2001 Dodge Grand Caravan

IN FEBRUARY 2004, WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ON THE INTERSTATE IN KNOXVILLE, TN WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING. AT THAT TIME, WE HAD JUST OVER 34,000 MILES ON THE VAN. THESE WERE NORMAL MILES WITH NO HEAVY TOWING OR OTHER ABUSIVE DRIVING. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO JIM COGDILL DODGE FOR REPAIR. THIS REPAIR WAS STILL COVERED UNDER OUR WARRANTY. WE WERE TOLD AT THE TIME OF THE REPAIR THAT IT ONLY REQUIRED THE TRANSMISSION BE ??REFURBISHED?? AS THE WARRANTY DID NOT REQUIRE THEM TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN AT JUST OVER 60K MILES. THIS TIME THERE WAS A LOUD POP, A HARD JERK OF THE VAN AND THEN IT CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP AS I WAS CROSSING ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT. I AM VERY LUCKY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE INTERSTATE AS MYSELF, AND OTHERS, WOULD SURELY HAVE BEEN ENDANGERED BY THIS PRODUCT FAILURE. I ASKED TO SPEAK IMMEDIATELY TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, MR. LARRY DAUGHTRY. HE PROCEEDED TO INFORM ME THAT EVEN THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION WAS FIXED PREVIOUSLY BY A DODGE DEALER, I WOULD BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS . HE ALSO INFORMED ME HE HAS NEVER SEEN SUCH DAMAGE IN A TRANSMISSION THAT IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A PRODUCT DEFECT. I COULD UNDERSTAND THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY IF THE SERVICE HAD BEEN PERFORMED BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN A DODGE DEALER, BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE! HE THEN OFFERED TO CONTACT THE DISTRICT MANAGER, WHOSE NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION SEEMS TO BE HELD IN THE UTMOST SECRECY AS HE WILL ONLY ACCEPT CALLS FROM THE DEALER, BUT HE MAY BE WILLING TO PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE. UPON CALLING FOR A STATUS. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN ITS ENTIRETY AT A COST OF ALMOST $3000.00! THE DISTRICT MANAGER DID OFFER TO TAKE CARE OF 50% OFF THE TOTAL COST. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO ARGUE THIS WITH THE DEALER AND THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE. THEY GAVE US A CONTINUOUS RUN AROUND OF CALLING ONE ONLY TO BE TOLD WE HAVE TO SPEAK WITH THE OTHER. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER OBSERVED DEEP IMPRESSIONS ON THE TREAD OF TIRE LOCATED ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. THE TIRE DEFLATED BECASUE OF A NAIL. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO BUY A NEW TIRE. GOODYEAR DID ALLOW A $30 ADJUSTMENT FOR THE DEFECT. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE TIRE HAD 25000-30,000 MILES ON IT. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE. THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING ON A PAVED HIGHWAY ROAD IN RAINY CONDITIONS WHEN SHE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE STEERING DIFFICULTIES AND A SHIMMY IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTED THERE WAS A LARGE BULGE ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEN AFTER THIS WAS NOTICED. OVERNIGHT THE TIRE WENT FLAT. THERE WAS 30-35,000 MILES ON THE TIRE AT TIME OF FAILURE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRE OFF THE VEHICLE AND TOOK THE TIRE TO DEALER. DEALER DID NOT HAVE ANOTHER TIRE TO REPLACE WITH SO THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING A SPARE. CONSUMER HAD TO AWAIT FOR A TIRE FOR THE FIRST FAILURE AS WELL. GOODYEAR, EAGLE, SIZE 215/65R16. EAGLE LS. THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. *AK *JB

DT: CONSUMER OBSERVED DEEP IMPRESSIONS ON THE TREAD ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. THE TIRE DEFLATED BECAUSE OF A NAIL IN THE EDGE OF THE TIRE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRE TO VEHICLE DEALER AND BOUGHT A NEW TIRE AND RECEIVED AN ADJUSTMENT OF $30 FROM GOODYEAR FOR THE DEFECT. THERE WAS ABOUT 25-30,000 MILES ON THE TIRE WHEN THE DEFECT OCCURRED. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE PASSENGER FRONT. THE TIRE DEVELOPED A LARGE BULGE ON THE SIDEWALL. CONSUMER STOPPED DRIVING THE SECOND IT WAS NOTICED. AND OVERNIGHT IT WENT FLAT. THIS WAS DISCOVERED AFTER EXPERIENCING STEERING DIFFICULTIES AND AN ABNORMAL SHIMMY IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY PAVED ROAD IN RAINY CONDITIONS. THE MILEAGE ON TIRE AT THIS TIME 30-35,00 0. CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRE OFF VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE VEHICLE DEALER. THE DEALER DID NOT ANOTHER TIRE TO REPLACE IT WITH SO VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING A SPARE, THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME AS WELL. NO REPLACEMENTS AT THIS TIME. GOODYEAR MAKE, MODEL EAGLE, SIZE 215/65/R16. EAGLE MS. *JB *TT

OVER THE LAST 4 MONTHS (MARCH 05 - JULY 05), MY 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS EXPERIENCED INTERMITTANT HEADLAMP FAILURE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE LIGHTS FLICKER OFF/ON FOR SEVERAL CYCLES. THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RELATED TO WEATHER OR ENGINE RPM. TO DATE, THE LIGHTS HAVE EVENTUALLY STAYED ON AND THIS HAS NOT YET MADE THE VEHICLE UNOPERABLE. DEALER DOES NOT HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AND WILL JUST START TRYING THINGS....AM PLANNING TO TAKE THIS TO DEALER WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH DAIMLERCHRYSLER. THE DATE LISTED BELOW IS THE MOST RECENT OCCURANCE...BUT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

DT: 2001 GRAND CARAVAN SPORT, CONSUMER SAYS HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED UNPREDICTABLY. ENGINE RAN ROUGH, AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO CHECKED THE VAN BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, NO FAULT CODES FOUND IN COMPUTER, UPDATED PCM. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED REGULARLY. PROBLEM BEGAN NOT MORE THAN A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING VAN.*AK *SB THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS PERIODICALLY.*SB *NM