2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEMS VARY IN SEVERITY. WHEN PROBLEMS OCCUR THERE ARE VARIOUS SYMTOMS THAT INCLUDE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NOT WORKING, WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATING WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON, HEADLIGHTS BECOME INOPERATIVE, HEAT AND AC BECOME INOPERATIVE, DOORS LOCK AND CANNOT BE OVERRIDDEN EVEN MANUALLY. WHEN PROBLEMS OCCUR THAT CAN LAST FOR A FEW SECONDS AND MULTIPLE TIMES OR SOMETIMES A CONTINUOUS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. *TR

AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT TO A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY TO 40 MPH, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 20 MPH. AFTER LOSS OF POWER, DRIVER NOTICED POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WERE INOPERABLE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF BUSY ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT AND GLIDED TO A STOP. DRIVER TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTED. AFTER RESTARTING VEHICLE, IT APPEARED TO OPERATE NORMAL. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. *TR

2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AND REAR DOORS POWER UNLOCK PROBLEM. I HAVE A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN STX. IT HAS POWER WINDOWS AND LOCKS AND POWER SLIDING DOORS. 3.8L ENGINE. THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR LOCK, RIGHT PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR LOCK WILL LOCK WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED, BUT WILL NOT UNLOCK WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. THIS HAPPENS NO MATTER WHICH DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON YOU PRESS (DRIVER, PASSENGER OR KEY FOB). I HAVE TRACED THE WIRING NO POWER WHEN 'UNLOCK' IS PRESSED, BUT THERE IS POWER WHEN THE 'LOCK' BUTTON IS PRESSED. ALSO, I TESTED THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR, AGAIN SAME RESULT. I TOOK OFF THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR PANEL AND UNPLUGGED THE DOOR LOCK CONNECTOR AT THE SOLENOID AND TESTED IT. AGAIN, NO POWER WHEN 'UNLOCK' IS PRESSED ON ANY OF THE WIRES. THE BLACK WIRE ON THE CONNECTOR IS GETTING GOOD GROUND. I TRACED THE WIRES FROM THE LOCK SOLENOID CONNECTOR UNDER THE SEATS AND TO THE DRIVERS KICK PANEL WHERE THEY GO THROUGH A GROMMET AND INTO THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE HOOD. I PROBED THE WIRES AGAIN BY THE KICK PANEL AND GOT NO POWER WHEN 'UNLOCK' WAS PRESSED. I HEAR A RELAY CLICKING IN THE FUSE BOX WHEN I PRESS 'UNLOCK', BUT I CAN'T FIND IT. IT IS COMING FROM WITHIN THE FUSE BOX UNDER ALL THE FUSES AND RELAYS. THOSE RELAYS ARE LOCATED IN THE FUSE BOXES INNER PART, AND PROBABLY LOW QUALITY, SO THEY ARE GONE IN JUST FEW YEARS OF USAGE. UNFORTUNATELY, RELAYS CAN'T BE REPLACED BY OWNERS DUE TO LOCATION AND CONNECTIONS. *TR

THIS IS A REPETITIVE, ALMOST DAILY PROBLEM. WHEN VEHICLE IS FIRST DRIVEN IN THE MORNING, IT STALLS DURING DRIVING AFTER ABOUT 1 TO 2 MILES OF TRAVEL. THIS STALLING HAS OCCURRED DAILY AT SPEED AROUND 30 MPH, AND I HAVE TO QUICKLY PUSH CONTROL TO NEUTRAL, TRY TO RESTART IGNITION (USUALLY STARTS IN ABOUT 2 TO 3 SECONDS) TO REGAIN POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKE CONTROLS. THIS CONDITION HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AS STEERING AND BRAKING IS SIGNIFICANT REDUCED AS ENGINE STALLS (I.E. NO POWER). I SAW IN READING INTERNET STORIES, THAT 2010S WERE RECALLED AFTER 2 ACCIDENTS. I FEAR I MAY BE AN ACCIDENT, AND HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO REPAIR, BUT NO TROUBLE HAS BEEN FOUND YET. IF CHRYSLER/DODGE KNOW ABOUT A FAULTY/DEFECTIVE PROBLEM, I REALLY HOPE THEY WILL NOTIFY ME IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE SENT AN EMAIL TO DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE IN HOPES OF GETTING AN ANSWER QUICKLY. MEANWHILE, I'LL TRY TO ANTICIPATE THE STALL AS MUCH AS I CAN TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, AS I HAVE A NEED TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE EVEN WITH THIS FAULTY CONDITION. *TR

