2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ENGINE LOCKED, AND VEHICLE VEERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP THAT COULDN'T WORK ON IT FOR TWO WEEKS, AND THEN AND STATED THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE OIL HAD GOTTEN DOWN EXTREMELY LOW, BUT NO WARNING OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING CHECKED FOR OIL LEAKS. *AK

THE CROSSOVER PIPE HAS HOLES IN IT AND NEEDS REPLACING. I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT FUMES CAN GET INTO THE CAR AND ALSO THAT IF IT FAILS MUCH MORE, THE WIRES UNDER THE HOOD CAN BE BURNED. ALL THE DEALER WAS WILLING TO DO WAS REPLACE THE PIPE. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS SINCE SEPTEMBER 2004, THE PIPE IS BACK ORDERED. *JB

THE CROSS OVER PIPE/EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILED UPON TURNING THE HEAT ON. SOME VERY HEAVY EXHAUST FUMES FILLED THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK EXHAUST FILLS THE VEHICLE WHEN THE HEAT OR AIR IS TURNED ON USUALLY WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A STAND STILL. *TC

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 42,000 MILES. PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION SHUDDER, TSB 18-05-94. I HAD BROUGHT THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDER TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION STARTING AT AROUND 32,000 MILES. DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEY RE-FLASHED THE COMPUTER, ETC. VAN WAS BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER TWICE BEFORE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY EXPIRED. BROUGHT THE VAN BACK AT 37,000 MILES TO COMPLAIN AGAIN AND DEALER PROCEEDED TO TELL US THAT THEY HAVE NO RECORDS OF ANY PRIOR COMPLAINT REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION, THEREFORE THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE US TO RE-FLASH THE TRANSMISSION. (I WILL NEVER LOSE OR THROW AWAY ANY WARRANTY RELATED RECEIPTS AGAIN). AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH AND GETTING NOWHERE WE PAID THE RE-FLASH FEE AND ONCE AGAIN THE THEY TOLD US THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THEN AT ABOUT 42,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BLEW. THIS AFTER THE DEALER TOLD US ON A MINIMUM OF 4 OCCASIONS THE TRANSMISSION WAS FINE. AFTER SOME "POLITE" NEGOTIATION I GOT THE DEALER TO COVER HALF OF THE $1300.00 REPAIR COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION PUMP. OF COURSE THEY DIDN'T COVER THE FLATBED & RENTAL CAR EXPENSES. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A CAR THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPAIR OR REPLACE A TRANSMISSION AND I HAD DRIVEN MOST OF THEM WELL OVER 100,000 MILES. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW CHRYSLER CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS. WITH ALL OF THE DISGRUNTLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMERS ON THE INTERNET I CAN'T BELEIVE THE NHTSA ISN'T INVESTIGATING THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. WHO IS PAYING OFF WHO?*AK

MAKE : DODGE MODEL : GRAND CARAVAN YEAR : 2000 MANUFACTURER : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION CRASH : NO FIRE : NO NUMBER OF INJURIES: 0 ODI ID NUMBER : 10100418 DATE OF FAILURE: NOVEMBER 20, 2004. *JB VIN : NOT AVAILABLE COMPONENT: CV JOINT.AXLE PROBLEM SUMMARY: I TOOK MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN ON A FRIDAY TO THE DEALER FOR THE AIR BAG RECALL (CLOCKSPRING- WHICH BY THE WAY THE AIRBAG REALLY STAYS ON NOW, WHERE IT DID NOT BEFORE THE DEALER REPLACED/REPAIRED THE CLOCKSPRING) AND PLUS THE DEALER CALLED ME TO TELL ME THAT HAD FOUND A LEAK IN THE MASTER CYLINDER WHICH THEY WANTED TO FIX. I SAID YES (NOW I SEE THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS) I PICKED UP MY VAN UP ON FRIDAY EVENING AFTER WORK. SATURDAY MORNING I RAN A COUPLE OF ERRANDS AROUND TOWN AND AT 12:30 P.M. BEGAN TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE. I PROCEEDED OUT OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE AND ONLY MADE IT AS FAR AS THE STREET BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. I CALLED FOR A TOW. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID THAT MY WHEEL ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE COMPLETELY ATTACHED TO THE AXLE. HE TOWED IT TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON MONDAY INFORMED ME THAT MY CV JOINT/AXLE HAD BROKEN. A BROKEN AXLE ON A 2000 THAT HAS 18,222 MILES ON IT. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS? MY KIDS AND I WERE LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT GOING FAST OR DRIVING DOWN A FREEWAY. NOW I SEE ON THE NEWS THIS MORNING THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR DAKOTA TRUCKS AND DURANGOS, BUT NOT CARAVANS. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? *JB

AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK *TC

SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF EVERY TIME CONSUMER HIT A PUDDLE. THE BELT CAME OFF FOUR TIMES, AND WAS BEING SERVICED AGAIN.*AK

CONSUMER STATED EVERYTIME IT RAINED THE OIL SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

I TOOK MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN ON A FRIDAY TO THE DEALER FOR THE AIR BAG RECALL (CLOCKSPRING) AND PICKED UP MY VAN UP ON FRIDAY EVENING AFTER WORK. SATURDAY MORNING I RAN A COUPLE OF ERRANDS AROUND TOWN AND AT 12:30 P.M. BEGAN TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE. I PROCEEDED OUT OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE AND ONLY MADE IT AS FAR AS THE STREET BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. I CALLED FOR A TOW. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID THAT MY WHEEL ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE COMPLETE ATTACHED TO THE AXLE. HE TOWED IT TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON MONDAY INFORMED ME THAT MY AXLE HAD BROKEN. A BROKEN AXLE ON A 2000 THAT HAS 18,222 MILES ON IT. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS? I WAS VERY LUCKY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON A BUSY STREET OR FREEWAY. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 04V480000 CONCERNING AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING FAILURE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. HOWEVER, 1 YEAR AGO VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. ALSO, UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK