1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN LE/ES. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN AT SPEEDS OF 45 MPH, THE SUN VISOR FELL FROM OVER THE CONTACTS HEAD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND HAD TO BE TOWED OUT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. SHE ADVISED THE SUN VISOR WAS DESIGNED TO SIT TOO CLOSE TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000.

EVENTS INCLUDE NORMAL USE OF VEHICLE. THE FAILURE IS THE STRUT TOWERS ON A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAVE RUST THROUGH CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE, STRUT COULD BREAK THROUGH THE HOUSING. DODGE HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. *TR

MY VAN WILL SHUT OFF AND COME BACK ON WITHOUT WARNING SO LONG AS YOUR FOOT IS ON THE GAS. IF YOU ARE COMING TO A STOP IT WILL SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY BUT WILL RESTART. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND IMMEDIATELY GO BACK OUT WITH NO CODES STORED. THE CRANK AND CAM SENSOR HAVE BOTH BEEN REPLACE BY THE DEALER BUT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN GOING INTO A CORNER OR THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WHEN IT COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN. THIS STARTED IN 2006 AND IS STILL GOING ON. *TR

UPON TURNING LEFT, THE LEFT FRONT STRUT SHEARED FROM LOWER CONTROL ARM. (BALL JOINT FAILURE) THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY REMAINED ATTACHED AT THE UPPER MOUNT OF THE STRUT, BUT TURNED AND PUSHED SIDEWAYS AGAINST THE BODYWORK, PULLING THE AXLE OUT OF THE TRANS AND DESTROYING THE CV JOINT. THE CAR SKIDDED TO A STOP WITH NO STEERING CONTROL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE PREVIOUS INCIDENT OCCURRED TWO YEARS EARLIER (ABOUT 20K MILES AGO). THE UPPER PORTION OF THE STRUT HAD A FAILURE UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS WITH SIMILAR RESULTS. THE STRUT WAS REPLACED, BUT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM MAY NOT HAVE BEEN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE INOPERATIVE. HE CALLED THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V293000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR WERE ON BACK ORDER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 69,500. UPDATED 05/27/09. *LJ UPDATED 05/28/09. *JB

SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE WHEN DEPARTING MY HOME. PEDAL WENT FULLY TO THE FLOOR. LATER INSPECTION REVEALED HEAVY CORROSION AT THE BRAKE LINE JOINTS WITH THE SHORT SECTION OF FLEXIBLE BRAKE LINE JUST REAR OF THE ABS BOX. NO SIGNIFICANT CORROSION ASIDE FROM THE VICINITY OF THE FLEX LINE. ONE OF THE CORRODED BRAKE LINES HAD A PINHOLE LEAK THAT TRIGGERED THE BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE VEHICLE HAS TOYO TIRES, SIZE 215/70/R15. THE CONTACT CLOSELY INSPECTED THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE AND NOTICED A BULGE. THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. HE TOOK THE TIRE TO A TIRE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE NO LONGER MANUFACTURED. THE CONTACT STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE TIRE. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND IS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 11/6/08 *CN UPDATED 11/10/08. *JB

THE STRUT TOWER ON THE 1997 DODGE CARAVAN, THAT HAS 99,500 MILES RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. DODGE ADMITTED TO A DESIGN FLAW FOR THE PREMATURE RUSTING STRUT TOWERS. A TECH SERVICE BULLETIN FROM CHRYSLER DATED OCTOBER '02 EXPLICITLY STATED THAT ALL '1996 TO 19'99 CHRYSLER VANS PLYMOUTH, DODGE, AND CHRYSLER, HAD THE PROBLEM WITH THE STRUT TOWERS. ALL OF THEM WILL EVENTUALLY RUST FROM THE BOTTOM UP. AS I STATED, THE STRUT TOWERS WERE DEFECTIVE IN THERE DESIGN. CLEARLY, WHEN THE RUSTED STRUT TOWER GIVES, THE STRUT WILL COME UP THROUGH THE HOOD. AT THAT POINT, LIVES WILL BE IN DANGER, AS THE PROBABILITY OF LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IS INEVITABLE. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS MY FORMAL COMPLAINT. WILL CHRYSLER LIVE UP TO THE RESPONSIBILITY AND REPAIR THIS KNOW DEFECT FOR THOSE OF US OUT OF THE WARRANTY TIMELINE. *TR

THE PROBLEM IS WITH A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, THE ACCESSORY BELT KEEP COMING OFF IF YOU DRIVE THE VEHICLE THROUGH WATER. IT HAS HAPPEN A LEAST 20 TIME IN THE LAST YEAR WHICH LEAD TO POWER STEERING FAILURE AND OVER HEATING AND BATTERY FAILURE. I TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY CHANGING THE TENSIONER THE BELT ALSO THE IDLER PULLER ALL ABOUT TWICE WHICH DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHENEVER THE CONTACT SHIFTS, THE VEHICLE MAKES AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED, IT OPERATES NORMALLY. THE TRANSMISSION STALLS AND WILL START BACK UP, BUT IT IS UNRELIABLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD REV AND HAVE TO BE RESTARTED IN ORDER FOR THE REVVING TO STOP. IF THERE IS A POWER FLUCTUATION, THE REAR WIPERS WILL TURN ON AND OFF AT RANDOM. THE HIGH BEAMS ON THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK, BUT THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED. THE PARKING LIGHT ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED. HE REPLACED THE BULB, BUT IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE IS CONSTANTLY REPLACING THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS. THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF; HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF AND THERE IS A BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLY IS RUSTING AND ROTTING. THE ROCKER PANEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS RUSTED COMPLETELY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 186,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,766. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/11/08.*JB