Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 070397 | 05/09/1997 | 07-05-93 | 6088786 | Concerns with engine coolant usage. *nlm | 01/07/2000 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||||
| 070397 | 05/09/1997 | 52963 | Various car owner's have expressed interest in using engine coolants made with propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol. *yc | 11/13/1997 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - HOSE | |||||
| 240297 | 03/21/1997 | 52077 | Coolant seepage at underbody auxillary rear heater line hose connection. *tw | 07/17/1997 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 0900801 | 11/02/2001 | 632197 | Subject regarding camshaft / bearing service. *tt | 07/11/2002 | |
| 180100 | 02/04/2000 | 609988 | Subject regarding misdiagnosed leak detection pump systems with diagnostic trouble codes p1494, p0442 p0455, or p0456. *tt | 04/12/2000 | |
| 180200 | 02/04/2000 | 609989 | Concerns with the pcv valve freezing under extremely cold conditions. *tt | 04/12/2000 | |
| 182497 | 08/08/1997 | 6088926 | Information on no start diagnostic cam/crank sensor $01 and $28. *nlm | 01/11/2000 | |
| 090798 | 12/11/1998 | 603107 | Subject regarding oil seepage at cam position sensor / misinterpreted head gasket leak. *yc | 11/17/1999 | |
| 090598 | 11/06/1998 | 602898 | A new multi-layer steel ( mls ) head gasket has been developed and is being implemented into production vehicles. *yc | 01/20/1999 | |
| 9830 | 06/01/1998 | 601763 | Subject on labor operation time change for domestic 2.ol dohc and 2.4l head gasket replacement. *yc | 08/24/1998 | |
| 1812098 | 03/20/1998 | 600903 | Subject on tip-in sags/hesitations or rough idle after a hot soak restart. *yc | 06/11/1998 | |
| 180597 | 02/14/1997 | 51978 | Vehicles with 3.0l engines - intake valve deposits - driveway die out, rough idle, lack of power, sags or hesitation. *tw | 07/17/1997 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| 181797 | 05/02/1997 | 6088890 | Information on leak detection pump (ldp) dealer test mode. *nlm | 01/11/2000 | |
| 090997 | 12/19/1997 | 6088858 | Information on gasket surface preparation on aluminum engine components. *nlm | 01/10/2000 | |
| 180599 | 02/26/1999 | 604102 | Concerns with sags / hesitation / stumble / start & stall, a/c bump improvements, addition of leak detection pump (ldp) monitor test. *tt | 04/13/1999 | |
| 090198 REV B | 11/13/1998 | 602588 | Vehicle experiencing a ticking noise while at idle from engine. *yc | 01/05/1999 | |
| 090297 | 04/25/1997 | 51960 | 2.4l crankshaft/camshaft timing. *tw | 07/17/1997 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||||
| 070297 | 04/18/1997 | 6088784 | Concerns with serpentine belt coming off or outboard ribs of belt are frayed. *nlm | 01/07/2000 | |
| 070299 | 06/04/1999 | 606159 | Concerns with serpentine belt slipping off idler pulley. *tt | 08/11/1999 | |
| 97041807029A | 04/18/1997 | 54388 | Condition with underhood noise due to serpentine belt outboard ribs fraying or splitting from the main portion of the belt and cotacting other engine components. *yc | 04/07/1998 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||||
| 250298 | 10/23/1998 | 602881 | Subject regarding i/m ( inspection maintenance ) testing - obd ii carb readiness monitor information. *yc | 01/20/1999 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 11/23/2001 | 68000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated while driving 65 mph the vehicle lost power steering, the engine overheated, the alternator and air conditioner failed. the vehicle merged onto the side of the road and the contact inspected the engine and noticed the serpentine belt detached from the pulley and was dragging on the ground. the contact connected the belt back onto the pulley. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and stated there was no failure; however, the pulley could be replaced for $1000. this failure occurred several times. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 68,000 and the current mileage was 210,000. rvk | |||
| 04/19/2011 | |||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact noticed smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle, when the radiator became heated and exploded. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was awaiting a response. the contact did not inform the manufacturer. the failure mileage was unknown. the vin was unavailable. bw | |||
| 10/10/2010 | 170000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated that the engine suddenly caught fire while he was driving at approximately 30 mph. the contact called the fire department to extinguish the fire and a fire report was available. the entire engine compartment was burned. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that they would send someone to inspect the vehicle. the local dealer stated that the vehicle was not included in recall 00v268000 (fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system). the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current and failure mileages were approximately 170,000-bk | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 31000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact stated while driving 30 mph in rain condition the fan belt failed causing the steering and air conditioning system to fail. the vehicle was taken to the garage diagnosed located a defect in the fan belt are there wasn | |||
| 12/24/2009 | 107850 | 1 | |
| Belt slipped off my 1997 dodge caravan.... also when i got home fell from tow truck because of ice !~! but would not of happen if a recall would have happened already look at all those complaints out there.. *tr | |||
| 12/18/1997 | 3000 | 1 | |
| Bought a 1998 dodge grand caravan in 1997. the serpentine belt came off numerous times, usually when going through puddles or snow. when the belt comes off, all power to steering, brakes, etc. is gone. this is a common complaint with these vans, yet dodge/chrysler has refused to admit it and recall it. i finally got tire of it and took a look at why it was happening. i noticed that the idler wheel closest to the front of the vehicle is shaped and mounted in a way that allows the belt to come off easily. the idler wheel is too far in and is beveled outward, causing the belt to come off when it became wet or got snow or ice pieces on it. the cure? a 5 cent washer placed behind this idler wheel, bringing it out ever so slightly, but enough to prevent it from coming off ever again. not the tensioner or the belt or any of the other excuses they charge you for, just a simple washer that acts like a spacer. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2008 | 141562 | 4 | 06/12/2002 |
