Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 0900801 | 11/02/2001 | 632197 | Subject regarding camshaft / bearing service. *tt | 07/11/2002 | |
| 180200 | 02/04/2000 | 609989 | Concerns with the pcv valve freezing under extremely cold conditions. *tt | 04/12/2000 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| 090198 REV B | 11/13/1998 | 602588 | Vehicle experiencing a ticking noise while at idle from engine. *yc | 01/05/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||||
| 070299 | 06/04/1999 | 606159 | Concerns with serpentine belt slipping off idler pulley. *tt | 08/11/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||||
| 832 | 06/01/1999 | 606114 | Emissions call for an incorrect vehicle emission control information (vechi) label which was inadvertently installed. *tt | 08/09/1999 | |
| 250298 | 10/23/1998 | 602881 | Subject regarding i/m ( inspection maintenance ) testing - obd ii carb readiness monitor information. *yc | 01/20/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | |||||
| 180300 | 06/02/2000 | 614163 | Subject regarding egr monitor diagnostic test difficult to complete or not ready at high altitudes (above 4000 feet). *tt | 09/29/2000 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 12/01/2011 | 2 | ||
| 1999 dodge caravan. consumer states problem with vehicle engine *tgw the consumer stated the engine was replaced in 2003 and again in 2010. | |||
| 09/25/2011 | 150000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan se. while driving approximately 30 mph, smoke began to emit from the front end of the vehicle. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road and detected smoke and sparks underneath the hood area. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who stated the failure was related to the engine wiring harness. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000. | |||
| 09/25/2011 | 150000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan se. while driving approximately 30 mph, smoke began to emit from the front end of the vehicle. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road and detected smoke and sparks underneath the hood area. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who stated the failure was related to the engine wiring harness. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000. kmj | |||
| 09/25/2011 | 150000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan se. while driving approximately 30 mph, smoke began to emit from the front end of the vehicle. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road and detected smoke and sparks underneath the hood area. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who stated the failure was related to the engine wiring harness. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the vehicle had not been repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000. js | |||
| 08/15/2011 | 107500 | ||
| Serpentine belt slipped off of pulleys after driving over a wet road. vehicle is a 1999 dodge caravan, 3.0l v6, 4-speed automatic. within the past two weeks, this has happened two times, both in wet weather. the same issue occurred on a 1996 dodge caravan, 3.0l v6, 3-speed automatic, twice in the same two week period. the idler and tensioner pulleys were replaced on both vehicles with oem-equivalent parts after the first problem with each, yet the problem persists. the belt on the 1996 caravan also shredded at highway speed during dry weather during this period. when replaced, the belts on both vehicles ride off-center on the pulley for the power steering pump. | |||
| 07/05/2011 | 91250 | ||
| Dodge caravan 1999 serpentine belt dismounting upon driving through water. a dangerous and immediate loss of power steering, overheating, and loss of alternator output ( warning light on ) is noticed. | |||
| 12/01/2005 | 40000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan. while driving approximately 35 mph a clunking noise was heard prior to the vehicle stalling. the vehicle was pulled over. an independent mechanic appeared on the scene and informed the contact the serpentine belt shredded apart and disconnected. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where it was repaired. the failure has since recurred intermittently on numerous occasions. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 139,000. sm. | |||
| 02/18/2011 | 45000 | ||
| I have had repeated shredding of the serpentine belt on my 1999 dodge caravan resulting in loss of power steering and systems shutdown (including engine) during driving. this is a serious safety issue and i have read numerous reports of the exact same failure. brazil has recalled the dodge minivan for the same failures and dodge has made a modification kit (2005) for this problem but refuses to date to post a recall in the united states. i have replaced the belts 6 times and the tensioner 3 times in 60,000 miles. i have called dodge and they have refused to pay for the correction of the problem even though i had the last tensioner and belt put on at the dodge dealership although they used an old style tensioner not the new kit even though the new kit had been available since 2005 and i had the tensioner replaced in 2009. | |||
| 12/01/2005 | 40000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan. while driving approximately 35 mph a clunking noise was heard prior to the vehicle stalling. the vehicle was pulled over. an independent mechanic appeared on the scene and informed the contact the serpentine belt shredded apart and disconnected. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where it was repaired. the failure has since recurred intermittently on numerous occasions. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 139,000. sm. | |||
| 02/18/2011 | 45000 | ||
| I have had repeated shredding of the serpentine belt on my 1999 dodge caravan resulting in loss of power steering and systems shutdown (including engine) during driving. this is a serious safety issue and i have read numerous reports of the exact same failure. brazil has recalled the dodge minivan for the same failures and dodge has made a modification kit (2005) for this problem but refuses to date to post a recall in the united states. i have replaced the belts 6 times and the tensioner 3 times in 60,000 miles. i have called dodge and they have refused to pay for the correction of the problem even though i had the last tensioner and belt put on at the dodge dealership although they used an old style tensioner not the new kit even though the new kit had been available since 2005 and i had the tensioner replaced in 2009. | |||
