2003 Dodge Caravan

I TURNED ON MY VAN, STARTED DOWN THE STREET, LOOKED DOWN TO SEE WHAT SPEED I WAS GOING AND SAW THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WASN'T WORKING. THE NEEDLE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PIN AS IF WE WERE GOING 160 MPH AND DOES NOT BUDGE. WHEN THE VAN WAS TURNED OFF, IT DID NOT RETURN TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PIN. THE SPEEDOMETER HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM FOR US IN THE PAST. MY VAN IS A 2003 AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE ON A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. *TR

SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPING. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL YEAR MODELS OF CARAVAN AND HAVE FOUND THIS PROBLEM TO BE CONSTANT WITH ALL. DURING RAIN OR OTHER WATER ON THE ROAD CONDITION, THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS ENOUGH TO INTERFERE WITH VEHICLE OPERATIONS UNTIL THE WATER IS DISPLACED FROM THE BELT. IF A DRIVER IS NOT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION OR IS USING THE CRUISE CONTROL AT THE TIME, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ALTERNATOR, OR LOSE OF ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE AXLES. THIS ITEM SHOULD BE STUDIED AND REMEDIED TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCES. IF THE FIX CAN BE RETROFITTED TO PREVIOUS YEARS, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PROVIDE THE REPAIRS AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. THIS CONDITION BEGAN WITH THE PURCHASE DATE THROUGH TODAY. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT CONTAINED TO ONE ENGINE SIZE. *TR

2003 DODGE CARAVAN THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT HAD LITTLE PROBLEMS THAT I NEVER THOUGHT MUCH OF UNTIL NOW, NOW THAT MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN A SHOP AND UNUSABLE FOR ABOUT 8 WEEKS. THE HORRIBLE NOISE IT MADE WHEN STARTING IT, THE GEAR SHIFT MOVING ON OCCASION AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR UNTIL A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL BUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS WERE OCCASIONAL BUT NOW I HAVE NO VEHICLE IT IS SITTING IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR AND I HAVE NO VEHICLE EXCEPT FOR BORROWING AND RENTING TO GET CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, AND MY CHILDREN WITH ECZEMA AND ALLERGIES TO DOCTORS AND IF THEY NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. I AM DEVASTATED AND DESPERATE HOW DO I AFFORD A NEW VEHICLE BECAUSE I AM GETTING TAPPED OUT. I ALSO HAVE NO ESTIMATED DATE OR PRICE FOR REPAIR. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE ON MY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN GETS AN ELECTRICAL SPIKE FREQUENTLY AND SPINS COMPLETELY AROUND CLOCKWISE UNTIL IT GETS STUCK ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE STOP PIN. IT BECOMES FROZEN THERE UNTIL I TAKE TO THE DODGE DEALER FOR A RESET WITH SOME KIND OF INSTRUMENT. THE SERVICE DEPART AT THE HUNTSVILLE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS PROBABLY CAUSE BY "STATIC ELECTRICITY" OR AN ABNORMAL ELECTRICAL SURGE. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. THEY CHARGED THE FIRST TIME FOR RESET BUT NOT THE SECOND TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. IN AN ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FLASHED AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY IN ORDER TO DIM THE LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS DIAGNOSED ONLINE AS HAVING A FAULTY FMC CONTROL MODULE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,980.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, 56,432 MILES, ORIGINAL OWNER THE FIRST TIME IT WOULDN'T START BACK UP AFTER HAVING IT OFF FOR 5 MINUTES. ONCE IT WAS TOWED IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP (ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, IN THE DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT). THE NEXT DAY AFTER DRIVING IT ABOUT 10 MILES TWO DIFFERENT TIMES AND HAVING IT ON/OFF NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEN HAVING IT PARKED FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES, I GOT IN AND STARTED IT NO PROBLEM. TWO BLOCKS LATER IT DIED COMPLETELY. AGAIN EVERYTHING WORKED INCLUDING THE A/C, RADIO AND LIGHTS WITH NO SURGE IN POWER. ABOUT 1/2 HOUR LATER WHEN THE TOW TRUCK SHOWED UP, IT STARTED WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. WEIRD THING IS THE LIGHTS, AC AND EVERYTHING ELSE WORK JUST FINE!! IT DOESN'T EVEN SEEM AS IF THERE IS A DRAIN ON THEM. WHEN I TURN THE IGNITION, IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING, NO CLICKS, NO "STARTING", NOTHING!!! ALSO BOTH TIMES IT WOULDN'T START/STALLED, IT WAS ON AN INCLINE. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN A DRIVE WAY WHERE THE FRONT WAS UP HIGHER AND THE SECOND TIME WAS GOING DOWN A HILL. AND WHEN IT WAS STARTED IT WAS ON A FLAT SURFACE. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE LAST NIGHT AND OF COURSE IT IS NOT HAPPENING THERE. THEY DID HOOK IT UP TO THE MACHINE SINCE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE SECOND NIGHT WHEN IT DIED, BUT THERE WERE NOT ANY MESSAGES THAT CAME OUT. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR 9 DAYS, YESTERDAY WAS THE FIRST DAY THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET IT TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY HAD ALREADY REPLACED TWO PARTS, INCLUDING THE FUSE BOX. THE 3RD PART THEY ARE CONSIDERING IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER, BUT SUPPOSEDLY WAS SENT OUT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THE 3RD PART IS THE MAIN COMPUTER. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE HEAD LIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS DIMMED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL AND POWER CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER MADE THE REPLACEMENT BUT, APPROXIMATELY TWO DAYS LATER, THE SAME FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER DID NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THERE WAS DEFECT INVESTIGATION # EA05009 FOR THE 2001-2002 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 52,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,422. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED REPAIR INVOICES. UPDATED 07/26/07 *TR