| On rainy days when making sharp left turn, the 97 dodge caravan (3.0 v6) looses power steering and goes out of control. the serpentine drive belt slipped out of the tensioner pulley causing the power steering loss leading to this hazardous condition while driving in addition to the road being wet and slippery. there is a potential for a crash or deadly accident if this condition happens. this condition happened four times in the past two months. *tr | |||
| 02/28/2006 | 177000 | 1 | |
| Dt*: the contact stated after being parked for 15 minutes the vehicle caught fire under the hood. the fire department extinguished the fire. the vehicle has not yet been seen by a mechanic to determine where the fire started or the extent of the damage. | |||
| 09/14/2004 | 2 | ||
| Consumer was having the same problem with vehicle that she had one year ago, but had it repaired via recall notice. vehicle did not want to start in the morning. consumer could not afford to pay for it, and dealer would not repair it again. it was repaired one year ago. *ak | |||
| 08/09/2004 | 2 | ||
| While driving vehicle stalled. consumer was not able to restart vehicle. had the vehicle to towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic informed consumer that the problem could not be duplicated. *ak | |||
| 12/23/2003 | 94000 | 2 | 11/23/2003 |
| A banging noise was heard either from the transmission or engine when shifting gears. the noise occured while driving or idling. dealership wasn't providing any assistance. dealership indicated that the noise could not be corrected.*ak | |||
| 02/04/2004 | 9 | 03/20/2003 | |
| We bought this van one year ago and so far we had to replace both oxygen sensor, speed sensor, head gasket, water pump, the transmission is slipping, doors lock and unlock whenever they want not just the 16 mph thing, ball joints are clunking, the cd player quit and then soon after fm radio only am works. *ak | |||
| 12/16/2003 | 110000 | 1 | |
| While driving at any speed, the vehicle intermittently stalled out without any warning. the engine was clunky. the vehicle was taken to the dealership on several occasions. *jb | |||
| 11 | |||
| There has been 5 replacement torque converters since purchase. vehicle shuts down due to the defect in the torque converter. *mr this problem had happened several times while traveling on the highway, every year the consumer had to have the transmission rebuilt, also the brakes. the transmission overhauled twice, there was an oil pan leak, the engine light stayed on, and the ac needed a new condenser. *scc | |||
| 01/13/2003 | 136000 | 2 | |
| While driving or stopping vehicle , the service lights will suddenly come on. this is a result of the serpentine belt coming off. this has happened twice. the dealership has replaced the belt. ph | |||
| 17080 | |||
| While driving vehicle started overheating. the driver had vehicle towed, who indicated that this was caused by the way the head gasket was designed. the head gasket was replaced, but the problem recurred twice. ts | |||
| 06/25/2001 | 1 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Radiator was leaking, flushing coolant into the transmission, but temperature gauge in dash never showed a high reading. also-shook auto was where i bought the van, but i had the repairs done at a chrysler dealership. ned adams chrysler-jeep, 544 e liberty st, | |||
| 05/21/1999 | 3 | ||
| Vehicle stalls, on one occasion vehicle hit a pot hole and vehicle stalled along with the failure of all power accessories, dealer replaced oxygen sensor and cam sensor, temperature gauge read hot, belt tensioner made humming noise, and flywheel was replaced. *slc | |||
| 07/02/1997 | 1 | 03/06/1997 | |
| Water leaked into air breather intake when consumer drove through water, water went into the engine, causing engine to seize/fail. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 04/19/2011 | |||
| Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. the contact noticed smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle as the radiator overheated and exploded. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was awaiting diagnosis. the contact did not inform the manufacturer. the failure mileage was unknown. the vin was unavailable. | |||
| 10/16/2009 | 1 | ||
| Serpentine belt slips off pulley system when driven through standing water in road,this disables power steering,cooling and battery,which in turn disables lights,power windows and fuel pump. i have encountered this problem several times with both my 97 and 98 caravan. belt is dried off and re attached. *tr | |||
| 05/30/2005 | 2 | 05/01/1998 | |
| Dt: transmission: contact states vehicle had 28,000 miles when transmission went out. the transmission was rebuilt, and again at 50,000 the transmission went out, the transmission was again rebuilt. at about 70,000 the transmission failed again. transmission service mechanic stated that these vans needed to be equipped with another cooling system. the transmission was rebuilt and another cooling system installed.*ak engine: contact states the oil warning light comes on even when the vehicle is full of oil. three different mechanic shops said there is not enough oil pressure to keep oil on the bearings. | |||
| 05/10/2004 | 90000 | 4 | 09/21/1997 |
| I bought this van new in 1997 just after buying the van there was ticking noise coming from the engine i feel it is the lifters but dealership says no it was the fuel purge valve. the noise countinues to get worse and i am sure the noise is the lifters when i change the oil to 10w-30 the noise goes away. the oxygen sensor was replaced at approx 50k miles. the van has recently been in the shop for the transmission two or three time since november 2003 aprox. 90,000 miles on it. the transmission was hanging up in second gear when dodge retuned to me the transmission shuttered while driving. vehicle is now in the shop for the transmission again it is leaking from the output shaft seals and while in park when starting the vehicle the van jerks foward like the trasmission is still engaged. this all happens while in park. sometimes when the vehicle is shifted from drive to park if the accelorator is pressed the vehicle jumps / jerks foward this seems to be a safety issue as my wife and i have three children that sometimes walk in front of the van to get in when we go off as a family. my check engine light came on just hours before i returned to the dealer for transmission service and it is the egr valve failure that caused the ckeck engine light to come on. the dealership tried to put the transmission off as that but i am also a mechanic the egr valve has nothing to do with the transmissionacting as if it is engage although it is acually in park.this is not good practice to lie about a serious problem with the vehicle. also the transmission leak was caused from the first removal of the transmission and chrysler warranty department said the leak would not be covered this is also very digusting when you remove an axle the seal should be replaced before you reinstall the transmission. the dealer is still trying to find out what is wrong with my transmission. the water pump has failed and also the cooling fan relay failed for the engine cooling system.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2001 | |||