| 12/01/2005 | 40000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan. while driving approximately 35 mph a clunking noise was heard prior to the vehicle stalling. the vehicle was pulled over. an independent mechanic appeared on the scene and informed the contact the serpentine belt shredded apart and disconnected. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where it was repaired. the failure has since recurred intermittently on numerous occasions. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 139,000. sm. | |||
| 02/18/2011 | 45000 | ||
| I have had repeated shredding of the serpentine belt on my 1999 dodge caravan resulting in loss of power steering and systems shutdown (including engine) during driving. this is a serious safety issue and i have read numerous reports of the exact same failure. brazil has recalled the dodge minivan for the same failures and dodge has made a modification kit (2005) for this problem but refuses to date to post a recall in the united states. i have replaced the belts 6 times and the tensioner 3 times in 60,000 miles. i have called dodge and they have refused to pay for the correction of the problem even though i had the last tensioner and belt put on at the dodge dealership although they used an old style tensioner not the new kit even though the new kit had been available since 2005 and i had the tensioner replaced in 2009. | |||
| 12/01/2005 | 40000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan. while driving approximately 35 mph a clunking noise was heard prior to the vehicle stalling. the vehicle was pulled over. an independent mechanic appeared on the scene and informed the contact the serpentine belt shredded apart and disconnected. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where it was repaired. the failure has since recurred intermittently on numerous occasions. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 139,000. sm. | |||
| 02/18/2011 | 45000 | ||
| I have had repeated shredding of the serpentine belt on my 1999 dodge caravan resulting in loss of power steering and systems shutdown (including engine) during driving. this is a serious safety issue and i have read numerous reports of the exact same failure. brazil has recalled the dodge minivan for the same failures and dodge has made a modification kit (2005) for this problem but refuses to date to post a recall in the united states. i have replaced the belts 6 times and the tensioner 3 times in 60,000 miles. i have called dodge and they have refused to pay for the correction of the problem even though i had the last tensioner and belt put on at the dodge dealership although they used an old style tensioner not the new kit even though the new kit had been available since 2005 and i had the tensioner replaced in 2009. | |||
| 10/26/2009 | 1 | ||
| We own a 1999 dodge caravan. three weeks ago we took it in for a check up at a certified mechanics shop. they informed us the tensioner was bent and serpentine driving belt needed replacing. we authorized them to make the repair. we have owned this vehicle since 1994 with no incident. last monday we drove through standing water and the serpentine belt was thrown. we lost power steering not to mention that the driving belt powers everything else for the vehicle. thankfully we were only a short distance out of town and were able to drive back to the mechanics shop. they informed us that indeed this is a problem dodge minivans have. in the last 2 days we have gone online and found many web forums where this has happened to 1,000's of dodge/chrysler owners going back as far as 2002. dodge has never issued a recall for this known problem and potentially deadly flaw in their engine pulley design. we can buy an aftermarket new designed tensioner and belt at our expense manufactured by 2 separate companies, but dodge offers nothing to consumers who bought their vehicles thinking they are safe. we would like to see dodge/chrysler acknowledge this defect and recall these potential death traps off the road to fix this negligence on their part. just because people are not dying in crashes because of this (or are they and we just never find out this was the cause) doesn't mean they should not be responsible. *tr | |||
| 08/17/2009 | 1 | ||
| I had a clock spring replaced in my 1999 dodge caravan. this was a recalled part replacement. after the clock spring was replaced the cooling fan would not shut off and drained the battery. the repair for this was $590.30 to me. parts required to fix the cooling fan:1.battery, 2.relay mini, 3.relay pkg, 4.relay. *tr | |||
| 11/02/2005 | 69000 | 1 | |
| Belt comes off in wet weather. sudden loss of power steering. have replaced tensioner 4 times. sudden loss of power steering in wet weather can lead to loss of control. *tr | |||
| 06/29/2008 | 109285 | 1 | |
| Serpentine belt comes off pulley. occurred four (4) times within the last 12 months. twice during wintry conditions of less than three (3) inches of snow and twice during normal rainfall. most recent occurred june 29, 2008. *tr | |||
| 04/24/2008 | 91000 | 2 | 03/01/2008 |
| Tl* the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan. on april 24, 2008, while driving approximately 25 mph, the check engine light on the instrument control panel illuminated, and the temperature of the vehicle increased. the contact pulled over to allow the vehicle to cool. he restarted the vehicle and drove home. the dealer instructed him to bring the vehicle in to be diagnosed; however, the vehicle was not in driving condition and no longer covered under warranty. the contact repaired the vehicle himself. the failure mileage was 91,000 and current mileage was 91,929. updated 07/07/08.*lj the fan relay switch was replaced twice. the dealer replaced the wiring harness. the headlight had condensation on theinside. updated | |||
| 10/10/2002 | 10 | ||
| I have a 1999 dodge grand caravan that the serpentine belt has come off of numerous times, because of a manufacture defect. whenever the tension wheel gets splashed with water the belt pops off. you immediately lose power steering, it is so dangerous!! the car overheats. i have talked to many mechanics and this is a well known problem with that particular vehicle. i have spent much money to have it fixed and not to mention the stress. i have also researched this on the internet and found that they have recalled these vehicles in brazil because of the same problem. *tr | |||
| 07/16/2007 | 1 | 08/08/2003 | |
