1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. IN FEBRUARY 2005 WE HAD THE SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED, AND ALL PARTS RELATED TO IT ADJUSTED AND CLEANED. THIS WAS DONE DUE TO A HORRIBLE SCREECHING SOUND. IN NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF DURING A PERIOD OF COLD & RAINY WEATHER, AND LEFT ME WITHOUT STEERING OR COOLING FANS. I WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I COULD NOT STEER. THE BELT WAS REPLACED. SIX WEEKS LATER, AGAIN-IN COLD AND RAINY WEATHER. IT HAPPENED AGAIN, AND TODAY, 3 WEEKS LATER, YES, COLD AND RAINY WEATHER IT HAS HAPPENED FOR A THIRD TIME. MY GARAGE IS SET TO REPLACE THE STEERING FLUID PUMP, THINKING IT MIGHT BE LEAKING ON IT, THE BELT, TENSIONER AND A PULLEY. HOPING IT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM, THIS WILL BE A $500 BILL AT LEAST. HOWEVER, AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A REGULAR PROBLEM FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL, CROSSING SEVERAL MODEL YEARS. I CONTACTED DODGE, WHO TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT WITHOUT A RECALL, BUT AGREED THERE HAVE BEEN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSBS) REGARDING THE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM I DID RESEARCH ON THESE TSBS, AS WELL AS VARIOUS WEBSITES WHERE AUTO MECHANICS POST, AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SINGLE REPAIR THAT WORKS IN EACH VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. THIS BELT CONTROLS THE STEERING, THE ALTERNATOR AND THE FANS. THIS IS A MINI-VAN, MADE FOR FAMILIES. I AM FEARFUL OF ALLOWING MY THREE CHILDREN TO RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE NOW, KNOWING THAT EVEN AFTER THE REPAIRS COMING UP THIS WEEK, THE PROBLEM MAY NOT BE FIXED. DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE DANGER WHICH COULD OCCUR , LOSING STEERING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN POOR CONDITIONS, I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE SHOULD BECOME A RECALL.*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED THE ANNUAL INSPECTION. BOTH FRONT STRUT TOWERS WERE RUSTED AND WORN. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK

THE VEHICLE'S ABS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAVE BEEN GOING ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. WE HAD A MECHANIC LOOK INTO IT AND REPLACED A RELAY OR SWITCH THAT BELONGED TO THE BLOWER MOTORS (FANS BY RADIATOR). THE LIGHTS SEEMED TO GO AWAY UNTIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THE ABS LIGHT RETURNED AND THE BRAKES ACT AS THOUGH THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE OUT AT ANY TIME. THEY HAVE TO BE DEPRESSED FOR QUITE A LENGTH OF TIME BEFORE THE VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE IS ALSO A WEIRD SOUND OF AIR OR AS IF AIR WHERE COMING OUT WHEN THE BRAKES GET DEPRESSED. I HAVE HAD TO ADD FLUID ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A MECHANIC BUDDY THAT THERE IS VERY GOOD CHANCE ITS THE BRAKE BOOSTER DUE TO THE SOUND OF AIR. I WENT ONLINE AND NOTICED THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THIS IN A COUPLE OF GRAND CARAVANS BUT MY VIN # DOESN'T FALL INTO THE SUGGESTED VIN RANGE. *NM

SERPENTINE BELT REPEATEDLY COMES OFF ITS PULLEYS, NECESSITATING A TOW, ON-THE-SPOT REPAIR JOB, OR DRIVING UNDER UNSAFE CONDITIONS FOR A SHORT DISTANCE FOR THE REPAIR. *JB

DT: 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1996. THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO FIXED THE MASTER CYLINDER BECAUSE THE LIGHT TO AIRBAGS STAYED ON. THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL LIGHTS BLINKED OFF AND ON OCCASIONALLY. WHEN SEEING THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD THE CONSUMER COULD LOOK AT THIS AS A WARNING, BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE HOW FAST SHE WAS GOING OR HOW MUCH GAS THERE WAS IN THE GAS TANK. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A YEAR. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS. I THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP IN 2003, AND THEY CHANGED THE CLOCK SPRING. ALSO, THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. FIRST, THE ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF, NOW ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON, BUT NOTHING WAS WORKING ON DASHBOARD. *AK