| Coolant is leaking between the cylinder and the engine block. coolant is leaking onto the ground. consumer has yet to contact dealer. please provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 02/20/2001 | 1 | ||
| Airbag light came on and horn stopped working, mechanic stated clock spring assembly needed to be replaced. *ak also consumer was having problem with the radio that has been worked on five times and replaced twice and still doesnot work to consumer's satisfaction, consumer also had brakes replaced, also the tensioner belt on the timing belt, also the water pump broke, also transmission went out.*jb | |||
| 01/01/2001 | 0 | ||
| Airbag light in on dashboard stays on constinously, and vehicle overheats. *ak | |||
| 01/04/2000 | 1 | 02/01/1997 | |
| Relay is recall item on 96 model not 97 same part wonder why? *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN | |||
| 1 | 01/27/2001 | ||
| Problems with transmission on 1997 dodge caravan.*mr ignition tumble was replaced, fan assembly.*ts | |||
| Cooling fan module was bad, causing vehicle to overheat. this caused vehicle to cut off while driving. dealer has been contacted. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 02/11/2002 | 1 | 02/11/2000 | |
| After noticing a leakage on the radiator, consumer had taken vehicle immediately to dealer. dealer repaired the problem, and could not determine the cause. *ak *jb | |||
| 07/30/2001 | 1 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Radiator leak causing anti freeze to enter transmission and cause complete transmission failure. $2100 repair after owning vehicle 1 year, total milage 58620. seems to be a rather common problem. please investigate | |||
| 06/25/2001 | 1 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Radiator was leaking, flushing coolant into the transmission, but temperature gauge in dash never showed a high reading. also-shook auto was where i bought the van, but i had the repairs done at a chrysler dealership. ned adams chrysler-jeep, 544 e liberty st, | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 05/01/2006 | 1 | ||
| 1997 caravan dash gauges do not function properly, engine died. *ts ***nar*** the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times but they were unable to determine the problem. *nm | |||
| 01/10/2003 | 03/01/2002 | ||
| I have talked with other owners of this same model vehile and they had the same complaints .i think the maker of this vehicle should do a recall and prorate a dollar scale on these mini vans. for i trust the vechicles that follwed have to be more reliable. this vehicle would stall with me driving and is currently parked in my front yard undrivible | |||
| 09/10/2003 | 1 | ||
| Warning lights malfunctioned, causing brake lights to flash intermittently, and air bag sensor to stays on. *ak the brake light flashed, the engine light and air bag light illuminated and the horn was inoperative. the air bag and horn problem may be the result of a clockspring failure. *ph *nlm | |||
| 1 | 03/01/1997 | ||
| Engine block cracked when vehicle was approx 1 year old. dodge fixed crack in engine with putty. i was told by dodge service people that was the standard fix for that problem. the crack has either reopened or a new crack has developed. local mechanic reports that the head gasket has also failed. i just thought that this should be noted in your files, since i am sure other owners are seeing same problems. a co-worker has the same year dodge stratus with same engine and transmission, he has same problem- his was fixed at same time my caravan was by the same dealer with same putty. he has since traded his vehicle off. thank you. *ts *jb ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12-12-02 cut over to artemis***762668 | |||
| 01/10/2003 | 95711 | 1 | |
| Prior to the recall notification, the consumer had paid for the repairs regarding the clock spring, the consumer requested reimbursement. in addition, the dealer replaced engine oil filter. *ak. also the gas filler door had to be replaced. *jb *ts | |||
| 11/26/2002 | |||
| Consumer called complaining about having problems with the vehicle head gasket leaking oil. dealer has inspected the vehicle and could not duplicate or correct the problem . ph | |||
| 08/16/2002 | |||
| While driving at any speed engine light comes on. then, consumer can hear water in engine. this can result in a fire. dealer notified. *ak | |||
| 04/16/2002 | |||
| While driving car starting making noise and smoking, timming belt had caught on fire. air conditioner compressor was shut, and bearing was grinding that what caused the fire.*aik | |||
| Engine connecting rod broke while consumer was driving vehicle, traveling at 30 mph. contacted dealer, and the dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak | |||
| 07/29/2001 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| Idler/tension pulley failed causing the timing belt to skip and causing valves to be struct by the pistons. total engine failure with no compression at only 26,160. vehicle was maintain very well. dealership wants to charge full price but agreed to a 50/50 split of cost. they are driving up the cost of repairs by finding other problems. can you help? | |||
| 11/01/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1997 | |
| When driving in a parking lot and attempting to pull into a parking space consumer noticed a noise coming from front end, placed vehicle in reverse and vehicle would not respond, then placed vehicle in drive, and the vehicle would not respond in drive, consumer contacted dealer and dealer noticed major problems within transmission and oil pan, transmission needed replacing. *ak *slc | |||
