2000 Dodge Grand Caravan

I WAS DRIVING DOWN 422 AWAY FROM 76. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO TURN OFF ON TO TROOPER ROAD IN NORRISTOWN WHEN I HEARD A CLICKING NOISE. I THEN TURNED THE RADIO OFF AND IT WAS PRETTY LOUD. IT GOT LOUDER THE MORE I PUSHED ONTO THE GAS PEDAL, AND STOPPED WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF. IT WAS SLIGHTLY UPHILL FOR A FEW HUNDRED FEET AND I KNEW IF I JUST MADE IT TO THE TOP AND HOPED FOR 2 GREEN LIGHTS I MAY BE SAFE. I STARTED GOING UP AND MADE IT TO THE SECOND GREEN LIGHT (THANK GOD) BUT MY ENGINE JUST CUT OFF AND I LOST POWER STEERING AND BREAKS. I HAD TO FORCE MY CAR TO TURN AND ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE THE TURN IN TIME. I THEN HAD TO COAST 1/4 MILE TO GET OFF THE ROAD TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT WHERE MY CAR SAT UNTIL IT WAS TOWED. THIS WAS ALL IN THE MIDDLE OF A SNOW STORM, WHERE I WAS LATER PLOWED IN AND HAD TO DIG MY WAY OUT OF 3 FEET OF SNOW TO GET IT TOWED. IT WENT TO THE SHOP WHERE I WAS TOLD THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. LUCKILY NOTHING BAD HAPPENED OUT OF THE WHOLE THING, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. *NM

I HAVE REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT AND PULLEY/TENSIONER ASSEMBLY ON MY 2000 GRAND CARAVAN 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. THE DESIGN IS FLAWED AND MUST BE FIXED BY DODGE. I HAVE USED BOTH DODGE REPLACEMENT AND NAPA REPLACEMENT PARTS TO NO AVAIL. I CAN NOT TRUST THIS VEHICLE FOR A LONG DISTANCE WHICH IS WHAT I BOUGHT A VAN FOR. *NM

WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN LOCKED UP WITH ONLY 87403 MILES REGISTERED. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO A REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION COMPANY I FOUND THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WAS DAMAGED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHILE REPAIRS WERE BEING MADE I INVESTIGATED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND FOUND THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS TO THIS DATE. ALL PARTS INCLUDING GEARS WERE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE OF $2221.58. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE TRANSMISSIONS IN THIS VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE PROBLEMS AND ESPECIALLY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED UNTIL AT LEAST OVER 100,000 MILES. *JB

2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN - SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF IN THE RAIN CAUSING STEERING AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO QUIT FUNCTIONING. THIS IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS AND HAPPENED LAST TIME IN A VAN FULL OF KIDS. CHRYSLER HAS "FIXED" THIS PROBLEM OVER 7 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. TODAY IS THE 8TH TIME IT IS GETTING FIXED YET AGAIN. BRAZIL RECALLED ALL THEIR VANS BETWEEN 1996 AND 2000 FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM - WHY ISN'T THE CAR BEING RECALLED IN THE US? *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 95 MPH. AFTER BEING TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE BENT, AND CAUSED THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER TRIED USING THE BRAKES WITH NO SUCCESS, THE CONSUMER FINALLY TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE CONSUMER USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSIONS IN TO LOW. UPDATED 12/28/06. *JB

SERPENTINE BELT HAS COME OFF MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 4 TIMES. FIRST TIME, I HIT A POCKET OF WATER ON A SMALL HIGHWAY IN A CONSTRUCTION AREA. DROVE VEHICLE TO A SAFER LOCATION, LEFT MY WIFE AND 3 KIDS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT NIGHT WHILE I WALKED A MILE HOME IN THE RAIN TO GET MY FORD RANGER TO LOAD ALL 5 OF US IN TO GET HOME SAFELY. HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO REPLACED THE BELT TENSIONER AND BELT. SECOND TIME, ABOUT A YEAR LATER, MY WIFE HIT WATER WHICH ALSO KNOCKED THE BELT OFF AND STRANDED HER AND MY 3 CHILDREN 15 MILES FROM HOME. BROTHER IN LAW WAS ABLE TO COME AND SPENT AN HOUR OF GUT WRENCHING LABOR TO PUT THE BELT BACK ON. THIRD TIME, A MONTH LATER IT CAME OFF AGAIN SHREDDING THE BELT AND LEAVING MY WIFE STRANDED BY HERSELF AFTER DROPPING MY KIDS OFF FOR SCHOOL. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPUTABLE REPAIR SHOP WHO SAID IT NEEDED ANOTHER BELT TENSIONER AND ASSURED ME THE NAPA PRODUCT WOULD PERFORM BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE. HE TRIED TO SEE IF A KIT WAS AVAILABLE FOR OUR LARGE 6 CYLINDER ENGINE BUT COULD NOT FIND ONE. FOURTH TIME, ONE MONTH LATER AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING 2 OF MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IN THE RAIN, THE BELT CAME OFF AGAIN BUT THIS TIME SHE DIDN'T HIT ANY WATER. HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THEY CHECKED ALL COMPONETS CONNECTED TO THE SERPENTINE BELT AND TRIED FOR 30 MINUTES TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BY POURING WATER OVER THE BELT, ETC. WITH NO SUCCESS. OWNER SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH HE IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR DODGE VANS. QUESTION: IF THIS IS SUCH A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM AS SHOWN BY ALL THE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON THIS WEBSITE WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL TO CORRECT WHATEVER IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM? ANSWER: BECAUSE IT WILL COST DODGE/ CHRYSLER TOO MUCH MONEY. SOLUTION: UNLESS YOU CAN ONLY DRIVE A DODGE VAN ON WARM SUNNY DAYS DON'T BOTHER BUYING A DODGE VAN. ESPECIALLY IF YOU VALUE YOUR FAMILY'S SAFETY. *JB