1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A "POP" THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE MECHANIC STATED THE TRANSMISSION PIN CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE CASING WHICH CAUSED THE CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. *JB

COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 65,000 MILES. VAN NEEDS COMPLETE REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $2,400. PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ONE MONTH EARLIER WITH TRANSMISSION VALVE PROBLEM AT SAME DEALER. OPENING CASES WITH CFAS AND ZONE REP ALSO. PLEASE ADVISE. *JB

THE CONSUMER NOTICED RUST AROUND THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICE AND THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE STRUT TOWER WAS RUSTED. *NLM THE CONSUMER NOTICED RUST AROUND THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICE AND THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE STRUT TOWER WAS RUSTED. THE STRUT TOWERS ARE RUSTED THROUGH. THESE SUPPORT THE MACPHERSON STRUTS/SUSPENSION/AXLES AND STEERING. THE DODGE DEALER I WENT TO SEE SAID HE IS SEEING THIS SHOW ON VANS. THE LOSS OF THE STRUT SUPPORT. *MR

ON JANUARY 24, 2003 AT ABOUT 10 P.M. MY 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN JUST STOPPED DEAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON ROUTE 7 IN RIDGEFIELD CT. THE ENGINE WITH 67,000 MILES JUST SEIZED UP. I WAS ABLE TO USE THE CARS MOMENTUM TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY, WE MIGHT HAVE HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM. *NLM

THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED TREAD SEPARATION ON 3 OF THE TIRES, WHICH WERE ONLY 1 YEAR AND 4 MONTHS OLD. *TS *JB

MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE PULLING AWAY FROM MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE AIRBAG LIGHT NEVER CAME ON AND I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER. IT BUSTED UP MY STEERING WHEEL AND DASH BOARD. I LET MY INSURANCE CO. LOOK AT IT AND AN INVESTIGATOR FROM DAIMLER-CHRYSLER CAME OUT AND TOOK PICTURES OF IT. THERE WAS AND IS NO DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD RECEIVE COPIES OF EVERYTHING, BUT INSTEAD WAS SENT A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER DENYING RESPONSIBILITY. THE LETTER STATED THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAD BEEN ON FOR A LONG TIME. THIS IS NOT TRUE. I HAD JUST HAD MY VEHICLE STATE INSPECTED AND ALL OF THOSE THING ARE CHECKED. MY CAR PASSED INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WON'T RETURN MY PHONE CALLS AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY PROOF TO THEIR CLAIM. ALL THAT I WANT AND WANTED IS MY AIRBAG FIXED. I NEVER CLAIMED THAT I WAS HURT OR ANY OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WERE IN THE VAN AT THE TIME. PLEASE HELP. *NLM

THE VEHICLES AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEAT BELT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IMPACTED IN THE REAR. *NLM *NLM

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. CONSUMER GOT OUT AND NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID ALL OVER THE GROUND AND A ROD WAS STICKING THROUGH THE CASTING. *NLM

MY 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAD A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT LATE ONE EVENING. IT WOULD NO LONGER RESPOND TO ANY GEAR CHANGE AND IN FACT, IT SOUNDED AND SMELLED TERRIBLE! I WAS COMPLETELY STRANDED FOR SEVERAL HOURS ON A DARK WINDY ROAD UNTIL I COULD OBTAIN HELP. UPON INVESTIGATION ON THE INTERNET I SAW THAT THIS IS UNFORTUNATELY A COMMONLY KNOWN PROBLEM FOR DODGE OWNERS. I HAVE NEVER TOWED ANYTHING WITH MY CAR AND HAD ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE COMPLETED. THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY SEE THIS ALL THE TIME WITH CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. DANGEROUS!! *JB

AIR BAG LIGHT FLICKERED INTERMITTENTLY AND LATER STAYED ON PERMANENTLY. HORN WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY CLOCK SPRING SAME AS OTHER DAIMLER CHRYSLER RECALLED MINIVANS. THIS PARTICULAR MODEL & YEAR WAS NOT RECALLED, BUT SHOULD BE AS IDENTICAL PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED. THIS IS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. DEALER STATED THAT MANY SIMILAR CARS (NOT RECALLED AND RECALLED) HAVE SAME PROBLEM. REPAIR COST APPROXIMATELY $198 AT DEALER. *JB