1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL, CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS ON ITS THIRD TRANSMISSION.*JB

DODGE '96 MINIVAN STALLING PROBLEM WHILE IN OPERATION. START UP TIME 5-10 MINUTES LATER (VERY DANGEROUS). TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR; PROBLEM ESCALATED TO FULL REPLACEMENT. NOT SATISFIED WITH REPLACEMENT -"BUMPS" ON SECOND AND THIRD GEARS UP AND DOWN. THESE HAVE BEEN COSTLY REPAIRS. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OUT NO MATTER WHAT REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED - FULL FUEL AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. RPS RACED TO 15K. REPLACED CAM SENSOR, HARNESS, HOSES ETC. *NLM

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION YET THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *NLM THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OPENED BUT WAS DEFLATED. CONSUMER RECEIVED LETTER REGARDING FAULTY AIR BAGS AFTER ACCIDENT. *TT

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. FAULTY CIRCUIT ON BODY CONTROL MODULE.*JB *TS

AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED REGARDING THE FUEL RAIL SEAL, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MISFIRE, THE DEALER REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT CHARGING CONSUMER. *JB

WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*JB

THE METER READ LESS THAN HALF A TANK OF GAS, THE VAN RAN OUT OF GAS, THEN THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO DRIVE WHEN SOON AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS A MISFIRED CYLINDER, THE FUEL FUEL PUMP WAS BURIED INSIDE THE GAS TANK, AND WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL DROPPED BELOW THE FUEL PUMP, THE PUMP HEATED UP AND SUCKED IN AIR INSTEAD OF THE GASOLINE. *SCC *JB

CAR SUDDENLY BEGINS TO IDLE VERY IRRATICALLY & ROUGHLY WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN EVEN WHEN FULLY WARMED UP. THE IDLE AIR CONTROL WAS REPLACED ON 1-30-02, BUT CAR STARTED STALLING AGAIN ON 2-11-03.

THE FUEL TANK CRACKED AND LEAKED FUEL. *JB THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY WHICH HAD ADDITIONAL BRACKETS. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW. SCC

I RECENTLY REPORTED THE FOLLOWING DEFECT TO DODGE: "THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON MY 1996 GRAND CARAVAN HAVE BECOME FOGGED OVER. I'VE NOTICED REDUCED NIGHT VISIBILITY AS A RESULT. I'VE NOTICED THE SAME DEGRADATION IN HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON OTHER CARAVANS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO OUR LOCAL DEALER WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM BUT SAID DODGE HADN'T ISSUED ANY RECALL AS OF YET. THIS LOSS OF CLARITY IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY MATERIAL WILL LEAD TO NIGHT TIME ACCIDENTS IF NOT CORRECTED. IS DODGE AWARE OF THIS DEFECT AND IF SO ARE THERE PLANS TO CORRECT THIS MANUFACTURING SHORTCOMING IN THE SAME MANNER YOU CORRECTED THE RECENT CLOCKSPRING DEFECT?". DODGE REPLIED: "THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECENT E-MAIL TO DAIMLERCHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION REGARDING THE HEADLIGHTS ON YOUR 1996 GRAND CARAVAN." THERE ARE NO INCOMPLETE RECALLS OR PENDING RECALLS INVOLVING YOUR VEHICLE FOR THE PROBLEM YOU HAVE DESCRIBED. YOUR CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE EXPENSE AND INCONVENIENCE INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE, ARE UNDERSTANDABLE. HOWEVER, YOUR REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER MUST BE DECLINED, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION HAS EXCEEDED THE TIME OR MILEAGE LIMITATIONS OF THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY AT THE TIME THE EXPENSE WAS INCURRED. ALTHOUGH A MORE FAVORABLE REPLY COULD NOT BE PROVIDED, SHARING YOUR CONCERNS WITH US IS APPRECIATED. SINCERELY, NICOLE KALISH SENIOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER I FEEL THE RESPONSE IS IN ADEQUATE AND DOES NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL INDENTICAL COMPLAINTS FOR THE CARAVAN LISTED ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE. I AM CERTAIN AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH OF ALL CHRYSLER MINIVAN PRODUCTS WOULD FIND NUMEROUS IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS. THIS MATERAIL DEFECT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND CORRECTED. IT WILL, IF IT HASN'T ALREADY, KILL OR INJURY INNOCENT PEOPLE DUE TO REDUCED NIGHT LIGHTING CAPABILITY.