2000 Dodge Grand Caravan

ON FEBRUARY 8, 2004, HERMAN LINO, CO OWNER OF CAR, CALLED ME TO REPORT SOME TROUBLE WITH THE DODGE CARAVAN. THE RED LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. HE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE AND FELT THAT THE ENGINE WAS WARM. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW SOME SMOKE WHICH HE THOUGHT MAY HAVE BEEN FROM AN OVERHEATED ENGINE. I TOLD HIM, BY PHONE, TO ADD SOME COOLANT TO THE RADIATOR. HE PURCHASED A CONTAINER BUT THE RADIATOR ONLY TOOK 1/2 OF THE CONTAINER. AFTER A WHILE, THE RED LIGHT AND CRUISE LIGHT WENT OFF SO HE STARTED THE CAR TO DRIVE HOME WHICH WAS ABOUT 2 MILES AWAY. AS HE ASCENDED A SLIGHT INCLINE, HE SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF THE HOOD, MORE FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE. HE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND STEPPED OUT TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY BURST INTO FLAME. THE FLAME WAS ABOUT 5-10 FT HIGH. HERMAN SAID IT LOOKED LIKE A HOUSE ON FIRE. HE STEPPED BACK WHEN ANOTHER EXPLOSION ERUPTED. POLICE AND FIREMEN CONVERGED ON T HE SCENE AND AFTER THINGS COOLED DOWN, AN INSPECTION WAS MADE. A REPORT FROM THE FIRE DEPT WAS ISSUED. THE FIRE ERUPTED ABOUT 8PM. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO ACE TOWING ABOUT 5 MILES AWAY FROM THE SCENE THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 15,000 MILES, IS IN GOOD SHAPE AND HAD REGULAR SERVICE AT THE DODGE DEALER. THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS BURNED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. THERE'S A LARGE HOLE IN THE WINDSHIELD WHEN THE FIRE ENTERED THE VEHICLE. TOP OF THE DASHBOARD SUSTAINED MELTING AND DAMAGE. FRONT SEATS, UPHOLSTERY INCURRED LITTLE DAMAGE. THE CEILING OF THE VAN SHOWS SOOT MARKS. THIS VEHICLE HAD IT'S ORIGINAL BATTERY. THERE WAS ONLY ONE DRIVER . OWNERS HAD NO OTC COVERAGE. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE TO REPLACE OR REPAIR THE CAR. IT IS AN IMS VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THAT IT IS A COMPANY DEFECT. I HAVE THE CAR HERE ON MY PREMISES. MRS. P. CAINDEC. *AK

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. I AM QUITE CERTAIN MY CLOCKSPRING HAS BROKEN AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS LIT ALL THE TIME, AND MY HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK.*AK I BELIEVE CHRYSLER HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2000 MODEL, BUT ONLY FOR THE 1996-1998 MODELS. YET SEARCHING THE WEB REVEALS MANY, MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE 2000 MODELS AS WELL. THIS IS A SAFEY ISSUE CAUSES BY CHRYSLER'S EQUIPPMENT AND SHOULD BE A PROVIDED FREE REPAIR. CHRYSLER DOES NOT OFFER TO REPAIR IT FOR FREE. I AM CURRENTLY OUT OF MY PRINTING CAREER AND AM HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING WORK AGAIN, SO THE $250 PLUS TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED IS A HEAVY LOAD AT THIS TIME. CHRYSLER SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS FOR ALL THE 1999 AND 2000 MODELS AS WELL. I KNOW THE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING THIS, BUT WITH HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINS ALREADY FILED, HOW MUCH MORE INFORMATION DOES IT NEED TO ACT? I DONT KNOW THE PROCESS, BUT WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW? THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE, AND THIS IS OUR FAMILIY VEHICLE. PLUS, THE ANNUAL INSPECTION IS COMING UP IN LESS THAN 4 MONTHS, AND IT WILL NOT PASS WITHOUT THE HORN AND CRUISE AND AIRBAG BROKEN. THANK YOU FOR ANY INFORMATION AND ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE ME. THANKS AGAIN! JOHN CALOGRIDES

I JUST PURCHASED MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN JULY 26,2003. IN MARCH OF 2004, I GOT INTO MY VAN, STARTED IT UP, AND WHEN I WENT TO BACK UP I HEARD A DING AND MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN WENT OFF. FROM THAT POINT ON, THE ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND WHEN IT DID, THE CONTROLS IN THE DASHBOARD WOULD STOP WORKING. I WOULD LOOSE MY ODOMETER, TACHOMETER, GAS GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, AND GEAR SELECT. I TOOK IT TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP, THEY HAD IT FOR 3 DAYS AND SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I THEN TOOK IT TO AN AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SERVICE SHOP, THEY HAVE HAD MY VAN FOR 3 WEEKS AND CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE SUPPOSEDLY CALLED DODGE AND DODGE IS NOT HELPING THEM. THEY RECOMMEND US TAKING IT BACK TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VAN AND NO ONE CAN FIND IT AND I CAN NOT DRIVE THE VAN SAFELY WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM BEING FIXED.