1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS AN EMERGENCY BRAKE PROBLEM, WHEN ONE THINKS THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ARE HOLDING THEY ARE REALLY WEARING AWAY THE SHOES, AND THERE IS SUDDEN AND UNWANTED JAMMING OF THE BRAKE LINKAGE, CONSUMER STATED A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED, HOWEVER THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL.*JB

EMERGENCY BRAKE INTERMITTENTLY DISENGAGES. THE VAN ALMOST RAN ME OVER WHEN THE BRAKE DISENGAGED WHILE I WAS WINCHING THE BOAT ON THE TRAILER, VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN!!!*AK

CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY OPEN CIRCUIT FAILURE DISABLES DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG AND TRIGGERS OPEN CIRCUIT SENSOR, ENABLING AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT.*AK

AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON. DEALER STATED THAT CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.*AK THE CLOCK SPRING WAS THE DEFECTIVE PART IN THE ASSEMBLY. *JG

THE POWER STEERING/POWER BRAKES HAVE BEEN LOCKING/FAILING INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE PAST YEAR. TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP IN JULY OF 2001 AND WAS TOLD THE STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM WAS DUE TO HUMIDITY AND LOOSE BELTS AND THE WEATHER WOULD IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE. NOTICED THAT WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR BETWEEN 5 AND 10 MILES PER HOUR. ALSO, WHEN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, POWER BRAKES WOULD FAIL. HAD TO LITERALLY STAND ON BRAKE PEDAL OR TURN OFF CAR IGNITION TO STOP CAR. THREW CAR IN PARK AND TURNED THE IGNITION IMMEDIATELY TO REGAIN STEERING AND BRAKES. HAD NO STEERING CAPABILITY AT ALL. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ABOUT ONCE EVERY 2 MONTHS BUT SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE FREQUENT WITH 3 FAILURES IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. TOOK CAR INTO DEALER ON 6/24/02 AND THEY WORKED ON IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE DECIDING THE PROBLEM WAS SOME PART OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THEY COULD REPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING BUT NOT WITH THE BRAKES. THEY REPLACED SOME COMPONENT OF THE POWER STEERING AND RELEASED THE CAR 6/26/02. PICKED UP THE CAR ON 6/27/02. THE NEXT DAY, 6/28/02, BOTH STEERING LOCKED AND BRAKES FAILED. WILL HAVE CAR TOWED TO SHOP TODAY. BOTH SON AND HUSBAND HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING. SON NEARLY HIT A TREE WHEN STEERING LOCKED. SAID "CHECK OIL LIGHT " CAME ON DASH. SAID THE ONLY WAY HE COULD STOP THE CAR WAS THE TURN THE IGNITION OFF WHILE IN DRIVE. WE HAD NOTICED THE PROBLEM MORE WHEN MAKING A TURN. HUSBAND SAID THE PROBLEM HAPPENED TO HIM THIS PAST FRIDAY (6/28/02) AND HE WASN'T TURNING AT ALL. WE DO NOT SEE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT FLASHING ON WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS. WE ARE ALL SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID IT WILL STALL OR THE STEERING WHEEL AND POWER BRAKES WILL FAIL TO WORK AT HIGH SPEED.*AK

THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE NOT FUNCTIONING, AND AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON CONTINUOUSLY.

THE TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN DUE TO DIFFERENTIAL PIN FAILURE AND WAS REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN FOR THE SAME REASON, BUT THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FAILURES WERE DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. *YH

IN THE STATE OF PA ON 06/07/2002 WHILE TRAVELING NORTH ON ROUTE 33 HEADING TOWARDS ROUTE 80 THE NEW LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE RIM WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN THROUGH A CURVE IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY SWERVED AND ROCKED VIOLENTLY BUT CONTROL WAS REGAINED WITHOUT ANY PASSENGERS BEING INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE DESTROYED LEFT REAR TIRE AND CLAIMS TO HAVE RECHECKED THE VEHICLE. IN NJ ON 06/14/2002 WHILE TRAVELING NORTH ON ROUTE 202 IN BRANCHBURG TOWNSHIP NJ THE NEW RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE RIM WHILE TRAVELING ON A STRAIGHT SECTION OF THE ROADWAY. MINIMAL LOSS OF CONTROL OCCURRED WITH THIS SECOND TIRE FAILURE.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATE BY THEMSELVES. NO APPARENT RHYME OR REASON. NO PATTERN.*AK

SAFETY HAZARD IN THAT AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN ACCIDENT AND HORN FAILS AT ALL TIMES. *AK