1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

SLIDING DOOR LOCK MECHANISM FAILURE, ONE LOCK BECAME COMPLETELY INOPERABLE RESTRICTING ALL INGRESS OR EGRESS FROM THAT DOOR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL SLOWLY EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP THREE SECONDS LONGER THAN USUAL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY DIRTY REAR BRAKE SHOES. THE KNEE PADS, ROTORS, SHOES, DRUMS, AND MASTER CYLINDER WERE REPLACED. THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WAS CHECKED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,198.

TL* - THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL 00V268000 REPAIRS. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THE RECALL REPAIRS HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE ON THE VEHICLE PER RECALL REQUIREMENTS. THIS REPAIR WAS DONE ON DECEMBER 11, 2006. ON JANUARY 2, 2007 AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATE 6 MILES THE DRIVER SMELLED GAS FUMES SO HE DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GAS FUMES KILLED 14 OF THE BIRDS THAT WERE HOUSED IN HIS GARAGE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND GAS WAS LEAKING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS USING MORE GAS THAN IT HAD PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL SLOWLY LEAKING GAS 24 HOURS AFTER HE ORIGINALLY NOTICED THE LEAK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND HE HAS NOT YET CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. *AK UPDATED 2/6/2007 - *NM UPDATED 03/21/07

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BROKE FOR THE THIRD TIME IN JUST 30,000 MILES, THIS TIME MY WIFE AND 4 KIDS WERE NEARLY KILLED ON A BUSY INTERSTATE BECAUSE WE WERE ALMOST HIT . THIS VEHICLE IS A 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. *NM

WE HAVE HAD THE CAR APPROX 6 YEARS AND HAD TO PUT IN FIVE TRANSMISSIONS. THEY KEEP BURNING UP AND NOBODY CAN TELL US WHY. WE USE THE VEHICLE FOR VERY LITTLE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM SCHOOL MOSTLY APPROX 2 AND 1/2 MILES EACH WAY. THE VAN CONSTANTLY BUCKS WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGH SPEEDS TO LOW SPEEDS AND WILL OFTEN DIE DOING THE SAME THING. THE TRANSMISSION ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE MAKING A SOUND THAT INDICATES IT IS BEING STRESSED WHILE IN 2 TO 3 GEARS. *NM

SHOCK TOWER ON DRIVERS SIDE OF VEHICLE IS RUSTING THROUGH. IF RUSTS THROUGH CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS,WOULD MAKE RIGHT FRONT OF VEHICLE FALL AND SEND SHOCK THROUGH HOOD POSSIBLY CAUSING A SEVERE ACCIDENTALLY DODGE DEALER IN MY TOWN THEY SAID THERE WAS TWO OTHER VEHICLES THAT CAME IN SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL BUT NO RECALL. CHRYSLER DEALER TOLD ME MY VEHICLE WAS TEN YEARS OLD AND I LIVE IN A SALT STATE SO THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. IF IT WERE ONE VEHICLE OK BUT I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN AND IF THERE WERE THREE THAT'S TO MANY. AND ALSO ITS NOT SOMETHING YOU NOTICE EASILY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED 4-5 TIMES. THE REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE UNKNOWN. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS.

THE CUP HOLDER IN SOME VEHICLES IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE DASHBOARD. WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPS, BEVERAGE SPLASHES ONTO THE DASH, IN THIS CASE INTO A COMPUTER BOARD IN THE DASH THROUGH SLOTS IN THE DASH FOR THE HEATER CONTROLS. THE RESULT IS TOTAL FAILURE OF THE FRONT AND REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER, WINDSHIELD WASHER AND WIPERS, FRONT AND REAR HEATERS, AND AIR CONDITIONING. THE LACK OF ABILITY TO CLEAR THE FRONT AND REAR GLASS CONSTITUTES A SAFETY HAZARD. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS A 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE [XXX]. POSSIBLY SEVERAL BRANDS OF VEHICLE HAVE THIS ENGINEERING DESIGN PROBLEM. THE RESPONSE THAT I GOT FROM CHRYSLER WHEN I ASKED ABOUT REPLACEMENT PARTS IS THAT THE WARRANTY IS FOR THREE YEARS, AND AFTER THAT "TOUGH." THEIR E-MAIL RESPONSE IS ATTACHED. AT A MINIMUM, REPLACEMENT PARTS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR A REASONABLE TIME AFTER PRODUCTION STOPS, AND THIS VEHICLE IS STILL IN PRODUCTION. SINCE IT IS A DESIGN ERROR, I FEEL THAT THIS FIELD FAILURE SHOULD BE CORRECTED WITHOUT CHARGE. IF THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEN I SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PURCHASE AND INSTALL THIS $20 COMPUTER BOARD MYSELF. IT REQUIRES REMOVAL OF FOUR SCREWS. --->SNIP<--- YOUR VEHICLE WAS PROVIDED WITH A WARRANTY AGAINST DEFECTS FOR A PERIOD OF 3 YEARS OR 36,000 MILES. YOUR CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE EXPENSE AND INCONVENIENCE INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE, ARE UNDERSTANDABLE. HOWEVER, YOUR REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER MUST BE DECLINED. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND ALSO STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE FAILURES GRADUALLY BECAME WORSE AND OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE WIRING IN AN ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING A FUSE BOX REPLACEMENT.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF RUST ON BOTH STRUT MOUNTS. THE RUST WAS FIRST NOTICED FOUR YEARS AGO. THE CONTACT ORIGINALLY SUSPECTED THE RUST WAS SURFACE RUST HOWEVER, IT BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN THE PAST YEAR. THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED A REMEDY HOWEVER, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. UPDATED 04/11/06. *JB