1997 Dodge Caravan

PURCHASED DODGE CARAVAN NEW. AT 40,000 MILES, WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN RANDOM WIPING ACTION UNRELATED TO TIME OR WEATHER CONDITIONS. THEY WOULD TURN ON, WIPE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES AND TURN OFF. AT 104,000 MILES, WITHOUT WARNING, WIPERS REFUSED TO RESPOND TO SWITCH EXCEPT FOR "WASH AND WIPE" CYCLE. VEHICLE COULD NOT BE INSPECTED AS WIPERS COULD NOT BE TURNED ON FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER. THREE TRIPS TO THE DEALER RESULTED IN A "BODY CONTROL MODULE" BEING REPLACED FOR A COST OF $741.00 IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM WORK. IF THEY HAD STOPPED DURING A BLIZZARD, IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD. (PLEASE NOTE, DATES ARE FROM MEMORY AND COULD BE SLIGHTLY OFF). *NM

TRANSMISSION FAILED, VERMONT, 2003. REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION @ 114,152 MILES - WILSON DODGE, VT - AT 134,826 MILES, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING - HAD NOTICED CLUNKING OCCASIONALLY IN REVERSE. COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER -IRA DODGE, MEDFORD MA RE: CLUNKING: WAS INFORMED THAT THE LEAKING OR TEAR DOWN FOR CLUNKING NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY - TO BE MY EXPENSE - SOUND NOT EASILY REPEATABLE - DEALER STATED $150 DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE. ARGUED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER SAYING THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS UNDER WARRANTY - HE WAS NOT SYMPATHETIC. CONVINCED HIM TO HAVE HIS MECHANIC TEST DRIVE THE VAN AFTER FIXING THE LEAK (WHICH HE INDEED DID - MILEAGE OUT WAS 134828) AUGUST 2005 - MILEAGE 148781 - LOUD BANG WHILE BACKING UP IN THE HOTEL PARKING GARAGE. CALLED MOPAR CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800-992-1997 - DATE 8/20/05 - TOLD THAT WARRANTY WAS GOOD IN CANADA BY REP; GIVEN THE NAME OF THE MONTREAL DEALERSHIP - DROVE TO DEALERSHIP 8/21/05 (WITHOUT INCIDENT); INFORMED WARRANTY NOT GOOD IN CANADA. SERVICE MANAGER DROVE THE CAR. UNABLE TO REPLICATE PROBLEM. DROVE HOME (WORCESTER, MA.) NO PROBLEMS. DROVE TO THE DODGE DEALER IN WORCESTER 8/23/05; TRANSMISSION PERSON WAS ON VACATION. TOLD THAT A DIAG WOULD BE $150, TEARDOWN MY EXPENSE. PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR AGAIN. 10/27 - ENTIRE TRANSMISSION LOCKED - MIDDLE OF BUSY PROSPECT STREET IN CAMBRIDGE. VAN WOULD NOT MOVE. TAKEN TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP, 900 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. IRA DODGE SAID COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT DISCOUNTING THE LABOR. THEY ASKED ME TO CONTACT MOPAR WARRANTY. CALLED MOPAR SERVICE 11/2/05, TOLD MY STORY, NO RECORD OF MY CALL ON 8/20/05. TRANSFERRED TO A "SENIOR STAFF AGENT" (EDDIE - EMPLOYEE #9EW) IN THE BUSINESS OFFICE - HE CALLED THE DEALER WHILE I WAS ON HOLD. WHEN HE CAME BACK TO THE LINE HE WAS NO LONGER FRIENDLY, SAYING I WAS BEYOND MY WARRANTY AND THAT DODGE WOULD NOT COVER ANYTHING. ARGUED WITH "EDDIE", ASKED FOR SUPERVISOR. EDDIE DECLINED. *JB