| 1 | |||
| Was driving vehicle when it started to lose power. gears were not shifting properly. then would regain power. computer was going off. took to mechanic, and was informed cylinder head gasket was causing problem, and it could be repaired.*ak the head gasket was determined defective by the mechanic. water was leaking into the engine causing the computer to malfunctions. *yh | |||
| 11/01/2000 | 1 | ||
| Head gasket failed. *slc | |||
| 12/15/2000 | 0 | ||
| While traveling at 55 mph engine immediately shifted down to 25 mph, and consumer could not go over 30mph. took vehicle to dealer, and transmission/ engine mounts had to be replaced. there were no recalls for this defect.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Engine had leaking seals which caused exhaust manifold to leak. fumes would come from blower (defroster) when it was turned on. there was an electrical short in engine. also, windshield wipers were erratic & would come on or off by themselves, and having a lot of problems with starter. *ak gasoline leaks from the tank due to the seal failure. inside door panel on drivers side is broken. *yh | |||
| 1 | |||
| Gasket failed causing oil leak.*et | |||
| 1 | |||
| Timing belt broke causing vehicle to loose power and stop on a major highway in heavy traffic, vehicle was less than 1 year old at that time. *et | |||
| 1 | |||
| Vehicle was taking to mechanic for routine service. upon inspection of vehicle, dealer noticed oil was leaking onto the engine compartment. mechanic stated head gasket was going bad, needed to be replaced. *ak the auto shops that inspected the vehicle stated that the head gasket failure was a common problem with these models. *yh | |||
| 07/13/1999 | 10/01/1997 | ||
| First in july the master cylinders on our back brakes were shredded and had to be replaced. this happened as i was driving on a bridge with a car full to teen age girls. in december, i noticed a hesitation and seemingly jumping into gear especially in reverse. brought it to the dealer and although was 2 months out of warranty they declined to pay for it. the job was to cost about $1500. in feb, we brought the van to a independent service provider, and as he was looking at the engine, he saw the blown head gasket. we did contact chrysler and were told to bring it to a dealership in our area. today, we did find out that they would cover the head gasket but not the transmission. there are volumes of internet sites that site specific transmission problems with 90-98 caravans. these stories could be rubber stamped. during this time, i found about 15 people who are having or had trouble with the transmissions in their vans. someone needs to make chrysler responsible for their products. please help. *ak | |||
| 01/21/2000 | 1 | 09/01/1996 | |
| Blown headgasket in regularly maintained vehicle. no known cause. *ak | |||
| 12/10/1999 | 2 | 12/01/1997 | |
| Dealer service manager stated that they (dodge) have had many failures of the head gaskets on the caravan 4 cylinder. even though the car was out of warranty, dodge agreed to fix the engine head gasket. this is the second head gasket failure. thank god that i noticed the small oil leaks in the carport. if i haddn't the engine could have let go on the highway. something is very, very, wrong when you have to get a head gasket replaced every 10-30k miles. *ak | |||
| 11/20/1999 | 2 | 10/01/1997 | |
| At 57,048 miles, the head gasket began leaking coolant on the driveway. dealer stated that there should be no way these vehicles leak form the head gasket this soon. | |||
| 07/15/1999 | |||
| Went to change the brakes and noticed an oil leak. contacted dealer, and was told this is a common problem with a 4- cylinder after certain mileage. engine leaking from the head gasket. *ak | |||
| Engine heads cracked, causing anti-freeze to leak into the oil pan, the engine smokes vey bad because of this. dealer has been contacted. *ak | |||
| 09/17/1999 | |||
| Tension pulley belt thats controls the power steering and battery was very low. the battery/ thermostat went into a hot mode. also, that there is water underneath the carriage of the vehicle, and it sounds like a boat. the water underneath comes from side to side when riding the vehicle. *ak | |||
| Accident. vehicle pulls to right, steering wheel off center. tires leaking air. bent oil pan. | |||
| While driving at 67 mph on the highway engine pulley broke, causing the engine to shut down immediately. dealer has been contacted. *ak | |||
| 10/20/1998 | |||
| While pulling into driveway the flywheel: pulley belt popped out, causing total loss of control and shut down of the engine. dealer was contacted. *ak | |||
| 05/22/1998 | |||
| While driving at 20 mph, oil began to come from the engine. when owner brought van to dealership, dealer stated that the engine head gasket was blown. the head gasket has been replaced. *ak | |||
| 07/22/1997 | 4 | 07/09/1997 | |
| Vehicle leaks fuel while driving. owner notes problem has been corrected 4 different times, but problem returns. cause unknown. *ak consumer states that problem began at 55 miles when the service engine soon light illuminated, dealer stated vehicle was fixed, however engine light illuminated 30 miles later, dealer replace the fuel tank, problem occurred again and dealer replaced the o-ring and holding nut, problem still exists. left side door glass was bowed. unusual noise occurs when vehicle shifts from park to reverse, neutral to reverse, and neutral to drive, dealer stated this was normal. oil pan bent, dealer replaced. *slc | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 07/12/2002 | |||
| While traveling on highway vehicle stalls and then shutdown. dealership is aware of problem.*ak | |||
| 07/16/2002 | |||
| While driving at 60mph, speedometer kept moving between 20mph and 90mph, without driver decreasing or increasing in speed. oil light started flickering along with engine check light, then the vehicle started jerking.*ak. consumer stated there was a shortage of transmission fluid and engine oil, the serpentine belt was frayed on one side eventually coming off idle pully, losing steering ability, chrysler was aware of the transmission and speedometer and fixed the problem as a goodwill gesture.*jb | |||
| 05/15/2002 | 2 | 11/03/1996 | |
| Ea 01 007/air bag clockspring, air bag light remain on while driving and horn is inoperative. dealer contacted. *ak. the engine blew at 73000 miles according to the technician and advisor at the dodge dealership. *jg | |||
