1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER BEING TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHOP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL RAIL AT THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ENCOUNTERED A NHTSA RECALL # 00V268000 REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AS STATED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 02/16/07. *JB

1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. TRIED TO START IT AND IT WOULD START AND DIE ABOUT 3 TIMES AND THEN NOT START AT ALL. REPLACE PCM. WORKED A COUPLE DAYS AND THEN STARTED AGAIN. READ ON WEB BOARDS OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND IF THEY HIT THE DASH IT WOULD START AND WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN I HIT THE DASH AND IT WOULD START. WHEN IT WOULDN'T START ALL THE GUAGES ON THE DASH WOULD NOT WORK. THIS SEEMED TO WORK. THEN WHEN I WENT OVER A BUMP AND TURNED AT THE SAME TIME THE VAN WOULD DIE. I COULD PUT IT IN "N" AND GET IT STARTED AGAIN WHILE I WAS STILL TURNING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECASE YOU LOOSE POWER STEERING WHILE GOING AROUND A CORNER. HEARD ON MESSAGE BORAD IF YOU TOOK THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OFF AND CHECK THE SAUDERING THAT THIS WOUDL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. DID THIS BUT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEN THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD STOP READING WHEN IT DID HAVE GAS IN IT. THEN THE FUEL GUAGE WOULD START DINGING EVEN THOUGH IT READ FULL. I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET WITH MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. BELOW IS ONE SUCH WEBSITE. HAVE DONE ALL KINDS OF DIAGNOSTICS ON IT AND CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. IT STILL LOOSES GUAGES AND WILL NOT START INTERMITTENTLY. HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.NET/FORUM/AUTOS/DODGE-GRAND-CARAVAN/TPC8IH1LI2S41I22D/P5. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. ALSO, DURING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION FAILURE, THE ENGINE WAS SLUGGISH AND OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 11/21/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED, FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF VEHICLE POWER, ILLUMINATION OF ALL WARNING LIGHTS, AND THE RISING OF THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT BECAME DETACHED DUE TO WATER SPLASHING UP INTO THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BELT, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE SERVICE DEALER MENTIONED THAT A SPLASH SHIELD KIT WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 10/30/06. *JB

DURING A HARD RAIN SHOWER, THE SERPENTINE BELT WHICH DRIVES THE ALTERNATOR, A/C, POWER STEERING AND WATER PUMP JUMPED OFF OF THE PULLEYS RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF THE POWER STEERING AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATING. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT FIND ANY REASON FOR THE BELT TO JUMP OFF. BELT WAS EXAMINED AND FOUND TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. THIS FIRST OCCURRENCE OCCURRED ON 12/16/2005. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OCCURRED ON 7/28/2006 UNDER THE SAME WET WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME REPAIR SHOP AND CHECKED OUT BY THE OWNER OF THE BUSINESS. THE BELT WAS EXAMINED AGAIN AND FOUND NOT TO HAVE ANY SIGN OF DAMAGE. THE OWNER OF THE BUSINESS REPLACED THE BELT WITH A NEW ONE AS HE COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THE BELT TO JUMP OFF. STEERING OF THE VEHICLE WAS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO THE LOSS OF THE POWER STEERING. I CHECKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND HE SAID HE HAD NOT HAD ANY SERVICE BULLETINS FROM CHRYSLER ON THIS PROBLEM. *NM

STRUT TOWER CORROSION-DRIVER SIDE-RUST AND METAL BREAKING UP-1998 GRAND CARAVAN-PURCHASED NEW-HAS 83,500 MILES- HAVE HAD BELT PROBLEMS SEVERAL TIMES-ALSO WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMIT FAILURE -RUSTED OUT POWER STEERING MECH. TOTALLY REPLACED-MANY BRAKE JOBS-AND ALSO HEADLIGHT INTERIOR SWITCH SEEMS TO FAIL AT TIMES. I NEED TO MAKE A DECISSION TO BUY A NEW VAN WITH "HAND CONTROLS" OR HAVE THIS VAN "HAND CONTROLS" INSTALLED. ME THINKS I NEED TO BUY A NEW VAN AND BE LOOKING AT ANOTHER MANUFACTOR. AS IT SEEMS LIKE CHRYSLER/DODGE IS NOT STEPPING UP TO ALL THESE FAILURES THAT ARE SEEN BY TOO MANY OTHER VAN OWNERS;OF THIS 1998 MODEL CARAVAN. SAW ON LINE A NEW REPAIR FOR THE STRUT RUSTING CALLED ""FUSOR #112B/MOPAR 05083855AA. CAN BE USED TO FIX THIS PROBLEMTHE TSB #23-044-02 THRU A COMPANY CALLED LORD CORP. LISTED UNDER THEIR OEM BULLETINS AND REPAIR RECOMMENDATIONS USING FUSOR ADHESIVES. THINK I MAY USE THIS ON MINE. HOPE OTHERS CAN USE THIS ALSO. THANKS. *NM