1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

MY FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED ON 5/21/99; DEALER SERVICE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. SECOND INCIDENT WAS 6/1/99, THIS TIME THE DEALER SERVICE SAID THEY REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. AGAIN, I REPORTED TO DEALER SERVICE THE SAME PROBLEM ON 9/9/99; DEALER SERVICE SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND. AGAIN, I REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM TO DEALER SERVICE ON 1/18/2000; AGAIN, THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND. THE DAY I TOOK THE VAN TO DEALER TO POSSIBLY TRADE FOR A NEW CAR, THE SALESMAN DROVE THE VAN AND IMMEDIATELY SAID IT HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, AND WITHIN AN HOUR THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T EVEN SHIFT GEARS. THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED; HOWEVER, CHRYSLER SAID THEY WOULD COVER THE REPAIR SINCE I HAD HAD THE VAN IN SO MANY TIMES BEFORE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS WAS 5/20/00. THEY KEPT THE VAN ALL WEEK, AND FINALLY SAID IT WAS REPAIRED. I PICKED UP THE VAN ON 5/27/00, AND BEFORE I GOT 5 (FIVE) MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP, AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT 65 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN, AND IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. THE SPEEDODEMETER WENT TO ZERO AND IT KICKED BACK DOWN INTO FIRST GEAR AND WOULDN'T SHIFT BACK. WHEN THIS HAPPENED ALL FOUR OF MY CHILDREN AND MY HUSBAND WERE IN THE VAN, AND ONE OF MY CHILDREN'S HEAD WAS SLUNG FORWARD AND THEN BACK. SHE HAS BEEN COMPLAINING WITH A HEADACHE EVER SINCE. I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, (IN 1ST GEAR), AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRY AGAIN. MY CHILD IS HURT, AND MY VEHICLE IS A LEMON! WHAT CAN I DO?*AK

WHILE MAKING A STOP VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION CASE BLEW OUT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

IN THE DRIVEWAY WAS ABLE TO MOVE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE BRAKES. CONTACTED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CHANGED THE DESIGN IN THE 99 MODELS. *AK

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, AND DRIVERS SEATBACK COLLAPSED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO FALL INTO THE BACK . DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER IS NOT IN FAVOR WITH INSURANCE'S DECISION TO REPLACE SEAT INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE SEATS. *TT

WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS IN OVERDRIVE, THERE IS A WHISTLE SOUND WHEN THE TROTTLE IS PRESSED. RELEASING THE TROTTLE STOPS THE WHISTLE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ON AS WELL AS WITH OUT, CAN BE REPRODUCED VERY EASILY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. AT HIGHER SPEEDS IT IS LOUDER, I.E. IT IS LOUDER ON THE HIGHWAY THAN ON SURFACE STREETS.

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE LOST ALL AIR PRESSURE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

MASTER CYLINDER HAS FAILED RESULTING IN GREATLY REDUCED BRAKING ABILITY. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A REPLACEMENT FOR WELL OVER A WEEK. THIS WAIT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE A SHORTAGE OF THESE PARTS POSSIBLY DUE TO A UNUSUALLY HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THIS PART. THIS CAR DOES NOT HAVE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECENT CHANGE IN THE SUPPLIER OF THIS PART TO CHRYSLER. *AK

APPROXIMATEL;Y AN HOUR AFTER MVA (DAMAGE TO FRONT DRIVERS SIDE), I LEFT TO ACCIDENT SCENE. TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT, SO PULLED OVER AT FIRST AVALIABLE AREA. THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. INSURANCE ESTIMATES IN EXCESS OF $6000 OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGE FORM ACCIDENT IN ADDITION TO FIRE. VEHICLE IS TOTAL LOSS. I DON'T BELIEVE THE CRUMBLE ZONES PROPERLY PROTECTED TO FRAME. I DON'T THINK THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. INVESTIGATION OF NHTSA WEB SITE PRODUCED NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA99013 WHICH PROMPTED CONTACT. *AK

THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE QUICKLY BECAUSE A BAD MASTER CYLINDER CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO FAIL. YH

ABS BRAKING SYSTEM LIGHT STAYS ON. HAS HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. DEALER STATED WILL HAVE AUTOMOBILE REPAIRED IN ONE WEEK. *AK