1998 Dodge Caravan

SIX DIFFERENT CASES OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED. PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKET, THE TRANSMISSION TWICE AND THREE TIMES ON THE FLYWHEEL. *LA THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE BOLTS ON THE FLYWHEEL AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER WERE LOOSE. *SC THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS KNOWN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CRANKSHAFT, WHICH CAUSES THE FLYWHEEL TO BREAK OFF, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE CRANKSHAFT WAS OUT OF ROUND, WHICH CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *JB

VEHICLE FIRE CAUSED FROM DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. *MR (UNDER SIZED TRANSMISSIONS, INADEQUATE SIZED COOLING LINES AND INTERNAL PARTS) THE TRANSMISSIONS DID NOT LAST OVER AND AVERAGE OF 25K MILES AND HAD TO BE REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE AT TIMES. WHILE DRIVING, THE DASH SHOWED EVERYTHING BEING, NORMAL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO SMOKE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT RESPONSIVE. THE TRANSMISSION DRIPPED BALLS OF FLAMES. *SCC *JB

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 63,000 ON THE HIGHWAY, ON A COLD DAY, 90 MILES FROM HOME WHEN I HAD MY CHILDREN, AGES 2 AND 5 IN THE VAN. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY VEHICLE! IT SHOULD BE RELIABLE AND SAFE. I'VE ALWAYS HAD TOYOTAS AND HONDAS AND PUT 200,000 MILES ON THEM WITH NO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE PUBLIC IS BEING DUMPED BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER INTO THINKING THAT REPLACING TRANSMISSIONS IS A NORMAL PART OF VEHICLE OWNERSHIP. I JUST HAD TO SPEND $2800 TO FIX A VEHICLE THAT IS WORTH ABOUT $7000. I'VE RECENTLY LEARNED THAT MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM AND THAT CARAVANS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR BAD TRANSMISSIONS AND MOTOR FAILURE IN UNDER 100,000 MILES. IF THEY ARE GOING TO MARKET FAMILY VEHICLES THEY SHOULD BE SAFE AND RELIABLE! *LA

TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WE DROVE TO NJ FROM OUR HOUSE, NO PROBLEMS, NOISES OR WARNINGS PARKED THE CAR AND 1/2 HOUR LATER GO IN THE CAR AND CAR WOULD NOT MOVE EITHER BACK OR FORTH. HAD CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC AND NEXT DAY HE TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, I WAS SHOCKED, SO DECIDE TO GET A 2ND OPINION, TOOK CAR TO AMACO , THEY DIAGNOSED ALSO THAT A NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION OR REBUILD TRANSMISSION. I WAS GOING AWAY ON VACATION ON FRIDAY , SO HAD NO OPTIONS BUT FIX TRANSMISSION WHICH COST ME $2,021.25. I WAS GLAD IT DIDNT BRAKE WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY AND NO ONE GOT HURT. I ASKED THE PEOPLE AT AMACO , WHAT MADE THE TRANSMISSION JUST DIE, AT 81,525 MILES AND THEY TOLD ME IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THIS PARTICULAR CAR, SO I DECIDE TO RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE RIGHT, BY YOUR OWN RECORDS OF COMPLAINTS. SO, I HOPE THE MANUFACTURER WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT OR BE FORCED TO DO SO. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE OTHER RECALLS THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT, SUCH AS SEAT BELTS AND FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEMS. *PH

PROBLEMS WITH FUEL RAIL ON 1998 DODGE CARAVAN. *MR THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL REPAIR FOR THE FUEL LINE IN WHICH THE DODGE DEALER REPAIRED IT, BUT THERE WAS A CONTINUED LEAK THAT HAD COME FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GOOD YEAR WHO REPLACED THE FAULTY LINE TO STOP THE LEAK, AND ALL THE DEALER DID WAS PLACE A STRONGER CLAMP AROUND THE LEAKING LINE. THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED A REFUND, BECAUSE AN AUTHORIZED DEALER DID NOT PERFORM THE WORK. RECALL#00V268000 *SCC. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

ON MY WAY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP I HEARD A NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN I ARRIVED HOME I CALLED A MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY. HE LOOKED AT MY VAN ON THAT MONDAY TO FIND THE STABILIZER BAR BROKE AND ZIPPITY STRIP TO THE STRUT WHICH WAS ALSO BAD. THE DEALER LET ME DRIVE 180 MILES WITH MY SON IN THE VEHICLE, AND THE FRONT END WAS LIKE THIS. THE FOLLOWING WEEK I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WHITE SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM THE VENTS SO I RETURNED TO THE MECHANIC AND PAID $105.00 TO HAVE FREON WITH DYE RAN THROUGH MY SYSTEM TO FIND THE EVAPORATOR WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACED, WHICH WOULD COST AT LEAST $860.00. THEN AT 36 DAYS OF OWNERSHIP AND ONLY 64000 MILES THE CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT IS BAD AND A NEW TRANSAXLE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE PUT IN THIS WEEK. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND ALL THEY CAN SAY IS WERE SORRY WE GOT THE VEHICLE IN 2 DAYS PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE AND WAS NEVER INSPECTED, THERE MONEY WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ME AND MY SON. I THEN CALLED THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORPORATION WHERE THEY WERE RUDE AND SAID THERE IS NO RECALLS ON YOUR VEHICLE THERES NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU. I KNOW FROM SOME RESEARCH THERE HAS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE EVAPORATORS ON CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. PLEASE HELP ME I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. THIS IS THE VAN I WILL BE DRIVING MY TWO SONS TO SCHOOL IN, I STARTING TO WONDER HOW SAFE WE WILL BE. *AK