2008 DODGE CARAVAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A DEFECTIVE KEY FOB. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE KEY FOBS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY AND ON TWO OCCASIONS, HE WAS LEFT STRANDED FAR FROM HOME, BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE CURRENTLY HAS ONE KEY FOB THAT WORKS, AND ONE THAT DOESN'T WORK, AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE KEY FOB FREE OF CHARGE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WOULD COST $250 FOR THE KEY FOB, PLUS TO REPROGRAM IT.

THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE CARE WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, NO KEY IN IT. HORN STARTED GOING WIPERS AND WIPER FLUID STARTED GOING FULL SPEED, AND LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, DOOR LOCKS ENGAGED AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED BY KEY FOB. THIS CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. I HAD TO PULL THE FUSES AND DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO GET IT TO STOP. TOOK THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP TWICE WHO STATED THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VAN. THE VAN CONTINUES TO DO THIS INTERMITTENTLY. MOST RECENT INCIDENT DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY 60 MPH WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR WHEN ALL THE PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS STARTED TO OCCUR AND GAUGES WOULD DROP TO ZERO AND THEN BACK UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN. ALL LIGHTS WENT OUT AT THIS TIME AND TRANSMISSION BEGAN MALFUNCTIONING. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT CONTINUED TO DO THIS FOR 15 MINUTES. THE THIRD TIME I TOOK IT IN THEY REPORTED IT WAS MY TIPM AND WANT OVER $1100 TO REPLACE IT. I CALLED DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPLAINED THE ISSUE HOPING THEY WOULD FIX IT WITHOUT COST TO ME OR OFFER SOME SOLUTION. THEIR REP WAS VERY RUDE AND TOLD ME TO TRY WHAT THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED. I EXPRESSED HOW IT IS A DESIGN/MANUFACTURING FLAW AND GOT THE REPLY, "WELL MA'AM, THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS SO THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO". I INFORMED HIM I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE/CHRYSLER VEHICLE AND RECEIVED THE REPLY "OK, HAVE A GOOD DAY". HE THEN HUNG UP ON ME. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND AFTER READING MANY FORUMS HAVE REALIZED I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE...DODGE NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE! *TR

THIS INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED 3 OTHER TIMES IN THE PAST. THE FIRST INCIDENT AT ABOUT 5,000 MILES AND THE SECOND INCIDENT AT 22,000 AND A THIRD INCIDENT AT ABOUT 45,000. THIS LAST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT ABOUT 67 MPH. THE HEADLAMPS TURN OFF AND THE HORN BLARES CONSTANT. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO AT FULL SPEED (FRONT AND BACK) AND THE FLUID IS SPRAYING EVERYWHERE. THE DOORLOCKS BEGIN TO FLICKER IN THE OPEN AND LOCK POSITION. THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ALSO SHUT OFF BUT THE REVERSE LIGHTS ARE LIT UP. THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER GO TO ZERO. YOU CAN MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRY TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, BUT TO YOUR SURPRISE THE VEHICLE DOESN'T SHUT OFF. IT KEEPS RUNNING! SO AS YOU ARE SITTING THERE WONDERING WHAT TO DO AND UNLOCK YOUR DOOR MANUALLY AND THEN YOU HAVE TO UNHOOK THE BATTERY AND SOMEHOW THAT WORKS. IF YOU ARE LUCKY WHEN YOU CONNECT THE BATTERY BACK IN THE SYSTEM GOES BACK TO NORMAL. IF YOUR UNLUCKY THE HORN AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE STILL GOING STRONG ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER ISSUES. EITHER WAY THIS SYSTEM MALFUNCTION IS BEING REPORTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND DODGE HASN'T RESPONDED. THEY ARE REPORTING A TIPM (TOTAL IGNITION POWER MODULE) APPARENTLY THE PART IS IN SUCH DEMAND THAT YOU CANNOT ORDER BECAUSE THEY ARE BACKORDERED UP TO 800 UNITS. *TR

