1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, TECHNICIAN NOTICED TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

THE STRUT MOUNTS THOROUGHLY RUSTED AND SEPARATED FROM THE BODY WHICH THEN CAUSED A DRIVING HAZARD. SEVERAL MECHANICS HAVE STATED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A MOST COMMON OCCURRENCE AMONG THE CHRSYLER/DODGE MINI-VANS OF 1996. CHRYSLER WILL NOT EXTEND GOOD WILL OR ASSISTANCE EVEN THOUGH THE FAULT LIES WITH THEM IN ITS POOR DESIGN THAT WAS SOON AFTER REVAMPED. WHAT IS REALLY DISTRESSING IS THAT CHRYSLER RAISED THE COST OF THE STRUT MOUNTS RECENTLY, WHICH ARE DEALER PARTS ONLY, BY ABOUT 84% AS THEY REALIZE MORE AND MORE CONSUMERS NEED TO MAKE THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR. *AK

FRONT RIGHT SIDE STRUTS ARE RUSTING OUT. THIS RESULTS IN SUSPENSION AND STEERING LOSS. CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AK

THE VEHICLE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION (NOTIFICATION # B24). THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT BUT HAS NOT RECEIVED AND CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *MR *SCC *NLM

1ST DATE OF TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WAS IN APRIL 1999. STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. STILL UNDER WARRANTLY, STILL HAD TO PAY DEDUCTIBLE. MILEAGE WAS 35,000. NOW 2ND TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AT 96,000 STRANDED ON THE FREEWAY WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR. TRANSMISSION STUCK AND LEAKING FLUID. WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. FOR A WOPPING COST OF $2700.00

MY 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS A LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER THAT IS CRACKED AROUND THE TOP WHERE THE SPRING SITS. THERE ISN'T A SPOT OF RUST OR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE ON THIS VEHICLE EXCEPT THAT STRUT TOWER. FROM MY DISCUSSION WITH A CHRYSLER BODY SHOP MANAGER, IT APPEARS THAT THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THESE STRUT TOWERS. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY RISK BECAUSE IF ONE OF THESE LETS GO AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IT WILL IMMEDIATELY IMPACT STEERING AND DRIVEABILITY POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A CRASH. I KNOW MY WAY AROUND A CAR SO I WAS ABLE TO SPOT THIS PROBLEM AND RECOGNIZE THE POTENTIAL DANGER. I THINK WITH MOST DRIVERS THIS PROBLEM WILL GO UNRECOGNIZED AND THAT IS WHY I AM WRITING YOU TODAY. PLEASE GET THE WORD OUT. I CALLED CHRYSTER AND REGISTERED A COMPLAINT, BUT I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO INFORM ANYONE.

WHILE TRAVELING, THE DASH BOARD INDICATION LIGHTS FLASHED THROUGHOUT TRAVEL. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE AIR CONDITIONER CONTROL HEADS CONTAINED A SHORT. *JB

AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR A RECALL THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE A POPPING NOISE AND WAS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. *NLM

RE:DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE, L996 CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. SUDDEN LACK OF POWER WHEN DRIVING ON FREEWAY, NARROWLY AVOIDING SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. IN RESEARCHING ON VARIOUS WEB SITES, THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR OTHER OWNERS AS WELL. THE DEALER HAS KEPT THE CAR TWICE SO THEY COULD 'DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM', THEY REPLACE ONE SENSOR OR ANOTHER. LAST REPLACEMENT SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED BUT STILL DON'T TRUST THE CAR AND WON'T DRIVE ON FREEWAY OR FAR FROM HOME. NOW HAVE TROUBLE STARTING THE CAR, THE DEALER SAID IT'S PROBABLY THE CRANK SENSOR. THEY SAY SINCE I ONLY HAVE 33,000 MILES ON THE CAR, IT SHOULDN'T BE THE STARTER. ALSO, I HAVE HISTORY OF THE WIPERS TURNING ON AND OFF WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE IT. THEY ALSO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RHYTHM WHEN WORKING. THE WIPER SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE COMPUTER NEVER SHOWS AN ERROR CODE SO OBVIOUSLY, IT ISN'T WORKING EITHER. THE SPEEDOMETER WILL FLOAT AND SOMETIMES WILL SHOW 0 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I'M MOVING. THEY REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER SENSOR TWICE AND NOW IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING. I HAVE SEEN ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS LISTED ON VARIOUS WEB SITES. THE DEALER ACTS LIKE I'M CRAZY AND THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE SUDDEN LACK OF POWER, THE ENGINE JUST TURNS OFF, NO POWER STEERING EITHER WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I WONDER HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT... AS SOON AS I CAN AFFORD IT, I WILL BE REPLACING THIS VAN WITH A NON-DODGE VEHICLE. *NLM

THE CLOCKSPRING FAILED ONE YEAR PRIOR TO RECALL# 02V293000. THE CONSUMER FILED FOR A REFUND WITH CHRYSLER WHICH HE HASN'T RECEIVED. *MR *SCC *NLM