| 08/19/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment while parked, it is a total loss, claim 13-1389-946. *slc | |||
| 09/15/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, vehicle caught on fire under the hood, claim 53-c624-851. *slc | |||
| 07/11/2000 | 1 | ||
| While parked, vehicle caught on fire in the left front corner of the engine compartment, it states that the only possible natural cause for the fire would be an electrical malfunction, however this was not present in the evidence that was examnined after the fire, claim 13-7000-834. *slc | |||
| 03/30/2000 | 1 | ||
| Engine caught on fire while vehicle was parked in driveway, claim 35-w410-264. *slc | |||
| 03/25/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle started to smoke under the hood, there was a flame burning in the engine, consumer doused the flame, claim 33-0204-047. *slc | |||
| 03/30/2000 | 1 | ||
| Engine caught fire while parked in the driveway, claim 35-w410-264. *slc | |||
| 03/25/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle started to smoke under the hood, there was a flame burning in the engine, claim 33-0204-047. *slc | |||
| 08/19/2001 | 1 | ||
| While parked, vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment, claim 23-1389-946. *slc | |||
| 09/15/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, vehicle caught on fire in the engine compartment, claim 53-c624-851. *slc | |||
| 07/11/2001 | 1 | 03/03/1997 | |
| Consumer had parked vehicle and went inside place of employment, upon returning to vehicle he noticed vehicle was smoking under the hood, the engine area had caught fire and vehicle was totaled, driver of the vehicle was treated for smoke inhalation. *slc | |||
| 08/19/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment while parked, it is a total loss, claim 13-1389-946. *slc | |||
| 09/15/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, vehicle caught on fire under the hood, claim 53-c624-851. *slc | |||
| 07/11/2000 | 1 | ||
| While parked, vehicle caught on fire in the left front corner of the engine compartment, it states that the only possible natural cause for the fire would be an electrical malfunction, however this was not present in the evidence that was examnined after the fire, claim 13-7000-834. *slc | |||
| 03/30/2000 | 1 | ||
| Engine caught on fire while vehicle was parked in driveway, claim 35-w410-264. *slc | |||
| 03/25/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle started to smoke under the hood, there was a flame burning in the engine, consumer doused the flame, claim 33-0204-047. *slc | |||
| 08/19/2001 | 1 | ||
| While parked, vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment, claim 23-1389-946. *slc | |||
| 09/15/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, vehicle caught on fire in the engine compartment, claim 53-c624-851. *slc | |||
| 03/30/2000 | 1 | ||
| Engine caught fire while parked in the driveway, claim 35-w410-264. *slc | |||
| 03/25/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle started to smoke under the hood, there was a flame burning in the engine, claim 33-0204-047. *slc | |||
| 08/18/2001 | 2 | 05/29/2000 | |
| When driving at any speed and without prior warning, after vehicle has been driven over a period of time, vehicle will completely stall out, causing loss of all power. after attempting to restart vehicle on the third attempt, it will restart. consumer has contacted the dealer. *ak *slc | |||
| 02/01/2001 | 1 | 10/01/1999 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 4 | 11/01/1997 | ||
| When the vehicle reaches operating temperature the engine will intermittently stall out, the engine was replaced once due to oil leak but the problem still exist. nlm | |||
| 2 | |||
| Lifter noise developed when engine was started after sitting overnight. many components replaced and cleaned but noise still exist. nlm | |||
| 07/22/1998 | 5 | 06/18/1997 | |
| Vehicle experiences hesitation, bucking and misfires continually, several repair attempts to several components however continues to experience symptons. mjs | |||
| 08/28/1996 | |||
| While driving vehicle sporadically stalls out . dealer has vehicle, and cannot find a solution. *ak | |||
| 10/01/1999 | |||
| While driving at any speed or sitting at stop the van just quits. sometimes engine checklight will come on. the oxgyen sensor was replaced by dealership. owner kept experiencing the same problem. on nov 3, 1999, the van was taken to the dealership for the same problem. dealer could not find what caused the problem. *ak | |||
| 10/24/1999 | 1 | 01/01/1997 | |
| During higway driving me, and later my friends inside the car start to smell someting burnig. when we pull over and stop the car, there was smoke coming from an engine compartment. when we opened a hood, there was a fire inside engine compartment. hood padding was burning without apparent reason. fortunately i always have a fire extinguisher in my car and we extiguished this fire. now all interior of my car has terrible smell. my concern is: why padding inside engine compartment is highly flamable? do chrysler corporation need more peoples dead in car fires? what happen if somebody else will get fire and will not have a fire extinguisher handy? how many peoples cary fire extinguisher, maybe this spouse to be mandatory for all cars? thank you, zbigniew lucki | |||
| 10/01/1998 | |||
| Having a hard time for dealer to repair problem. always delaying tactics, because warranty is almost over. | |||
| 09/25/1998 | 1 | 10/01/1996 | |
| Camshaft broke in half at 59,000 miles, necessitating engine replacement. service mgr. & technician both iniststed this was very unusual in any engine, especially one with this low mileage. dodge refused to help with repairs as car was out of warranty. the wipers turn on by themselves every now and then, sometimes when just opening the doors. the whole brake system had to be replaced at 43,000 miles as it had never been properly looked at, even though service records showed inspection at three occasions before breaking down. original dealer was dutchess dodge, 614 south road, poughkeepsie, ny 12601 (914) 462-7700. they never responded to correspondence regarding the brakes & wipers. the engine was repaired at hyde park motors. i've contacted dodge (daimler/chrysler) and the district mgr. (phil fornabaio) but they refuse to help with the engine and wouldn't even meet with me. | |||
| 07/02/1999 | |||