THE SIDE SLIDING DOORS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL IS NEEDED. THE SIDE SLIDING DOORS HAVE REOPEN CONTINUOUSLY ON MANY OCCASIONS AFTER WE HAVE CLOSED & LOCKED THE DOORS. THE DOORS HAVE TRIED TO CLOSE WHEN WE ARE GETTING IN & OUT OF THE CAR & WE HAVE HAD TO QUICKLY OPEN THE DOOR TO MAKE SURE IT DID NOT CLOSE ON US. THE DOORS HAS FAILED TO CLOSE COMPLETELY THEY REOPEN ON THEIR OWN. I HAVE OBSERVED THIS MANY TIMES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION & IS NOT SAFE & CAN CAUSE INJURY. OUR VEHICLE CAN BE EASILY STOLEN AT ANYTIME BECAUSE THE DOORS OPEN RANDOMLY ON THEIR OWN. WE HAVE COME OUT OF THE STORE, THE MALL, TO FIND THE DOORS OPEN. MY HUSBAND HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT FROM WORK TO LOCK HIS VAN DOOR BECAUSE THE DOOR REOPENED ON ITS OWN. THIS PROBLEM IS A NUISANCE.*** WE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE & GREENBRIER DODGE SAID THAT IT WAS THE KEYS SO THEY REPROGRAMMED THEM. THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED & WE HAVE HAD OUR VEHICLE DIAGNOSED AGAIN BY GREENBRIER DODGE ON 03-13-2013. THEY STATED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE LATCH-SLIDING. WE PAID FOR THE PARTS & LABOR OUT OF POCKET.. 03-20-2013, GREENBRIER DODGE REPLACED THE LATCH. WE REALIZED AFTER WE LEFT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. WE RETURNED TO GREENBRIER DODGE & OUR SERVICE ADVISOR OBSERVED THE DOOR OPENING & CLOSING ON ITS OWN. THEY CHECKED THE VEHICLE AGAIN. OUR SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED US THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THEY WILL CALL CHRYSLER IN THE MORNING. 03-21-2013, RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM OUR SERVICE ADVISOR WHO TOLD US THEY RETOOK THE DOOR DOWN & ADJUSTED THE LATCH. SHE WANTED TO KEEP THE CAR IN OVERNIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DOOR DIDN'T OPEN AGAIN. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE & DODGE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE REFUSED TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS. WE HAVEN'T HAD OUR VAN FOR 5 YEARS YET & WE PURCHASED IT NEW. *TR

AT RANDOM TIMES THE HORN, FLASHERS, AND WIPERS WILL TURN ON.THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, WITHOUT ANYONE INSIDE THE VAN. DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY HAS BEEN THE WAY TO STOP THE PROBLEM. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND GUESSED THAT IT WAS THE TIPM. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND DOES SEAM TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. OBVIOUSLY FROM THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE SEEN, NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE AND CHRYSLER NEEDS TO DO A RECALL. *TR

TURNED ON IGNITION AND WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE WARNING LIGHTS ALL FLASH ON AND ALL GAUGES GO TO 0 AND WIPERS ARE GOING AS WELL, WITH THE WIPERS TURNED OFF..ALSO THE FRONT WINDOWS DON'T GO UP OR DOWN.. *TR