1999 Dodge Caravan

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE MAIN DRIVE BELT WOULD DETACH FROM THE ENGINE AND THE POWER STEERING WOULD SUDDENLY STOP FUNCTIONING. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. IN ADDITION, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT BUMPER WOULD SUDDENLY DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE AND FALL TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN SE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, SMOKE BEGAN TO EMIT FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DETECTED SMOKE AND SPARKS UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPED OFF OF PULLEYS AFTER DRIVING OVER A WET ROAD. VEHICLE IS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN, 3.0L V6, 4-SPEED AUTOMATIC. WITHIN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES, BOTH IN WET WEATHER. THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED ON A 1996 DODGE CARAVAN, 3.0L V6, 3-SPEED AUTOMATIC, TWICE IN THE SAME TWO WEEK PERIOD. THE IDLER AND TENSIONER PULLEYS WERE REPLACED ON BOTH VEHICLES WITH OEM-EQUIVALENT PARTS AFTER THE FIRST PROBLEM WITH EACH, YET THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE BELT ON THE 1996 CARAVAN ALSO SHREDDED AT HIGHWAY SPEED DURING DRY WEATHER DURING THIS PERIOD. WHEN REPLACED, THE BELTS ON BOTH VEHICLES RIDE OFF-CENTER ON THE PULLEY FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC APPEARED ON THE SCENE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THE SERPENTINE BELT SHREDDED APART AND DISCONNECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

I HAVE HAD REPEATED SHREDDING OF THE SERPENTINE BELT ON MY 1999 DODGE CARAVAN RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND SYSTEMS SHUTDOWN (INCLUDING ENGINE) DURING DRIVING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I HAVE READ NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THE EXACT SAME FAILURE. BRAZIL HAS RECALLED THE DODGE MINIVAN FOR THE SAME FAILURES AND DODGE HAS MADE A MODIFICATION KIT (2005) FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO DATE TO POST A RECALL IN THE UNITED STATES. I HAVE REPLACED THE BELTS 6 TIMES AND THE TENSIONER 3 TIMES IN 60,000 MILES. I HAVE CALLED DODGE AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE CORRECTION OF THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE LAST TENSIONER AND BELT PUT ON AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP ALTHOUGH THEY USED AN OLD STYLE TENSIONER NOT THE NEW KIT EVEN THOUGH THE NEW KIT HAD BEEN AVAILABLE SINCE 2005 AND I HAD THE TENSIONER REPLACED IN 2009. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. HE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A RECURRING FAILURE IN WHICH THE SERPENTINE BELT DISCONNECTS WHILE DRIVING UNDER RAINY CONDITIONS. WHENEVER HE DROVE OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF. THE VEHICLE WOULD EITHER BE CAUTIOUSLY DRIVEN OR TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE SERPENTINE BELT WOULD BE RECONNECTED TO ITS PULLEYS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,422 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 12/14/2011 *CN UPDATED 03/03/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, HE DRIVE THROUGH A PUDDLE AND WITHIN MOMENTS, SEVERAL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON THE VEHICLE FAILED. THE WINDOW DEFROSTER FAILED, THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT AND THE TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE PERTAINING TO THE FAILURE AND CONTACTED THE DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT RECALLS. THERE WAS NOT A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED IN THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 172,000.

WE OWN A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THREE WEEKS AGO WE TOOK IT IN FOR A CHECK UP AT A CERTIFIED MECHANICS SHOP. THEY INFORMED US THE TENSIONER WAS BENT AND SERPENTINE DRIVING BELT NEEDED REPLACING. WE AUTHORIZED THEM TO MAKE THE REPAIR. WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE 1994 WITH NO INCIDENT. LAST MONDAY WE DROVE THROUGH STANDING WATER AND THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS THROWN. WE LOST POWER STEERING NOT TO MENTION THAT THE DRIVING BELT POWERS EVERYTHING ELSE FOR THE VEHICLE. THANKFULLY WE WERE ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE OUT OF TOWN AND WERE ABLE TO DRIVE BACK TO THE MECHANICS SHOP. THEY INFORMED US THAT INDEED THIS IS A PROBLEM DODGE MINIVANS HAVE. IN THE LAST 2 DAYS WE HAVE GONE ONLINE AND FOUND MANY WEB FORUMS WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO 1,000'S OF DODGE/CHRYSLER OWNERS GOING BACK AS FAR AS 2002. DODGE HAS NEVER ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY FLAW IN THEIR ENGINE PULLEY DESIGN. WE CAN BUY AN AFTERMARKET NEW DESIGNED TENSIONER AND BELT AT OUR EXPENSE MANUFACTURED BY 2 SEPARATE COMPANIES, BUT DODGE OFFERS NOTHING TO CONSUMERS WHO BOUGHT THEIR VEHICLES THINKING THEY ARE SAFE. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE DODGE/CHRYSLER ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DEFECT AND RECALL THESE POTENTIAL DEATH TRAPS OFF THE ROAD TO FIX THIS NEGLIGENCE ON THEIR PART. JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT DYING IN CRASHES BECAUSE OF THIS (OR ARE THEY AND WE JUST NEVER FIND OUT THIS WAS THE CAUSE) DOESN'T MEAN THEY SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. *TR