2000 Dodge Caravan

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. BOTH STRUT TOWERS IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE ARE RUSTING OUT. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS DEFECT & RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET HAS SHOWN NUMEROUS SERVICE BULLETINS OUT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. AND CHRYSLER IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO RESOLVE THIS MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD! THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FAILURE AS OF YET, BUT IF NOT ADDRESSED QUICKLY THERE IS A GREAT POTENTIAL FOR A MAJOR ACCIDENT!!! CHRYSLER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT!*JB

I WAS DRIVING 200 CARAVAN ON A SURFACE STREET IN BUSY TRAFFIC. THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPED OFF AND I WAS LEFT WITH NO POWER STEERING. THERE WAS NO WARNING UNTIL I HAD TO TURN. I PUT THE BELT BACK ON AND LATER THAT EVENING IN THE RAIN THE BELT SLIPPED OFF AGAIN. AT THIS TIME IT WAS DARK AND I WAS ON A HIGHWAY. I REPLACED THE BELT WITH AN OLD SPARE I KEEP IN THE VAN AND I MADE IT HOME. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT 40MPH THE CONTACT HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED FRONTAL DAMAGE AND WAS DEEMED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE AGENCY. THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND BOTH WERE WEARING SEATBELTS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

RIGHT FRONT STRUT TOWER WAS NOTICED TO BE SHOWING SIGNIFICANT RUSTING, ASKED DEALER TO INVESTIGATE, THEIR RESPONSE WAS THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. BODY SHOP SAID THEY HAVE SEEN ON OTHER VEHICLES AND IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM AND A COSTLY REPAIR. SAFETY RAMIFICATIONS ARE SERIOUS IF ONE WERE TO EXPERIENCE A FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE CLAIMS TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY SIMILAR PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEM DID NOT JUST START BUT HAS BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME. I WOULD NOT CONSIDER THIS A "WEAR" PROBLEM BUT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *JB

MY 2000 DODGE CARAVAN HAS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE PART OF THE UNIBODY (BILATERAL STRUT TOWERS) ARE RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUTWARD. THE DRIVER SIDE IS IN SUCH POOR CONDITION THAT IT WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO A SAFETY ISSUE. THE METAL IS SO CORRODED YOU CAN POKE A PEN THROUGH THE METAL ON THE STRUT TOWER LOCATED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP, MECHANICS, USED PART DISTRIBUTORS: "THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CARAVANS OF THIS TIME FRAME ('96-2000). THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS EVEN COME OUT WITH A "PATCH KIT" BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE ALTHOUGH EXPERIENCED MECHANICS RECOMMEND REMOVAL OF STRUTS AND WELDING NEW ONES IN PLACE. THIS IS A COSTLY FIX DUE TO BEING LABOR INTENSIVE. REGARDLESS... AFTER SEVERAL CONTACTS WITH DAIMLER CHRYSLER CONSUMER LINE, THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO REIMBURSE ME FOR FIXING THIS DEFECT OR FOR PATCHING IT. THEY DO NOT FEEL IT IS A RECALL ITEM AND APPARENTLY ARE NOT CONCERNED WITH THE INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME AS A SAFETY ISSUE. I WILL FIX MY VEHICLE AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND WILL NEVER BUY A PRODUCT FROM THEIR LINE AGAIN SINCE THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO STAND BEHIND THE SAFETY/QUALITY OF THEIR PRODUCT. THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT YET AND I WILL NOT BE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE UNTIL IT IS REPAIRED PROPERLY. *JB

2000 DODGE CARAVAN SWERVED TO AVOID A DEER AND WENT OFF THE ROAD AT A SPEED OVER 55 MPH, STRIKING THE FRONT END AND UNDERCARRIAGE AS IT CAREENED DOWN AND THEN UP A DRAINAGE DITCH, TO THE EXTENT THAT PARTS OF THE VAN WERE TORN AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGED. THE VAN THEN WENT THROUGH A WOODEN FENCE STRIKING ONE OF THE MAIN POSTS WITHIN THE ANGLE OUTLINED ON THE PAMPHLET DODGE SENT IN RESPONSE TO MY COMPLAINT, AND FINALLY CRASHED INTO A PINE TREE. THE CARAVAN WAS TOTALED. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY RESULTING IN MULTIPLE INJURIES: TO THE DRIVERS LEFT ARM, HEAD WHEN IT BOUNCED OFF THE STEERING WHEEL REPEATEDLY KNOCKING HER UNCONSCIOUS, INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK, AND RIGHT RIBS FROM THE SEAT BELT. WE CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND WERE SENT A FORM LETTER DENYING ANY FAULT IN DEPLOYMENT. SUBSEQUENTLY WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS IN FACT A RECALL ISSUED IN OCTOBER 2004 CITING THE AIRBAG CLOCK SPRING. *JB

2000 DODGE CARAVAN SWERVED TO AVOID A DEER AND WENT OFF THE ROAD AT A SPEED OVER 55 MPH, STRIKING THE FRONT END AND UNDERCARRIAGE AS IT CAREENED DOWN AND THEN UP A DRAINAGE DITCH, TO THE EXTENT THAT PARTS OF THE VAN WERE TORN AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGED. THE VAN THEN WENT THROUGH A WOODEN FENCE STRIKING ONE OF THE MAIN POSTS WITHIN THE ANGLE OUTLINED ON THE PAMPHLET DODGE SENT IN RESPONSE TO MY COMPLAINT, AND FINALLY CRASHED INTO A PINE TREE. THE CARAVAN WAS TOTALED. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY RESULTING IN MULTIPLE INJURIES: TO THE DRIVERS LEFT ARM, HEAD WHEN IT BOUNCED OFF THE STEERING WHEEL REPEATEDLY KNOCKING HER UNCONSCIOUS, INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK, AND RIGHT RIBS FROM THE SEAT BELT. WE CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND WERE SENT A FORM LETTER DENYING ANY FAULT IN DEPLOYMENT. SUBSEQUENTLY WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS IN FACT A RECALL ISSUED IN OCTOBER 2004 CITING THE AIRBAG CLOCK SPRING. *JB