1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

STARTING AT ABOUT 15,000 MILES, THIS CAR PRODUCED CLICKING NOISE FROM THE HEAD/VALVE TRAIN. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, A DEALER (NOT THE ONE WHERE IT WAS BOUGHT) TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, AT 35K, DURING A HIGHWAY TRIP, THE NOISE BECAME PRONOUNCED. SOON THEREAFTER, I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL GARAGE AND EXPLAINED THE NOISE AND THAT I NOTICED THE HEAD WAS RUNNING DRY WITHOUT THE TYPE OF OIL SPLASH I HAVE SEEN IN ALL OTHER CARS I HAVE OWNED. HE SAID THAT IT SEEMS THAT CHYSLER MINI-VANS HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE VALVES AND THAT IT WAS, IN HIS OPINION, AN OIL DELIVERY PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT HE HAD 2 IN DURING THE PRIOR FEW WEEKS FOR THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. HE SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AS THIS WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, ONE THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST IN A CAR WITH 35K MILES. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER, TO MY SHOCK, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO MAJOR REPAIRS DUE TO "CAMSHAFT FAILURE". ALTHOUGH I ASKED FOR MORE DETAIL ON THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE MANY TIMES, BOTH IN WRITING AND ON THE PHONE, "CAMSHAFT FAILURE" IS ALL THEY WOULD SAY ABOUT THE PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, THEY AGREED TO PROVIDE A FULL "LONG BLOCK" ENGINE REPLACEMENT (UNDER "COURTESY" WARRANTY WITH $300 "DEDUCTIBLE.") BECAUSE OF WHAT MY NON-DEALER MECHANIC SAID (THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN CHRYSLER MINI-VANS OF MY CAR'S VINTAGE AND BECAUSE HE OPINED THAT THERE MAY BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH OIL DELIVERY, PLUS THE FACT THAT WHEN I CHECKED THIS SITE, I FOUND THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAD REPORTED LIKE SOUNDING PROBLEMS, I FEEL I SHOULD REPORT THIS. FYI, THIS CAR ALWAYS SEEMED TO RUN DRY (NO OIL SPLASH WHEN ENGINE RUN WITH FILLER CAP OFF). I THINK NHTSA MIGHT WISH TO CONSIDER INVESTIGATING TO SEE IF THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ERROR. THANKS FOR THE HELP KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT A PERSON CAN NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS MANUALLY WITH A KEY, THE DOORS CAN NOT BE UNLOCKED FROM THE INSIDE BY PULLING UP ON THE LOCKS OR BY TRYING TO PULL OPEN THE DOOR HANDLES, THE ONLY WAY TO GET OUT IS BY USING THE REMOTE CONTROL AND BY USING THE LOCK BUTTON, CONSUMER IS CONCERNED IF THE VEHICLE WERE TO LOSE ELECTRICAL POWER, THE POWER LOCKS WOULD BE INOPERABLE, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LOCK MECHANISMS NEEDED REPLACED. *SLC

OUR CLOCKSPRING BROKE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. IT CONTROLS THE HORN, AIRBAG AND UNFORTUNATELY THE CRUISE CONTROL. WE WERE ON A TRIP AND APPROACHING A TOWN. I TAPPED ON THE BRAKES TO SHUT THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND IT WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. IN FACT, I COULDN'T SLOW DOWN AT ALL. I WAS GOING ABOUT 60 OR 65 WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND EVENTUALLY I WAS AT THE SPEED OF 90. THE VAN WAS ACCELLING WHILE I WAS TRYING TO STOP IT. WE FINALLY GOT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PUT IT IN EITHER NEUTRAL OR PARK JUST SO WE COULD GET IT TO STOP. OUR HORN DOESN'T WORK NOW AND OUR AIRBAG PROBABLY WON'T DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. THIS COULD CAUSE ALOT OF ACCIDENTS AND MAY HURT PEOPLE IF SOMETHING DOESN'T GET DONE ABOUT IT.*AK

WHEN BRAKING IN A SUDDEN STOP IT CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE, PRIOR TO THE SIDE CALIPER FAILURE AT 34743, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, BUT WOULD GLIDE TO S STOP, STOPPING DISTANCE WAS EXTENDED, STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE, A SPRING WAS CHANGED BUT THE COLUMN IS LLOSE AGAIN, THE BRAKES OCCASIONALLY DEPRESS ON IT'S OWN, THE CONSUMER NOTICES THIS MORE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLING A A LIGHT.*AK *MJ