1993 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 96V099000 CONCERNING BRAKES:HYDRAULIC:ANTI-SKID SYSTEM. AFTER HAVING RECALL REPAIRS DONE THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN. MECHANIC REPLACED THE ABS CONTROL MODULE THREE TIMES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

FROM: JOE TINER RE: RECALL OF ANTI SKID (ABS) SYSTEM IN 1993 DODGE CARAVAN AND THE REFUSAL OF MEADOR CHRYSLER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN FORT WORTH TEXAS TO DO THE REQUIRED REPAIRS. (I HAVE SENT A SEPARATE E-MAIL TO [email protected] WITH ATTACHED FILES THAT EXPLAIN THE DETAILS OF MY COMPLAINT). *NM

COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF ABS SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE. I BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE TO ROBERTS CHRYSLER FOR DIAGNOSIS OF A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. THEY DIAGNOSED THE CONTROL MODULE BAD AS WELL AS THE LEFT FRONT ABS SENSOR BAD. THEY CHARGED ME $96.00 TO DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM (2 HOURS LABOR). THEY ESTIMATE $1411.00 TO REPAIR. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE THE ABS LIGHT AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED , THE ABS PUMP STOPPED FUNCTIONING, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD AS A ROCK AND I EFFECTIVELY LOST ALL BRAKING FUNCTION ON THIS VEHICLE. THE PUMP HAS SINCE BEGUN TO FUNCTION AND NORMAL BRAKING HAS AGAIN TAKEN EFFECT WITH NO REPAIRS MADE TO THIS VEHICLE. THE ABS PUMP WAS REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE UNDER RECALL IN 1998

I PURCHASED MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER IN 1998. AT THE TIME NO PAINT PROBLEM WERE PRESENT. THEN GRADUALLY THE ROOF STARTING PEELING AND BECOMING RUSTY, NOW THE HOOD IS DOING THE SAME THING. I CALLED CRYSLER AND ASKED IF THE PAINT WAS RECALLED. THEY SAID NO. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPAINT THE ROOF OR ANY PART OF IT BECAUSE IT WAS PAST THE ONE YEAR WARRANTY ON THE PAINT.

TRANSMISSION DELAYS GOING INTO DRIVE AND IT GOES INTO (LIMP MODE) MANY TIMES IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR, IT WILL ONLY STAY IN SECOND GEAR. IF IT DOES SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR YOU MAY BE DRIVING ALONG AND IT WILL ALL OF THE SUDDEN SHIFT DOWN INTO SECOND GEAR HARSHLY.THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS THE SECOND GRAND CARAVAN THAT I'VE HAD WITH THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM AND CHRYSLER REFUSES TO HELP.

V6 3.3 L ENGINE I BOUGHT IT 3 YEARS AGO WITH 77000 MILES ON IT AND SHORTLY THEREFATER THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN NOTED: ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE EVEN AFTER SHIFTING TO "D". IT WOULD WORK AFTER GETTING WARMED UP. FREQUENT JERKS WITH THE TRANSMISSION, AFTER BRAKING AND RESUMING ACCELERATION SHARP CLUNKING SOUND FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE IN THE FRONT WHEN STARTING TO MOVE. (MOUNTS?)

I BOUGHT THE VAN A YEAR AGO IN AUGUST WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS I HAD ALREADY BROUGHT IT AND HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR REPLACED. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER THE TOWER ON THE HEAD OF THE MOTOR BROKE AND I HAD TO GET ANOTHER MOTOR PUT IN. I HAVE OTHER MINOR BUT THE MAJOR PROBLEM NOW IS THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR AGAIN AND THE ABS BRAKES. I'M LOOKING AT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE ON THE TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE. IN SEARCH FOR THE PARTS AT A REASONABLE PRICE WHICH IS USELESS, ONE OF THE GUYS I WAS TALKING E-MAILED ME THE RECALLS ON THAT VAN AND TOLD ME TO LOOK INTO IT SO HERE I AM. HEIDI BERGERON HELP! PLEASE I WAS ALSO TOLD ABOUT A MECHANIC THAT ALSO LOOKED AT THE VAN THAT A SPEED SENSOR IS OUT AND HE CLAIMS I NEED A NEW MOTOR PLUG WHICH ALL THEY SELL IS THE FULL WIRING HARNESS WHICH IS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE THAN THAT. I BOUGHT THE VAN FROM IT'S ORIGINAL OWNER IN JULY OF 2002. *NLM

THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO PERFORM THE HYDRAULIC ANTI-SKID SYSTEM RECALL (96V099000) BECAUSE THE VEHICLE PASSED A PRESSURE TEST. THE BRAKES FAILED TWICE WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE ABS AND SERVICE BRAKES WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AT THE TIME OF THE 2ND BRAKE FAILURE. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE 1/8 INCH THICK METAL CABLE HOLDING THE SPARE TIRE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE SNAPPED, CAUSING THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL OFF ONTO THE HIGHWAY. NO DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.*AK

THE JACK THAT CAME EQUIPPED WITH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY COLLAPSED WHILE IN USE. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE STATIONERY BOLT WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK UPON INSPECTION IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE TREADS IN THE STATIONARY BOLT FAILED COMPLETELY. *TS *NLM