2000 Dodge Grand Caravan

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHOCK SUPPORT AND THE FRAMING NEAR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED TO THE POINT OF CORROSION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE SPRINGS WERE FAULTY AND DETERIORATED NEAR THE SHOCK SUPPORT AND THE FRAMING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUPPORT SYSTEM ON THE DRIVER SIDE FAILED AND THE SUPPORT BRACKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V480000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE SAFETY RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

I BOUGHT A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN NEW IN NOVEMBER OF 2000. IT NOW HAS 244,000 MILES AND STILL RUNS VERY GOOD. I TAKE CARE OF IT AND DO MOST NEEDED REPAIRS MYSELF. I NOTICED A FEW YEARS AGO, SOME RUST FORMING AT THE TOP OF THE STRUT TOWERS NEVER KNOWING OF THE SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY CHRYSLER/DODGE ON OCTOBER 14, 2002 - BULLETIN # 23-044-02. I WOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE BULLETIN AT THE TIME IT WAS ISSUED. LAST FRIDAY JUNE 20TH, I WAS PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT AT MY OFFICE AND THE STRUT TOWER ACTUALLY SNAPPED IN HALF, NOT AT THE TOP WHERE THE RUST WAS! I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN ON ANY VEHICLE BEFORE. THANK GOODNESS I WAS ONLY TRAVELING ABOUT 10 MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE 12 YEARS AGO AND THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL, NOT A SERVICE BULLETIN. *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

THE DRIVERS SIDE SHOCK TOWER HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I HAD A 1996 CARAVAN THAT DID THE SAME THING. THERE ARE MANY REPAIR CAPS THAT WILL HELP STRUCTURAL SUPPORT IF THE RUST HAS NOT SPREAD TOO FAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WILL NOT HELP ME. THE RUST WAS HIDDEN UNDER THE PAINT AND EXTENDS 4-5 INCHES DOWN THE STRUT TOWER. WITH THE VEHICLE UNDER WEIGHT AND FROM DRIVING IT, THERE IS NOW A TEAR IN THE METAL ON THE SIDE IF THE STRUT TOWER FROM FRONT TO BACK AT A DOWNWARD ANGLE. THIS MAKES THE VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE AND A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I PURCHASED A USED 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN 2005. AT TIME OF PURCHASE THE LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER HAD NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF DECAY. AS TIME WENT ON, THE STRUT TOWER HAS BEGAN TO RUST COMPLETELY THROUGH WHILE THE RIGHT TOWER IS PERFECTLY FINE. I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE CARAVANS OF THIS MODEL YEAR AND IF THE TOWER FAILS, THE STRUT CAN PUNCH THROUGH CAUSING CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF CONTROL. I HAVE A FAMILY OF 5 AND I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THEIR WELL-BEING. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG THIS VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE DESCRIBED ISSUE I HAVE MENTIONED HERE. FOR ME PERSONALLY, THIS A HUGE LAWSUIT IN THE MAKING, ESPECIALLY IF ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY IS ENDANGERED. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. REGARDLESS, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY DUE TO THIS KNOWN DEFECT WHICH I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WITH 100% PERCENT CERTAINTY THAT I WILL FIGHT THIS IN COURT. I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THIS ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I AM VERY CONCERNED OVER THIS, AND MY DECISION TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION AND WHETHER OR NOT I EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER DODGE PRODUCT AGAIN HINGES ON ANY ASSISTANCE THAT I MAY OR MAY NOT RECEIVE. I WILL PROVIDE VIN # AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION NEEDED ONCE I AM CONTACTED. *TR

TOOK MY VAN IN TO THE SHOP BECAUSE I WAS HEARING A NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN I DRIVE IT. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT STRUT HOUSING COVER HAD RUSTED AND THAT THE STRUT COULD NOW GO THROUGH THE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING. THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS AND THAT A KIT HAS BEEN MADE TO REPAIR IT. HOWEVER IT HAS TO BE WELDED TO THE FRAME OF THE VAN AND IT COULD COST UP TO $500.00 JUST TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND I CAN NOT EVEN FIX THE STRUT UNTIL THIS IS TAKEN CARE OF. MAKING OTHER PARTS NEEDING TO BE FIXED BECAUSE OF IT. I NOTICED SOME TIME AGO THAT THIS WAS RUSTING BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT NOT BEING A MECHANIC AND ALL. I DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT PART SINCE IT WAS UNDER THE HOOD I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY IT WOULD RUST. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A DEFECT THAT DODGE HAS KNOWN ABOUT AND THAT IS WHY THEY CAME UP WITH THE REPAIR KIT. THAT UNLESS SOMEONE DIES DODGE IS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I SURE HOPE THAT NOTHING HAPPENS TO ANYONE BEFORE DODGE DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ALREADY COMPLAINS ON THIS SITE AND THE NHTSA HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I DID CALL THE CONSUMER CENTER AT DODGE AND OPENED A COMPLAINT THERE SOMEONE SHOULD CALL ME TOMORROW. I JUST HOPE THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO FIX THIS AT NO COST OR NO INJURY TO ME, MY FAMILY OR ANYONE ELSE THAT COULD BE EFFECTED DO TO THIS PROBLEM. I HOPE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS THIS PROBLEM THEY REPORT IT ALSO THAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GET ANYONE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. I SURE DO NOT WANT TO GET RID OF MY VAN NOR CAN I AFFORD TO RIGHT NOW. MY VAN HAS BEEN GREAT AND VERY DEPENDABLE UNTIL THIS PROBLEM. I SURE HOPE DODGE OR NHTSA STANDS BY ME AND FIXES THIS PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

WHILE CHANGING THE FRONT STRUTS OF MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, I FOUND THE FRONT LEFT STRUT TOWER TO BE EXTREMELY RUSTED. IT HASN'T RUSTED THROUGH YET, BUT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF WEEKS. I CALLED MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND THEY SAID A RECALL HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED, BUT A TSB HAD BEEN. THIS MEANS I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, EVEN THEY KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE ON CHRYSLER'S PART. I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER PRODUCT FROM THEM, AS THEY DON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. *TR