SERPENTINE BELT KEEPS COMING OFF AFTER HITTING A PUDDLE OR BODY OF WATER. THIS PROBLEM STARTED, AFTER HAVING WORK DONE TO MY 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. A AUTOMOTIVE SHOP REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SERPENTINE BELT DUE TO BEING DAMAGE (BROKEN). THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURN TO AUTOMOTIVE SHOP FIVE TIME, SINCE THE ORIGINAL SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACE, EACH INCIDENT MY DODGE CARAVAN HIT A PUDDLE OF WATER, JUST THE CORRECT WAY IN WHICH CAUSING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO COME OFF AFTER THE SERPENTINE BELT COME OFF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE BATTERY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN THE POWER STEERING LOCKS UP IN WHICH THE CAR IS OUT OF CONTROL. DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT KNOWS THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT CONFIGURATION, BUT CHOSEN NOT TO DUE THE RIGHT THING. *JB

1) DEFECT RESULT OF NORMAL USE, NO EXCEPTIONAL SITUATION JUST NORMAL EVERY DAY USE.RELATED TO TWO VEHICLES ONE 1996 CARAVAN, ANOTHER 1997 CARAVAN. 2) EXESIVE HAZE BUILDOFF ON HEADLIGHTS(PLASTIC LENS) I CAN CONTRIBUTE A LOSS OF PROPER DISTANCE ILUMINATION, FOR WITCH SEVERAL ATEMPTS OF DIFERENT METHODS WHERE TRIED TO CORRECT PROBLEM, RESULTING IN PEDESTRIAN STRUCT ACCIDENT ON DARK NIGHT,MY DRIVING RECORD HAD BEEN TICKET, ACCIDENT CLEAR FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. 3) SEVERAL POLISHING METHODS WHERE ATTEMPTED WITH DIFFERENT ADVERTISED PRODUCTS RESULTING IN SLIGHT TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENTS ALWAYS RESULTING IN LESSER TIME RECURRANCE OF PROBLEM, CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE ALL 4 WITH NEW PARTS DUE TO EXCESIVE COST $135.00 EACH, ANLY REPLACED ONE AFTER ACCIDENT AND YES HAVE PARTS IF NEED TO BE SUBMITTED. POINT IN CASE, MY WORK IS AND HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS RELATED TO PLASTICS, SPECIFICALLY INJECTION MOLDING, FOR WITCH I KNOW FIRST HAND THE CONSECUENCES FOR A POORLY DESIGN CHEMICAL CONTENT PLASTIC IN THIS CASE POLICARBONATES WITH INCORRECT UV ADITIVE CONTENT, WITCH IS THE CAUSE FOR NOT ONLY MY PARTICULAR BRAND OF VEHICLE,YEAR OR MODEL, THIS PROBLEM IS WITH ALL PLASTIC HEADLIGHT,SURE TGHEY SAVE WEIGTH, SURE ITS EASIER TO MANUFACTURE TO THE WEIRDEST SHAPES, SO MUCH SO THA KNOW A DAYS THE SEEM TO BE PART OF EITHER THE HOOD OR THE FENDERS, SO NOW THEIR BEING EXPOSED TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT FROM THE TOP CAUSING EVEN PREMATURER CONDITIONS, (THIS IS NOT A SCRATCHING RELATED ISSUE HERE THIS IS SUNLIGHT RELATED DAMAGE CAUSING REDUCED NIGHT DRIVING VISIBILITY REACH (SINCE WHEN A BODY PART IS SUBJECT TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. SINCE ASTM D 1003-92 DOES MENTION OTDOOR EXP. TEST-HAZE AND LOSS OF SURFACE LUSTER OF PLASTIC MATS, I FAILED TO LOCATE PROPER TIME LIMITS OF ACCEPTED FAILURE TO CONSIDER THEM TO BE, NON ACCEPTABLE. (GLASS DOES NOT CARRY THIS CONDITION), LIKE IT WAS MENTINED BEFORE, THIS IS NOT ONLY RELATED TO CHRYSLER THIS PROBLEM IS WITH ALL MAKES,BRANDS