WE HAVE A 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN,WITH A HEADLIGHT/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM. WITHOUT WARNING, THE HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS WILL FLASH, SHUT OFF ALTOGETHER, OR DIM. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS (DASH BOARD) ARE ALSO AFFECTED AND WILL DO THE SAME. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE WITH THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH, HOWEVER, DIAGNOSIS IS INCONCLUSIVE. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN LIGHTS GO OUT AT NIGHT AND VERY AGGRAVATING FOR DRIVERS IN FRONT OF YOU WHEN LIGHTS KEEP FLASHING. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND NHTSA INVESTIGATION / RECALL ON 2001 -2002 VEHICLES FOR SIMILAR PROBLEM. *JB

2003 DODGE CARAVAN HEADLIGHTS - UNWANTED SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH MINIMAL ELECTRICAL LOAD. DANGEROUS FOR MOM & KIDS ON HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. PRECEDED BY OTHER, PROBABLY ASSOCIATED, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WIFE AT WAL MART RETURNED TO VEHICLE. GAUGES FLICKERED, DASHBOARD CRAZY, CLICKING SOUND FROM DRIVER'S SIDE/RELAY(S) BUZZING, POWER LOCKS WOULDN'T FUNCTION (GREAT IF SHE WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM MUGGER). WOULDN'T START. THIS EVENT PRECEDED BY HEADLIGHTS CYCLING OFF AND ON RIGHT AFTER STARTUP, BUT AFTER RUNNING A FEW MINUTES STAYED ON DURING THAT OPERATION CYCLE. BACK TO THE WAL MART EVENT. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP - REPLACED BATTERY. BACK TO THE FUTURE. CHECKED FUSES, CONNECTIONS, HARNESS, BATTERY CABLES FOR FAULT/CORROSION - NOTHING. NO CODES. COSTLY FIXES MAY INCLUDE:1) FUSES AND BOXES, 2) BATTERY CABLES AND TERMINALS CORRODED, LOOSE OR NOT GROUNDED/BATTERY,3) HEADLIGHT SWITCH,4) MULTI-FUNCTION WAND ON STEERING COLUMN (THERE WAS A 2003 VIPER RECALL FOR LAMP CONTACTS CORRODING - 20031010 - THIS COULD BE IT FOR THE CARAVAN TOO...DEALERS WERE SUPPOSED TO REFLASH THE BCM SOFTWARE),5) FCM,6) BCM,7) ALTERNATOR (CHARGING ISSUE AS OPPOSED TO CONTROL/REGULATION ISSUE...MAYBE SHORTED DIODES),8) GOD DARNED ELECTRICAL HARNESS,MIGHT THROW IN IGNITION SWITCH TOO. NOTED THAT DODGE HAS A TSB FOR OLDER MODELS WITH A SOFTWARE ALGORITHM ADJUSTMENT FOR FCM, BUT NOT IN EFFECT FOR 2003 MODELS?CAN THIS WORK FOR THE 2003?THIS WILL BE THE LAST DODGE WE EVER PURCHASE, OR THAT EXTENDED FAMILY EVER IS ASSOCIATED WITH, IF THIS IS NOT RESOLVED TO OUR SATISFACTION PROMPTLY. DR.Z AND/OR NHTSA - IF YOU WANT TO FLY SOMEONE DOWN HERE ASAP TO SEE THESE RESULTS REPRODUCED - WE GET THEM NIGHTLY - SO QUIT THE LIABILITY MITIGATION GAME AND GET THIS RESOLVED. FACTORY CAR. *JB

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2003 DODGE CARAVAN SPORT, ON HIGHWAY 664 WHEN THE ALARM INDICATION CAME ON AND THE VAN STALLED OUT, HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. IT WOULD NOT START UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING AND THIS TIME ON 664 WITH MY TWO CHILDREN IN THE VAN AND AN 18 WHEELER BEHIND HER THE ALARM LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE DARN THING STALLED OUT AGAIN. AGAIN IT WAS TOWED HOME AND IT IS STILL WON'T START. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME SINCE I BOUGHT THE VAN USED IN AUG 2004. I CALLED THE DODGE CORPORATE OFFICE AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING, THE VAN ONLY HAS 39,294 MILES ON IT. THE SECOND TIME MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE ALMOST KILLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOOK THE VAN TO FIRESTONE AND THEY PUT THE ECU ANALYZER ON IT AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS CAUSED BY ANYTHING IT MONITORS. *JB