| While driving at 65mph vehicle shut down without warning. had vehicle towed to dealer & mechanic could not locate cause of stalling. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1998 | |||
| Intermittently while driving vehicle will stall without any warning which may result in a crash. dealer cannot determine the cause of the problem. please provide further information and vin#. *ak | |||
| 07/29/1999 | |||
| While car is being driven engine dies.has to put the vehcile in park in order to start car again. cusumer has contacted dealer . *ak | |||
| 06/20/1999 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| The above mentioned vehicle was in route on a 12 hour road trip. about 2 hours before our destination, the van started making noises (when i applied pressure on the brakes they made a grinding noise). we arrived at our destination, and the next day the steering wheel started to lock up. i called a dodge dealer, but i was afraid to drive it that far, so i drove to the closest full service garage. the mechanic got behind the wheel, and before he got it out of the lot, he pulled back in and said he thought he knew what was wrong. he raised the van up, and i was shocked to see the engine falling out. he said to stay out of the van that it was very dangerous. i immediately had it towed to the dodge dealer. they verified the engine was falling out and kept the van a few days to install two bolts that they said were missing. i asked them if it was a factory error and he said no - the bolts were in at one time and somehow fell out. p.s. we had to rent a car for 6 days while it was repaired. the dealer said he never saw this happen before - true or not? | |||
| 03/01/1998 | 08/01/1996 | ||
| At low speeds usually in traffic jam or toll area, vehicle stalls with no reason. i lost control of the vehicle. on a separate incident at 50 mph i heard the egine rev up and slowly losing speed. i took it to the dealer, but cannot replicate the problem. *ak | |||
| 11/01/1998 | 15 | 08/01/1996 | |
| Vehicle stalls at low speeds and lost all control. took to dealer, but cannot replicate the problem. problem started at around 36000 mi.les. *ak | |||
| Vehicle is experiencing unexpected stalling while driving down the highway, it will suddenly stop. dealer has been contacted.*ak | |||
| 09/01/1998 | 20 | 02/01/1997 | |
| Engine will stall during deceleration, usually in the 20-40 mph range. this has occurred over 20 time during the last 6-9 months. on two occasions the stall nearly caused a rear end mva while my three children were passengers. local dealer unable to indentify or duplicate problem. i am an emergency medicine physician and feel this jeopardizes my family safety. thank you. | |||
| 02/05/1999 | 2 | 05/31/1997 | |
| Vehicle is continually shutting down repair have not rectified problems, when shut down occurs the power steering is lost and difficulty in maintaining control is severe. | |||
| 05/01/1998 | 5 | ||
| While driving at any speed, vehicle died out or stalled for no reason, no warning. took vehicle to dealer & left it for mechanic. picked vehicle up a week later & had to take it back. happened once more. mechanic said manufacturer claimed it was a software problem & there is no corrective fix for it. *ak | |||
| 12/20/1998 | 1 | 06/01/1997 | |
| Consumer noticed there is an oil leak coming from the engine or anohter part of the vehicle. the oil is in the driveway of the consumer's house. *ak | |||
| 05/01/1998 | 4 | 06/01/1997 | |
| The first incident involves the air conditioner system, i reported a whining noise to the dealer and on the first inspection they indicated that they could not duplicate the problem, on the second visit i insisted that the service advisor ride with me at which time he did infact hear the noise,they inspected the van and said that it was leaking freon.the noise still prevailed and when i took the van back to the dealer they reinspected the vehicle and indicated that they had to replace the compressor,a move to a new location by the local dodge dealer required me to wait over a month, and caused my van to go out of warranty, which the dealer told me not to worry that they would handle any problems associated with the air conditioner outside the warranty period with no charge. i returned the van to the dealer on wednesday nov. 18,1998 to have the vehicle looked at again, and informed them that it still makes noise and in fact it makes other noises, possibly the fan belt was loose etc. they replaced the fan belt and charges me $71.00 to do so as it was not covered by the warranty.i have purchased a max warranty from chrysler for $1200.00, in october before it went out of warranty. the second problem i have been having is that the vehicle is burning oil, and i have returned the vehicle to the dealer on several occations to have this looked at. they did a milage check to see the consumption over a given time period.it was first done over a 3000 mile period at which time it burned a half quart of oil,which the dealer said was acceptable, the second test was over a 6000 mile period and the vehicle burned a half a quart of oil, the third time was over a 3000 mile period and now the vehicle burns a full quart of oil, and when i returned the vehicle to the dealer they said that was still acceptable. i am confused, this does not seem right i think that i may have a lemon, please respond, as i am not sure what to do at this point. | |||
| 4 | 11/20/1996 | ||
| Vehicle stalling continually. | |||
| 02/10/1998 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle went through water, causing engine to lock up. | |||
| 01/11/1998 | 10 | 05/02/1997 | |
| Driving at various speeds engine will die out suddenly without any warning, resulting in loss of control of vehicle. usually takes about 10-15 minutes before it will restart. dealer has replaced power and relay modules. this is a intermittent problem. *ak | |||
| 05/13/1997 | |||
| Vehicle has a problem with acceleration when it is cold. the vehicle is sluggish until warmed up. dealer states that is the way all caravans are. the problem corrects itself after five to ten minutes. *ak | |||
| 07/02/1997 | |||
| The engine blew up when the driver accidently ran into a puddle of water. chrysler said it was the driver's fault. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 03/03/2007 | 78484 | 4 | 02/10/2006 |
