2000 Dodge Grand Caravan

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

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WAS SLIGHTLY TOUCHED, THE SEAT BELT WOULD ERRONEOUSLY RELEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED HOWEVER, THE DEALER OFFERED TO REPLACED THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS DISPLEASED WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE SEAT BELT RELEASE BUCKLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 03/31/14*LJ.....UPDATED12/07/15*BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE STRUT TOWERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE STRUT TOWERS WERE UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 206,000.