1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHED AND SUDDENLY REMAINED ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL RELATED TO THE AIR BAGS, BUT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WERE UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/10/15*LJ UPDATED 11/07/2017*CN

WHILE DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL GO BLANK. INSTRUMENTS: GAS GAUGE, TEMPERATURE, AND SPEEDOMETER NEEDLES WILL GO TO ZERO. DIGITAL READOUTS GO BLANK. NORMAL FUNCTION RETURNS USUALLY IN MINUTES AND SOMETIMES FASTER IF I HIT THE DASHBOARD WITH MY HAND. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THIS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH NUMEROUS YEAR MODELS OF DODGE MINIVANS. THIS ISSUE IS DESCRIBED AS A COMPUTER COMMUNICATION PROBLEM CAUSED BY FAULTY CONNECTIONS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT INTERRUPT THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE THREE ONBOARD COMPUTERS. WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT TO THE DASH, INDICATING A CONNECTION PROBLEM, WILL MY AIRBAGS STILL WORK? THE ERROR CODE FOR THIS MALFUNCTION IS: P1698. *TR

DRIVING DOWN ROAD AS USUAL AND ALL THE DASH COMPONENTS WENT DOWN I HIT A BUMP AND THEY CAME BACK UP OR IF I SLAP THE TOP OF IT THEY WILL COME BACK ON. I LIKE KNOWING HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE,HOW FAST I'M GOING OR EVEN IF I'M OVERHEATING. AND I DO CARRY A DISABLED PERSON PLUS MY SELF SO WE DEPEND ON THIS EVERYDAY. *TR

WE BOUGHT THIS VAN FOR MY WIFE'S MOM. DAYS AFTER WE BOUGHT IT, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE AND THE RADIO CHANGES STATION WHEN I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. WE TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP THAT TOLD US THE CLOCK SPRING WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED BY CHRYSLER SHORTLY AFTER THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. WHAT CAN WE DO? IS THIS SOMETHING CHRYSLER WILL COVER AGAIN? *TR

MY SERPENTINE BELT FALLS OFF EVERY TIME IT GETS WET. IT FALLS OFF IN HEAVY RAIN, IT FALLS OFF IN SNOW. AS YOU COULD IMAGINE WHEN YOU SUDDENLY DON'T HAVE STEERING ON WET AND/OR ICY ROADS IT BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IN A FAMILY VAN. EVEN AFTER I GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I HAVE TO GET THE BELT BACK ON. ROAD SIDE REPAIRS ARE NEVER SAFE OR EASY BUT THEY ARE MADE EVEN MORE SO WHEN DONE IN THE RAIN OR IN A BLIZZARD WHEN IT'S 60 BELOW WIND CHILL. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED!!!!! *TR

BOTH ORIGINAL KEYS AND SPARES CAN BE REMOVED WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND IN ANY GEAR. THE VAN ALSO HAS A FAILURE TO START THAT RESEMBLES A DEAD BATTERY. I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND IS COMPLETELY RELATED TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

TWO WEEKS AGO MY 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN DEVELOPED A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE. IT HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY STRONGER. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND /OR STOPPING SUDDENLY, AND STOPPING /PARKING IN THE GARAGE. *TR

ON GOING PROBLEM, WITH MYSELF AND PREVIOUS OWNERS. NEVER ADDRESSED BY CHRYSLER AND NO RECALL EVER DONE. WHEN DRIVING ON WET ROADS THE SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF LEAVING YOU WITH NO POWER STEERING AND LOSS OF CONTROL IF GOING AT NORMAL SPEEDS AND ON A CURVE. IT IS A WELL KNOW PROBLEM AND HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY CHRYSLER. THEY JUST SAY THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A RECALL AND REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS SO PREVALENT THAT GATES HAS MADE A REPLACEMENT PULLEY AND BELT TO FIX IT, BUT IT COSTS ABOUT $120.00 AND CHRYSLER SHOULD PAY FOR THE FIX AND INSTALLATION. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF? *TR

DRIVER SIDE FRONT STRUT MOUNT DANGEROUSLY RUSTED, COULD CAUSE FATEL ACCIDENT. *TR

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING- LETTER TO THE SECRETARY FROM CONSTITUENT RE UTILITY TRAILER SAFETY. *SMD THE DRIVER OF A MINIVAN ALONG WITH SIX OTHER PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION ON A RURAL ROAD, WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BY A TRAILER LOADED WITH CRUSHED VEHICLES, THAT HAD BROKEN LOOSE FROM A TRACTOR TRAILER HEADING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.