2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

VAN STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD SOUND FROM THE ENGINE AREA. TOOK THE VAN IN TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG, FIRST GARAGE COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM IN NOVEMBER. TOOK THE VAN IN AGAIN 12/21/08 AND THEY IDENTIFIED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS GOING OUT AND LEAKING FLUID. THAT WAS MAKING THE NOISE. WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS NOT A COMMON REPAIR AND IT IS UNUSUAL FOR THIS TYPE OF REPAIR TO HAVE TO BE DONE ON A VEHICLE THAT GETS REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT. THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAD SEEN SEVERAL OF THE SAME VEHICLE WITH SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE BUILD OF THE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM. *TR

AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS FAIL TO ENGAGE. BECAUSE HORN STILL SOUNDS AND LIGHTS FLASH - DRIVER IS NOT AWARE THAT LOCKS ARE NOT ENGAGED - SO THE CAR REMAINS UNLOCKED WHILE OPERATING AND AFTER LEAVING. *TR

2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT 3.8 V6 ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS STOP WORKING. FROM RESEARCH, IT HAS TO DO WITH REPROGRAMMING THE BCM (BODY CONTROL MODULE). BY DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY, THE LOCKS WORK TEMPORARILY ANYWHERE FROM A DAY TO A MONTH. THE DOOR LOCKS STOP WORKING WITHOUT ANY SIGNS. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO THE SAFETY CONCERNED OF HAVING TO MANUALLY UNLOCK AND LOCK DOORS AS THEY ARE NOT DESIGNED TO BE DONE MANUALLY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH POWER LOCKS. ALSO, THE BCM REPROGRAMMING FROM THE DEALER APPEARS TO BE SEMI-PERMANENT AS SOME PERSONS HAVE HAD TO RECEIVE A NEW BCM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

AIR BAG LAMP ON CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED 10/31/07 AIR BAG LAMP ON CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED 12/15/08 WAS BEYOND 12 MONTH 12,000 MILE WARRANTY. *TR

OUR 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN NO LONGER LOCKS WITH THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS. IT ALSO WILL NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS. WHEN THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK IS PRESSED ON THE REMOTE CONTROL, THE HORN SOUNDS AND GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE DOORS LOCK, BUT THEY DO NOT. ALSO THE VEHICLE NO LONGER AUTOMATICALLY LOCKS THE DOORS WHEN 20 MPH IS ACHIEVED. THESE ARE SAFETY HAZARDS AS WE HAVE BEEN MADE TO BELIEVE THAT THE DOORS WERE LOCKED WHEN THEY WERE NOT LOCKED. *TR

POWER/AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS NOT WORKING INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE LAST WEEK AND STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. TWO DAYS AGO. DO NOT WORK WITH KEY NOR DO LOCKS "LOCK" WHEN CAR TRAVELS OVER 20 MILES PER HOUR. HATCHBACK STILL OPENS VIA THE KEY. *TR

THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK WILL NOT WORK ANYMORE, NOT FROM KEY REMOTE, INSIDE DOOR LOCKS, OR AUTOMATIC LOCK WHEN DRIVING. *TR

DOORS WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK USING THE REMOTE OR LOCK SWITCHES. TWICE A WEEK PULLED IOD RELAY, WAITED 10 SECONDS, REPLACED IT. WORKED FOR 3 MONTHS, BUT IT IS ONLY TEMPORARY, AND I HAVE TO DO IT NOW OFTEN. *TR

CAR JUST STOPS RUNNING AND ENGINE SHUTS OFF AS YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. LIGHTS STAY ON BUT ALL POWER IS LOST. GAS TANK IS FULL BUT GAS GAUGE READS EMPTY. YOU PULL OVER AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP AND RUNS JUST FINE. *TR

THE AUTO LOCKING MECHANISM STOPPED WORKING ON MY 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE AUTO LOCK NOW ONLY WORKS ON THE BACK HATCH DOOR. THERE ARE ONLY TWO MANUAL KEY HOLES, ONE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND ONE ON THE BACK HATCH. THE DOORS DO NOT LOCK AUTOMATICALLY AT 20 MPH, PRESSING THE INTERIOR LOCK BUTTON DOES NOTHING, USING THE KEY FOB LOCK BUTTON DOES NOTHING. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, WE CHANGED THE RELAY SWITCH, AND THAT SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT NOW IT IS OCCURRING AGAIN. I CHECKED OUT THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS TO BE PERVASIVE ON THIS MODEL, THEREFORE, I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD EITHER BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY OR A RECALL ISSUED FOR THE COMPUTER UPGRADE THAT IS NEEDED. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO COMPENSATE FOR CHRYSLER'S LACK OF QUALITY IN THIS AREA. I ALSO BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MAJORITY OF VAN OWNERS ARE PARENTS OF SMALL CHILDREN WHO WOULD BE AT RISK IN THIS SITUATION. HOWEVER, TO THIS POINT, CHRYSLER HAS IRRESPONSIBLY REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO RESEARCH THE NUMBER OF FAILURES FOR YOURSELF AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PROTECT CONSUMERS OF THE 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THANKS. *TR