1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

The contact owns a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist and then stalled. Additionally, the odometer failed to display the correct mileage and the speedometer failed to display the correct speed of the vehicle while the engine revved. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE HORN, SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT CALLED STEW HANSEN DODGE RAM CHRYSLER JEEP AT (515) 331-2900 (LOCATED AT 12103 HICKMAN RD, URBANDALE, IA 50323) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. 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 MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S MUFFLER BECAME LOUDER AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT RESTART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MUFFLER, FUEL TANK, AND WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,563.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE IGNITION THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AS THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AS THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. A SPLASH GUARD WAS INSTALLED TO PREVENT THE FAILURE BUT THE FAILURE THREE TIMES AS THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. *TR

WHEN MY VAN IS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE RADIATOR FAN FAILS TO TURN ON TO COOL THE ENGINE TO HELP IT COOL. ALSO IT OVERHEATS AT RANDOM IN HOT WEATHER. MY VAN USES A LOT OF COOLANT/ANTIFREEZE BECAUSE OF THIS. I HAVE HAD THE RADIATOR REPLACED AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM IN AN EFFORT TO FIX THIS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. BECAUSE OF THIS I DON'T DRIVE MUCH AS IF IT OVERHEATS I AM STRANDED. *TR

ON 3 OCCASIONS RECENTLY ALL THE DASHBOARD GAUGES STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE GAUGES RESUMED EITHER ON THEIR OWN AFTER A FEW MOMENTS OR AFTER STOPPING AND RESTARTING THE VAN. DEALER COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE ONLY SAID THAT COMMUNICATION HAD BEEN LOST. THE TECHNICIAN CLAIMED THAT HE COULD NOT FIND SIMILAR ISSUES IN HIS DATABASE, BUT FROM THIS WEBSITE I SEE THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE SURE-FIRE FIX. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE AND LIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS CONTINUE TO WORK WHILE THE GAUGES MALFUNCTION. BUT, DRIVING IS DIFFICULT WITHOUT THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE ODOMETER AND TRIP MILEAGE ARE INCORRECT AFTER THE GAUGES COME BACK TO LIFE --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM ON A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 148,000 MILES. IT WOULD ALSO NOT START, ACTED LIKE SENTRY SYSTEM KICKED IN (NON SENTRY SYSTEM VEHICLE) FINALLY IT MALFUNCTIONED AND STAYED IN MALFUNCTION MODE AND I GOT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS "NO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE MODULES ON HE CCD BUS - CIRCUIT WAS FOUND SHORTED TOGETHER AND WITH THE CLUSTER UNPLUGGED, BUS COMMUNICATION WAS POSSIBLE - SHORT IN THE BUS" THE "BOARD INST CLUSTER P/C W/FLEX P/C ( PART # 4874440) WAS REPLACED " $850 REPAIR JOB BUT IT HAS SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *TR