2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON A COLD DAY, THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE FAILED AND WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V38600 (STEERING: HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST: HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS). THE SECOND REPLACEMENT WOULD COST $400. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY DECLINED TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT WILL HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,355.

EVERY MORNING THE STEERING GROWLS AND MAKES NOISE UNTIL THE VAN WARMS UP. THE DEALER THAT HAS DONE ALL REPAIRS ON THE VAN SAYS THE RACK IS GOING OUT. I HAVE WATCHED THE FLUID, AND SEE NO LEAKS, NOR HAVE I HAD TO ADD ANY TO IT. IT SEEMS THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF GRAND CARAVAN OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY VAN, THAT I LOVE, IS A 2004 WITH 110,000 MILES. I AM GOING TO CHANGE THE RESERVOIR TO SEE IF THIS FIXES THE PROBLEM. BUT I THINK DODGE SHOULD PAY FOR REPAIRS WHEN LOTS OF THEIR VANS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, IT IS CALLED DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKE FAILURES AND THE BRAKE INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE SPORADICALLY WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL SEND SOMEONE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A TICKET FOR "FAILURE TO KEEP A VEHICLE IN CONTROL". HE WILL CALLTHE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPAIRED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

MASTER CYLINDER FAILED IN REAR BRAKE SYSTEM CAUSING BRAKES TO FAIL. BRAKE FAILURE WAS SOLE REASON FOR REAR END ACCIDENT CAUSING DAMAGE TO TWO VEHICLES. *TR

VEHICLE HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT AND RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IS LEAKING. BASED ON RESEARCH OF OTHER COMPLAINTS, IT IS APPARENT THAT THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT AFFECTS STEERING. THE POWER STEERING DOESN'T FAIL, BUT IT WILL DETERIORATE UNTIL ALL OF THE FLUID LEAKS OUT AND THEN POSSIBLY DAMAGES THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THIS ULTIMATELY COULD CAUSE THE PUMP TO LOCK UP OR IN SOME CASES, LEAK FLUID ON TO THE EXHAUST PIPE AND CAUSE A FIRE. THE REPAIR COST FOR THIS ISSUE IS ~$800-900. MY ESTIMATE WAS FOR $820 (EXCLUDING A NEW ALIGNMENT). *TR

RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT LENS (COVER) HAVE A TENDENCY TO COME APART. IT HAPPEN TO MY SISTER IN LAW 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, TWICE. FIRST IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, SECOND, WE SAW IT BEFORE IT'S CAME APART. I HAVE SEEN SAME MODEL THAT DON'T HAVE LENS COVER . *TR

PARK THE VAN,GO OUT AND VAN WILL NOT START-NO RADIO OR LIGHTS LEFT ON. DEALERSHIP HAS CHECKED THE BATTERY SEVERAL TIMES AND SAID IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY YET IT STILL DOES IT AND THIS IS GOING ON TO TWO YEARS NOW. *TR

TOOK VEHICLE FOR STATE INSPECTION-SUDDEN NEED FOR NEW BRAKES PER DEALERSHIP-SAID BRING IT IN WITH IN 300-500 MILES FOR BRAKE JOB. *TR

POWER STEERING RESERVOIR FILTER CLOGS CAUSING POWER STEERING FAILURE. IT IS MORE SEVERE IN COLD WEATHER. HAVE HAD VAN IN DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY OBSERVED THE PROBLEM. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER AGREE THERE IS A SEVERE PROBLEM, BUT BECAUSE THEY CANNOT IDENTIFY THE "EXACT COMPONENT" CAUSING THE PROBLEM, THEY WILL NOT FIX. DAIMLER CHRYSLER REFUSES TO FIX UNDER WARRANTY OR NOT. IF THIS WERE ISOLATED ISSUE, I WOULD IGNORE. BUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CASES POSTED ONLINE WITH SAME ISSUE. RESULT IS LOW SPEED AND HIGH SPEED STEERING FAILURE.*CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, THE BRAKES LOCK UP INTERMITTENTLY. TO UNLOCK THE BRAKES, THE CONTACT MUST MOVE THE VEHICLE FORWARD AND BACKWARDS SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND POSTED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (05-001-06A). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.