| Corrosion of left forward strut tower. during scheduled oil change, saw extensive corrosion on left shock tower in engine compartment. the corrosion appears to have developed from inside the shock tower and only became apparent recently. corrosion is affecting the outboard half of the shock tower and affects two of the three bolts holding the strut to the tower. took the vehicle to the dealers body shop. they said there is a factory kit to fix this problem, but they were not impressed with its structural strength or appearance. suggested replacing strut tower as a better option at the cost of $1300.00. said dodge would not provide any warranty because the vehicle has 116k miles. asked service manager if they had seen this problem before, said they had repaired a few, and this defect seems always to be on the left side of caravans. he also said that he had not seen any strut towers fail, but researching this web site there have been numerous failures and constitutes a safety defect, the manufacturer needs to correct. *tr | |||
| 04/04/2005 | 1 | 03/15/2002 | |
| The oil pan is rusting out and will require replacement. *ak | |||
| 04/28/1999 | |||
| Vehicle tends to stall at various speeds when the check engine light stayes on. consumer will contact manufacturer.*ak | |||
| 08/19/2004 | 17592 | 1 | |
| Received safety recall for clockspring, took to dealer for repairs. they also removed and repaired engine sensors . *bf *tc | |||
| 20000 | 1 | ||
| Intermittently air bag light and the oil light illuminated, and vehicle made a chiming noise when starting. the lights and the chiming continued for 5 to 15 minutes. dealer could not duplicate or determine the problem. *ak | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 157895 | 1 | 05/08/1999 |
| I recently took my 1999 dodge caravan to my mechanic because of an anti-freeze leak. the mechanic found that the water pump needed replacement and suggested that the timing belt be done at the same time, since it was due to be replaced. i agreed to have the timing belt done. in the process of replacing the timing belt the mechanic found that the belt tensioner was faulty. he tried ordering a replacement part and discovered that the existing belt tensioner was no longer available and that it was replaced by an upgraded belt tensioner kit. my complaint is if dodge found the need to change the design of this part why was it not made a recall? this problem ended up costing me an additional $245.00 in parts and labor to have this new belt tensioner kit install, not to mention a week without the car because of the part availability. *ak | |||
| 10/01/2003 | 1 | 09/15/1999 | |
| My 1999 dodge caravan (2.4 engine) is experiencing oil loss. i just had it tuned up about 5 months ago and it is still losing a considerable amount of engine oil(1 qt/500 miles; normal-according to several dealers).mechanic found problems with pcv system and replaced yellow restrictor. charged $98. recently had oil change. ten days later, oil is black and broken down. oil level on dipstick is down to half. *ak | |||
| 10/02/2003 | 40000 | 1 | |
| While driving a noise was heard coming from the engine. dealer found that timing belt broke. *ak the idler pulley made noises and the consumer found that the system needed to be updated. the update parts were the timing belt, tensioner, idler pulley, timing covers, water pump, two drive belts, thermostat and the oil pan gasket leaked. *scc *jb | |||
| 11/02/2001 | 1 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Warranty 36,000 miles/3years. dropping van off for routine brake job, van died in garage parking lot, temp guage had no indication anything wrong,tailpipe smoking, , had police stop by to see, garage looked at engine fly wheel fell off and head gasket melted. car only has 54,000 miles on it. contacted chrysler nothing they would do. the garage i have it at is not more than 5 minutes from a dodge dealer, they would not even send anyone to look at the engine to agree or disagree what had happened. cannot get the car towed because the engine is apart and will cost $800 to put the broken engine back in the car and that again to have dodge take it apart. it is amazing that the temprature guage would not indicate that my engine had gotton so hot that the head gaskett melted and the fly wheel fell off. this car had regular oil changes ect at walmart. they never indicated fluid problems.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 07/29/2008 | 220000 | 1 | |
| Our belts sips off during wet weatherfive times we replaced the s belt and the tensioners,waterpump,overheating our 2nd yr of owership.now the 3rd yr of transmissions leaking,the abs light came on while driving at 35mph w/children in car ,starting to brake causing to slow way down in traffic and made a chime sound,the horn went off and it got hot fast causing the car to shut down. thank god there was room to get over. all the lights were flickering all over the dashboard. the car just leaks everywhere,water,oil,trans. something needs to be done about these cars. i cant even get mine smog because i have to keep unplugging my battery because now we have a short in the electrical system somewhere. i brought a lemon.....oh yeah! i called the dealer, they cant replace the cruise control unless the abs light stays on. i hope i don't die cause the airbags wont work because i have a electrical shortage. 2 batteries were replaced,alternator too. the clockspring wont work for my car only the cruise control so said the dealer. i would feel bad selling this car to a family ,cause what if they were killed. i couldn't deal with that. the day that happened was on my daughter 16th birthday. i had to stop everywhere all day to put water in the radiator just to keep it cool enough not to ruin her day. i hate hot days,i fear the rainy days, i cant see at night cause my headlights on the left side burned out and the covers has a glass over them. *tr | |||
| 01/09/2003 | 99000 | 1 | |
| Serpentine belt comes off while driving on wet roads. i replace pulleys belts several times this has happen since the van ran out of warranty. finally i took to chrysler and they put double pulleys on an a double side belt cost was around $300.00. chrysler knew of this problem. this happens in winter time also. *tr | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 08/03/2004 | 60000 | 2 | 02/01/2000 |
| Dt: contact stated something was defective with the radiator and transmission. the coolant from the radiator went into the transmission and destroyed the transmission. this happened about two weeks ago. she took the vehicle to a mechanic and he changed the radiator and tried to flush the transmission, but the transmission was to be rebuilt. she called chrysler and they said they could not do anything. the mechanic told her he had changed many with the exact same problem.*ak *jb | |||
