2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager

The contact owns a 2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the clockspring. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V480000 (Air Bags), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 178,000.

THIS LETTER IS REGARDING A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE 2000 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER AND 2000 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY VANS. *BF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLES IN WET WEATHER. WHEN IT RAINS AND THE DRIVER GOES THROUGH WATER, THE VEHICLES SHUT THEMSELVES DOWN COMPLETELY. LIGHTS TURN OFF, POWER STEERING IS ARRESTED, AND THE DRIVER HAS TO COAST TO A STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES TO MY PARENTS, AND MORE THAN ONCE, THEY HAVE HAD TO SECURE THE SERVICES OF A TOWING COMPANY TO GET THE VEHICLE(S) HOME OR TO A REPAIR SHOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT NIGHT ON TWO-LANE HIGHWAYS, LEAVING THEM STRANDED IN PITCH-BLACK DARKNESS. THESE ARE THE ONLY VEHICLES THAT MY PARENTS HAVE TO DRIVE TO AND FROM WORK, WHICH IS AN HOUR AND A HALF AWAY FROM HOME. MY FATHER HAS VISITED THE CHRYSLER-DODGE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THIS IS A LARGE-SCALE PROBLEM WITH THESE PARTICULAR MODELS OF VANS. THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FULL-SCALE RECALL ON THE VEHICLES. THERE IS A KIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE KIT IS OVER $300, AND THE ONUS IS ON THE CONSUMER TO PURCHASE THE KIT AND HAVE IT INSTALLED. MY DAD SPENT OVER $700 TO HAVE THE KIT INSTALLED ON BOTH VANS. THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT IS DANGEROUS NOT ONLY TO THE DRIVERS OF THE VEHICLES, BUT TO OTHER MOTORISTS. PLEASE CONSIDER DOING A NATIONAL RECALL FOR THIS FACTORY DEFECT.

I OWN A 2000 GRAND VOYAGER VAN. I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT FALLING OFF SO MUCH IN THE HISTORY OF OWNERSHIP THAT I AM FRUSTRATED BEYOND BELIEF. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS MOSTLY WHEN IT RAINS AND I HAVE SPENT $2000 PLUS DOLLARS IN TOWS CHARGES AND MECHANIC SERVICES CHARGES TO REPLACE THE SERPENTINE BELT, TENSIONER WITH PULLEY AND IDLER PULLEY. I FEEL THAT THE DODGE/PLYMOUTH VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS HAVE KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE LET CONSUMERS SUFFER AND STRUGGLE WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUES WITH NO INTERVENTION ON THEIR PART. I AM A PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED PERSON WHO USES A WHEELCHAIR FOR MY MOBILITY AND THE VAN WAS MODIFIED TO ACCEPT A RAMP SYSTEM, WITH NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE CHASSIS OR ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE BEEN LEFT BROKEN DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR HIGHWAY MANY TIMES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHRYSLER GRAND VOYAGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED ALONG WITH THE WINDSHIELD AND REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN COMPONENT UNDER THE DASHBOARD THAT WOULD NEED REPLACING IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,000. UPDATED 2/28/11 *CN UPDATED 04/29/11