2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR HOME AT ONLY 35 MPH, MY WIFE HEARD A LARGE BANG AND IMMEDIATELY LOST THE POWER STEERING, BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, I FOUND THAT THE ALUMINUM CASTING HAD BROKEN THAT HOLDS THE BRACKET FOR THE ALTERNATOR. THE ALTERNATOR AND SERPENTINE BELTS WERE LAYING NEAR THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I TOOK PHOTOS OF THE PROBLEM SINCE I KNOW IT IS NOT USUAL FOR THE CASTING TO BREAK. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE CHRYSLER DEALER THAT WE HAVE HAD ALL THE SERVICE FOR THE VEHICLE PERFORMED. I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE CASTING BROKE AND THEY SEEMED CONCERNED ALSO AT THAT POINT. THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD NOT SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. I HAD THE REPAIRS MADE AT A COST OF OVER $1500.00. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE CVR PKG-ENGINE BECAUSE THE BREAK WAS PART OF THE CASTING FOR THE COVER OF THAT PART. I THEN CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TOLD THEM I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND THAT IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN GOING 75 ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND ROUNDING A CURVE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, SUCH A BREAK COULD EASILY CAUSE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE, INJURY, OR DEATH. I TOLD THEM THAT I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OR MAINTENANCE ITEM, BUT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT SINCE THE ALUMINUM CASTING BROKE AND NOT THE BRACKET. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CASE MANAGER ONLY CAME BACK WITH A STATEMENT THAT THE VEHICLE HAD 138000 MILES AND THEY COULD OFFER ME ONLY $465.00 TOWARD THE REPAIRS. THERE WAS NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, OR CONCERN THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHILE I BELIEVE THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD PAY FOR THE ENTIRE REPAIRS, I AM MORE CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL LIFE THREATENING SITUATION FOR OTHER UNKNOWING DRIVERS. I HAVE THE PICTURES AND I HAVE THE PART IN MY POSSESSION IF ANYONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS! *TR

AUTO LOCK AND AUTO DOORS OPEN FAILED. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT A YEAR AGO TOO. RESETTING BCM MODULE BY REMOVING BATTERY LEAD FOR A FEW SECONDS FIXED PROBLEM. PROBLEM IS BACK. I CONSIDER THIS UNSAFE SINCE DOORS DO NOT AUTO LOCK ONCE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS SHOULD BE A FREE FIX BUT DEALER CHARGES. I HAVE READ REFRESHING THE COMPUTER FIXES THE PROBLEM. DEALER CHARGES WHEN IT SHOULD BE FREE SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

OUR DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING WITH BOTH THE UNLOCK BUTTON AND THE REMOTE KEY. WE CANNOT UNLOCK OUR DOORS UNLESS WE DO IT MANUALLY, AND THERE IS NOW NO WAY TO LOCK THE BACK HATCH. THERE IS ONLY ONE KEY HOLE AND THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE DOORS COULD NEITHER BE LOCKED OR UNLOCKED FROM THE CONTROL PANEL ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE DOORS HAD TO BE LOCKED AND UNLOCKED MANUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,900. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,600.

SOMETIMES, MY HEADLIGHTS WON'T TURN ON WHEN I START THE VEHICLE (THE DASHBOARDS LIGHTS ARE STILL ON WHEN THIS HAPPENS). I USUALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM BY SWITCHING THE LIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF. THE PROBLEM NOT ONLY IS FIXED THAT WAY, BUT IT GOES AWAY FOR MONTHS AT A TIME AND IS QUITE RANDOM AND MYSTERIOUS. I AM JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIGHTS FRYING OR SUDDENLY TURNING OFF WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING BECAUSE I WORK EVENINGS AND OFTEN COMMUTE ON THE HIGHWAY. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IT APPEARS QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN, MYSTERIOUS GLITCH WITH DODGE CARAVANS FROM THE SAME YEAR. I GET REGULAR OIL CHANGES, ALWAYS PASS INSPECTIONS, AND THE MECHANICS NEVER FIND MAJOR ISSUES WITH THE BATTERY, ENGINE, OR THE HEADLIGHTS THEMSELVES. AND THEY USUALLY TELL YOU THAT THE CAR NEEDS TO BE PRESENT IN THEIR SHOP WHILE THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING, WHICH DUE TO THE RANDOM, INTERMITTENT NATURE OF THE PROBLEM IS NIGH IMPOSSIBLE TO DO. IT'S A VERY STRANGE PROBLEM, BUT THERE MUST BE SOME CAUSE IF SO MANY PEOPLE DRIVING SIMILAR CARS HAVE HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. *TR

THE LOCKS KEEP STOP WORKING AND IT NEEDS TO BE RESET BY REMOVING THE FUSE, READ ON THE INTERNET THAT ALMOST EVERYBODY WITH THIS TYPE OF VAN EXPERIENCES THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL. LOCKS FINALLY GAVE OUT ALL THE WAY AND WILL NOT OPEN ANYMORE. *TR

HEADLAMP SWITCH IS FAILING. IT CAUSES THE HEADLAMPS TO ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY AT TIMES. VERY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT TIME. I THINK SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

DURING ROUTINE STOP, NOTICED THAT THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT WORK. THIS WASN'T A CONCERN AT FIRST UNTIL I NOTICED THAT THE DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AS WELL. I FEEL THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER IS IGNORING AND LEAVING FAMILIES WITH THE BURDEN OF REPAIRING THIS EXPENSIVE ISSUE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOTHING ELSE THAT DODGE SHOULD FIX FOR ITS LOYAL CUSTOMERS. *TR

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING BY THE CABIN SWITCH AND THE REMOTE. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD. CHRYSLER HAS A PROGRAM UPDATE FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT CHARGES TO HAVE IT INSTALLED. I UNDERSTAND THIS UPDATE WAS RELEASED IN 2004. *TR

THE AIRBAG DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND HAVE NOT SHUT OFF. AFTER RESEARCHING I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ONLY WHEN I CALL I'M TOLD THE SERVICE FOR THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. I EXPLAINED THAT IT HAD NOT, THAT I HAD NEVER TAKEN IT IN FOR THIS BEFORE. HE STATED IT HAD BEEN DONE IN 2007, YET THIS RECALL WASN'T IN EFFECT UNTIL JUNE OF 2010. I CALLED HIM OUT ON THAT AND ALL HE COULD SAY WAS THAT I DON'T QUALIFY. ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 10V008000 MY CAR IS INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. WHAT CAN I DO? *TR