| 04/09/2003 | 100000 | 1 | 11/23/1998 |
| The engine was running really rough. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they determined that oil was getting into the radiator. *ak the engine light did not illuminate to warn the consumer of the problem. *sc | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 07/10/2008 | 1 | 04/01/2005 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan. the contact stated that when the vehicle makes contact with water, the serpentine belt, which controls the steering, detaches. the manufacturer advised her to take the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. the dealer stated that they will charge a service fee to diagnose the vehicle. updated 6/4/09 *cn updated 06/09/09.*jb | |||
| 02/14/2008 | 76000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan. while driving 60 mph, smoke appeared under the hood of the vehicle. the check engine light did not illuminate. the contact evaluated the engine and noticed that the oil was low; however, the low oil indicator did not illuminate as well. the vehicle was towed to the contacts residence and has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the failure mileage was 76,000. | |||
| 02/01/2007 | 105000 | 2 | 10/01/2005 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan. while driving 15 mph through puddles in the road, the serpentine belt detached from the vehicle. the failure has been occurring for six months. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop after the first failure. once the vehicle was repaired, the mechanic stated that this was a common failure in this vehicle model. after the second failure occurred, she conducted research and discovered a tsb. the contact believes that there should be a recall on her vehicle. the current mileage was 107,000 and failure mileage was 105,000. | |||
| 02/03/2003 | 1 | ||
| Engine races, the transmission whines and changes gears while in the park position. the consumer also complained of another vehicle she owns a 1996 chrysler cirrus. the key lock was replaced 3 times and it accelerated on its own. *jb | |||
| 07/02/2004 | 86396 | 1 | |
| While pulling out of a driveway the vehicle began to hesitate and then engine failed. the consumer also noticed that transmission fluid was leaking onto the engine. please provide additional information. *jb *tc | |||
| 10/30/2003 | 44000 | 1 | 10/01/1998 |
| Engine head gasket failed at 44,000 miles. *la | |||
| 40000 | 1 | 01/03/2001 | |
| While driving, smoke entered the cabin which was caused by the head gasket blowing out and leaking oil onto the exhaust pipe and catalytic converter. the mechanic replaced the head gasket. the manufacturer redesigned an upgraded the head gasket. the van had 4 cylinders, and 2.4 liter engine. *ak the fumes and smoke made the consumer and his wife sick. (sinus and coughing which existed two weeks after) *scc *jb | |||
| 06/17/2003 | 1 | ||
| Consumer took vehicle to the dealer because engine was not working properly. dealer stated, head gasket broke, vehicle was out of warranty. *ak | |||
| 06/02/2003 | 1 | ||
| The vehicle experienced an oil leak. *jb | |||
| 09/19/2001 | 43000 | 0 | |
| Oil leaking at head gasket at 43,000 mi (3yr 36k warranty) wanted a second opinion as i could not believe it. mechanic who looked at it then wasn't sure but kept an eye on it. just brought it to a new mechanic now have 60,000 miles on it. new mechanic says he has seen this problem multiple times in this model and the neon. we bought this car brand new. upon delivery it had a dent which had to be repaired on my time, we had a/c repaired twice, power train control module replaced(kept stalling while driving),and visor broke, all during first 6 months. now this. chrysler says there are no recalls or extended warranty for this. i plan to keep fighting this one. *nlm | |||
| 03/06/2003 | 1 | 02/01/1999 | |
| The vehicle stalled without warning. vehicle was repaired and kept in the garage.*jb | |||
| 02/23/2003 | 1 | ||
| The vehicle stalled without warning. *jb | |||
| 12/21/2002 | 62000 | 11/06/1998 | |
| My dodge caravan 99, stalls. i can be turning a corner, putting on the brake, slowing down and the car stalls. this has put me in very dangerous situations. my van has been at the dealership twice now. i had to ask for a monitor to be put on the engine to detect what was happening. this was not offered to me, but someone i work with had a dodge van with the very same problem and they had a monitor put on theirs. currently the van is stalling, i am pushing the button on the monitor hoping the problem will be detected. this is the third time the van has been in for this problem that they can not figure out. as someone i work with had a dodge van, an older one, but same van, with the same symptoms it makes me concerned that my van has some kind of defect. as this is my only car, and i can not afford a new one at this time i am forced to drive it never ever knowing when it will stall and i will loose control as i loose my power brakes and steering. incredibly dangerous. | |||
| Owner heard noise while traveling at 55 mph. when driver made attempt to turn the steering failed to respond due to the serpentine belt coming off. please describe details. *mr | |||
| 10/03/2002 | |||
| While traveling 10 mph, the timing belt broke which resulted in total shut down of all motorized function(s) associated with the engine running. please describe details. *mr | |||
| 06/10/2002 | 1 | 04/01/2099 | |
| I began to notice oil underneath my 1999 dodge caravan on my concrete driveway. it appeared to come from the valve cover. the vehicle mileage was only 47,000 and the van less than two years old. allstar dodge service told me it could be the valve cover or the head gasket which he advised could cost around a thousand dollars to repair. my caravan was out of warranty (3yr/36,000 miles) i took the van to a mechanic. he repaired the valve cover gasket and notice no other problem at the time. two months later the head gasket failed. i contacted allstar dodge service whom advised me that there were no problems with the caravan and no recalls. i took the van back to my mechanic to have the head gasket repaired. my mechanic told me the engine in this van is the same 2.4l engine that was recalled in the dodge neons 1997 with faulty gaskets. he stated that i may want to investigate the problem. i have since found complaints about both the valve cover and the head gasket problem. i pray others with the same problems would file complaints so that something can be done to remedy these problems and before someone gets seriously hurt or dies. *ak | |||
