1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK. THE FIRST TIME AT AROUND 40,000 MILES AND THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN IN THE LOCK AT ALL. THIS TIME THE KEY WOULD TURN, BUT IT WAS VERY STIFF. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A TSB ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, NEITHER THE DEALER NOR CHRYSLER WILL HELP DEFER THE COST OF THIS COMMON PROBLEM. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**768019

TWO ORIGINAL GOODYEAR TIRES SUFFERED TREAD SEPARATION. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TRAVELING AT 75 MPH. MR

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SAFETY CHILD PROOF DOORS ARE INOPERATIVE. THE CHILD WAS ABLE TO OPEN DOOR AND GET OUT OF VEHICLE WITH SYSTEM ACTIVATED. *NLM *SCC

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HARNESS STRAPS RECEPTACLE IS INOPERATIVE, UNABLE TO FASTEN BUCKLE. NLM

WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF OWNING OUR VAN, THE BELT CAME OFF THE PULLEY SYSTEM RENDERING THE VAN DEAD. WHEN IT CAME OFF IT WAS CUT IN TWO AND WRAPPED AROUND THE CRANK PULLEY. WE REPLACED THE BELT 8 TIMES SINCE THAT OCCURRENCE. WE HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE CRANK PULLEY AND TENSION PULLEY. AFTER BECOMING TOTALLY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS PROBLEM, WE CONTACTED THE CORPORATION, WHICH WAS OF NO USE. A FAIRBANKS DODGE SERVICE CONSULTANT SHARED WITH US THE FACT THAT THEY OFTEN RECEIVE SEVERAL TOWED IN CARAVANS ON RAINY DAYS DUE TO THE BELT SLIPPING OFF. MY CONCERN IS THAT WHEN THIS BELT COMES OFF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING, NOR ALTERNATOR, NOR A/C. IF THIS OCCURS AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, THE USE OF POWER STEERING WILL BE LOST, MEANING QUICK REACTION IF NEEDED WOULD BE HINDERED. OUR MECHANIC CALLED CHRYSLER TO VERIFY IF IT WAS PURELY THE USE OF A WRONG BELT TYPE, ONLY TO BE TOLD NO. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY TOLD HIM NOT TO USE A CHRYSLER BELT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WERE ALSO INFORMED THAT THE BELT SYSTEM IS BEING REDESIGNED FOR 2003 BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP! I HAVE A WIFE AND TWO KIDS THAT RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE EVERYDAY AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 25MPH AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL OCCASIONALLY WOULD NOT WORK.*AK

TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY INDICATION OF AIR BAG PROBLEM.WAS CALLED AND TOLD THAT CLOCKSPRING WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT.WAS TOLD THIS CLOCKSPRING IS IN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND CONNECTS TO AIRBAG.WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE AND THAT ABOUT 10 A WEEK ARE REPLACED.I COMPLAINED THAT THE AIR BAG HAD NEVER BEEN ACTIVATED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER.WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IF AIRBAG LIGHT DID NOT COME ON ,THEN IT COULD BE A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC PROBLEM.I DID NOT HAVE THE PART REPLACED SINCE THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS NOT ON.ON THE WAY HOME,THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON.I CALLED THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT BACK AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN.SINCE THEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN A FEW MILES WITH AN INTERMITTANT AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATION.THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL APPEAR TO WORK PROPERLY.*AK

AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, COULD RESULT IN NONE DEPLOYEMENT OF AIR BAG OR PERMATURE DEPLOYEMENT OF AIR BAG. CONTACTED DEALER. THIS WAS A RESULT OF THE CLOCK SPRINGS BEING DEFECTIVE.*AK

I WAS DRIVING MY APPROXIMATELY 10MPH WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. WE NOTICED THE AIRBAG LIGHT BEGAN TO LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY A WEEK PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO OUR LOCAL DODGE DEALER, LANCASTER DODGE. THEY IMMEDIATELY IMPLIED THAT THE AIRBAG NEVER WENT OFF AND THAT IT WASN'T A CHRYSLER AIRBAG. THEY REFUSED TO DO ANY WORK ON THE VEHICLE AND REPEATEDLY STATED "WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL HERE?". MY WIFE AND I WERE SHOCKED AND COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE IMPLYING. I TOOK THE VAN TO ANOTHER DODGE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE AIRBAG DID IN FACT GO OFF (NO SURPRISE TO US). I CALLED TO DISCUSS WITH CHRYSLER AND DESCRIBE THE SITUATION. THE CLIENT SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WASN'T INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT THE SECOND CHRYSLER DEALER'S FINDING EVEN WHEN I REPEATEDLY EXPLAINED HOW THE FIRST DEALER'S REPORT HAD TO BE INNACCURATE BECAUSE THEY SAID THE AIRBAG DIDN'T GO OFF. I SINCE INVESTIGATED REPORTS SIMILAR TO MINE ON THE NHTSA SITE AND FOUND AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CLOCK SPRING ON MY VEHICLE. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE FIRST CHRYSLER DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ARE FRAUDULENTLY COVERING-UP THIS ISSUE BY PREPARING INACCURATE REPORTS OF THE FAILURE.*AK