1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN: MASSIVE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE SHAFT OF A PIN EXTENDING INTO THE CORE (SORRY IF I HAVE THE TECHNICAL DETAILS WRONG) SHEERED OF COMPLETELY AND DESTROYED THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AT AROUND 50,000 MILES. SHORTLY AFTER THE FAILURE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST BEING LOOKED AT BY MY MECHANIC, THE TRANSMISSION "LOCKED UP", MEANING THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED OR MOVED. THE REASON I AM REPORTING THIS IS BECAUSE MY MECHANIC INDICATED THAT HAD THIS "LOCK UP OCCURRED" AT THE WRONG TIME AND PLACE THAT THERE IS GOOD CHANCE MY WIFE (WHO DRIVES THIS VEHICLE DAILY) AND MY CHILDREN (WHO RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE DAILY) WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. I HAVE DIGITAL PICTURES SHOWING THE FAILURE AND DAMAGE INSIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION, AND MY MECHANIC IS AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS OR INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVE BELT CAME OFF AND SHREDDED INTO PIECES WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. *NLM. *AK *CB *NLM

THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. SOON AFTER, THE STEERING BECAME HARD. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING ON TO THE GROUND. THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. *JB. IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION HAD EXITED THE CASE PH *JB

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH CAUSED THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL TO BE INOPERATIVE. THE DEALER STATED THE CLOCK SPRING FAILED. RELATED RECALL 02V293000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB *TS *JB

THE DRIVER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IN PARK, VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND HIT A GATE AND SOME TRASH CANS. WHEN RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE, IT WAS STILL IN PARK. VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 6/25/2003. *AK

BOLT HOLDING HATCH STRUT TO SIDE OF VEHICLE SHEARED IN HALF CAUSING THE HATCH TO FALL ON TOP OF THE PERSON ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE REAR HATCH DOOR. PERSON CLOSING DOOR WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED. STRUT ARM SCRATCHED REAR BUMPER WHEN HATCH FELL. DEFECTIVE PART WAS SAVED. *JB

THE WIRES TO THE HORN HAD BURNED.PROBLEM WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE RECALL 02V293000 FOR AIR BAG REPAIR OF THE CLOCK SPRING. HAD PART OF RECALL DONE ON AIR BAG. MECHANIC CHARGED CONSUMER TO HAVE DIAGNOSTIC DONE ON HORN. ESSINGTON FAMILY DODGE IN PHILA. PA (215 492 8600). REFERENCE NUMBER 11278103. *AK

SERPETINE BELT HAS SHREDDED TWO TIMES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. A SMALL SECTION OF THE BELT ON THE INNER SIDE NEXT TO THE ENGINE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN CUT, BOTH TIMES THIS OCCURRED THE DAMAGE WAS THE SAME. VEHICLE HAD 99,000 MILES AND WAS WELL MAINTAINED. THIS EVENT NEVER OCCURRED UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS OVER 95,000 MILES. *TT

WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH THE CONSUMER HEAR A LOUD BANGING NOISE. THE CONSUMER PULLED AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED IT BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NLM

THE DRIVE BELT CAME PARTIALLY OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE BELT SHREDDED AND THEN CAME OFF COMPLETELY. THE BELT WAS REPLACED 6000 MILES AGO. IT WAS A WET DAY OUTSIDE (LIGHT RAIN). *NLM