OFFER. THANK YOU.

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A OFF CENTER FRONTAL COLLISION ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. AN IMPACT OF 30 MPH. THE TOP LATCHES ON THE INTERGRATED CHILD SEAT HAS OPEN ON IMPACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY WILL BE SENDING OUT AN INVESTIGATOR TO INSPECT THE INTERGRATED SEAT AND THE VEHICLE.PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATRION. *AK