1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

WHEN I PURCHASED MY VAN AUGUST 21 2009 IT HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL. THE SALESPERSON SAID IT WAS FROM THE BULBS BEING BURNT OUT. I WENT TO AUTOZONE THAT DAY TO GET THE BULBS REPLACED, AND THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. AUTOZONE TOLD ME IT WAS THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH THAT HAD WENT BAD AND WAS CAUSING MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL NOT TO WORK. I WENT TO GOODYEAR A FEW DAYS LATER TO HAVE THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH REPLACED. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD HOLD OR WORK FOR A WHILE. SINCE THEN IT STILL HAS NOT BEEN WORKING PROPERLY. SOMETIMES IF I TURNED THE DEFROSTER ON IT WOULD KICK ON, BUT NOW IT WILL TURN ON FOR MAYBE ONE TURN AND TURN OFF RIGHT AND WHEN I GO TO USE IT AGAIN, IT'LL TURN ON THEN CUT OFF AND WONT TURN BACK ON. ALSO MY SLIDING PASSENGER DOORS, THE CHILD LOCK IS STUCK AND NOONE CAN OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. I HAVE TO GET OUT OR THE PASSENGER HAS TO GET OUT TO OPEN THE DOORS. THE DOOR HANDLES ARE HARD TO OPEN ON THE OUTSIDE. EVEN THOUGH THE CHILD LOCK WILL SAY ITS NOT ON, YOU CAN NOT STILL OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE. THIS HAS BEEN LIKE THIS SINCE I PURCHASED THE VAN. ALSO I HAVE SOME PANS UNDER MY ENGINE THAT LEAKING FLUIDS AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, ITS THE OIL PAN, COOLANT PAN, AND I HAVE METAL SHAVINGS IN SOME OF MY FLUIDS. THIS WAS ALSO LIKE THIS WHEN I PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE. *TR

RECENTLY BOUGHT 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE FRONT WIPERS STOPPED WORKING MOST IMMEDIATELY. WE REPLACED THE SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THAT DID NOTHING. THEN WE REPLACED THE WIPER MOTOR. THAT SEEMED TO WORK BUT NOW THEY WON'T COME ON UNTIL THE CAR HAS BEEN ON FOR A WHILE. THAT IS NOT SAFE AS THE RAIN DOES NOT WAIT UNTIL THE CAR HAS BEEN ON FOR A WHILE. IS SUCH A SAFETY HAZARD AND OTHER VANS HAVE RECALLS FOR THIS WHY NOT MINE? *TR

THE STRUT TOWER CAPS ARE RUSTING OUT. THIS CAN PROCEED TO A POINT OF THE STRUTS COLLAPSING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED. SEE EXAMPLE SIMILAR TO WHAT IS HAPPENING ON MY VEHICLE AT HTTP://WWW.LUMUC.COM/FRONTSTRUTTOWER/. CHRYSLER HAS A REPAIR KIT FOR THIS. THIS STRUCTURAL PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED. *TR

FRONT STRUT CONE ON PASSENGER SIDE IS RUSTED, LEAVING A 3 X 3 INCH GAP BESIDES THE STRUT MOUNT. HAD AN ESTIMATE DONE FOR REPAIR WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 1.3K INCLUDING LABOR ON ONE SIDE. CAR RUNS GREAT AT 157.7K MILES, RECENTLY HAD TO BUY A NEW GAS PUMP, WATER PUMP, ABS SENSOR, AND BRAKE CALIPER ON DRIVERS SIDE. ALL LEADING UP TO 1.2K IN REPAIRS INCLUDING LABOR. CHRYSLER/DODGE SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AS THIS CAN BE A POTENTIAL RISK ON THE ROAD, SPECIALLY ON HIGHWAY COMMUTES. *TR

SOMETIMES WHEN I START MY VAN, IT WILL START AND IMMEDIATELY SHUTS OFF, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIME YOU TRY, THE ABS, AND ALARM DASH LIGHT STAY ON. IF YOU TAP ON THE DASH OR WAIT A WHILE THE VAN STARTS NORMAL. ALSO ALL THE GAUGES SOMETIMES STOP WORKING WHILE I'M DRIVING. *TR

I OWN A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN AND MY SPEED ODOMETER, MY RPM, THE TEMP GAUGE, AND THE GAS GAUGE POP OFF AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK EITHER I WAIT AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL COME BACK ON OR I MUST HIT IT SOMETIMES IT COMES BACK ON OTHER TIMES IT DON'T. IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS. THE ABS COMES ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU HAVE CHILDREN IN THE CAR. *TR

SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHEN IT GETS WET SUCH AS DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES OR WATER FROM ROADWAY WHEN RAINING. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER PAST FEW MONTHS. REPLACED BELT BUT STILL COMES OFF. THIS RESULTS IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SAFELY PULL OFF ROAD TO SAFE LOCATION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE LINE FAILED AND WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE CLOCKSPRING WAS ALSO REPLACED ACCORDING TO A RECALL WITHOUT THE CONTACT'S CONSENT. WHEN THE CONTACT RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE, ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WERE FLASHING ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE HORN DID NOT OPERATE AND THERE WERE OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 59,492. UPDATED 08/19/09 *BF UPDATED 08/20/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED TWO FAILURES REGARDING THE SERPENTINE BELT. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES LOST POWER. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND HE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE HIMSELF BY RE-ATTACHING THE SERPENTINE BELT. THE CONTACT IS CURRENTLY UNABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED BECAUSE THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,000.

MY SON STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR UPON INSPECTION THE REAR BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING RIGHT BEHIND THE BRADED PART ABOUT A FOOT BEHIND THE ABS UNIT THE OTHER REAR LIND IS IN BAD SHAPE AT THE SAME POINT. *TR