1998 Dodge Caravan

WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE BECOME INTERMITTENT AND GETTING WORSE TO THE POINT OF NOT COMING ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ON FOR A HALF HOUR. THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE PANEL LIGHTS SUCH AS FOR THE AC UNIT ETC BEGAN TO BLINK AT A CONSTANT RATE AND THEN THEY STEADY OUT AFTER 20 MINUTES. HAVE GONE TO TWO DODGE DEALERSHIPS. FIRST ONE HAD ME PAY FOR AND REPLACE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. SECOND DEALER SAID I HAVE TO ORDER A $500 BODY CONTROL MODULE COMPUTER PLUS LABOR AND IT MAY NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID IT IS A NON-REFUNDABLE EXPENSE EVEN IF THEY CANNOT FIX THE WIPERS. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO NOT HAVE WIPERS WORKING AND I FEEL IRRESPONSIBLE THAT A COMPUTER IS NECESSARY FOR THE WIPERS TO WORK. THE NTSB SHOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ORDER DODGE TO FIX THIS SITUATION AT DODGE'S EXPENSE SINCE IT IS AN OBVIOUS SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATE THAT 1998 DODGE CARAVAN WAS HAVING AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH STARTING AND STOPPING. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY HAVE SEEN THE PROBLEM, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER. THE VEHICLE ONLY DID THIS WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START IT. THIS HAPPENED EVERY DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOUR OR FIVE TIMES. *AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT AT 55 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND HE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL, AND HIS COWORKER WAS THE PASSENGER, AND HE WENT INTO THE WINDSHIELD. BOTH OCCUPANTS WHERE WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS AND WHERE PROPERLY RESTRAINED. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ON BEFORE RECALL REPAIRS HAD BEEN DONE IN JULY 2005, AND HORN WOULD NOT WORK. AFTER THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED THE LIGHT DID NOT COME BACK ON. THERE WAS PRE-IMPACT BRAKING TO BOTH OCCUPANTS. THIS CAUSED INJURIES TO BOTH OCCUPANTS. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED, AND THEY TOLD HER THEY WOULD SEND HER FILE OFF TO SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS, AND SHE MAY HEAR FROM BACK FROM THEM, AND SHE MAY NOT. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 11, 2005. T A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE ACCIDENT CAUSED PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *AK

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN. SERPENTINE BELT FAILED FIVE TIMES. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AS WELL AS THE CHARGING OF THE BATTERY. THIS ONLY HAPPENED IN WET OR RAINY CONDITIONS. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER, WHO SAID THEY COULD AGAIN REPLACE THE SERPENTINE BELT, BUT IT WOULD FAIL AGAIN IN WET CONDITIONS OR RAINY WEATHER. THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE. THE LAST TRIP TO THE DEALER RESULTED IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SERPENTINE BELT. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY WAS REPORTED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT ALSO. THE LOCAL DEALER SAID NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT. *AK UPDATED 02/07/06. *JB

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE MILEAGE AND THE GASOLINE INDICATORS WERE NOT WORKING SO ONE CANNOT SEE IF VEHICLE IS RUNNING LOW ON FUEL. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED HE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. IT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT BECAUSE OF THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE. *AK *JB

THE LENSES ON THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY DODGE CARAVAN (1998) HAVE BECOME ALMOST FROSTED DURING THE PAST 3 OR 4 YEARS, WHICH CAUSES INADEQUATE LIGHTING OF ROADS AND INCREASED GLARE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT BOTH ENTIRE HEADLIGHTS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED FOR A COST OF $500-600 PLUS LABOR. HE SAID THAT SOME CARAVANS HAVE THIS HAPPEN AND OTHERS DON'T. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY FACTOR AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS A RECALL. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATED ON 3-20-05 ANOTHER VAN VEERED INTO CONTACT'S VEHICLE LANE AND HIT IT AND RAN IT INTO A CEMENT POLE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS ONE INJURY. CONTACT NOT YET TALKED TO DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON 8-8-05 REGARDING THE CLOCK SPRING IN THE AIR BAG. SHE DID NOT THINK THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. CONTACT OWNED THE CAR FOR 14 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. *AK

DT: FRONT SUSPENSION: STRUT RUSTED. THERE IS NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION, BUT THE CONSUMER IS NOT SURE IF THIS WAS RELATED TO THE CORRODED STRUTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE STRUTS SHOULD BE REPLACED WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE DEALER WAS GOING TO CHARGE THE CONSUMER TO FIX THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *AK THE RUST WAS ON TOP OF THE STRUT TOWER WHICH WAS WEAKENING THE STRUCTURE SO THAT THE STRUT SPRING BEGAN TO PROTRUDE THROUGH THE SUPPORT. *SC *JB