2003 Dodge Caravan

WE JUST HAD OUR 2003 DODGE CARAVAN FIXED AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD BEEN ON, AND IT STARTED TO SPUTTER. NOW IT WAS WORKING FINE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON, THEN THE SPEEDOMETER, GAS GAUGE, HEAT GUAGE, AND DIGITAL MILEAGE DISPLAY ALL TURNED OFF AND WENT HAYWIRE. THE DIGITAL DISPLAY TURNED OFF, WHILE THE GAUGES ALL FLOATED. ALL OVER THE PLACE. LAST TIME IT WAS THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR AND THE VACUUM LINE FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND BEFORE THAT AT ANOTHER RECENT EVENT WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, IT WAS THE GAS CAP NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE ONLY APPROX. 48,000 MILES ON THE MINIVAN. WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS TWICE SINCE WE GOT IN IN OCTOBER 2004. IN THE TWO YEARS WE'VE HAD IT, WE'VE NEEDED TO GET RENTALS TWICE BECAUSE OF THIS. STAY AWAY FROM THE 2003 DODGE CARAVAN...IF YOU CAN'T PASS IT UP, GET THE EXTRA COVERAGE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR MAINTENANCE AND THE NOISE WAS INSPECTED. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE ALTERNATOR, RACK AND PINION STEERING, AND SWAY BAR BUSHINGS. DUE TO THE LOW MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT WAS SEEKING A SECOND OPINION BEFORE MAKING ANY REPAIRS. *AK

THE CONSUMER HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH HIS 2003 DODGE CARAVAN; SUCH PROBLEMS WERE A KNOCK IN THE TRANSMISSION AND 2 BRAKE JOBS. *JB THE TWO BRAKES JOBS OCCURRED WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE STEERING WHEEL KNOCKED (RECALL CAMPAIGN #04V386000), THE VEHICLE HAD BROKEN DOWN AT 8K MILES, THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS OFF, THE GEAR PANEL ILLUMINATED, AND THE WINDOW HAD BECOME LOOSE. 80% OF THE VEHICLES PROBLEMS WAS UNDER 10K MILES. THE ROTATION NOISE CONTINUED AND THE RUBBER LINING AROUND THE SLIDING DOOR WAS COMING OFF. OTHER PROBLEMS: WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF PARK TO DRIVE, ALL OF THE LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE, THE FRONT RIMS/HUB CAPS WERE DIRTY DUE TO EXCESSIVE LEAKAGE AROUND THE BRAKES, EVEN DURING NORMAL WASHING, THERE WAS A MILD RINGING NOISE IN THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT DOOR RATTLED, THE REAR TAIL LAMP WAS DAMAGED, THE BRAKE LIGHT AND BACK-UP LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT, THE BRAKES WERE GOING BAD AGAIN, THE ENGINE WOULD SPUTTER DUE TO NO FUEL PRESSURE, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT, WHEN THE DRIVER DOOR WAS SHUT IT MADE A LOUD RATTLE SOUND, THERE WOULD BE A DELAY IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN GOING UPHILL, WHEN SITTING AT IDLE, THE ENGINE WOULD SOUND AS IF IT WERE REVVING BUT THE GAUGE DID NOT DISPLAY THIS. *SC *JB

MY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN WILL NOT START, SINCE FRI. MAY 20,2005. IT IS NOW AT SUPREME CO. 281-996-7888 FRANK FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE IGNITION SWITCH DESTROYED THE STARTER AND RELAY AND THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED THRU THE DEALER. WHY IS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN HAVE SUCH A PROBLEM? HAS SUCH A PROBLEM BEEN REPORTED? WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY FOR SUCH DEFECT?

WAS DRIVING THE VAN ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE RADIO AND HEAT CONTINUED TO GO ON AND OFF, THEN THE WIPERS AND LIGHTS WENT. ONCE THE VAN SLOWED DOWN AND CAME TO A STOP EVERYTHING CAME BACK ON. WAS LOOKED AT BY A DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE CLUSTER MODULE. ONE MONTH WENT BY WITH NO PROBLEM THEN IT REPEATED ALL THE ABOVE. BROUGHT TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY SAID THAT THEY THOUGHT IT MAY BE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THEY REPLACED SWITCH AND I DROVE THE VAN THEN WHEN RETURNING FROM MY DESTINATION IT REPEATED THE PROBLEM AGAIN. DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT IT AGAIN RAN ALL THE TESTS THEY COULD THINK OF AND COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE. THEY SAID BRING IT BACK WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHING COULD BE PICKED UP ON THE MACHINE. *JB

MY "BRAND-NEW" 03 DODGE CARAVAN HAS RUSTY AND OLD PARTS INSIDE. IT HAS LESS THAN 3500 MILES, AND THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION ALREADY, THE BRAKES MAKE A SLIGHT NOISE, AND THE BATTERY STARTED CORRODING, TOO. WHEN I CALLED DAIMLER-CHRYSLER, THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT MY VEHICLE. I AM QUESTIONING WHETHER MY VEHICLE IS REALLY NEW... I PAID WAY TOO MUCH FOR IT TO BE ACTING THIS WAY - AGAIN UNDER 3500 MILES! *NLM

ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 24, 2002, I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 DODGE SXT MINIVAN. ON OCTOBER 25, 2002, I DISCOVERED EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRES UNDER BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT SEATS. WHEN I REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER ON OCTOBER 25, 2002, SALES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES INFORMED ME THIS IS THE CONFIGURATION FOR THE NEW 2003 DODGE CARAVAN SXT. DAIMLER-CHRYSLER MADE A DECISION TO ELIMINATE WHAT HAD BEEN STORAGE COMPARTMENTS UNDER THE TWO SEATS. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER CHAIR BASE HAS HOLES DRILLED TO ACCEPT STORAGE DRAWERS, HOWEVER, NONE ARE INSTALLED. UNDER BOTH SEATS ONE FINDS AN ACCUMULATION OF EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRES. I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE VAN HAD I DISCOVERED THIS THE NIGHT OF THE PURCHASE. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. ON OCTOBER 25, 2002, THE DAVID STANLEY DODGE SALES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE INFORMED ME THIS IS STANDARD ON THE NEW CARAVAN STX. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD AFFECTING EVERY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN SXT MINIVAN PRODUCED. CONSEQUENTLY, EVERY OWNER SHOULD BE NOTIFIED OF THIS HAZARD; DAIMLER-CHRYSLER SHOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM ON ALL FUTURE PRODUCTION, A RECALL SHOULD BE MADE TO INSTALL DRAWERS TO COVER THE EXPOSED WIRES OR SOME SORT OF FACE PLATE SHOULD BE MANUFACTURED WHICH COULD BE INSTALLED OVER THE OPENING ON THE FRONT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER CHAIR BASE TO COVER THESE EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRES. AGAIN, I REPEAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THESE EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRES EXIST ON EVERY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN SXT. BY THE WAY, THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION CITING COST AS THE REASON. THE DEALER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ACKNOWLEDGED A SAFETY PROBLEM EXISTS. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE DEALER. I URGE NHSTA TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOME CATASTROPHE BEFALLS SOMEONE BECAUSE OF THE EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRES ON ALL NEW 2003 DODGE CARAVAN SXT MINIVANS. DT