1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

WITH THE CAR PARKED AND ENGINE TURNED OFF, I WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE MY CHILD FROM THE INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT OF MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE STRAPS ARE SUPPOSED TO PULL FORWARD FREELY, WHICH THEN LOOSENS THEM ENABLING THE STRAPS TO SLIP OVER THE CHILDS HEAD. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, I WAS UNABLE TO PULL THE STRAPS FORWARD AT ALL. I THEN MANAGED TO UNCLIP THE CLIPS WHICH ARE LOCATED ON THE BOTTOM SIDES OF THE SEAT AND THEN JUST BARELY SLIP THE STRAP AND YOKE OVER HER HEAD TO FREE HER FROM THE SEAT. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION ABOUT THIS MATTER. I WAS TOLD BY BOTH PARTIES THAT SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS OVER THE 3 YR./36,000 MILE WARRANTY THAT NEITHER WOULD HELP TO ASSIST IN THE REPAIR. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST SOMEWHERE AROUND $700.00 MAKING IT A VERY COSTLY REPAIR!!! I HATE TO THINK OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF I WERE REALLY IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND HAD TO GET MY CHILD OUT OF THE SEAT QUICKLY, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE BELT SEIZED OR FROZE UP LIKE IT DID UNABLING ME TO GET MY CHILD OUT OF THE VEHICLE!!*AK

WHILE IN DRIVEWAY VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED TO 30-40 MPH IN A SHORT DISTANCE WITH FOOT STILL ON BRAKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A TREE. PRIOR TO INCIDENT CONSUMER SMELLED WIRES BURNING. *AK

SERVICE DETERMINED THAT CLOCKSPRING NEEDED REPLACEMENT CAUSING AIR BAG LIGHT TO STAY ON. I SAW SHOW ON FOX 5 THAT SAID THIS MAY BE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT SUBJECT TO RECALL. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT COMING ON INTERMITTANTLY DURING TURNS AND BRAKING. TOOK TO A DODGE DEALER WHERE THEY FOUND AN OPEN CLOCKSPRING CIRCUIT. THEY REPLACED THE CLOCKSPRING. I CHECKED THE NHTSA WEBSIGHT AND FOUND AN ODI ACTION FOR THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM ON AN IDENTICAL VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO A RECENT CONSUMER COMPLAINTS SUMMARY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON AN IDENTICAL VEHICLE.*AK

OUR HORN DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE AND AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR OVER A YEAR.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN TURNING ON WHEN LEFT SIGNAL SWITCHED ON; NOW COME ON OFTEN FOR NO REASON, AND NEED TO BE MANUALLY SHUT OFF; AND WHERE EVER THE BLADES ARE WHEN SWITCHED OFF IS WHERE THEY STAY. VERY DISTRACTING AND HUGE ANNOYANCE. INTERMEDIATE FEATURE NO LONGER WORKS. *AK

THESE TIRES WERE REPLACED AS PART OF A RECALL IN APPROXIMATELY 1998. THE THREAD ON THIS TIRE HAS VIRTUALLY NO WEAR. THERE IS PROBABLY ABOUT 12-15,000 MILES ON THESE TIRES. MY SON AND I WERE DRIVNG DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE TIRE COMPLETELY BLEW OUT, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD A CAR BEEN CLOSER TO US THAN THEY WERE, AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY SAFELY AND QUICKLY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE TIRE, I SAW THAT THE THREAD HAD COMPLETELY COME OFF THE SIDES OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS IN THREE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT PARTS. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WHO CAME TO CHANGE THE TIRE WAS FLABERGASTED AT THE CONDITION OF THE TIRE. HE SAID THAT THE ONLY OTHER TIRES HE HAS SEEN THAT LOOKED LIKE THIS WERE THE FIRESTORE TIRES ON THE SUVS. WHEN I WENT TO THE TIRE DEALER TO REPLACE THE TIRE, HE HAD THE SAME TYPE OF COMMENTS. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO THE TWO REPAIR MEN THAT THESE TIRES WERE DEFECTVIE. BOTH SAID WE WERE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE GIVEN THE CONDITION OF THE TIRE. MY QUESTION IS NOW, WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THE OTHER ONE THAT IS ON THERE, AND CAN I GET RETRIBUTION FOR THE COST OF THESE TIRES. ALSO, HOW CAN I FIND OUT IF THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS IN THE PAST? SHOULD I CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP OR THE MANUFACTURER. IF YOU COULD SUPPLY ME WITH THIS INFORMATION, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. *AK (TIRESIZE: P215/65R15)

WHEN USING THIS BOOSTER SEAT IN MY VAN, WHEN MY CHILD LEANS FORWARD, THE SEATBELT, WHEN PUT THROUGHT THE SEAT BELT GUIDES ON THE BOOSTER SEAT, BECOMES LOOSE AND SLACK. WHEN MY CHILD SITS BACK THE SEAT BELT GETS CAUGHT UP ON THE SEAT BELT GUIDE, AND THE SEAT BELT JUST HANGS LOOSE- THIS WOULD DEFINATELY BE A PROBLEM IN A CRASH. I'M SURE THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THIS BECAUSE CONSUMER REPORTS MAGAZINE JUST DID AN ARTICLE ABOUT CAR SEATS, AND THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT UP. I AM GOING TO BE CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER MYSELF- BUT YOUR HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION ZONE ON HOT DAY NOTICED BURNING RUBBER SMELL. STARTED DOWN A HILL AND NOTICED BRAKES DID NOT SEEM TO WORK. PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. TRIED PARKING BRAKE. CAR WAS STEERED INTO ABANDON GAS STATION TO AVOID COLLISION. HAD TO PUT INTO PARK TO STOP VEHICLE. GOODYEAR EMPLOYEE TRIED BRAKES:WENT TO FLOOR. TECHNICIAN VIEWED (IN HOUR)HAD BRAKES:BLEED LINES. TOLD AIR IN LINES. SAME AS ODI-ID 887484.TOOK TO DEALER:COULD NOT EXPLAIN. REAR BRAKES THIN. MENTION OF POSSIBLE MASTER CYLINDER DEFECT.NHTSA TOLD ME OF 1996 RECALL. CALLED CHRYSLER-VIN NOT INVOLVED.VERY CONCERNED OVER FUTURE BRAKE PERFORMANCE.*AK

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE WE'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS SPONTANEOUSLY ACTIVATE, MAKE TWO OR THREE PASSES ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD, THEN RETURN TO THE STOWED POSITION AND STOP. SOMETIMES THE ACTIVATION IS NOTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH STARTING THE VEHICLE, ACTIVATING THE TURN SIGNALS, OR DURING THE PROCESS OF STEERING THE VEHICLE THROUGH A TURN. SOMETIMES IT OCCURS WHILE JUST DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD...I SUPPOSE THIS QUIRK IS DUE TO RUBBING WIRING, ETC. IN THE STEERING COLUMN, AND MY WIFE AND I ARE ACCUSTOMED TO IT BY NOW. IT OCCURS TO ME THOUGH THAT THIS WIPER ACTIVATION COULD EASILY DISTRACT A DRIVER AT A CRITICAL MOMENT AND CONTRIBUTE TO A MISHAP. EMAIL IS THE BEST WAY TO CONTACT US OR TRY THE HOME PHONE NUMBER AFTER THAT...WE CHECK THE ANSWERING MACHINE FREQUENTLY. THANKS, CLAY RIALES. *AK