| March 3,2007 i was driving to work in the rain. i drove for 30 minutes and then the serpentine belt came off my 97 dodge caravan again. this has happened several times. when this happens, the vehicle is almost impossible to steer. once again, i was lucky and did not have an accident. secondly, my small child was not in the vehicle. this is a very dangerous situation and on this model and year of dodge caravan there are numerous complaints on the internet of this problem. i did miss a day of work and had to have the belt put back on the car, as well as having the vehicle towed for about 25 miles. *jb | |||
| 09/27/2005 | 5 | 08/08/1999 | |
| Serpentine belt keeps coming off after hitting a puddle or body of water. this problem started, after having work done to my 1997 dodge caravan. a automotive shop replace the original serpentine belt due to being damage (broken). the vehicle has been return to automotive shop five time, since the original serpentine belt was replace, each incident my dodge caravan hit a puddle of water, just the correct way in which causing the serpentine belt to come off after the serpentine belt come off the check engine light and the battery check engine light comes on then the power steering locks up in which the car is out of control. daimler chrysler corporation and the united states government knows their is a problem with the serpentine belt configuration, but chosen not to due the right thing. *jb | |||
| 01/05/2005 | 1 | 01/23/1997 | |
| Serpentine belt comes off dodge grand caravan whenever there is inclement weather -ie, rain , snow, slush, making it almost impossible to drive this vehicle. my specific concern is that - this defect- may cause an extremely serious accident on some super highway because steering becomes almost impossible. i think the potential for many deaths is there if this problem - which appears quite frequently on chrysler product minivans is not corrected. it is my opiunion that there should be a recall on all the minivans which have similar configurations as the 1997 3.3 series engines. *ak | |||
| 10/26/2003 | 137054 | 1 | |
| Consumer was injured when her vehicle slid into a ditch after the serpentine belt and other parts fell to the ground. *ph *jb | |||
| 11475 | 7 | 12/01/1996 | |
| While driving over water puddles consumer noticed the serpentine belt froze, causing steering wheel to lock up. *ak the power steering had become inoperative, the gears would slip when shifted, the water pump leaked, the belt tensioner fell apart, the consumer would lose the steering when driving through a puddle of water,the a/c did not blow cool air due to a leaking evaporator, and the belt tensioner would stick and make noises when driving through water. *sc *jb | |||
| 10/03/2003 | 101746 | 1 | |
| The tension pulley sheared it's bolt and caused the pulley to fall off while driving. causing the power steering to go out and nearly losing control of the car. the bolt size was suprisingly small for a part that handles that much tension. my fear is that it will happen again while my kids are in it and at a higher speed. *la | |||
| 02/22/2003 | 70000 | 1 | |
| The serpentine belt popped off, which resulted in loss of power steering and function of the alternator, which caused the vehicle to stall.*jb | |||
| 02/10/2003 | 2 | ||
| The serpentine belt was replaced several times.*jb | |||
| 07/21/2002 | 3 | 10/01/2096 | |
| Mopar belt tensioner part 4536154 has been replaced 4 times, counting oe part. the tensioner fails between 25,000 and 30,000 miles destroying the belt. the last dodge dealer mechanic to replace the part stated that this is a common problem and that it persists with mopar replacement parts.*ak | |||
| 03/04/2002 | 4 | ||
| In heavy rain, serpentine belt comes off which causes vehicle to lose all power. forced water reduces friction, causing belt to loosen. this will be the fourth belt to be replaced. *ak *tt | |||
| 4 | |||
| Serpentine belt keeps coming off while driving at various speeds. this has happened 3 or 4 times already. was informed by mechanic serpentine belt would keep coming off whenever it gets wet. last couple of times belt came off there hasn't been any rain.*ak | |||
| 02/20/2001 | 1 | ||
| Airbag light came on and horn stopped working, mechanic stated clock spring assembly needed to be replaced. *ak also consumer was having problem with the radio that has been worked on five times and replaced twice and still doesnot work to consumer's satisfaction, consumer also had brakes replaced, also the tensioner belt on the timing belt, also the water pump broke, also transmission went out.*jb | |||
| 3 | 10/31/1996 | ||
| While driving serpentine belt would become loose. would have no prior warning. it caused problem with steering.*ak the loose serpentine belt caused power steering loss as well as power brakes and cooling fan. *yh | |||
| 02/05/2001 | 1 | 08/01/2000 | |
| Consumer was standing next to vehicle when engine belt fell off, and engine stopped working. then, took vehicle to dealer for repairs. deale could not find out what causes belt to fall off when original belt did not show any brakeage. *ak | |||
| 05/24/2000 | |||
| Serpentine belt pulley locking up and causing engine to cut off. dealer notified, and made repairs; but, problem was reoccurring. feel free to provide any further details on this matter . *ak | |||
| 12/22/2000 | 1 | 03/01/2000 | |
| While driving in heavy snow serpentine belt came off, causing powersteering to go out. dealer said there was a tsb out on that component, and that belt would come off as soon as vehicle went through 6 inches of snow. *ak installing a snow guard washer solved the problem. *yh | |||
| 11/11/1997 | 01/01/1997 | ||
| Lemon of a caravan - serpentine belt has freyed at the following milage points: 14138, 14661, 47724, 48333, 51280, 97143, 105647. ghost whipers at the following mile points: 17606, 47724, 105647. transmission rebuilt at the following mile points: 27000, 78868. luckly for us our dealer was understanding of our problems, but only after going to the service manager, and getting on a first name basis with the shop manager (who was tired of seeing our van in his shop every few months if not less). i have 24 instances of my van going into the shop, some instances having service bulletins. our latest adventure is yet another serpentine belt with the new dealership in bellevue, wa saying that the altinator bracket is misaligned. also, my drivers side sliding door will nolonger open. the new dealership stated that it needs to be taken to a body shop? i've had my van for almost 4 years, and when it's not in the shop, it acts like a good van, but that only lasts for at most 3 to 4 months at a time. my van was also a demo and was purchased with 5,822 miles on the odometer. *ak | |||
| 03/01/1998 | 4 | 12/01/1997 | |
