2004 Dodge Caravan

I REPLACED THE BRAKES ON MY 2004 DODGE CARAVAN WITH DURALAST BRAKES FROM AUTO ZONE. THERE IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THE TOLERANCES ON THE PADS. I HAVE BEEN INSTALLING BRAKES FOR 50 YEARS. THERE IS A SEVER DEFECT WITH THESE REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE PADS WILL NOT ALLOW THE CALIPER TO RETRACT THE PADS WEDGE AGAINST THE ROTOR-DISC. THEY CAUSED A VEHICLE FIRE FROM THE EXTREME HEAT. I CONTACTED AUTO ZONE AND INSTALLED ANOTHER SET . THIS TIME IT CAUSED THE BRAKE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE TO OVERHEAT. I GOT A THIRD SET THIS TIME I MEASURED THE PADS WITH A VERNIER CALIPER ACCURATE TO 1/1000 INCH AND THEY VARIED BY A 1/10 OF AN INCH WHICH IS OUTRAGEOUS. THAT JUST ACCOUNTS FOR UNACCEPTABLE MEASUREMENTS AND NOT SPECIAL OR ORIENTATIONAL DEFECTS WHICH I SUSPECT EXIST BUT HAVE NO EXACT PATTERN TO COMPARE. THESE BRAKES ARE AN EXTREME HAZARD. *TR

WHILE DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, I FELT SLUGGISH ACCELERATION FROM A STOP LIGHT. THE NEXT STOP LIGHT THE BRAKES FELT HARD, AND AGAIN ACCELERATION WAS SLOW. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING I SMELLED MY BRAKES BURNING AND I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE CLOSEST REPAIR SHOP. SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF BOTH FRONT WHEEL WELLS. BRAKES LOCKED, PADS AND ROTORS BURNT, MASTER CYLINDER NOT ALLOWING FLUID TO RETURN. MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED WITH FRONT PADS AND OTHER WORK. EXACT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED 15 WEEKS LATER. DIFFERENT SHOP. REPLACED ABS UNIT. SAME PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED 8 WEEKS LATER AFTER MINIMAL DRIVING. SHOP FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT NO WRITE UP BECAUSE HE FIXED FOR FREE. 1 YEAR LATER, SAME PROBLEM. BRAKES LOCKED, BRAKES BURNING, BRAKES SMOKING. IT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY AS I TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS CAR. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT 33,000 MILES THE FRONT BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED THEY DETERMINED THAT IF THEY HAD BEEN ALERT IN 12,000 THEY COULD HAVE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE FRONT BRAKES WERE WORN OUT BUT THE REAR BRAKES LOOKED UNTOUCHED. FROM THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THERE WAS DUST ON THE FRONT WHEELS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND THE DEALER WAS ASKED ABOUT THE DUST THEY STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG.

WHILE ON THE HWY, DOING THE POSTED SPEED OF 65, I SUDDENLY FELT A VIBRATION IN THE DRIVER'S REAR WHEEL. THINKING A TIRE BLEW, I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TIRE WAS FINE, NOTHING WAS HANGING. I PROCEEDED TO CONTINUE DOWN THE HWY, AND WITHIN MINUTES, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. ONCE AGAIN, I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE TIRE WAS FINE, NOTHING WAS HANGING UNDER THE VEHICLE, BUT THERE WAS A STRONG BURNING SMELL. COME TO FIND OUT, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE COMING APART. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING, AND COULD'VE CAUSED A COLLISION. *NM

2004 DODGE CARAVAN SXT, BOTH REAR BRAKES ARE ALL RUSTY INSIDE. SPRINGS, BACKING PLATE,BRAKE SHOES, DRUMS, ADJUSTERS EVERY THING IS RUSTY. I CALLED MY DEALER AND TOLD THEM AND HE SAID THAT ALL THEY DO IS SAND THE SURFACE OF THE BRAKE PAD AND PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER. WELL TODAY IT'S 25 DEG OUTSIDE AND BOTH WHEELS ARE FROZE UP. THE VAN WILL NOT MOVE, BOTH BACK WHEELS JUST SLIDE. WHEN I DRIVE THE VAN I CAN TELL THAT THE BACK BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING BECAUSE THE VAN WILL NOSE DIVE WHEN I PUT THE BRAKES ON. *NM

THE BRAKES FAILED AT 55 MPH. THIS CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED IN A ROLLOVER FOLLOWING BRAKE FAILURE. NO AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED. *TC

THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO. THE BRAKES ACCUMULATED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF BRAKE DUST. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE BRAKES ARE WORKING NORMALLY. *AK THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS INCREASED BY 430% WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS LOADED. THE VEHICLES FRONT WHEELS LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING ON WET/LOW FRICTION SURFACES. *NM