2008 Dodge Caravan

THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN (3.3L / 4SPD) WITH 115,562 MILES (SPENT ITS ENTIRE LIFE IN MICHIGAN). DURING A RIGHT-HAND TURN FROM A STOP THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE THAT OCCURRED JUST AFTER THE THROTTLE WAS PRESSED AND THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY DISABLED (NO MORE POWER/TORQUE TO THE WHEELS WITH THROTTLE) FOLLOWED BY A LARGE PLUME OF SMOKE (FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND CAME IN THROUGH THE VENTS). THE ROADS WERE DRY BUT THE WEATHER WAS COLD (~25F). UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, IT WAS A RIGHT HALFSHAFT BARSHAFT THAT HAD FRACTURED/FAILED AND IT DID SO WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT CORROSION THAT OCCURRED UNDER THE DAMPER THAT WEAKENED THE SHAFT AND THAT'S WHERE THE FRACTURE TOOK PLACE UNDER LOAD. THE SMOKE WAS A RESULT OF BARSHAFT FRACTURE - THE BOOT TORE/INBOARD JOINT CAME APART (WITH VEHICLE MOVEMENT / THROTTLE) AND GREASE SPRAYED ALL OVER THE HOT ENGINE. THIS OCCURRED ON A VERY BUSY CITY STREET (4 LANES) AND BECAUSE THE HALFSHAFT BROKE THE VEHICLE NO LONGER HAD PARK (WHICH WAS ONLY DISCOVERED AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS ' HAD TO JUMP IN VEHICLE AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE). THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE SHOP.

CAR WAS NOT RUNNING AND KEYS WERE NOT IN THE IGNITION, THEY WERE LAYING ON THE DASH. NO ONE WAS IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE PASSENGER'S FRONT DOOR WAS OPENED THE HORN STARTED HONKING AND WINDSHIELD WASHER STARTED SPRAYING (WIPERS WERE NOT ACTIVATED).IT LASTED ONLY A COUPLE SECONDS AND STOPPED. IT ALSO ACTIVATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR'S AUTO DIM FEATURE. ONCE I WAS ON THE ROAD DISCOVERED IT ALSO PREVENTED THE CAR FROM SHIFTING OUT OF FIRST GEAR. I TRIED MANUALLY SHIFTING AND SLIPPING IT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL BUT THAT HAD NO EFFECT. THE INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWED NO RESPONSE TO THE MANUAL SHIFTING IT JUST REMAINED ON THE "D". THE VAN DID GO INTO NEUTRAL AND THE INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWED "N". I DIDN'T TRY THE VAN AGAIN UNTIL 24HRS LATER AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE I SEE THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE TIPM AND WILL BE REPLACING IT. IF THIS WOULD HAVE OCCURED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD ISSUE. I WAS LUCKY IT HAPPENED AT HOME AND IT ONLY LASTED A FEW SECONDS. OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN THAT LUCKY!! THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT IF IT HASN'T ALREADY IT VERY EASILY COULD HAVE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES. MAKE THE RECALL!!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE SPEED REDUCED TO 30 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V373000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. UPDATED 03/02/15*LJ UPDATED 6/10/2015 *JS

THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES AS MY FAMILY IS DRIVING ALONG,THE ENGINE JUST DIES FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIME AND WHEN THE ENGINE DIES YOU LOOSE ALL POWER, STEERING,ABS ASSIST WITH THE BRAKES AND IT IS VERY HARD TO TURN. THIS ISSUE ENDED THE OTHER DAY WHEN MY WIFE WAS GOING TO SCHOOL AND THE ENGINE DIED ON A OFF RAMP ON INTERSTATE 10 IN MISSISSIPPI. WHEN SHE GOT IT STOPPED IT RESTARTED BUT WOULD NOT MOVE IN DRIVE. WHEN SHE PUT THE VAN IN DRIVE IT WOULD DIE, SHE PUT THE VAN IN REVERSE AND IT BACKED UP FINE. GOT IT OFF THE OFF-RAMP ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD CALLED A TOW SERVICE AND HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE. THE TRANSMISSION HAD VEILED RELATED TO THE STALLING PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS WRITTEN IN A NEWS PAPER. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT DODGE HAS WITH THESE VAN AND IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY DODGE NOT THE CONSUMER. THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY WHICH WAS ISSUED BY DODGE AS LONG AS YOU ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNER SHOULD COVER THIS ISSUE BUT DODGE SAYS IT DOES NOT. PLEASE ASSIST WITH THIS ISSUE AS THE RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE FORWARD OR IN REVERSE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD INDEPENDENTLY MOVE FROM DRIVE TO SECOND GEAR. IN ADDITION, THE WINDOWS, RADIO, AND WIPERS LOST POWER. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUSH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO REGAIN POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V139000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

CHRYSLER HAD A RECALL ON MANY OF THEIR MINIVANS BUILT IN JANUARY 2008, FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT HUBS AND WHEEL BEARINGS. MY 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAD A WHEEL BEARING GO OUT AT 35,000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE ASKED WHY MY VAN IS NOT ON THE RECALL. NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN. I NOW HAVE ALMOST 50,000 MILES AND THE ONLY WARRANTY IS THE LIFETIME POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. IT IS STARTING TO MAKE THE NOISE AGAIN INTERMITTANTLY. I DON'T TRUST THIS VEHICLE. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT APPROACHED A STOP SIGN ON AN INCLINE AND AS THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ROLLED BACKWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT BUT WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

WHEN COMING DOWN AN INCLINE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET, THE MOTOR BEGINS TO REV ACCESSIVELY WITHIN RPM REDLINE AND THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE STARTS TO DROP. THIS PROBLEM CAN ONLY BE CORRECTED BY PULLING OFF THE ROAD AND TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, AND THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. PEOPLE WHO WORK AT THE DEALERSHIP HAVE COMMENTED THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2008 DODGE CARAVAN AS WELL, BUT DODGE HAS SAID IT IS ACCEPTABLE. *TR