1999 Dodge Caravan

The contact owns a 1999 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the serpentine belt failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the serpentine belt needed to be replaced. The serpentine belt was replaced however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken back to the dealer a third time where the serpentine belt was replaced again however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not notified the third time. Additionally, The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 00V268000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that a friend had jumped his vehicle due to the battery had failed when gasoline started to spill onto the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure multiple times but the contact stated that the service rep disconnected and the call would be redirected. The failure mileage was approximately 202,335.

1999 DODGE CARAVAN WITH APPROX 195,000 MILES. PLASTIC FUEL LINE ATTACHED TO GAS TANK EXPERIENCED SPONTANEOUS RUPTURE AND SPEWED GASOLINE ONTO MUFFLER. I NOTED A TRAIL OF LIQUID COMING FROM VEHICLE WHEN BACKED OUT OF DRIVE. STOPPED AND LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE TO SEE GASOLINE POURING OUT AND ONTO HOT MUFFLER. CAR TURNED OFF IN MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND EMERGENCY EXITED VEHICLE TO BEGIN REMOVING CONTENTS IN FEAR OF EXPLOSION. DODGE REPORTS NO RECALL AND TO REPLACE FUEL LINE ENTIRE GAS TANK NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $530 FOR JUST THE PART. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT IF I HAD NOT NOTED THE LIQUID TRAILS BEFORE THE MUFFLER HEATED UP MORE. WHEN MOVING THE CAR OUT OF THE STREET, THE DRIVER DOOR WAS DAMAGED AS THE ENGINE WAS OFF AND CONTROL WAS DIFFICULT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL RAIL PREVIOUSLY LEAKED ON THE VEHICLE. ON DECEMBER 26, 2002, THE FUEL RAIL WAS REPLACED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V268000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT WOULD CONSTANTLY SMELL GASOLINE FUMES INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. HE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED GASOLINE LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE. CHRYSLER INITIALLY STATED THAT THERE WAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. THEY LATER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

VEHICLE WAS SLUGGISH ON TAKE OFF QUITE OFTEN..COULD SMELL FUEL ODOR IN AND AROUND VEHICLE . AFTER CRANKING VEHICLE ,,THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.BURNING ITSELF AND DURING ,THERE WERE SEVERAL EXPLOSIONS THAT CAME FROM THE VEHICLE..BOTH FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IN PASSENGER AREA.ALL WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES .MY HUSBAND WAS BURNED ON HIS LOWER LEG ATTEMPTING TO PUT OUT FLAMES. OUR HOUSE WAS DAMAGED FROM THE FLAMES ALONG WITH OTHER PROPERTY..WE SEE THIS VEHICLE AS BEING A POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP..ESPECIALLY POSSIBLE IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHERE SOME ONE COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND WAITING FOR HELP. THIS VAN IS MADE FOR FAMILYS WITH KIDS.AS WE HAVE 3 KIDS AND A TODDLER.. IT WAS DESIGNED AS A 7 PASSENGER VEHICLE..AS WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALERS AT DODGE THAT THIS WAS AN EXCEPTIONALLY SAFE VEHICLE AND PERFECT FOR A FAMILY WITH 2 TO 4 KIDS...WE FIND NOW ,THAT WE WERE LIED TO.AND WAS NEVER TOLD OF ANY RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE..OR ANY DANGERS OF THIS VEHICLE BEING SUSEPTABLE TO BEING A FIRE HAZARD.WE WERE NEVER TOLD THAT THESE VANS HAD EVER HAD ANY TYPE OF PROBLEM..AND DID NOT SUSPECT .OUR CHILDREN WERE IN CONSTANT DANGER EVEN BEING NEAR THIS VAN,.FOR WE FOUND IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE IN AN INSTANT..WITHOUT WARNING...NOTHING WAS EVER DONE TO THIS VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM..AND WE WERE NEVER WARNED IN ANY WAY OR FORM THAT THESE DODGE CARAVANS HAD A HISTORY OF FUEL LEAKS OR WERE FIRE HAZARDS WAITING TO HAPPEN...*AK

SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2001, FOLLOWING DEALER OIL CHANGE, I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE EPISODES OF STRONG RAW FUEL FUMES, ESPECIALLY AFTER PUTTING ANY AMOUNT OF FUEL IN VAN. MANY WITNESSES DOCUMENT FUMES. I AM AFRAID OF FIRE RISK AND OF THE HEALTH RISKS OF FUMES. I HAVE A SMALL CHILD AND I HAVE ASTHMA, SO THIS IS A HARMFUL SITUATION. ANYTHING LEFT IN CAR SMELLS LIKE A GAS STATION. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES. THEY SAY THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. STARTED AT 20K MILES. NOW 30K. ALSO HAD CYLINDER #3 FUEL INJECTOR FAIL AT 27K. (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SENSOR WENT AT 20K AND MOLD FOUND IN VAPOR CANISTER.) CHRYSLER WON'T HELP. ALSO REFERENCE ODI COMPLAINTS #748730, 757182, 886982, 9004682 FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS REPORTED. PLEASE, I NEED HELP RIGHT AWAY.

1999 DODGE CARAVAN: STRONG FUEL ODERS ENTER CARGO/PASSENGER AREA OF VEHICLE - ODERS ALSO NOTICIBLE OUTSIDE OF VAN. FUMES ARE POTENTIAL FOR SPONTANIOUS COMBUSTION. ALSO, EXPOSURE TO GAS FUMES (DURING EXTENDED TRIPS AND OVER CUMULATIVE TIME) CAN BE HARMFUL TO MAJOR ORGAN COMPONENTS WITHIN THE HUMAN BODY - ESPECIALLY TO DEVELOPING INFANTS. A FORMER COMPLAINT WAS SUBMITTED USING ODI ID: 748730 SURROUNDING DATE: 09/06/2001. "COMPONENT: FUEL: FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY: TANK SUMMARY: SMELL GASOLINE COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK, A SMALL AMOUNT OF GAS WAS LEAKING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK, DUE TO THE ROLLOVER VALVE WAS LEAKING ON THE FUEL TANK, REPLACE FUEL TANK." THE CONCLUSION LEADS THE READER TO BELIEVE THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR IGNITION IF VEHICLE SHOULD BE IN PROXIMITY OF AN UNEXTINGUISHED CIGGARETTE, EX: AT A STOP LIGHT ONCE A DRIVER/PASSENGER IN PROXIMITY PLUCKS A BUTT NEAR VEHICLE. THE FINDINGS ALSO LEAD THE READER TO BELIEVE THE ROLL OVER VALVE WILL FAIL WHEN CAPSIZED CONTRIBUTING TO CATISTROPHIC IGNITION/EXPLOSION.