2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT BOTH LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE FAILED AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL. THE CONTACT PAID FOR THE REPAIRS IN FEBRUARY OF 2006. THE FAILURE CEASED FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS, BUT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AGAIN IN MID-MARCH OF 2008. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG MODULE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, SHE DISCOVERED A RECALL FOR THE SAME FAILURE, BUT A DIFFERENT VEHICLE YEAR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,907.

DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SPORT 2002 SWAY BAR BUSHING MOUNT WEARS OUT PREMATURELY AND CAUSES EXTREME DEGRADING IN VEHICLE HANDLING. *TR

WHILE DRIVING I SMELLED SMOKE. I COULDN'T SEE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM SO I CONTINUED DRIVING. THEN I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM BEHIND THE PANEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SLIDING DOOR. I THEN PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. I COULDN'T SEE A FIRE FROM INSIDE AND THE DOOR DIDN'T FEEL HOT. I WALKED AROUND TO THE OUTSIDE AND TOUCHED THE DOOR, WHICH WAS HOT. I THEN NOTICED BURN MARKS THROUGH THE PAINT. I WENT BACK INTO THE VAN AND PULLED PART OF THE PANEL AWAY AND SAW FLAMES INSIDE THE DOOR. I THEN TOOK A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. I CALLED 911 AND ASKED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. *TR

I OWN A 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, WHICH HAS CRUISE CONTROL INSTALLED. THERE ARE TWO BUTTONS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL, ENGAGE/DISENGAGE WHICH ENGAGES THE SYSTEM, AND SET, WHICH SETS THE SYSTEM ON THE SPEED SELECTED. THERE ARE THREE BUTTONS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL, ACCEL/RESUME, CANCEL WHICH CANCELS THE LAST SETTING SET, AND DECEL. ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME WHEN I 'CANCEL' THE LAST SETTING ENGAGED, AFTER 1 TO 3 SECONDS THE SYSTEM WILL RE-ENGAGE AND ACCELERATE TOWARD THE SPEED PREVIOUSLY SELECTED. IT WILL NOT RE-ENGAGE IF THE SYSTEM IS DE-ACTIVATED BY EITHER THE BRAKE APPLICATION OR BY PRESSING THE DISENGAGE BUTTON. *TR

ON NOVEMBER 28, 2007 MY 2 YEAR OLD SON, DYLAN FISHER DEPETRO LOST HIS LIFE, ALONG WITH 9 MONTH OLD AMELIA DEMEUSE, TO A MINIVAN FIRE THAT ALSO SERIOUSLY INJURED TWO OTHERS IN THE TOWN OF LUXEMBURG, WI. OUR SON'S SITTER RAN SOME ERRANDS FOR ANOTHER LITTLE GIRL'S 1ST BIRTHDAY. WHILE SHE WAS IN A HARDWARE STORE, PURCHASING DECORATIONS, THE MINIVAN, HOLDING FIVE CHILDREN (ALONG WITH MY SON) CAUGHT FIRE. THE CAUSE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION. I HOLD NO ANGER TOWARDS SUE LALUZERNE, THE SITTER. SHE LOVED MY SON AND MY SON LOVED HER. HOWEVER, I KNOW THAT MY SON'S DEATH WAS NOT IN VAIN. HE WAS CALLED HOME TO JESUS FOR A REASON AND I FEEL IT'S MY CALLING TO ENSURE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. THE MINIVAN WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES. MY SON WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE FROM SMOKE INHALATION AND SOOT. HE PROBABLY ONLY TOOK TWO BREATHS BEFORE BECOMING UNCONSCIOUS. ALTHOUGH THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR A VEHICLE BECOMING CONSUMED IN FLAMES IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. MY SON WAS IN A CAR SEAT THAT WAS BUILT INTO THE MINIVAN; A SEAT THAT CONTAINED HIGHLY FLAMMABLE, TOXIC MATERIALS. WE ARE WORKING WITH GIL ROSS, A LAWYER OUT OF CHICAGO, TO HELP US DURING THIS TIME. THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT COULD EVER EASE THE PAIN OF LOSING MY CHILD. WHAT I REALLY WANT TO HAPPEN OUT OF ALL OF THIS IS FOR THE AUTO INDUSTRY TO STOP USING FLAMMABLE MATERIALS IN THEIR SEATS, ESPECIALLY IF CAR SEATS ARE BUILT IN. I WANT PEOPLE TO BE TRAINED IN THE USE OF CAR SEATS IN CPR CLASSES ACROSS THE NATION AND A MECHANISM FOR QUICK RELEASE OF A CAR SEAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE. I ASK FOR YOUR HELP IN MAKING THE WORLD AWARE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND HELPING US TO CHANGE THE SAFETY STANDARDS. MY SON DESERVES THIS. THANK YOU. *TR

ALL OF A SUDDEN THE INTERNAL INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CONSOLE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN MY 2002 GRAND CARAVAN. MY MECHANIC SAID THE BODY CONTROL MODULE IS FAULTY/HAS A SHORT AND IT'S AN APPROX $800 REPAIR. I HAVE 128,000 MILES ON THE CARAVAN. I ALSO HAVE A 1996 CARAVAN AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO THAT VAN, EVEN THOUGHT IT'S 12 YEARS OLD. *TR

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WE HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS DEALING WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND TO GO TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. A DAY LATER, THE TIRES WERE LOCKED AND THE VAN DID NOT RESPOND TO ANY GEAR. HAD THE VAN TOWED TO TRANSMISSION SHOP. THEY SAID THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND IN TURN THE OIL PUMP WAS NOT CIRCULATING OIL TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY WELDED TOGETHER. WE HAD TO PURCHASE AN ENTIRE NEW TRANSMISSION COSTING OVER $2,600.00. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 48,000 MILES. I READ ONLINE WHERE OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAD SAME PROBLEM AT 37,000 MILES AND 40,000 MILES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A TENDENCY TO LOCK WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 1 AND 60 MPH. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS A U-JOINT AT THE END OF THE STEERING COLUMN THAT FREEZES AND CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK. THE FAILURE OCCURS EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HEARD OF THIS DEFECT AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 02-25-08 *BF UPDTATED

ON SATURDAY 12/29/07 AS I WAS RETURNING FROM MY MOTHER'S HOME WITH MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN OUR TRANSMISSION FAILED. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PREVIOUS WARNINGS OR PROBLEMS OR EVEN AN INDICATOR LIGHT, MY 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SPORT WITH 128K MILES MADE A SUDDEN LOUD THUMP NOISE (ACCORDING TO MY 6 YEAR OLD SON IN THE BACK SEAT IT SOUNDED LIKE WE RAN OVER SOMETHING) AND THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO DOWN SHIFT DRAMATICALLY. I WAS ABLE TO PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE. I HAD TO HAVE MY WIFE DRIVE, WITH OUR YOUNGEST CHILD, BACK TO RESCUE US FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED AS IT WOULD NOT MOVE AFTER THAT. WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR REPAIRS. I DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED AND CERTAINLY NOT WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR PROBLEMS PREVIOUSLY.*CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS PARKED IN COLD WEATHER OR GETS WET, THE BRAKE SYSTEM LOCKS AND THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO MOVE. HE HAD TO REMOVE THE REAR BRAKE DRUM IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (NUMBER 10019632) AFFECTING THE SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. HE HAS NOT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 72,000. UPDATED 01/29/08 *BF