2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND OFF WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE FUSE BOX. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

WHILE DRIVING ON A SLUSHY CITY STREET THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF AND I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE CAR. I WAS STRANDED AND BLOCKING TRAFFIC. I HAD IT TOWED AND THEY PUT THE BELT BACK ON. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED WAS DURING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WHEN I DROVE THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER THE SERPENTINE BELT AGAIN CAME OFF. THIS HAPPENED JUST AS I WAS PULLING ON TO THE HIGHWAY AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO PULL CAR OVER ON TO SHOULDER. THANKFULLY, THERE WASN'T A SEMI COMING OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. I WAS JUST INFORMED THERE IS A FIX BY GATES FOR THIS AND WILL BE HAVING IT INSTALLED. *TR *KB

FOR THE 2ND TIME IN LESS THAN A YEAR, THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF THE BELT-TENSIONER IN MY 2000 GRAND CARAVAN SPORT. THIS INCIDENT RESULTS IN POWER STEERING, ENGINE COOLING, AIR CONDITIONING AND OTHER SYSTEMS TO STOP WORKING IMMEDIATELY. BOTH INCIDENTS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, IT IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW WITH CHRYSLER FAMILY OF MINI-VANS. *TR

STEERING BELT COMES OFF EVERY TIME IT RAINS. WE HAVE REPLACED BELT, TENSIONER TWO TIMES, AND HAD IT PUT BACK ON CAR AT LEAST 10 - 12 TIMES. WHY ISN'T THIS A RECALL AS THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE REPORTING THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES. *TR

THE DRIVERS SIDE SHOCK TOWER HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I HAD A 1996 CARAVAN THAT DID THE SAME THING. THERE ARE MANY REPAIR CAPS THAT WILL HELP STRUCTURAL SUPPORT IF THE RUST HAS NOT SPREAD TOO FAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WILL NOT HELP ME. THE RUST WAS HIDDEN UNDER THE PAINT AND EXTENDS 4-5 INCHES DOWN THE STRUT TOWER. WITH THE VEHICLE UNDER WEIGHT AND FROM DRIVING IT, THERE IS NOW A TEAR IN THE METAL ON THE SIDE IF THE STRUT TOWER FROM FRONT TO BACK AT A DOWNWARD ANGLE. THIS MAKES THE VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE AND A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS, THE SERPENTINE BELT CONTINUOUSLY SLIPS OFF ON MY VEHICLE. WHEN REPLACING THE BELT, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE TENSION PULLEY APPEARED TO BE BENT. REPLACED TENSION PULLEY AND ENSURE ALL PULLEYS LINED UP. NEW BELT PLACED ON, BUT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT IMMEDIATELY BEGINS TO SLIP OFF AGAIN. OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS ALONE, HAVE REPLACED UPWARDS OF 5 SERPENTINE BELTS AND THE TENSION PULLEY ON MY VEHICLE. *TR

THE LEFT STRUT TOWER WAS FOUND BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO NEED REPAIR IN ORDER TO PASS THE STATE INSPECTION. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG OWNERS OF THIS TYPE VEHICLE AND CERTAINLY A SAFETY CONCERN.

AFTER FILLING MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH GASOLINE LAST NIGHT, I HEARD SOMETHING GIVE WAY UNDER THE CAR AS I WAS DRIVING HOME. I DISCOVERED THE BRACKET HOLDING THE GAS TANK UP HAD COME APART. BY THE NEXT MORNING, THE GASOLINE TANK HAD COLLAPSED ONTO THE ROAD. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK CAME TO HAUL IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP, THE FUEL PUMP PULLED AWAY FROM THE TANK AND DUMPED THE LOAD OF GASOLINE ONTO THE ROAD - A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAN CARAVAN SPORT. THE CONTACT WAS BRAKING FROM APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME ABNORMALLY DIFFICULT TO STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT, AS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE POWER BOOSTER YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS THE EXACT SAME AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06E022000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) ON THE 2000 DODGE CARAVAN BUT NOT FOR THE GRAND CARAVAN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,242.

I PURCHASED A USED 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN 2005. AT TIME OF PURCHASE THE LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER HAD NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF DECAY. AS TIME WENT ON, THE STRUT TOWER HAS BEGAN TO RUST COMPLETELY THROUGH WHILE THE RIGHT TOWER IS PERFECTLY FINE. I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE CARAVANS OF THIS MODEL YEAR AND IF THE TOWER FAILS, THE STRUT CAN PUNCH THROUGH CAUSING CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF CONTROL. I HAVE A FAMILY OF 5 AND I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THEIR WELL-BEING. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG THIS VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE DESCRIBED ISSUE I HAVE MENTIONED HERE. FOR ME PERSONALLY, THIS A HUGE LAWSUIT IN THE MAKING, ESPECIALLY IF ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY IS ENDANGERED. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. REGARDLESS, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY DUE TO THIS KNOWN DEFECT WHICH I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WITH 100% PERCENT CERTAINTY THAT I WILL FIGHT THIS IN COURT. I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THIS ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I AM VERY CONCERNED OVER THIS, AND MY DECISION TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION AND WHETHER OR NOT I EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER DODGE PRODUCT AGAIN HINGES ON ANY ASSISTANCE THAT I MAY OR MAY NOT RECEIVE. I WILL PROVIDE VIN # AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION NEEDED ONCE I AM CONTACTED. *TR