1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, WHERE THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD COME TO A STOP. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE HEAT FROM THE AIR BURNED THE CONSUMER ON THE ARM AND FACE.*AK

THE HEADLIGHT LENS DEVELOPED A CLOUDY DISCOLORATION THAT REDUCED THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATION. THIS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT OR ON A DARK ROAD. THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, COSTING $200.00 EACH.*AK

AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER STATED THAT BATTERY WAS CRUSHED. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE CLOCK SPRING.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD COLLISION. UPON IMPACT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. *AK

MY ELDERLY MOTHER PURCHASED A USED 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN FROM THE LOCAL CHRYSLER-DODGE DEALER IN APRIL 2002 AND ALSO PURCHASED THE POWERTRAIN CARE PLUS COVERAGE. NOT TOO LONG AFTERWARDS, THE DASH INSTRUMENTS FAILED TO WORK, SO THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS. NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WRONG AND WE WERE TOLD TO SIMPLY "KEEP AN EYE ON IT AND BRING IT IN WHEN IT'S NOT WORKING." WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TWICE MORE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM -- SPEEDOMETER, TACH, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE -- ALL NOT WORKING, BUT THESE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AIRBAG AND ABS LIGHTS ALL CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THESE THREE TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER THIS EXTRA COVERAGE AND ALL THREE TIMES, WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG! THE LAST STRAW CAME ON OCTOBER 13, 2004 WHEN WE TOOK THE VAN IN FOR THE 4TH TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. THIS TIME, WE WERE TOLD THERE WERE MASSIVE OIL LEAKS WHICH HAD SPRAYED OIL ON THE WIRE HARNESS, POSSIBLY CAUSING THE FAILURE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WE HAD THAT REPAIRED TO THE TUNE OF OVER $300. THEN WE WERE TOLD THAT THE REASON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED WAS NOT DUE TO THE WIRE HARNESS, BUT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) HAD FAILED. IT WOULD COST ANOTHER $500 TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AS IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. WE POLITELY TOLD THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT WE'D TAKE THE VEHICLE ELSEWHERE FOR REPAIRS (WE'VE GOTTEN THE QUOTES, BUT NOT HAD REPAIRS DONE AT THIS TIME). IT JUST SEEMS STRANGE TO US THAT THE DEALERSHIP WAS FINALLY ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED!

CONSUMER STATED THAT BRAKES VIBRATED AND MADE A LOT OF NOISE. SHE SOME TIMES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE NOISE GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS GOING ON THIS FOR 4 MONTHS. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH AT FIRST WOULD GIVE ME SOME TROUBLE BY NOT TURNING AT ALL. BUT I WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY GET IT TO WORK. AFTER SOME TIME WITHOUT FAILURE, IT FINALLY DID IT AGAIN, ONLY THIS TIME, IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. I TRIED TURNING THE WHEEL, I TRIED TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER, ALL IN AN ATTEMPT TO SEE IF IT WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM. BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS COMPLETELY FROZEN, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WHEN I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE PUT INTO NEUTRAL, BECAUSE THE SHIFT LEVER IS IN THE LOCKED STATE WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR, NOT INCLUDING THE TOW, WAS $250.00. DEALER WANTED $325.00. THIS PROBLEM LEAVES YOU STRANDED, AND THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE MOVED BECAUSE THE SHIFT LEVER IS LOCKED. COULD HAPPEN TO SOMEONE IN A REMOTE AREA, HOPEFULLY THE WEATHER WILL BE WARM AT THE TIME! I ALSO KNOW FROM MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN DODGE/PLYMOUTH MINI VANS, RANGING IN YEARS 1997 TO 2000, AND THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. WILL CHRYSLER RECALL THIS, REPLACE FAULT UNITS WITH BETTER QUALITY UNITS, OR EVEN REIMBURSE THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN STRANDED FOR THIS COMMON PROBLEM?*AK

WHEN PARKED AND WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK UNTIL CONSUMER GAINED CONTROL. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH. PROCEEDING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED VERY BADLY CONSUMER STATES THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. ALSO STATES THE AIR BAG CAUSED THE INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL 02V293000. ALSO, HORN WAS INOPERABLE. *AK