1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ACCIDENTALLY KNOCKED THE SHIFTING LEVER OUT OF PARK WITH OUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE VAN WENT IN TO NEUTRAL AND CAME DOWN OUR DRIVE WAY AND HIT A SNOWBANK COMING CLOSE TO A FOOT FROM HITTING MY HOME. THE DOOR HIT MY HUSBAND'S TRUCK AND CRUSHED THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ON THE VAN INTO THE FENDER. THE LIFT GATE ON THE BACK CAVED IN. LUCKILY MY DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO GET OUT FROM BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE VAN BEFORE IT ROLLED. IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE SHIFTED WITH OUT THE BRAKE BEING PRESSED. *TR

SERPENTINE BELT FALLS OFF TENSIONER REPEATEDLY AND HAVE REPLACED SEVERAL TENSIONER PULLEYS AND SERPENTINE BELTS WITHOUT ANY REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM. *TR

SEAT BELTS IN MIDDLE ROW NO LONGER LATCH. TONGUE INSERTS BUT DOES NOT CATCH. RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT OFTEN FAILS TO FEED ENOUGH BELT OUT TO PERMIT BUCKLING. *TR

DRIVING HOME IN ICE STORM OUR 1999 DODGE CARAVAN LOST POWER STEERING, LIGHTS DIMMED, OVERHEATED. APPARENTLY THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE CARAVANS AND THE SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHES. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BELT EIGHT TIMES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON JANUARY 25, 2008. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE DEALER SHOULD PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PULLEY BRACKET, THE BOLTS, AND THE SERPENTINE BELT ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON JANUARY 27, 2008. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 160,669 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 605. UPDATED 02/14/08. *LJ UPDATED

THE SERPENTINE BELT ON OUR 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS SLIPPED OFF SEVERAL TIMES. VISIT CARSURVEY.ORG AND YOU'LL SEE THAT MANY OTHER DODGE OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM REGULARLY. SOME ARE GETTING STUCK IN THE FREEZING SNOW AS A RESULT. WE'VE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS, SUCH AS A BURNED OUT COMPUTER BOARD OWED TO A SHORT IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW WILL NOT FUNCTION. WE WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLE. FURTHERMORE, AS A JOURNALIST, IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT DODGE HAS NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL THE GLITCHES IN THE CARAVAN AND ISSUED ADDITIONAL RECALLS. I'D HAVE MUCH MORE RESPECT FOR THE COMPANY IF THEY DID. WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE RECALL, AND THAT WAS FOR A CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

INSTRUMENTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS BECOME INOPERATIVE WITH NO WARNING. IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WHILE DRIVING THE 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF AND ALL GAUGES WOULD QUIT WORKING. USUALLY, A SMACK ON THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD WOULD BRING IT BACK, HOWEVER, LATELY THIS DID NOT WORK. THE LATEST INCIDENT WAS ON A COLD, DARK, WET EVENING WITH MY WIFE DRIVING AND THE CHILDREN IN THE VAN. THIS PROBLEM RESULTS IN NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER NOR THE GEAR SELECTION. I FEEL THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BY THE MANUFACTURER. IN PERFORMING AN INTERNET SEARCH ON THIS SUBJECT, IT APPEARS THERE MAY BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE SOLDERING OF SOME CONNECTORS FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THANK YOU. *TR

THE SERPENTINE BELT HAS COME OFF THREE TIMES TO DATE. ONCE IN 3 INCHES OF SNOW, ONCE ON A SUNNY DAY AND ONCE WHEN ON SLICK ROADS BUT NO PUDDLES. ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS TWICE WITH THREE CHILDREN IN THE CAR! THE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED AS HAS THE TENSIONER AND THIS HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *TR

FRONT STRUT TOWERS OF 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ARE RUSTING THROUGH CAUSING POTENTIAL FAILURE OF FRONT SUSPENSION. CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUSPENSION/BODY - STRUT TOWER CORROSION. NUMBER: 23-044-02 GROUP: BODY DATE: OCT. 14, 2002 SUBJECT: NS STRUT TOWER CORROSION THEY ARE CONSIDERING IT A COSMETIC ISSUE. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. CHRYSLER HAS PRODUCED A REMEDY WITH A CAP KIT, AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. NO NOTIFICATION TO PRESENT OWNERS TO INSPECT THIS SAFETY ITEM HAS BEEN PRODUCED. *TR

HELLO, MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A ABOUT WHAT I CONSIDER A DESIGN AND MATERIALS DEFECT ON THE STRUT TOWER MOUNTING ON MY DODGE CARAVAN. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DEFECT ON YOUR WEBSITE AS WELL AS OTHERS AND I FEEL THAT A RECALL IS WAY PAST DUE ON THIS ISSUE. I DID CONTACT CHRYSLER AT THEIR REQUEST AND PROVIDED THE INFORMATION WHICH THEY REQUESTED. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS ITEM AND BECAUSE I WAS THE THIRD OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE THAT THERE WAS NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WHICH THEY WERE WILLING TO PROVIDE. I AM HOPING THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST ME WITH THIS PROBLEM IN GETTING A FAIR RESPONSE FROM CHRYSLER. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE MY PAST CORRESPONDENCE WITH CHRYSLER WITH YOU ALONG WITH SOME PHOTOS. *JB