2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES ALREADY TO GET BRAKE PADS REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHILE OPERATING A MODIFIED VEHICLE FOR THE DISABLED, THE ACCELERATOR HAND LEVER BECAME STUCK.*AK.*JB

SUMMARY: SINCE NOVEMBER 2000 MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 7 TIMES RELATED TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILING. THREE OF THOSE TIMES THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE MOST RECENT OCCURANCE WAS NOVEMBER 16TH. THEY ARE ONCE AGAIN FAILING. THE FOLLOWING IS THE TIMELINE OF REPAIRS: 11/29/00 MCKINNEY DODGE, 15,396 MILES, MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED, FRONT BRAKE ROTORS RE-MACHINED; 02/06/01 @ 19,224 MILES, SYSTEM "SLUSHY"- BRAKES BLED; 02/28/01 @ 20,334 MILES, SYSTEM "SLUSHY"- BRAKES BLED; 03/03/01@ 20, 527 MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED; 04/17/01, BENSON DODGE, 22,097 MILES, SYSTEM "SLUSHY" BRAKES BLED; 04/16/01 DAIMLER/CHRYLSER CONTACTED, REF # 8524982; 11/16/01 @ 32, 328 MILES, MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED; 11/16/01 DAIMLER/CHRYSLER CONTACTED, REF # 9367556; 11/19/01 @ 32,500, RETURNED TO BENSON DODGE, MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING FLUID; 01/07/02 DAIMLER CHRYSLER CONTACTED, REF# 9519579. THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO BENSON DODGE TOMORROW (01/08/02) ONCE AGAIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS ONCE AGAIN "SLUSHY" AND THE PEDAL IS GRADUALLY GOING TO THE FLOOR.*AK

FIRST NOTICED BUMPING NOISE UNDER FRONT END WHEN I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND GOING OVER A DIP OR BUMP IN THE ROAD. EVENTUALLY, THE NOISE HAPPENED TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT OR GOING OVER ANY BUMPS OR DIPS IN THE ROAD (EX. RAILROAD TRACKS, SPEED BUMPS ) THE FRONT END OF VAN SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS ACTUALLY HITTING THE PAVEMENT. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS THE FIRST FIVE TIMES, THEN THE SIXTH TIME WE TOOK IT IN, THEY REPLACED THE STRUTS AND THE SWAY BAR LINK AS WELL. THAT WAS JULY 2001. AS OF 2 WEEKS AGO (DEC. 2001) THE BUMPING NOISE UNDER THE VAN HAS STARTED AGAIN.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DIRECTED WHEN POWER STEERING FAILED, THIS OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS AND MAKING A TURN, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK AND PINION WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FRONT SEAT RESTRAINTS WILL SOMETIMES LOCK OR MAY STAY UNLOCKED. A FEW TIMES CONSUMER HAD TO CRAWL OUT OF SEAT BELT BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T UNLOCK. DEALER WILL HAVE TO REPLACE LOCK OR LATCH MECHANISM. OCNSUMER IS BEING CHARGED FOR PART AND LABOR.*AK

ENGINE DIES IN RIGHT HAND TURNS OF 2 DEGREES OR MORE WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE ENGAGED. *AK

UPON STARTING IGNITION VEHICLE ACCELLARATED INTO REVERSE, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER AND ALSO ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ANYONE CAN MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER FROM PARK TO REVERSE WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. NO ONE HAS TO BE IN THE DRIVER SEAT, A CHILD CAN BE IN BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS, TAKE HOLD OF THE SHIFT LEVER AND PULL IT DOWN INTO GEAR. WE CONTACTED SOUTHLAND DODGE AND THEY SAID THEY ALL DO THIS. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. ALL OTHER VEHICLES YOU HAVE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE BEFORE YOU CAN SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THIS REPORT WAS SENT TO YOU ONCE BEFORE ON 6/3/01 WITH NO RESPONSE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HAD A STRONG ODOR WHICH SMELLLED LIKE COOLANT COMING FROM VEHICLE. WHEN CONSUMER LIFTED HOOD ODOR GOT STRONGER. ALSO, ODOR WAS MAKING OCCUPANTS OF VEHICLE FEEL SICK TO POINT OF NAUSEA. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER COULDN'T FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK