2000 Chrysler Voyager

I LOCATED AN INVOICE IN MY VEH THAT MY SISTER SIGNED FOR A RECALL. THE MODEL IS WRONG AND I DONT KNOW WHY SHE WOULD SIGN NOR TAKE MY VEHICLE FOR A RECALL. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND MY VIN DOES NOT SHOW ANY ACTIVITY WITHIN THE PAST 15 YRS. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES COME UP PERTAINING TO FRAUD AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NOT ONE ATTACHED TO MY VEHICLE.

WHILE SITTING IN THE GARAGE, ONE OF THE TWO 5/8 INCH GRADE 8 CHASSIS BOLTS WHICH HOLDS THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL ON CRACKED AND FELL OFF ONTO THE FLOOR. MY WIFE AND CHILDREN DROVE AWAY IN THE VAN WITHOUT NOTICING THIS. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, I FOUND THE BOLT ON THE FLOOR AND TOLD HER TO STOP DRIVING. OUR MECHANIC CHECKED THE TORQUE ON THE OTHER SIMILAR BOLT ON THE SAME SIDE, AND IT IMMEDIATELY ALSO CRACKED AND FELL OFF. BOTH BOLTS WERE CLEARLY DEFECTIVE FROM THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE. THE CRACKS WERE IN THE CENTER OF THE BOLT AND THERE WAS CORROSION INDICATING THAT EACH CRACK HAD BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME. ONLY ABOUT 25% OF THE WIDTH OF THE BOLT APPEARED AS RECENTLY BROKEN, UNCORRODED METAL. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THIS VAN HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN ON SALTED ROADS, NOR SEEN ANY EXCESSIVE FORCE ON THE FRONT WHEELS. ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC, FAILURE OF BOTH BOLTS WHILE DRIVING WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OVER THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL, AND WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. WE FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE DEFECTIVE BOLT FAILED WHILE SITTING IN THE GARAGE, AND NOT WHILE DRIVING IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS!

WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY CITY STREET WITH NO SHOULDER OR NEARBY PULL-OFF, IN ORDER TO PROCEED WITH TRAFFIC I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE THROUGH STANDING WATER. THE ENGINE SERPENTINE BELT IMMEDIATELY FELL COMPLETELY OFF THE PULLEYS. POWER STEERING WAS THEN UNAVAILABLE, AND I HAD SOME DIFFICULTY GETTING TO THE NEXT SAFE EXIT AND TURNING INTO IT. THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING BY THEN (BECAUSE WATER PUMP WAS INACTIVE), AND THE BATTERY LIGHT ACTIVATED (BECAUSE ALTERNATOR WAS ALSO INACTIVE). I DISCOVERED LATER THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH CHRYSLER MINIVANS OF SIMILAR MODEL YEARS. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MORE SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE. THUS IT SEEMS AT LEAST CONSIDERING A RECALL WOULD BE VERY APPROPRIATE. I INSTALLED A CUSTOM PULLEY AND BELT KIT (AT MY OWN COST OF ABOUT $200) TO PREVENT THE PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHRYSLER VOYAGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER A FEW MOMENTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 260,000.