2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE ALTERNATOR WHICH WAS NORMAL. *AK

I PURCHASED MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN NOVEMBER 2002 AND SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ABS SENSOR REPLACED ON THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL SIX TIMES. DESPITE THE CONTINUOUS PROBLEM THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS STATED THAT THERE CAN BE NO UNDERLYING CAUSE FOR THIS FAILURE. *AK

CONSUMER LOSS ALL LIGHTING AND HORN WHEN THE BATTERY DIED. *PH DEALER PULLED THE FUSE OUT, BUT BATTERY DIED EVERY TWO DAYS AND VEHICLE HAS NO HORN FOR 6 WEEKS. CONSUMER ALSO LOST ALL LIGHTS AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH. LIGHTS BELLS WAS FIXED BY DEALER BUT STILL NO REMEDY WITH THE BATTERY. *LA

2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE SUDDENLY STOPPED DUE TO A MECHANICAL PROBLEM REGARDING THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SENSOR. (NAR) *PH *CB

AT SLOW ACCELERATIONS VEHICLE SHUDDERS/HESITATES TO SHIFT. WHEN DOWNSHIFTING IT "BUMPS" DOWN. AT 35-40 MPH ENGINE RACES WITHOUT ACCELERATING. DEALER SAYS CLUTCH PLATES NEED 5-10,000 MILES TO BREAK IN AFTER TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT 2,400 MILES. VEHICLE STILL NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY AFTER MANY SERVICE ATTEMPTS AND 11,000 MILES.*AK

WHEN DRIVING WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON LIGHTS DIMMED, AND THE HEAT FROM THE AIR VENTS TEMPERATURE DECREASED. THIS OCCURRED WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, OR IF CONSUMER REMOVED FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MODULE/ALTERNATOR, TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, AND THE MAIN COMPUTER, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. *AK

WHILE STRAPPED INTO A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN'S MIDDLE CAPTIANS SEAT,MY SON WAS IN HIS CAR SEAT THAT WAS USING THE LATCH SYSTEM. THE MIDDLE SEAT OF THE VAN PIVOT TO GIVE ACCES TO THE REAR SEATS. IN DUING SO THE MIDDLE SEAT COULD SIT BACK IN THE PROPER POSITION WITHOUT LOCKING DOWN INTO THE FLOOR. IT WILL LOOK LIKE IT IS LOCKED BUT COULD NOT BE. SINCE THE ANCOR AND TETHER FOR THE LATCH CARSEAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE SEAT AND NOT TO THE FLOOR OR ROOF OR CAR. WHEN THE MIDDLE SEAT PIVOTS THE CARSEAT GO WITH IT. SO WHEN MY SON WAS STRAPPED INTO HIS CAR SEAT AND THE MIDDLE SEAT POVITTED DURING A STOP. MY SON WAS THRUSTED INTO THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS SEAT. HIS FACE WAS CUT AND BADLY BRUISED DUE TO THE DRIVERS SEAT'S HARD PLASTIC BACK. MY COMPLAINT IS WHY DONT THEY HAVE THE LATCH SYSTEM ATTACHED TO THE CAR AND NOT THE SEAT AND WHY DOES THE MIDDLE SEATS SIT LIKE THEY ARE LOCKED DOWN EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT NOT BE. I DID CONTACT DODGE THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN THE PROBLEM.*AK

ERRATICALLY, THE REAR TAILGATE DOES NOT LOCK PROPERLY AND OPENS WHILE DRIVING. NO AJAR WARNING LIGHT SHOWN ON THE DASH EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE INCIDENTS. THE MECHANISM SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS CLOSED BUT IT IS NOT BECAUSE THE LOCK IN THE TAILGATE HAS ALREADY CLOSED BEFORE IT HAS REACHED THE LATCH, THEREFORE PREVENTING PROPER CLOSURE. I HAVE DUPLICATED THIS ISSUE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITH BOTH KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTE AND ROOF CONSOLE CONTROL. DEALER REPEATEDLY REPORTS THAT THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE ISSUE, DENIES REPAIR/REPLACEMENT EVEN THOUGH THE TAILGATE HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED BECAUSE OF DAMAGE INCURRED BY THE TAILGATE POPPING OPEN WHILE DRIVING.*AK

GRAND CARAVAN SPORTS ARE EXTREMELY EASY TO BREAK INTO AND EVEN EASIER TO STEAL. A 13-YEAR-OLD WITH A STANDARD SIZED SCREWDRIVER IS ALL IT TAKES TO GAIN ACCESS AND DRIVE OFF WITH YOUR VEHICLE <1 MINUTE. ANY ACCOMPLICES ARE WELL-HIDDEN BY THE PRIVACY GLASS. THERE ARE NO "CARS OF CHOICES" FOR AUTO THIEVES, IT'S WHATEVER IS QUICK AND EASY. THIS ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE IS COMMON TO ALL DAIMLER-CHRYSLER VEHICLES, NOT JUST THE CARAVAN FLEET. D.C. VEHICLES ARE QUICKLY GAINING STATUS AS "EASY TO STEAL, QUICK TO STASH, NOT TO MENTION AN ABUNDANT POOL OF POSSIBILITIES"...EXPECT TO PAY NEARLY $3000.00 (LOW END) FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S JOY RIDE AND WAIT APPROXIMATELY THREE TO FOUR WEEKS WHILE REPAIRS ARE MADE. *JB

WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. A REPRESENTATIVE WAS SENT OUT TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING AS OF YET.*AK