1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

VEHICLE CONTINUES TO LEAK OIL. DEALER HAS REPLACED OIL PAN ENGINE AND OIL FILTER. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON HIGHWAY WHEN POWER STEERING/COOLANT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF.*AK SERPENTINE HAS FALLEN OFF TWICE. *SLC

I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN RAIN STORMS. TWICE NOW THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF WHEN WATER IN THE ROAD SPRAYED ONTO THE BELT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE POWER STEERING, ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, AND ALL OTHER COMPONENTS POWERED BY THE BELT STOP FUNCTIONING. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT CAN HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEEDS. SERVICE BULLETIN 07-02-99, "SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF IDLER PULLEY" INSTALLS A BRACKET TO PREVENT THIS. MY CONCERN IS THAT NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT THIS SERVICE BULLETIN UNTIL THE BELT COMES OFF. THERE IS UNDUE RISK TO OWNERS OF THESE VANS. THIS NEEDS TO BE A VEHICLE RECALL NOT A SERVICE BULLETIN. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER VIA THE INTERNET (REFERENCE NUMBER: 7904321) AND WRITTEN TO JAMES HOLDEN'S OFFICE, CHRYSLER PRESIDENT . I WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT NHTSA AS THE INFORMATION WAS PROPRIETARY. I HAVE FRIENDS WITH THE SAME VAN THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IN RAIN STORMS. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE. DO PEOPLE HAVE TO BE KILLED BEFORE CHRYSLER TAKES A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO SOLVING THIS ON ALL VEHICLES EFFECTED? A VEHICLE RECALL IS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT INJURIES. I AM VERY DISSAPPOINTED IN CHRYSLER FOR ALLOWING ME AND MY FAMILY TO BE EXPOSED TO THIS DESIGN FLAW FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. JUST TODAY A FRIEND HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HER CHRYSLER MINI VAN.

CONSUMER HAD CAME HOME AND PARKED VEHICLE IN GARAGE, A FEW HOURS HAD PASSED WHEN AN EXPLOSION WAS HEARD, CONSUMER SAW THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE, THE HOUSE ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE, POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *SLC

I TOOK VAN INTO SAID DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THE REAR TIRES HAD UNEVEN WEAR SPOTS AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE VAN AND ASKED ME TO CONTACT THE TIRE MANUFACTUROR WITH A 800 NUMBER. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL GOODYEAR FACILITY IN ROYAL OAK, MI. I WAS TOLD BY THE MANAGER OF THE STORE THERE THAT HE SEES AT LEAST 4 OR 5 DODGE/CHRYSLER MINIVANS A WEEK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO STEM FROM NOT ROTATING THE TIRES. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN ROTATING TIRES AND NEVER HAVE IN THE PAST. ON A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE, SUCH AS MY GRAND CARAVAN, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR TIRES IF YOU NEVER ROTATE THE TIRES. I HAD A 1985 HONDA PRELUDE WITH FRONT WHEEL DRIVE THAT I NEVER ROTATED THE TIRES AND GOT 80,000 MILES OUT OF THE REAR TIRES. I HAD TO CHANGE THE TIRES AT THAT POINT BECAUSE OF DRY ROT, NOT WEAR. GOODYEAR TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRES SINCE I DID NOT ROTATE THE TIRES. HERE I AM, MY WIFE AND CHILD RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE ALL THE TIME, WITH TIRES THAT ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING SAFE. THE VAN VIBRATES AT ALL SPEEDS AND THE NOISE ON THE HIGHWAY FROM THE TIRES IS REAL BAD, ESPECIALLY IN THE BACK SEATS. BOTH GOODYEAR AND THE DEALERSHIP AGREED THAT I HAVE BAD TIRES, YET NOONE WANTS TO TAKE THE BLAME FOR THIS AND I AM REALLY FRUSTRATED. (DOT NUMBER: 089 TIRESIZE: 205/75/R14)

COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE ON HIGHWAY. WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR AFTER COMING TO A STOP. HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK. DAY BEFORE JUMPED IN AND OUT OF GEAR WHILE COMING TO A STOP AND NEARLY CAUSED COLLISION WITH VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MINE.

REGULAR INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE (ROTATION) HAS BEEN DONE AS RECOMMENDED BY MANUFACTURER. ON THE HIGHWAY, LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT (IN SEVEN SPOTS) NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE BLEW IN SEVEN SPOTS FROM THE INSIDE-OUT. THE TREADS IN EACH HOLE BLEW OUTWARD. I SURELY WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED IF THIS HAPPENED TO ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES. I DO NOT CARRY HEAVY LOADS AND I CHECK MY TIRE PRESSURE EVERY OTHER TIME I FILL UP MY GAS TANK. THIS IS A VERY POPULAR VEHICLE FOR WOMEN WITH CHILDREN. THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING. MY TIRE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN MID-JULY AND I AM WORRIED THAT ONE OF THE OTHER TIRES WILL DO THE SAME THING.( DOT NUMBER: )

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT GO INTO SECOND GEAR. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION SENSOR, AND PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK

SMALL METAL OBJECT (ROAD DEBRIS) HIT THE UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE CAUSING AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY WHILE DRIVING. VISION WAS BLOCKED AND VEHICLE ALMOST WENT OFF THE ROAD. DEALER SAID THAT IMPACT UNDER CAR IS ENOUGH REASON FOR THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. *MR *SCC *DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS---731569

TIRE PROBLEM STARTED UPON RECEIVING NEW VEHICLE AND I FIRST REPORTED AT MILEAGE1,898 AND FOUND THERE WAS A TECHINICAL SERVICE BULLITEN FOR THE LOW SPEED TIRE WOBBLE (NUMBER 22-02-99 DATED 04-16-1999) AND HAD THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THE TIRES AT MILEAGE 21,522. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM OVER DRIVE TO SECOND GEAR WHILE CRUSING AT 55 MPH AND HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED BECAUSE THE TRAN WAS STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. THE INPUT SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED BUT HAS NOT CORRECTED THE IRRATIC SHIFTING THAT I HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK AND COMPLAINED ABOUT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 215/65R16 )