| When the belt flew off, the dealership we took it to said that theis was a recurring problem they saw every day. and the replacement parts were the same as the original, and would probably fail agian within a few months. the last one was replaced in august. it is squealing again, indicating that the arm has again begun to fail. *ak | |||
| 07/29/2000 | 2 | 11/07/1997 | |
| While driving less than 30 mph serpentine belt tensioner pulley broke, causing all power steering to be lost. van was towed to the dealership, where the belt tensioner assembly and power steering pulley was replaced at owner's expense. dealership stated that this was a common problem,and happened all the time. owner very concerned for the safety of himself and others. *ak transmission jerks while taking off from stop. a/c does not cool enough. *yh | |||
| 03/02/1999 | 22 | 10/01/1997 | |
| The serpentine belt pully has broken twice, resulting in vehicle being towed twice, there is a constant thud from the gas tank when accelerating, stopped drains from the ac are a continous problem, car stutters at turnpike speeds as well as normal city driving, car has been in the shop 22 times in 27 months, tried to get information concerning lemon law but was asked to give us the chance to make it right .have had a niagra falls from under the dash twice since they fixed the problem car vibrates at turnpike speeds. door locks break/foul smell when the ac comes on, engine service lights come on for no reason, the van was leased, and to get out of the lease would involve several thousand dollars. i would take my 7 year old bonneville on trip before i would take my 2 year old van. what can be done about this? *ak | |||
| 03/20/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1997 | |
| The pulley that keeps the tension on the fan belt snapped off. a single bolt that holds this snapped in half. we lost the steering and other components all at once. how can something that takes the abuse of a fan/surpentine belt only require one bolt. i found others in your listing that had the very same problems. my parents also had the same problem on the town and country mini van. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1997 | |||
| Serpentine belt tensioner is not working properly, it breaks away from serpentine belt every 10,000 miles. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 09/14/1998 | 1 | ||
| Serpentine tensioner fell off resulting in loss of control of the power steering. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 05/10/2004 | 90000 | 4 | 09/21/1997 |
| I bought this van new in 1997 just after buying the van there was ticking noise coming from the engine i feel it is the lifters but dealership says no it was the fuel purge valve. the noise countinues to get worse and i am sure the noise is the lifters when i change the oil to 10w-30 the noise goes away. the oxygen sensor was replaced at approx 50k miles. the van has recently been in the shop for the transmission two or three time since november 2003 aprox. 90,000 miles on it. the transmission was hanging up in second gear when dodge retuned to me the transmission shuttered while driving. vehicle is now in the shop for the transmission again it is leaking from the output shaft seals and while in park when starting the vehicle the van jerks foward like the trasmission is still engaged. this all happens while in park. sometimes when the vehicle is shifted from drive to park if the accelorator is pressed the vehicle jumps / jerks foward this seems to be a safety issue as my wife and i have three children that sometimes walk in front of the van to get in when we go off as a family. my check engine light came on just hours before i returned to the dealer for transmission service and it is the egr valve failure that caused the ckeck engine light to come on. the dealership tried to put the transmission off as that but i am also a mechanic the egr valve has nothing to do with the transmissionacting as if it is engage although it is acually in park.this is not good practice to lie about a serious problem with the vehicle. also the transmission leak was caused from the first removal of the transmission and chrysler warranty department said the leak would not be covered this is also very digusting when you remove an axle the seal should be replaced before you reinstall the transmission. the dealer is still trying to find out what is wrong with my transmission. the water pump has failed and also the cooling fan relay failed for the engine cooling system.*ak | |||
| 03/01/2002 | |||
| On the same van they found it need rewiring of the o2 sensor 200+ dollar repair. other problems they have fixed on the van since we purchased the van in march of this year have totaled over 1200 dollars now they have found the clockspring and this rewiring problem | |||
| 05/21/1999 | 3 | ||
| Vehicle stalls, on one occasion vehicle hit a pot hole and vehicle stalled along with the failure of all power accessories, dealer replaced oxygen sensor and cam sensor, temperature gauge read hot, belt tensioner made humming noise, and flywheel was replaced. *slc | |||
| 06/29/2000 | 0 | 03/31/1997 | |
| Oxygen sensor replaced. engine check light will come on the dashboard red.*ak | |||
| 10/01/1999 | |||
| While driving at any speed or sitting at stop the van just quits. sometimes engine checklight will come on. the oxgyen sensor was replaced by dealership. owner kept experiencing the same problem. on nov 3, 1999, the van was taken to the dealership for the same problem. dealer could not find what caused the problem. *ak | |||
| 12/05/1998 | 2 | 05/31/1997 | |
| Vehicle shut down due to failure of the (pcm) power control module and oxygen sensor. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 1 | |||
| Engine had leaking seals which caused exhaust manifold to leak. fumes would come from blower (defroster) when it was turned on. there was an electrical short in engine. also, windshield wipers were erratic & would come on or off by themselves, and having a lot of problems with starter. *ak gasoline leaks from the tank due to the seal failure. inside door panel on drivers side is broken. *yh | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1997 | |
| Vehicle bought brand new, well maintained, but oil started leaking approximately 3 years from purchase. then dealer inspects vehicle and conveyed that manifold needed to be replaced also. very frustrating. service person at dealer could not viable explanation as to why there were leaks in gasket or manifold failure. | |||