| 04/10/2002 | |||
| Consumer noticed lack of power while driving. dealer determined head gasket was leaking and needed to be replaced.*ak | |||
| 03/29/2002 | 1 | 07/01/1999 | |
| I was told by the independent mechanic that first diagnosed the leaking head gasket that he had repaired quite a few of these and thought there might be a recall. we took the van to the dealer and although the car is only 8k out of warranty agreed to only pay for part ($5 gasket) we would have to pay for labor ($600). if one mechanic at a small shop has repaired more than 1 or 2 head gaskets on a 1999 vehicle i can only imagine how many other people have had similar problems.*ak | |||
| 03/22/2001 | 0 | ||
| Head gasket and transmission malfunctiouned. vehicle has only 74000 miles. problem started also immediately after he purchased vehicle. *ak | |||
| 11/02/2001 | 1 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Warranty 36,000 miles/3years. dropping van off for routine brake job, van died in garage parking lot, temp guage had no indication anything wrong,tailpipe smoking, , had police stop by to see, garage looked at engine fly wheel fell off and head gasket melted. car only has 54,000 miles on it. contacted chrysler nothing they would do. the garage i have it at is not more than 5 minutes from a dodge dealer, they would not even send anyone to look at the engine to agree or disagree what had happened. cannot get the car towed because the engine is apart and will cost $800 to put the broken engine back in the car and that again to have dodge take it apart. it is amazing that the temprature guage would not indicate that my engine had gotton so hot that the head gaskett melted and the fly wheel fell off. this car had regular oil changes ect at walmart. they never indicated fluid problems.*ak | |||
| 12/01/2001 | |||
| Engine head gasket is defective there is oil leaking from vehicle. contacted dealer, and the dealer has tightened up some of the parts. please provide more information. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1998 | |||
| We were advised that component was redesigned due to the number of problems with the head gasket seal breaking and leaking oil. *ak | |||
| 10/15/2000 | 1 | ||
| Head gasket started leaking in october 2000. currently, it needs replacement. *ak the dealer had already replaced the head gasket. *yh | |||
| 02/14/2001 | 12/01/1998 | ||
| Blown head gasket at 48,000 miles/not covered by warranty??!?!*ak | |||
| 12/10/2000 | |||
| Engine pressure built up due a faulty pcv valve, causing oil to leak , also, crankshaft and valve cover to blow out. dealer has repaired vehicle. *ak | |||
| 10/25/2000 | 1 | ||
| My dodge caravan has 47,000 highway miles on it and is two years old. i just brought it in for an oil change and was told that it needs a new head gasket. my mechanic tells me that this is a recurring problem with these vehicles and that he has seen at least twenty other cases of this problem in cars with less than 50,000 miles. i am certain that this is worthy of review for a recall if it can be assumed that every mechanic has seen twenty such instances. *ak | |||
| 2 | 03/01/1997 | ||
| While driving 70 mph vehicle will completely shut down without warning, this problem also occurs while vehicle is stopped at traffic lights. dealer replaced the iac motor and crankshaft sensor which did not correct the problem. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 09/15/2007 | 91500 | 1 | 03/15/1999 |
| Engine developed a massive high pressure oil leak causing near flame conditions, loss of oil and possible engine damage. vehicle was diagnosed at independent repair facility. the difficulty is defective cylinder head/ cylinder head gasket failure spraying a mist of hot oil onto the hot catalytic converter and remaining exhaust system. vaporized oil subjected to these conditions can explode violently. the vehicle has been placed out of service. the cost of repairs (new engine) exceeds the value of the vehicle. research proved chrysler corporation has known of this problem since prior to 1994 and has attempted to patch the problem rather than repair it correctly in thousands of cases to date. my contentions is the chrysler corporation knowing sold me an unsafe defective vehicle to me and many others. *tr | |||
| 12/11/2002 | |||
| While traveling on the highway and climbing up a hill the vehicle looses power. the campaign number is 00b26800. but his vehicle vin does not match. please furnish additional information dealer is aware of the problem. mr | |||
| The van has developed an oil leak between the engine head and block which a mechanic feels this is an unusual place. fumes are entering into the compartment of the van. please describe details. mr | |||
| 08/01/2002 | |||
| While traveling on the highway without prior warning. the vehicle shut down and would not restart. the dealership is aware of the problem. mr | |||
| 05/13/2002 | 1 | 12/01/2099 | |
| Dealer is refusing to allow me to talk to the dodge factor rep. no safety defect listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 10/29/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer was resting along side of road and smelled smoke, upon starting vehicle it ignited in the engine compartment, injuring consumer, claim 22-v641-822. *slc | |||
| 01/13/2002 | 1 | ||
| While driving, a police car notified consumer that the vehicle was on fire, fire department broke the windshield to put out the fire, claim 22-v687-499. *slc | |||
| 10/29/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer smelled smoke while resting along side of the road, consumer tried to start the vehicle, however it ignited upon starting in the engine compartment, claim 22-v641-822. *slc | |||
| 01/13/2002 | 1 | ||
| While driving, a police car pulled up and notified consumer that vehicle was on fire, vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment, claim22-v687-499. *slc | |||
| 01/13/2002 | 1 | ||
| While driving, a police car notified consumer that the vehicle was on fire, fire department broke the windshield to put out the fire, claim 22-v687-499. *slc | |||
| 10/29/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer was resting along side of road and smelled smoke, upon starting vehicle it ignited in the engine compartment, injuring consumer, claim 22-v641-822. *slc | |||
| 07/20/1999 | 3 | 11/01/1998 | |
