1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

1998 CHRYSLER GRAND CARAVAN EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.*MR 1998 DODGE CARAVAN SUFFERED FROM AVEHICLE FIRE AS A RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. CONSUMER IS SEEKING A FAIR SETTLEMENT FOR LOSS OF VEHICLE.*MR

ALMOST ALL OF THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED ONLY TO FIND THAT LESS THAN 1 YEAR LATER, JULY 2003, THE EVAPORATER IS LEAKING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $750.00.

THE CAR IS ON IT'S THIRD TRANSMISSION. WE LIKE THE CARAVAN AS A PACKAGE, BUT QUALITY IS LACKING AND PROBLEMATIC. THE MOST CRITICAL PROBLEM IS BODY RUST THROUGH. THE DRIVERS SIDE SHOCK MOUNT TOWER IS RUSTED THROUGH AND CHRYSLER OWNER RELATIONS REFUSING TO FIX IT. NEVER MIND THAT THE DEALERS SAY THE PROBLEM IS PREVALENT AND CHRYSLER USED TO FIX IT BUT RECENTLY STOPPED PAYING FOR (PERHAPS DUE TO FINANCIAL AND MARKET CONDITIONS).

THE VAN STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS LAST WEEK.IT DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO FIRST GEAR AFTER REVERSE OR AFTER STOPPING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN IS BROKEN AND WILL TAKE ANYWHERE FROM $1700 TO $2300 TO REPAIR. I AM TRYING TO GET CHRYSLER TO COVER THE COST OF THIS AS IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE VANS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE AGAIN.

THE TOP OF THE STRUT TOWER, UNDER THE HOOD, IS RUSTING. I HAVEN'T APPROACHED CHRYSLER, BUT WILL TRY. I HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM ON TWO MINIVANS AND AM WONDERING IF CHRYSLER IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT ITL.

INTERMITTENTLY, THE TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS DID NOT RESPOND WHEN USING THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB *SC

WE WERE DRIVING OUR CARAVAN AND HAD TO USE THE HORN. ONCE I PRESSED THE PAD FOR THE HORN, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, THE HORN DID NOT BLOW AND THEN I DETERMINED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING. BEFORE DOING ANY RESEARCH I HAD THE REPAIRS COMPLETED AT THE DEALER. IT WAS A DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING AND THE COST TO REPLACE IT CAME TO $269.01. I THEN CAME TO THIS SITE AND FOUND DOZENS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS EXACTLY LIKE MINE. I WOULD LIST EVERYONE I FOUND BUT I'M SURE YOU CAN LOOK THEM UP FASTER THAN I COULD TYPE THE ID NUMBERS. I ALSO FOUND A RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V293000 ON YOUR SITE. I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS AND THEY CLAIM OUR CARAVAN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELEAVE SINCE THEY ADMIT THEY ARE DEFECTIVE IN THE RECALL SO WHY ISN'T OURS COVERED UNDER IT?*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE UNCONTROLLABLE. SOMETIMES THEY WORK, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT TURN OFF. SOMETIMES THE INTERMITTENT FUNCTION DOESN'T WORK. THIS IS A SERIOUS DISTRACTION AND ALSO A BIG HAZARD IN THE RAIN. *AK

MY 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (WHICH I PURCHASED NEW) HAD "THROWN" ITS' SERPENTINE-BELT 4 TIMES (APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10,000 MILES- IT NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER). THE DANGER/HAZARD IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE IS THAT POWER-STEERING, WATER-PUMP, ALTERNATOR, & POSSIBLY OIL-PUMP ARE DRIVEN BY THIS BELT! DODGE HAS REPLACED THE BELT, TENSIONER, TENSIONER-MOUNT BRACKET SUCCESSIVELY: I.E.- BELT AT 1ST INCIDENT, TENSIONER AT 2ND, BRACKET AT 3RD. NOW IT HAS OCCURRED AGAIN & THEY WISH TO CHARGE FOR ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED. THE VEHICLE HAD CAMSHAFT FAILURE AT 41,000 MILES & NOW HAS A REBUILT ENGINE- THE BELT/ TENSIONER/ BRACKET ARE SAID BY DODGE NOT TO BE AFFECTED BY THE REPLACED ENGINE. SO, DOES THIS MEAN THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW TENSIONER/ BELT/ BRACKET EVERY 10,000 MILES? *LA

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 40 MPH. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY THE MECHANIC.*AK *MR