1997 Dodge Grand Caravan

I PURCHASED MY 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN FROM A PRIVATE PARTY IN 2009, AND SHORTLY AFTER THE GAUGE CLUSTER STOPPED FUNCTIONING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. CHECK ENGINE AND ABS LIGHTS CAME ON WHICH ON CHECKING WITH MY MECHANIC SAID MY ABS SYSTEM IS NON-FUNCTIONAL AS IS ALL OTHER INSTRUMENT RELATED READINGS. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE PANEL CAME BACK ON AND WORKED FOR AWHILE THAN SHUT OFF AGAIN. SOMEONE SAID HIT THE PANEL FACE AND THE GAUGES SHOULD COME BACK ON. I DID AND IT DID. FOR AWHILE. OVER TIME THE GAUGE FAILURE INTERVAL GREW SHORTER AND SHORTER, AND HITTING THE PANEL FINALLY FAILED TO RETURN THE USE OF THE GAUGES. TO REPLACE THIS GAUGE CLUSTER IS AN $800.00 PLUS REPAIR IN A SHOP WITH A REBUILD PANEL COSTING OVER $200.00 BY ITSELF. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT A DEALER WILL CHARGE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I HAVE LEARNED THE GAUGE FAILURE CULPRIT IS COLD SOLDER JOINTS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD OF THE GAUGE CLUSTER AND IS AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CLASS OF VEHICLE. THIS DEFICIENCY CAN EASILY BE AVOIDED BY BETTER QUALITY CONTROL FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

AUGUST 12, 2004 RE: DANGEROUS RUNAWAY-VEHICLE 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN VIN [XXX] THIS IS TO DOCUMENT A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT OCCURRED ON JULY 22, 2004 WITH THE ABOVE VEHICLE. THE MINIVAN HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT HAD ABOUT 124,800 MILES ON IT. MY WIFE, [XXX], WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN A NORTHWEST DIRECTION ON I-40 FROM WILMINGTON TO CHAPEL HILL . SHE WAS USING THE CRUISE CONTROL AND IS NOT CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE SITUATION WAS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT ALTHOUGH IT IS LIKELY THAT SHE HAD ACCELERATED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. SUDDENLY THE CAR WAS GOING OVER 90 MPH AND WOULDNT STOP ALTHOUGH SHE USED THE BRAKES WITH ALL HER FORCE. SHE TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND BRAKED TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER, WITH THE BRAKES SMOKING AND IN FLAME. IN TRYING TO RESTART THE CAR, THE ENGINE SPEED TOOK OFF AND SHE SHUT IT DOWN AND CALLED AAA FOR A TOW. THE AAA SERVICE STATION MECHANIC DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE FROM THE THROTTLE. THE CABLE WAS STUCK FAST AND HAD KEPT THE THROTTLE OPEN. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT MY WIFE HAD BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE VAN WITHOUT COLLIDING WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE OR RUNNING OFF THE ROAD BEFORE BRINGING IT TO A HALT. THE CABLE APPEARED TO HAVE A BROKEN STRAND THAT STUCK INTO THE OUTER SHEATH. IT IS ONLY ABOUT 20 INCHES LONG AND MAKES A 180 DEGREE U-TURN BETWEEN THE CRUISE CONTROL VACUUM SERVO AND THE THROTTLE. THAT DESIGN PLACES MORE STRESS ON THE CABLE THAN IF IT WERE A STRAIGHT RUN. THE DEFECTIVE CABLE IS AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION. I AM AN MIT GRADUATE MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND FORMER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL OPERATIONS FOR CONSUMERS UNION AND I BELIEVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN BY NHTSA TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER DID NOT OFFER ME ANY REMEDY EXCEPT REPAIR AT MY OWN EXPENSE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VAN LUNGED FORWARD. THE ACTUAL CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED, BUT THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE'S FRONT CYLINDER MALFUNCTIONED. *AK THIS CONDITION WAS CONSIDERED A DEFECT PER MECHANIC(S). THIS PROBLEM EXISTED IN THIS MAKE/MODEL FOR SOME TIME AND HAD MANY COMPLAINTS AND REPAIRS. THERE WAS NO HELP GIVEN BY THE DEALER. *SCC *JB

CLOCKSPRING UNIT FAILS TO PROVIDE POWER TO AIRBAG, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES IN STEERING WHEEL. THIS UNIT CAN FAIL IN AN ACCIDENT AND PREVENT AIRBAG FROM BEING DEPLOYED. DC HAS SOLD OVER 150,000 REPLACEMENT CLOCKSPRINGS AT OVER $250 A PIECE. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURES DEFECT. I WAS UNABLE TO BLOW MY HORN AT ANOTHER DRIVER TO GET HIS ATTENTION. LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HOWEVER UNIT HAS TO BE REPLACED AS I AM WITH NO HORN, NO CRUISE CONTROL CONTROLS, AND AN AIRBAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT.*AK