2000 Dodge Grand Caravan

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. IN ADDITION, THE BATTERY AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN A NEARBY PARKING LOT. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS STARTED, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COOL DOWN FOR AWHILE. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING 15 MPH TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BELT WAS LOOSE. THE CONTACT CALLED LITHIA CHRYSLER JEEP OF RENO (LOCATED AT 1050 E PLUMB LN #100, RENO, NV 89502, (775) 501-8593) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

THE SERPENTINE BELT ON 96-2000 CHRYSLER MINIVANS SLIPPING OFF IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND HAS BEEN FOR YEARS. TIME AND TIME AGAIN CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR IT. IT IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN ONE OF THE ENGINE MOUNTS CAUSING A PULLEY MISALIGNMENT. THE BELT SLIPPING OFF CAUSES LOSS OF POWER STEERING, WATER PUMP, AND ALTERNATOR. THE POWER STEERING LOSS CAN CAUSE A DRIVER TO NOT BE ABLE TO CORRECT IN TIME AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE LOSS OF THE WATER PUMP CAN CAUSE OVERHEATING RESULTING IN ENGINE DAMAGE. THE LOSS OF THE ALTERNATOR CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO EVENTUALLY STOP RUNNING WHEN THE BATTERY IS DRAINED, CAUSING MOTORISTS TO BE STRANDED. I LIVE IN ALASKA AND I'M NOT ALWAYS IN CELLULAR SIGNAL WHEN DRIVING AND TEMPERATURES IN THE WINTER GET DOWN TO -30 F AT TIMES. I CAN'T WAIT SOMETIMES SEVERAL HOURS FOR A TOW TRUCK TO GET TO ME WITHOUT RISKING HYPOTHERMIA AT THOSE TEMPERATURES. THIS NEEDS TO BE MADE INTO A RECALL SO IT CAN GET FIXED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED FROM THE DRIVE PULLEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO PLACE THE SERPENTINE BELT BACK ON THE DRIVE PULLEY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES ONLY WHILE IT WAS RAINING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE HORN TO FAIL AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S AIR BAG TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V480000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,425.

SIGNIFICANT RISK ? COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO POOR DESIGN (UNRESOLVED MANUFACTURER KNOWN ISSUE): DURING A MODERATE RAIN STORM, THE SERPENTINE BELT ONCE AGAIN SLIPPED OFF THE PULLEYS, WHICH DISABLED POWER STEERING, CAUSING A COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS IT WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP (MY WIFE WAS UNABLE TO FIGHT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE). LUCKILY, THE VEHICLE HAD JUST LEFT A STOPLIGHT AND HAD ONLY ATTAINED ABOUT 20 - 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BEFORE HITTING ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN A VERY CROWDED PEDESTRIAN AREA OF DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO'S HISTORIC GASLAMP QUARTER. GIVEN THE REDUCED VISIBILITY FROM THE RAIN AND NIGHTTIME CITY ILLUMINATION, IT?S AMAZING THIS DID NOT RESULT IN PEDESTRIAN INJURIES OR EVEN DEATHS OR DAMAGE TO WAITING TAXIS OR PARKED CARS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS VEHICLE IN THE RAIN, BUT THE FIRST IN WHICH TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL OCCURRED. THE FIRST INSTANCE ALSO OCCURRED AT NIGHT, IN THE RAIN, WHILE WAITING IN HEAVY AIRPORT TERMINAL TRAFFIC. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SERPENTINE BELTS SLIPPING OFF IN THE RAIN CAN BE FOUND ONLINE IN DODGE FORUMS. A TECHNICAL BULLETIN WAS ISSUED FOR PRIOR MODEL YEARS BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 2000 MODEL YEAR. ALSO OF NOTE, AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPPED IT BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AS THE WATER PUMP WAS ALSO DISABLED BY THE LOSS OF THE SERPENTINE BELT. *TR

STRUT TOWERS ROTTED OUT AT 90000 MILES, REPLACEMENT CAPS WERE PURCHASED FROM DODGE DEALER AND INSTALLED AS PER FACTORY TSB .... STRUT TOWERS ARE ROTTED BELOW REPAIR CAPS AGAIN.... APPROX. 150000 MILES NOW ON VAN, STRUTS ARE ALSO IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT HOWEVER THIS CAN NOT BE DONE DUE TO SEVERITY OF RUST DAMAGE....THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT... RESULTING IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION... CHRYSLER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE ... THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AFFECTING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES...NOT JUST A FEW HERE OR THERE - THE QUESTION SHOULD BE HOW MANY ARE NOT AFFECTED??? I'M ACTUALLY CONSIDERING SEARCHING FOR A LAWYER TO START A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST CHRYSLER ...SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME STEERING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

DRIVERS-SIDE FRONT STRUT CAP RUSTED. THE RUST IS AT THE TOP OF THE STRUT CAP HOUSING AND HAS NOT BROKEN THROUGH YET. I WENT ON-LINE TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE AND SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY OWNERS OF THE SAME 2000 CARAVAN WITH THE VERY SAME ISSUE. SOME WITH EXTREME RUST. IF THIS FAILS DURING DRIVING, THERE IS A EXTREME HIGH CHANCE OF AN ACCIDENT. I AM SURPRISED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I AM NOT A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER BUT BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. DOES IT TAKE ONE OR MORE ACCIDENTS BEFORE THIS BECOMES A RECALL ISSUE? *JB