1999 Dodge Grand Caravan

WHILE TURNING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNK AND THE STEERING WENT COMPLETELY AROUND. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE TIRES. INJURIES OR FATALITIES COULD HAVE OCCURED. THE DEALER HAD REPLACED THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT. IT HAD BEEN STRIPPED OUT FROM THE LACK OF FULL/APPROPRIATE CONNECTION. THE MATERIAL ENGINEER STATED THAT THE PART APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN ENGAGED ONLY 1/3 OF THE WAY, INSTEAD OF THE WHOLE WAY. *SCC

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH A RUBBING AND KNOCKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COMPONENTS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED STEERING HOSES, THE STEERING COLUMN, THE INTERMEDIATE COUPLER SHAFT, AND 3 RACK AND PINIONS IN TRYING TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THEY'VE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND HAD THEIR STAR TECHNICIAN SUPERVISE THE LAST REPAIR, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. ON 12/3/1999 THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE WITH THE CUSTOMER TO DIAGNOSE NOISE IN STEERING COLUMN. ON 12/17/99, THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. ON 12/23/99 A NOISE IN THE STEERING WAS FIXED WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING LINES. ON 2/3/00, VEHICLE WAS CHECKED FOR RUBBING NOISE IN STEERING. THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ON 1/18/01, RACK AND PINION WAS ORDERED TO FIX RUBBING NOISE IN STEERING COLUMN. ON 3/29/01 CUSTOMER RETURNED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT NOISY STEERING. ON 4/23/01, DEALER REPLACED INTERMEDIATE STEERING COUPLER SHAFT. ON 5/3/01 THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED TO REPAIR A NOISY STEERING RACK. ON 7/27/01, VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO DEALER FOR NOISY STEERING AND REPAIRS SUPERVISED BY STAR TECHNICIAN. RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACE AND VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO CUSTOMER ON 8/3/01. SOME NOISE APPEARS INTERMITTENTLY STILL AND REPAIR DOES NOT SEEM COMPLETE.

A WORN BUSHING/BEARING IN THE TENSIONER PULLEY ALLOWED THE DRIVE BELT TO SLIP OFF WHILE CORNERING. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST NEARLY CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE THEN QUICKLY OVERHEATED LEAVING MY WIFE AND CHILDREN STRANDED ON A COUNTY ROAD IN A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. THE ACTUAL TEMP WAS +5 F WITH A WIND CHILL OF -30 F. THEY WERE THANKFULLY RESCUED WITHIN ABOUT 20 MINUTES THANKS TO HER CELLPHONE. I UNDERSTAND CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED A TSB FOR BELTS THAT SLIP OFF WHEN DRIVING THROUGH SNOW OR WATER DUE TO PULLEY FAILURE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL. THANK YOU. ROGER STITES. *AK

I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN RAIN STORMS. TWICE NOW THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF WHEN WATER IN THE ROAD SPRAYED ONTO THE BELT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE POWER STEERING, ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, AND ALL OTHER COMPONENTS POWERED BY THE BELT STOP FUNCTIONING. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT CAN HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEEDS. SERVICE BULLETIN 07-02-99, "SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF IDLER PULLEY" INSTALLS A BRACKET TO PREVENT THIS. MY CONCERN IS THAT NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT THIS SERVICE BULLETIN UNTIL THE BELT COMES OFF. THERE IS UNDUE RISK TO OWNERS OF THESE VANS. THIS NEEDS TO BE A VEHICLE RECALL NOT A SERVICE BULLETIN. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER VIA THE INTERNET (REFERENCE NUMBER: 7904321) AND WRITTEN TO JAMES HOLDEN'S OFFICE, CHRYSLER PRESIDENT . I WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT NHTSA AS THE INFORMATION WAS PROPRIETARY. I HAVE FRIENDS WITH THE SAME VAN THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IN RAIN STORMS. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE. DO PEOPLE HAVE TO BE KILLED BEFORE CHRYSLER TAKES A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO SOLVING THIS ON ALL VEHICLES EFFECTED? A VEHICLE RECALL IS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT INJURIES. I AM VERY DISSAPPOINTED IN CHRYSLER FOR ALLOWING ME AND MY FAMILY TO BE EXPOSED TO THIS DESIGN FLAW FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. JUST TODAY A FRIEND HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HER CHRYSLER MINI VAN.