| While traveling at 40 mph, consumer heard a clunk noise. consumer pulled vehicle over and could not put vehicle in gear. vehicle was towed to dealer, dealer stated that a pin in transmission broke and transmission needed replaced. *ak check engine light illuminated. *slc | |||
| 10/29/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer smelled smoke while resting along side of the road, consumer tried to start the vehicle, however it ignited upon starting in the engine compartment, claim 22-v641-822. *slc | |||
| 01/13/2002 | 1 | ||
| While driving, a police car pulled up and notified consumer that vehicle was on fire, vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment, claim22-v687-499. *slc | |||
| 11/02/2001 | 1 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Warranty 36,000 miles/3years. dropping van off for routine brake job, van died in garage parking lot, temp guage had no indication anything wrong,tailpipe smoking, , had police stop by to see, garage looked at engine fly wheel fell off and head gasket melted. car only has 54,000 miles on it. contacted chrysler nothing they would do. the garage i have it at is not more than 5 minutes from a dodge dealer, they would not even send anyone to look at the engine to agree or disagree what had happened. cannot get the car towed because the engine is apart and will cost $800 to put the broken engine back in the car and that again to have dodge take it apart. it is amazing that the temprature guage would not indicate that my engine had gotton so hot that the head gaskett melted and the fly wheel fell off. this car had regular oil changes ect at walmart. they never indicated fluid problems.*ak | |||
| 07/13/2001 | 1 | 12/01/1999 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 07/28/2001 | 4 | 01/01/1999 | |
| First time car stalled on local street on 27th may 00 after few attempts, it start again. dealer could not figer out, it stalled again on 06/11/00 on highway so scarry, then they changed computer pc it happened again on 07/23 &07/28, 01 which tey blamed carbon build up which i don't trust them because only 23400 miles and i never heard that car turned off due to that reason during normal speed. *ak | |||
| 07/13/1999 | 8 | ||
| Consumer states that engine makes loud noise and it idles erratically, vehicle has stalled while travelling 60 mph, on one occasion, dealer found that a piston had failed, however problem still exist. brakes squealed, dealer cleaned and sanded pads and rotors. vehicle shook at speeds above 70 mph, dealer balanced and rotated tires. consumer smelled strong odors through the ventilation system. passenger side sliding door inoperable. alternator belt came apart. accelerator rattles. vehicle experiences deceleration. carpet buckles. *slc | |||
| 06/22/2000 | 0 | ||
| While driving tie rod broke, causing loss of control. also, the engine stalled without a warning. *ak | |||
| 02/28/1999 | 2 | 11/27/1998 | |
| While driving 60 mph on the highway the vehicle stalled without warning. cause unknown. dodge repurchased the vehicle under the lemon law after several failed attempts to fix it. *ak *ml | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 07/10/2008 | 1 | 04/01/2005 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan. the contact stated that when the vehicle makes contact with water, the serpentine belt, which controls the steering, detaches. the manufacturer advised her to take the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. the dealer stated that they will charge a service fee to diagnose the vehicle. updated 6/4/09 *cn updated 06/09/09.*jb | |||
| 08/20/2008 | 129000 | 1 | |
| 1. vehicle: 1999 dodge caravan serpentine belt slippage when road is wet. 2. the belt slips off the pulleys, steering power is lost and i get stranded in the middle of busy streets. this is a safety issue! (i wonder if i would have made it out alive if i was driving on i-95!) on the internet there are 100s - if not 1000s - of stories/complaints: wives stranded in the snow with children, elderly people stuck in a street in a rainy night, and caravan /voyager owners changing belt and pulleys 2 or 3 times, without the problem being corrected. it seems that the chrysler corporation has willingly ignored this problem since 1996! i am reading of misaligned pulleys and motor mounds. this issue needs a resolve and a recall! and.... there is a fix!!! please check gates part #38379k and goodyear part #49215k. so, there is a problem which is totally ignored by chrysler in a final note, i am going to buy the fix in order to be able to operate my vehicle with no fear of getting stranded somewhere in a rainy day or night. i believe that chrysler corporation should reimburse me for the repair and replacement of parts - not my fault- their screw up! and just to let you know that i called chrysler corporation to find out if they would reimburse me. i called the washington, dc office and my called was routed to a call center in india (!). i asked to be transferred to a supervisor at the corporate office in the us, which i was. i spoke to a supervisor, who told me i am sorry. your vehicle is out of warranty, and chrysler corporation will not re-imburse you for any repairs pertaining to this problem. i went out today with my husband's ford aerostar, to check the roads after tropical storm fay (won't dare take my caravan) and there were dozens of caravan like mini vans stranded in the streets of our city. suppose we had evacuation orders for flooding or a hurricane emergency..... please do something about this! *tr | |||
| 01/09/2003 | 99000 | 1 | |
| Serpentine belt comes off while driving on wet roads. i replace pulleys belts several times this has happen since the van ran out of warranty. finally i took to chrysler and they put double pulleys on an a double side belt cost was around $300.00. chrysler knew of this problem. this happens in winter time also. *tr | |||
| 06/29/2008 | 109285 | 1 | |
| Serpentine belt comes off pulley. occurred four (4) times within the last 12 months. twice during wintry conditions of less than three (3) inches of snow and twice during normal rainfall. most recent occurred june 29, 2008. *tr | |||
| 01/05/2008 | 12 | ||
| Serpentine belt has fallen off on many occasions. usually when it is wet out. i have had this vehicle to the garage about 12 times in the past two months and spent alot of money trying to fix this. i know there is a tsb on this issue. i feel since it is a safety hazard to be driving and lose all control of your vehicle that there should be a recall issued for this problem. i live in the northeast and it is impossible to avoid wet weather. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2008 | 133000 | 1 | 06/01/2000 |