DT: THE CALLER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT 25 MPH AND THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD HER CHILD. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WILL NOT CATCH. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WERE GOING TO LOOK INTO IT. THE DAUGHTER CHIPPED A TOOTH AND WHERE IT HIT HER HEAD, THERE WAS A BRUISE. *AK

DT: THE OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT LENSES WERE NO LONGER TRANSPARENT, BUT WERE TURNING OPAQUE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEALER, AND THEY STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS SPECIFIC COMPONENT. THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD BE REPLACED BUT AT T CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. THE CONSUMER DID NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

1) DRIVING NORMALLY THROUGH WATER SEVERAL INCHES DEEP - CERTAINLY NOT AN UNUSUAL SITUATION CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF AFTERNOON STORMS WE HAVE RECEIVED THIS SUMMER IN MIDDLE GEORGIA. 2) SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS FROM PULLEYS CAUSING LOSE OF POWER STEERING, WATER PUMP, AIR CONDITIONING, ALTERNATOR. ON FIRST OCCASION AND WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND AVOID A COLLISION. 3) BELT APPEARED UNDAMAGED BUT I REPLACED BELT WITH NEW APPROVED BELT. THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON AUGUST 22, 2005 WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON GEORGIA 87 (RURAL HIGHWAY) IN A SEVERE DOWNPOUR/THUNDERSTORM. THE RAIN AND STORM CONDITIONS WERE SO LOUD I DID NOT NOTICE THE TEMPERATURE GAGE, INDICATOR LIGHTS AND WARNING-BUZZER WARNING ME OF SOME ENGINE FAILURE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO AN INTERSECTION AND PULL OUT OF TRAFFIC, AGAIN WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY DUE TO POWER STEERING FAILURE. ULTIMATELY, PEOPLE WILL LOSE LIVES OVER THIS ISSUE IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY. THERE ARE MANY OF THESE ISSUES POSTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET. PLEASE PURSUE THIS ISSUE SO SOMEONE'S LIFE CAN BE SAVED. *JB

DT: DT: THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM AN INDIVIDUAL. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS DEEMED TOTALED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE CONSUMER LEARNED OF TWO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE, ONE FOR THE FUEL RAIL AND ONE FOR THE AIR BAGS. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS CONFLICTING INFORMATION ON THE LETTER SENT TO CONSUMER. THIS HAPPENED ON JANUARY 17, 2005 . *AK *NM

THIS IS ON A '97 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, 3.8 LITER. 1) ORIGINALLY THE BRAKES WERE TERRIBLE, (HARD FOOT PRESSURE WAS NEEDED TO STOP THE VEHICLE.). AFTER 30KMILES, I TOOK IT IN TO A MECHANIC. IN HIS EXPERIENCE, THE DEALER EQUIPPED FRONT DISC "PISTONS MADE OF PHEOLIC MATERIAL" WOULD OFTEN 'STICK'.. AFTER REPLACING W/ "STEEL" PISTONS THIS PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED. 2) THE PROBLEMATIC 'CLOCK-SPRING' FAILED RIGHT BEFORE I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE! BUT, AFTER 30K MORE MILES, IT FAILED AGAIN... THIS TIME THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR IT FREE. OF COURSE THE "LEGALLY REQUIRED HORN" IS ALSO NO-FUNCTIONING. 3) THE POWER LOCKS FIGHT ME WHEN OPENING WITH A KEY. ON REMOVING SAID KEY, THEY THEN 'RELOCK' BEFORE I CAN OPEN THE DOOR. I MUST OPEN THE DOOR WITH KEY TURNED IN THE LOOK. (SAFETY, NO, INCONVENIENT YES.) HOWEVER, NOW THE POWER LOCKS "SOMETIMES UNLOCK THEMSELVES" WHEN LEFT IN A LOCKED POSITION, OR WHEN DRIVING. 4) THE ELECTRIC COOLING FAN, THOUGH IT COMES ON WHEN THE NEEDED, "SHUTS OFF" WHEN THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF. SHOULDN'T' IT "STAY ON" TILL THE RADIATOR COOLS A BIT?? 5) THE "ENGINE STALLED" AND HESITATED/MISFIRED?. NUMEROUS TIMES THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM.. FINALLY AN INDEPENDENT "REPLACED CAM SENSOR". THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR "IMPORTANT SERVICES". SINCERELY, [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR