1997 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER Complaints

SUBJECT DEALER DIAGNOSED (SERVICE ENGINE SOON) LIGHT CAME ON DURING MAY 2001, TOOK TO VOYLES CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH TO GET ENGINE SERVICED AND TECHNICIAN ADVISED THERE WAS AN EVAPORATIVE EMMISSION LEAK AT THE GAS TANK, THAT A SEAL WAS BAD AND THAT THE TANK WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $900.00, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE HEARD REPORTS OF A POSSIBLE RECALL ON THIS DEFECT AND I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THIS AS A POSSIBLE COVERED PROBLEM. WHEN I FILL THE GAS TANK, I CAN'T FILL OVER 3/4 TANK BECAUSE OF THE SMELL OF RAW GASOLINE IN THE INTERIOR. I'M AFRAID THAT IT IS AN ACCIDENT AWAITING TO HAPPEN AND I WANT TO GO ON RECORD THAT I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE PROPER AUTHORITIES.I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND I DON'T KNOW IF CHRYSLER HAS A RECORD OF THIS TRANSACTION. OH, BY THE WAY VOYLES REPORTED ON MY SERVICE RECORD THAT THE PARTS HAD BEEN ORDERED BUT AFTER 2 WEEKS I CALLED AND THEIR SERVICE WRITER TOLD ME THEY HAD DROPPED THE BALL AND DIDN'T SEND THE ORDER IN. THATS WHEN I THOUGHT I WOULD START CHECKING FOR RECALLS. THE ODOR IS MUCH MORE DISTINCT NOW AND IT NEEDS PROMPT ATTENTION. PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS IS COVERED UNDER A RECALL. THANKS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. MARK DOTHAGER 678-945-1400.*AK

ON APPROXIMATELY 10/15/2001 WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, I NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. AT THAT SAME TIME, I TRIED TO USE THE HORN TO LET SOMEONE KNOW THAT I WAS THERE TO PICK THEM UP. THE HORN DID NOT WORK. SINCE I DID NOT WANT TO PAY THE $70 FEE TO HAVE THE DEALERSHIP "DIAGNOSE" THE PROBLEM (WITHOUT HAVING ANY OF THAT MONEY GO TOWARDS THE ACTUAL PAYMENT OF THE REPAIR), I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO MY MECHANIC. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT WORK ON ANY COMPONENT RELATED TO THE AIR BAG BECAUSE OF THE HIGH COST OF REPLACING THE AIR BAG IN THE EVENT IT ACCIDENTALLY DEPLOYED. HE ALSO SAID THAT SINCE THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON, IT COULD EITHER NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN I NEEDED IT, OR THAT IT COULD DEPLOY WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND DID NOT NEED IT. HE CONSIDERED IT A SAFETY ISSUE. HE RECOMMENDED TAKING IT TO THE DEALER. AFTER DOING MORE RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE PART IN QUESTION IS A CLOCKSPRING WIRING HARNESS AND THAT 124,511 VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT REPLACED BY CHRYLSER. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE, A RECALL ISSUE AND AN ECONOMIC ISSUE. IF CHRYSLER CHARGES $70 PER DIAGNOSIS AND $250 FOR EACH REPAIR OF THE 124,511 DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRING WIRING HARNESS/DESIGN FLAWS, THAT EQUALS ABOUT $40 MILLION. HOW MUCH PROFIT IS CHRYSLER MAKING ON REPAIRING THEIR OWN SAFETY RELATED DESIGN FLAW AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GETTING INJURED BECAUSE A RECALL IS NOT BEING ISSUED ON THIS COMPONENT. *AK

VEHICLE IS LEAKING FUEL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL 00V268000; DEALER INDICATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY RECALL DUE TO VIN. HOWEVER, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS AS LISTED IN RECALL. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE REFUSING TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, IT APPEARED THAT FIRE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM (CLAIM # 40-2269-222). *YD

CONSUMER STATES PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FIRE THERE WAS A PUFF OF SMOKE NEAR THE FIREWALL, FIRE IGNITED AFTER VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS (CLAIM # 20-5273-226). *YD

CONSUMER STATES THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER WAS BYPASSED WHILE A NEW COOLER WAS ON ORDER, FIRE SUSPECTED TO HAVE STARTED IN THIS AREA (CLAIM # 22-V361-586). *YD

RECALL 00 V 268 000/FUEL LEAKAGE: FUEL FUMES GETTING INTO VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

OWNER WAS AWAKENED BY VEHICLE'S ALARM SOUNDING. CHECKED AND NOTICED VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. CONTACTED FIRE DEPARTMENT. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. WAS INFORMED POSSIBLE ENGINE OVERHEATING CAUSED THE FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN CLOCK SPRING.*AK*SLC

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AT 6:30 ONE MORNING ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PARK. I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, STARTED THE VAN AGAIN, AND TRIED TO PROCEED. THE VAN WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. I PULLED OFF AGAIN AND CALLED MY HUSBAND. HE CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT "SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM" AND IT WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME IN "LIMP" MODE. THE VAN IS STILL IN THE SHOP. WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM HAS NOW TURNED INTO A MAJOR PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT SOME GEARS INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION BROKE. THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS $1500.00 OR HIGHER. THE DEALER TOLD US THAT HE HAS NOT SEEN A PROBLEM WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. I WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION PLACES THAT THEY HAVE SEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. SEVERAL SITES ON THE WEB ALSO LIST CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TRANSMISSIONS. THIS VAN HAS BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY SO I THINK IT IS UNREASONABLE FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL LIKE IT DID. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS AT ALL. WHAT UPSETS ME IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A MAJOR ACCIDENT IN A CASE LIKE THIS. WHAT IF I HAD BEEN PASSING SOMEONE, SOMEONE HAD BEEN TAILGATING ME, ETC.? I ALSO WONDER HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BUT DID NOT REPORT IT? WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN BE DONE? MM. *AK