| 99 dodge caravan in repair shop to have 4th or 5th belt tensioner & 7th serpentine belt replaced loss of power steering rendered vehicle dangerous, barely avoided accident dodge customer service denied any knowledge of problem with this part until, after second call & demanding to speak with manager, i directly asked: 'are there any publicly available notices, warnings, recommendations, etc, related to the 99 dodge caravan and serpentine belts or belt tensioner'. finally, this 'manager' told me that there was a technical bulletin (available to repair shops, not car owners) which stated that the vehicle should not be driven in heavy snow (deepest snow it's ever been in was 3-4). if the co. had no idea, then why is there a factory-made part to correct it? and why is there no recall? why is this information so difficult to get from the company, as their customer? this seems to be a failure both on the part of the company (for hiding, not repairing this serious flaw) and the government (for not forcing a recall, thereby putting the general public at risk of injury or death). *tr | |||
| 12/19/2006 | 106000 | 5 | 02/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge caravan. while driving 15 mph, the contact noticed a loss of power in the vehicle and its power steering. the mechanic stated that the serpentine belt detached from the vehicle. the contact stated that the serpentine belt detached on four occasions and the road conditions were snowy or wet each time. the current and failure mileages were 106,000. | |||
| 01/13/2007 | 70416 | 2 | 02/20/2000 |
| During a rain the serpentine belt fell off causing loss of power steering, water pump and other equipment. this is a serious safety issue, and dodge has a tsb out. but they are making no effort to correct this flaw. it seems that anytime water gets on this belt it will come off. how many crashes is it going to take before something is done to remedy this situation? *jb | |||
| 12/24/2006 | 105000 | 4 | 11/11/1998 |
| Serpentine belt failure,slips off when wet,steering fails | |||
| 12/01/2006 | 115360 | 4 | 06/04/1999 |
| 1) pulley / tensioner / serpentine belt failure in a 1999 dodge caravan replaced 3 times. 2) driving in rainy weather, drove through a small puddle in the road and the belt came off the car leaving me stranded. no power steering, no oil pumping through the car, etc... 3) dodge claims they have no fix for the problem - we just have to keep putting on new belts and replacing tensioners. 4) http://www.topix.net/forum/autos/dodge-grand-caravan/ttrejj5uag0sp62tj - see this link for complaints all around the country on the same issue with this vehicle. *jb | |||
| 09/27/2006 | 150000 | 1 | 07/01/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while traveling various speeds in wet conditions, the battery light illuminated and the steering wheel locked up. the vehicle was towed to multiple independent repair shops, who determined the serpentine belt slipped off and the belt was replaced. there had been no inspections into what caused the serpentine belt to slip off. | |||
| 06/22/2005 | 2 | 04/20/2004 | |
| Dt: the contact states the when it rains and he drives through a rain puddle the serpentine belt falls off. this has happened twice. the vehicle was taken to dealer for repairs. the manufacturer was contacted, and they offered no free remedy.*ak | |||
| 10/15/2005 | 85000 | 7 | 03/03/2003 |
| I had pulley/arm tension replaced three times , on that third time i then found out there was a bracket made to correct the problem.but during the times of all these repairs (in the past two and half years of buying the van) i have had many breakdowns causing the van to be very difficult to manage(almost hitting a telephone pole once) no power steering or brakes and the battery quickly died out, the last two times my 16 year old was driving, not safe for an inexperienced driver! there were also several broken serpintine belt during this course also. i work in a hospital and have at times be called in any hour of the night and where i live that can be in the middle of a blizzard, actually it truely happened to me during the blizzard of 2005 here in ri (i have repair statements to verify the dates) its sad to know the when cars truely have problems consumers cant just be notified just for safety sake. i was told at the dealership that the information about the bracket was found on a service bulletin (? dodge)and the same weekend the secretary at the service desk told me three other minivan were brought in due to their serpentine belts falling off. my neighbor who has a 1998 caravan has also replaced his tension/arm pulley. i never realized how much trouble one part could cause. but please just one more thing my van also was just worked on again , due to a component in the radiator the works with the transmission, well it ruptured causing my van to breakdown, i needed a new radiator and my transmission flushed.($$) hopefully this has not caused any harm to my transmission. could it be realted to the previous problems? | |||
| 06/01/2003 | 5 | 08/28/2001 | |
| Dt: the contact stated that the drive belt came off on four different occasions. each time it occurred after a heavy rain while driving through a puddle. he had the belt replaced at a local service dealer. the next time it occurred they put the same belt on again. the third time they told him that the drive belt needed to be replaced. he had it replaced again. he is unsure of the exact cause of the slipping. the belt came off again. the vehicle is at the dealer now. *ak | |||
| 02/01/2004 | 10 | ||
| When raining the serpentine belt completely disengages. the vehicle will lose power. when the belt comes off the vehicle will jerk to the left. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and she was told that there was no solution for this problem, and put the belt back on. there is a manufacturing problem with the dodge caravan. the most common factor is when water touches this belt it will come off. *ak | |||
| 01/27/2005 | 80000 | 3 | 04/21/2001 |
| When driving 60 mph on wet road the serpentine belt came off the engine pulley. this caused power steering assist problem, engine overheating, and stalling. dealer was notified, but was unable to resolve this issue. *ak | |||
| 08/04/2004 | 62000 | 4 | |
| While driving 25 mph serpentine belt fell off. vehicle was towed. dealership repaired this problem 3 times. however.roblem recurred. *ak | |||
| 04/29/2004 | 6000 | 1 | |
