2009 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

ESP BAS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMING ON RANDOMLY (EVEN AS CAR IS IN PARK). *TR

BATTERY IS BEING DRAINED OVERNIGHT. NO LIGHTS LEFT ON (TURN ALL THE WAY TO THE OFF POSITION WHEN THE CAR IS NOT RUNNING). *TR

FREON BEGAN TO LEAK INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE AFTER HAVING THE AC RECHARGED. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN MOTION AS IT SHUT OFF. THE STEERING LOCKED UP AS THI SHAPPENED, THEREFORE I COULD NOT EVEN MOVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TR I HAD IT TOWED TOT HE DEALERSHIP AND THE WIN MODULE WAS REPLACED.

EXITED HIGHWAY (70 MPH) THEN DROVE 55 MPH FOR 3 MILES TO OUR HOME. NOTICED HEAVY BRAKE BURNING SMELL THAT STAYED WITH ME UNTIL ARRIVED AT HOME. NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL/BRAKE ASSEMBLY. HUSBAND(EX-ASE MASTER TECH) CAME OUT TO INSPECT AND NOTICED ALL OTHER BRAKES SEEMED OK IN TEMP BUT LEFT REAR WAS EXTREMELY HOT, SMOKING AND ROTOR WAS DISCOLORED FROM OVER HEAT(BLACK/BLUE). NO METAL ON METAL VAN WAS JUST IN LESS THAN 1000 MILES AND DEALER REPLACED FRONT PADS, ROTORS UNDER TSB WITH $100 DEDUCTIBLE. I WAS TOLD AT THIS TIME THAT REARS HAD APPROX 20% PAD LEFT. WAY TO SOON FOR REAR BRAKES TO WEAR OUT (BEFORE 36K MILES?) TOOK VAN INTO ROCHESTER HILLS CHRYSLER DODGE AND THEY STATED ISSUE WAS LEFT REAR BRAKE PAD STUCK IN SLIDES CAUSING OVERHEAT. THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKE BRACKET/CLIP/PADS CLEARANCE IS TOO TIGHT AND DOESN'T TAKE MUCH CORROSION OR BRAKE DUST COLLECTING TO CAUSE STICKING PADS. I AM AWARE OF A NEW CHRYSLER BRAKE BRACKET DESIGN FOR THESE VANS AND THAT THEY ARE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT AND THAT THE REDESIGN HAS ADDITIONAL CLEARANCE TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM. BUT INSTEAD I WAS CHARGED $174.80 FOR NEW PADS AND TURN BOTH ROTORS. I FEAR THAT THIS ISSUE WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND WONDER IF IT WILL BE WORSE NEXT TIME (PAD/BRAKE FIRE, BRAKE/WHEEL LOCK UP OR POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL). THIS IS NOT SAFE ESPECIALLY ON A VEHICLE THAT IS PRIMARILY USED TO TRANSPORT KIDS, PEOPLE ETC. LOTS OF FAMILIES OUT THERE WITH THESE. PLEASE HELP! THANK YOU.

TRAVELING DOWN A STREET, THE ESP AND TRACTION WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. CHECKED THE OWNERS MANUAL, IT STATES NOT TO DRIVE OVER 30 MPH WHEN THAT OCCURS IF THE LAMPS CANNOT BE RESET. RESET LAMPS, LAMPS CAME BACK ON, SPEED WAS REDUCED TO 30 MPH AND AFTER TRAVELING A SHORT DISTANCE, WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS APPLIED AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET IN TRAFFIC. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RELEASE UNTIL THE MOTOR WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. WE WERE NOT HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY TRAGIC. WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT FAILURE OF THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN WILL CAUSE THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE COST FOR REPLACING THE FAILED SENSOR AND REALIGNING THE SYSTEM WAS $712.45. *TR

WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE REFUSED TO START... STRANDED... THESE FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF.... WIRELESS CONTROL MODULE FAILURE.. (READS ELECTRONIC KEY ) THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD EVER FAIL...THEY ARE BEING REPLACED AT A RAMPANT RATE BY THE DEALERSHIPS AT $500.00 + PER INCIDENT..... *JS

PROBLEM MENTIONED IN SAFETY RECALL 11V139000 HAPPENS WITH 2009 GRAND CARAVAN MANUFACTURED IN AUGUST 2009. FOBIK IS LOOSE AND CAR WILL TURN OFF IF ON BUMPY ROAD OR WALLET IS ATTACHED TO KEY RING. HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE. *TR

DURING A SERVICE VISIT TO HAVE THE FRONT BRAKES REPAIRED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR PREMATURE FAILURE, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE REAR PADS AND ROTORS ALSO NEEDED REPLACED, WITH THE ADDITION OF AN ADAPTER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THAT CAUSED THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE REAR PADS AND ROTORS. THE MANUFACTURERS EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE REAR. THE PADS WERE NOT WEARING EVENLY, THE INSIDE PADS HAD WORN TO THE WEAR INDICATOR AND THE OUTSIDE PADS WERE WORN TO ONLY 50%. ADDITIONALLY, THE LEFT REAR ROTOR WAS WORN AT A MORE SIGNIFICANT RATE THAN THE RIGHT REAR ROTOR. *TR

MY VAN HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 2 TIMES WITH FRONT BRAKES SHAKING THE VEHICLE SO BAD IT IS HARD TO DRIVE. IT HAS STARTED AGAIN WITHIN 8000 MILES OF THE LAST REPAIR. NOW HAS 36000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE OWNED 6 CARAVANS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THE OTHERS. SOMETHING IS CAUSING THE ROTORS TO WARP. *TR