1997 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER Complaints

OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE YEARS I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE LENSES THAT COVER THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 1997 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY HAZED, OR FOGGED OVER. THE HAZING HAS CAUSED THE LIGHT TO BECOME SO DIFFUSED, THAT DRIVING AT NIGHT HAS BECOME VERY DIFFICULT AT BEST. IF THE WEATHER IS BAD (RAIN, OR HEAVY SNOW) AT NIGHT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE PROPERLY. I HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF OTHER PLYMOUTH VOYAGERS THAT APPEAR TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT THE TYPE OF PLASTIC USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES WAS UNSUITABLE FOR A SAFETY PART THAT IS EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS AS CAR (VAN) HEADLIGHTS ARE. I WOULD HOPE THAT ACTION WILL BE TAKEN TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT SO THAT NOBODY IS INJURED OR KILLED AS A RESULT. *NM

FOR SEVERAL YEARS THE LENSES COVERING MY HEADLIGHTS ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE HAZED. THIS IS NOT DUE TO ANYTHING I HAVE DONE ON MY PART. THE HAZING HAS CAUSED THE LIGHTS TO BECOME SO DENSE THAT NIGHT DRIVING IS BECOMING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I AM NOW VERY CAUTION AND LIMIT MY NIGHT DRIVING WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO BEGAN TO NOTICE OTHER GRAND VOYAGERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME DIFFICULTY. THIS HAZING IS NOT FROM MY OWN ABUSE THROUGH AUTOMATIC CAR WASHES OR FROM NEGLECT. IT IS A DEFECT. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO TRIED TO IMPROVE THE HAZING BUT IT WAS ONLY MINIMALLY AFFECTIVE. TO HAVE THESE LENSES REPLACED WILL COST OVER $600! MY HUSBAND'S 1987 HONDA CIVIC'S LIGHTS AND LENSES ARE OUTSTANDING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THIS HEADLIGHT/LENS. *JB

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM: EVAPORATOR WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES SO FAR, FIRST TIME BEING UNDER 3 YEAR WARRANTY. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME NOW, EVEN AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH "NO PROBLEMS" AND BEING RESET. LATELY, THE WINDOWS WON'T GO UP AND DOWN UNTIL THE CAR IS STOPPED AND RESTARTED. SAME THING WITH THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE TACHOMETER. THEY JUST "GO DEAD". *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 2002 FROM AN INDEPENDENT DEALER, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN HAVING ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL WIRING, ALTERNATOR, RADIATOR, THERMOSTAT, COOLING SYSTEM. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING IS NEEDED FOR GROSS POLLUTION. THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED UNDER FAIR WEATHER CONDITIONS THREE TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURES OF THE FAN, RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO RUN HOT, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO BLOW OUT. SERVICE FOR THESE COMPONENTS WERE PERFORMED AT AN INDEPENDANT AUTO SHOP.

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. CONTACT WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AT 45 MPH SPEED WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED . NO WARNING AT ALL. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS MERGING OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE RIGHT. THEN TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT IT WAS VERY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT, AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION OFF THEN BACK ON AGAIN AND IT WAS AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE PLYMOUTH VOYAGER DEALER. THEY LOOKED AT IT, AND THE REPAIR COST WILL BE $900 TO FIX THE WHOLE RACK. CALLED THE CHRYSLER MANUFACTURER, AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR HALF OF THE REPAIR COST . CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ON 10-11-05 AND 10-12-05.*AK

DT: THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL STUCK AT 45 MPH ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2005. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP BY TURNING THE KEY OFF. THE CONSUMER UNHOOKED THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE, AND HE HAS NOT HAD ANY MORE PROBLEMS SINCE THIS. WHEN THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE HE FOUND THAT ONE OF THE CABLE STRANDS BROKE. THE CONSUMER IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER TK. THE VEHICLE HAS AN INTEGRATED CAR SEAT THAT WAS BUILT IN AND THE STRAPS KEPT TIGHTENING WITH THE CHILD IN THE SEAT. THE CHILD SEAT STRAPS HAD TO BE CUT TO GET THE CHILD OUT OF THE CAR SEAT. THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THIS OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2005.*AK

1997 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER WINDSHIELD WIPERS START ON THERE OWN AND SOMETIMES CEASE TO FUNTION WHEN SWITCHED ON! THE WIPER WEAR EXCESSIVELY DUE TO STARTING ON DRY GLASS. CAN BE A HAZARD IF WIPERS FAIL TO FUNTION WHEN NEEDED. *AK HAD MECHANIC CHECKED MOTOR AND WIRING AND IN FORMED THAT IT COUND BE THE BODY CONTROL MODULE BUT IT IS A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURE A NEW ONE COULD RESULT IN THE SAME PROBLEM AT A COST OF OVER $500.00! CHECKED ON INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR VEHICLE

VEHICLE SAFETY ISSUE (CHRYSLER TSB 23-044-02), RUST THROUGH OF UPPER STRUT TOWERS 1996-2000 CHRYSLER, DODGE, PLYMOUTH MINIVANS. COLLAPSE OF STRUT TOWER WOULD RESULT ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: 1/ SUDDEN CHANGE OF STEERING GEOMETRY; TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING; LOCKUP OF ONE OF THE FRONT WHEELS, BLOWOUT OF ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES. THIS IS A PROBLEM WHICH CHRYSLER HAS KNOWN ABOUT FOR YEARS. THEY ONLY ISSUED A TSB ONCE MOST OF THE VEHICLES INVOLVED (96-98) WERE BEYOND THE MANUFACTURES RUST PERFORATION WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD NOT BE MERELY A "SERVICE" RECALL, BUT A "SAFETY" RECALL. THIS IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH FAILED TO SEAL BETWEEN COMPONENT PANELS ALLOWING MOISTURE TO PENETRATE AND CAUSE HIDDEN RUST ISSUE WHICH REVEALS ITSELF ONLY WHEN THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IS ALREADY DONE. THE RECOMMENDED REPAIR IS ALSO QUESTIONABLE -- UTILIZING ONLY EPOXY TO AFIX A CAP TO THE TOP OF THE STRUT. THE INNER RUST PERFORATION IS NOT CUT OUT, ONLY COVERED UP. THE TREATMENT IS PRIMARILY COSMETIC. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND FEEL IT HAS NOT ONLY ENDANGERED LIFE, BUT DEVALUED THE VEHICLE. I HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED BUT FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE CHRYSLER'S RESPONSIBILITY. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY FOLLOW UP YOU CAN DO ON MY BEHALF AND THAT OF OTHER MINIVAN OWNERS. (I'VE NO DOUBT THAT THE VAST MAJORITY ARE YET UNAWARE OF THE CONDITION OF THEIR VEHICLES.) SINCERELY KELVIN IRONSIDE MESA AZ. *AK

DRIVERS AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TS THE VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE LEFT PASSENGER SLIDE DOOR. THE PASSENGER BY THE LEFT SLIDING DOOR WAS KILLED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON 10/15/04. *SC