| While driving in rainy weather the serpentine belt fell off the engine. dealership was notified and suggested that they needed to inspect. *ak there was a tsb for this issue but the consumer was informed that this did not pertain to this vehicle. *sc jb | |||
| 07/01/2004 | 3 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Ltr fm thomas reiner (va) re the defective 1999 dodge caravan he owned, his defective repossessed vehicle was sold out without informing the purchaser of the service bulletin on the defect.*mr the consumer indicated that the manufacturer did not make him aware of the service bulletin until he contacted nhtsa and found the service bulletin regarding the idler pulley. the vehicle idler pulley came off three times which caused the vehicle to lose all power. this failure has caused the consumer to crash twice. *nm | |||
| 07/01/2004 | 3 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Ltr fm thomas reiner (va) owner of a 1999 dodge caravan reporting defective idler pulley causing loss of steering. *mr *nm | |||
| 08/21/2003 | 1 | 10/05/2002 | |
| Serpentine belt and tension idle arms needed replaced in august 2003 at 63,000 miles. vehicle was purchased used so we are unable to verify if this has happened before. it is now april 2004, 6000 miles later and the belt needed replaced again. *nm | |||
| 01/02/2004 | 89000 | 2 | 05/30/2000 |
| While driving through a light rain/slush mixture the car lost power steering, etc. consumer identfied that the serpentine belt had came off. this seems to be a common problem with late 90's dodge caravan's. i have a relative who had the same problem 2 weeks earlier. dodge does have a service bulletin related to this, but it does seem to be some type of design flaw that needs to be addressed since it relates to the power steering, and nearly every other vital system.*ak | |||
| 11/06/2003 | 67266 | 2 | 07/24/1999 |
| Idle pulley and belt came off while driving in the rain causing loss of power steering and overheating. previous repair for same condition one week prior. while waiting, another vehicle of same make, model and year was towed in for same recurring problem. *la | |||
| 08/12/2003 | 42000 | 1 | |
| I had the van in for a state inspection and the mechanic stated that the serpentine belt and the tensioner arm needed to be replaced. he stated that he could tell just by the sounds that the van was making. i have since heard the same sounds from several vans that i come accross. if this is such a known problem with the tensioner arm freezing up and destroying the serpentine belt, shouldn't dodge redesign the tensioner arm and effect a recall to replace it.*ak | |||
| 5 | |||
| The alternator belt sheared and came off. the vehicle cannot be driven. this is the fifth time this has occurred. please provide details.*ak | |||
| 05/08/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving, the serpentine and power steering belt slipped off, which caused the consumer to lose control of vehicle's steering. *jb | |||
| 03/06/2003 | 53000 | 1 | 02/01/2000 |
| While driving at 35 mph vehicle ran over a medium pothole which caused serpentine belt to came off. this resulted in loss of steering control/ crash. *nlm. *ak | |||
| When passing through a channel of water going in a direction serpentine belt came off. owner had to force wheel to keep from colliding with a fence. also, brakes became inoperative once water had settled in. please describe details. *ak | |||
| 12/28/2001 | 3 | 12/01/1998 | |
| Feb 2001 serpentine belt tensioner arm broke tearing up the serpentine belt. arm replaced and new belt installed. no determination of cause given. dec 3, 2001 belt jumped off pulley's/tensioner-dealer states no problem found, belt in good condition, probable cause-water intruded tensioner and cause belt to walk, re-installed belt. dec 28, 2001 belt again slipped off, took to dealer who said problem was water intrusion causing the belt to slip, replaced the belt again though. seems to me that if the dealer is telling me that the problem is water intrusion, and i've heard this problem from other owners of this vehicle/year, shouldn't they engineer a fix before someone gets killed on the freeway?*ak | |||
| 06/29/2001 | |||
| At 36,150 miles serpentine pulley broke while pulling out of the garage. dealer was notified and repairs were made. feel free to provide any further information on this matter.*ak | |||
| 12/02/1999 | 1 | ||
| Serpentine belt replaced due to excessive noise. *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 07/15/2004 | 1 | 01/31/2002 | |
| Excess exhaust smoking when engine is idling. have been told by mechanic that lifters and valve seals need to be replaced. mechanic has repaired several dodge/chrysler/plymouth vans with same problem. *la | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 10/08/2000 | |||
| Consumer was traveling on highway and a gasoline smell was coming from inside of vent area. also there was a puddle of oil underneath vehicle. dealership was aware of problem.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Crank sensor failed. yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||
| 09/15/2007 | 91500 | 1 | 03/15/1999 |
| Engine developed a massive high pressure oil leak causing near flame conditions, loss of oil and possible engine damage. vehicle was diagnosed at independent repair facility. the difficulty is defective cylinder head/ cylinder head gasket failure spraying a mist of hot oil onto the hot catalytic converter and remaining exhaust system. vaporized oil subjected to these conditions can explode violently. the vehicle has been placed out of service. the cost of repairs (new engine) exceeds the value of the vehicle. research proved chrysler corporation has known of this problem since prior to 1994 and has attempted to patch the problem rather than repair it correctly in thousands of cases to date. my contentions is the chrysler corporation knowing sold me an unsafe defective vehicle to me and many others. *tr | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | |||
| 12/10/2000 | |||
| Engine pressure built up due a faulty pcv valve, causing oil to leak , also, crankshaft and valve cover to blow out. dealer has repaired vehicle. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| The cross over pipe underneath split apart, allowing the exhaust fumes/carbon monoxide to enter compartment. fumes were sometimes overwhelming. vehicle hesitated upon acceleration and stalled. manufacturer was aware of this problem, and the part was back ordered with 10,000 consumers waiting. *ak.....fiv eother families encountered the exact same problem. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Tail pipe is black on the inside. nlm | |||