1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

STRUT TOWER ASSEMBLY CORROSION (STRUTS ASSEMBLY COULD COLLAPSE) I AM PROUD OWNER OF DODGE VEHICLES FOR MANY YEARS AND DRIVE A 98 GRAND CARAVAN. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A STRUT REPAIR THE MECHANIC REFUSED TO REPLACE THE STRUTS AS HE FOUND THE CORROSION AND SAID ITS A SAFETY ISSUE.TO MY SURPRISE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE FOR MANY AMERICAN FAMILIES WHO OWN A SIMILAR MODEL MINIVAN. I WANT THE SAFETY AUTHORITIES TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER IMMEDIATELY. ALL THE VEHICLES WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR GOD FORBIDDEN LOOSES THEIR LOVED ONE IN AN ACCIDENT. CAME TO KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON ISSUE IN THESE MINIVANS AND SURPRISE THE INSPITE OF KNOWING THE ISSUE THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL ???. I AM A FAMILY PERSON AND CANNOT PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR IN THESE TROUBLE TIME AND REQUEST THE AUTHORITIES TAKE THIS TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND GET A RECALL OUT. HOPEFULLY THIS MAY SAVE SOMEONE. I THINK HAVE DONE MY JOB AND IT IS YOUR TURN NOW. *TR

STRUT TOWER HOUSING ON DRIVERS SIDE OF VEHICLE UNDER THE HOOD IS SEVERELY RUSTED. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND HAS TO GO TO A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 4 OTHER CUSTOMERS COME IN WITH THE SAME ISSUE IN THE SAME PLACE ON THE SAME MODEL OF VEHICLE WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. THIS CAUSES A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS THIS HOUSING IS WHAT HOLDS THE STRUT IN PLACE ON THE VEHICLE. IF THE WEAKENED STRUCTURE FAILS, THE PRESSURE OF THE STRUT WILL CAUSE THE STRUT TO FLY OFF AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITH GREAT FORCE. THIS WILL NOT ONLY CAUSE THE SUSPENSION TO FAIL, BUT THE VELOCITY OF THE STRUT ITSELF WOULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN. DODGE HAS ENACTED RECALLS FOR THE SAME SITUATION ON EARLIER MODELS OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THE RECALLS WERE ENACTED AFTER MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. THE COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE INTO SAFE OPERATING CONDITION IS $2000. *TR

FRONT STRUT CONE ON PASSENGER SIDE IS RUSTED, LEAVING A 3 X 3 INCH GAP BESIDES THE STRUT MOUNT. HAD AN ESTIMATE DONE FOR REPAIR WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 1.3K INCLUDING LABOR ON ONE SIDE. CAR RUNS GREAT AT 157.7K MILES, RECENTLY HAD TO BUY A NEW GAS PUMP, WATER PUMP, ABS SENSOR, AND BRAKE CALIPER ON DRIVERS SIDE. ALL LEADING UP TO 1.2K IN REPAIRS INCLUDING LABOR. CHRYSLER/DODGE SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AS THIS CAN BE A POTENTIAL RISK ON THE ROAD, SPECIALLY ON HIGHWAY COMMUTES. *TR

I WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL PEOPLE I COULD REPORT AN ISSUE HERE. I HAVE A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. ALTHOUGH, THE VEHICLE HAS 185K MILES AND RUNS AWESOME, THE STRUT TOWER ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AS ALMOST DISINTEGRATED., THE PASSENGER SIDE IIS STILL SOLID AS A ROCK. COME TO FIND OUT, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR ABOUT 6 MODEL YEARS. MY QUESTION IS WHY HAS CHRYSLER NOT MADE AND ATTEMPT TO ASSIST OWNERS WITH THIS FIX. THE CAUSE IS A DUMB ONE AND HAS BEEN ADDRESSED ON 2003 AND NEWER MODELS. THE COST TO FIX ONE SIDE IS ABOUT $400 FOR ONE SIDE AND NEARLY $650 FOR BOTH SIDES. THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND ON SOMEONELSES MISTAKE. METAL ON METAL WILL NOT REMAIN SOLID FOR EVER, MYSELF AS A CHEF KNOWS THIS. WHEN I ASKED AROUND FOR ESTIMATES,. EVERY SINGLE PLACE KNEW THE ISSUE AND THEY ALL KNEW WHAT YEAR MY CAR WAS AND THEY COULD TELL ME HOW SEVERE THE TOWERS WERE BEFORE THEY EVEN LOOKED UNDER MY HOOD!!!!CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME IF CHRYSLER HAS MADE AN ATTEMPT TO ASSIST PAYING FOR THIS BLATANT MISTAKE THEY MADE IN MANUFACTURING? *TR

MY CAR FAILED ITS STATE INSPECTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON THE STRUT TOWERS. WHEN INFORMED I ASKED THE SHOP IF THEY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY REFERRED ME TO A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TSB 23-044-02 ISSUED IN OCT OF 2002 WHICH AFFECTED MY MINIVAN WHICH I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF STATING THAT MINVANS BUILT BETWEEN 1996-2000 HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND NEED TO BE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED. I WENT TO A CHRYSLER DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE REPAIR WOULD BE IN EXCESS OF 1300 DOLLARS AND THAT SINCE NO RECALL HAD EVER BEEN ISSUED THAT THEY WOULDN'T COVER THE REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD ISSUED THE BULLETIN. IF THE REPAIR ISN'T MADE THE CAR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PASS THE PA STATE INSPECTION AS THE INSPECTOR HAS DEEMED THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION. I HAVE LOOKED AT YOUR DATA BASE AND SEEN MULTIPLE EXAMPLES OF THIS COMPLAINT REGISTERED AS WELL AS ON MULTIPLE CAR BOARDS DISCUSSING THIS AND NHTSA'S REFUSAL TO ISSUE A RECALL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD RESULT IN PHYSICAL INJURY AND IN MY CASE HAS LEAD TO AN UNSAFE CAR THAT CANT BE DRIVEN IN PA. I AM PART OF THE SAE CORROSION COUNCIL LOOKING INTO CORROSION PRACTICES IN THE HEAVY TRUCKING INDUSTRY AND I KNOW THAT IF THIS HAPPENED IN THE HEAVY TRUCKING INDUSTRY THERE WOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY RECALL. WHY HASN'T THIS HAPPENED HERE WHEN THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS ABOUT THAT AFFECTS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES? *TR *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF UPDATED *JB