Dodge Grand Caravan 1996 - Engine and engine cooling - car safety information, failing parts, recalls, bulletins, complaints

Dodge Grand Caravan 1996

Recalls
Technical Service Bulletins
Defect investigations
Consumer Complaints

Recalls

Campaign	Manufacturer	Manufacturing date	Type	# of units affected	Date Owner notified Mfg	Recall Initiated by	Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products	Report Recieved Date	Record Creation Date
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
96V006000	CHRYSLER CORPORATION	from 12/01/1994 to 09/01/1995	V (Vehicle)	40000	04/22/1996	MFR	CHRYSLER GROUP LLC	01/11/1996	01/22/1996
Defect Summary	In certain vehicles, the engine cylinder head oil galley plug does not seal properly and engine cylinder head oil is not adequately retained.
Consequence Summary	Inadequate sealing and retention of the plug can result in oil leakage which could cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Corrective Summary	Dealers will install an expansion plug and retaining bracket over the cylinder head oil galley plug.
Notes	System: engine.vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 2.4l engines.note: owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time, should contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1493. also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.

Bulletins

Bulletin	Bulletin date	Replacement Bulletin	Item no.	Summary	Added
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
8251	10/01/1999		6089744	Emissions recall stating that the radiator fan relay may not turn on the radiator cooling fans. *tt	02/24/2000

Investigations

NHTSA ID	Manufacturer	Date open	Date close	Subject	Recall campaign
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL
PE95053	CHRYSLER GROUP LLC	10/25/1995	12/22/1995	FUEL LEAKEAGE FROM ROLLOVER VALVE	95V236000
	The fuel tank pressure relief/rollover valve may allow liquid fuel to pass from the fuel to the evaporative emissions control canister.this may result in fuel leakage from the evaporative emissions control system or engine stall.

Consumer Complaints

Fail date	miles	occurences	Purchase date
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
08/30/2008		1
	When ever it rains or snows and a lil bit of moisture gets up in the engine the serpentine belt comes off and i lose everything, power steering, fan, you name it its gone, and i have almost wrecked 5 out of 8 times this has happened..2 times i found myself having going in to a field to stop due to steering was gone, and possible burn/ fire could have resulted from engine over heating and liquids boiling/ and steam rising. leading to be a very dangerous problem to anyone near the vehicle, i have 3 children and they were with me 3 of the 8 times the belt came off. i searched online and apparently im not the only one having this problem.. there is alot more people out there with this complaint. i did however replace the belt once again, along with pulley/ tensioner its getting to be quite expensive for me as a single mom. *tr
03/05/2008		5
	The serpentine belt chronically has fallen off and been replaced on the car. it has fallen off twice in the first year that we purchased the car new. when it falls off, there is no power steering. fortunately up to this time my wife was not driving highway speeds. it is a fatality waiting to happen with this design. *tr
10/28/2004	130000	1
	While driving 55 mph the consumer hit a deer. when getting out of the vehicle the owner notice a fire in the engine compartment. no report of air bag deployment. as a result the vehicle burned to the ground. no injuries reported. please provide additional information. *jb
04/25/2004	127500	5	09/22/1997
	I own a 1996 dodge grand caravan with the mileage around 128,000 miles. starting in april , we smelled and saw smoke coming from under the hood . we took it to aamco and they checked it out and could find nothing wrong with the car at that time using the diagnostics. a few weeks later, the service engine soon light came on and stayed on steadily and they could find nothing wrong with the van at that time either . the code they found said oxygen sensor but they reset it . four days later, we were heading back to charleston (100 miles) and had made it around 40 miles on interstate going around 65-70 miles an hour when, without notice, the service engine soon light started blinking and the car completely lost power . we had to pull over on the side of the emergency lane and wait until a tow truck could tow us back to lexington ... the van was taken again to nasco where they thought the problem could be the spark plugs and wiring so they changed all that out to the tune of $400.00 plus the $80.00 for towing... then....two days later the van was driving again to charleston on interstate and at almost the exact same spot --it cut off again !! the van had to get towed yet again to orangeburg ( closer to where it cut off ) and the mechanics there could find absolutely nothing wrong with the van !!! in town, the van does fine ...but when you are on interstate and going a high rate of speed for a prolonged period of time ...and it cuts off ---something is definitely wrong with the van !! it is very dangerous to be driving at such a high rate of speed and then losing power ..and must be addressed before a death occurs !! last weekend , my husband took the van on the interstate again to try it out and sure enough around 50 miles out it cut off yet again with the service engine soon light on .i notice there are several other instances of this happening to the grand caravans and think it should definitely be investigated and a recall issued. *jb
09/15/2001	120000
	For 3 summers in a row, we have had to recharge the air condition system for it to only work 3-4 weeks at a time. our mechanic says that it isn't that the air conditing unit has failed it seems to be loosing the freon some where.the locks on the van to the tail gate doesn't seem to work correctly, 90% of the time you have to beat on the lock from the out side for it to unlock. we have also replaced the brake pad approx 3 times and they still squeak and seem to grab at times.
06/15/2003	48650
	A/c internal fan switch fails in at least two positions and have had smoke enter inside the van while driving, from i think the fan. once the fan is turned off the smoke goes away.
11/15/2001		2	08/17/2001
	The serpentine belt fell off and it was replaced including the tension belt. also, the vehicle was overheating and the water pump and gasket were replaced. consumer stated that the check engine light was on twice and the dealer replaced oxygen sensor and leak detection pump for possible failure. *yh
07/11/1999		3	04/11/1996
	Vehicle was making rattling noises at start up, it was found that the tensioner was fractured, dealer replaced the water pump, belt tensioner pulley, idler pulley, serpentine belt, and thermostat, dealer had sliced the wire insulation to the manifold sensor while replacing these faulty components, dealer had also forgotten to put the radiator cap back on and caused a puddle of coolant on the ground, consumer examined the coolant bottle and found it was empty after the coolant had been flushed just 3 days prior, dealer could not find any leaks, but stated the reason was due to air in the system after the loss of coolant, dealer found engine mount support was fractured and required replacement, dealer also stated the valve covers and radiator cap were bad.
07/01/1997		20	02/26/1996
	Vehicle will vibrate strongly prior to stalling when in park position.
		1	12/06/1996
	Engine fire.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
02/06/2001		2	11/01/1997
	Two issues to discuss. first windshield wipers appear to work independently on instructions when on intermittment setting. you never know when or where they will stop. second issue is the tensioner and water pump within the cooling system. i have had to replace them each twice in the last year. it appears to be a chronic problem.
07/28/2000		1	06/01/1996
	The vehicle lost its power steering, cooling system, etc. when the tensioner went bad and the engine belt came off. my local service station advised they have had to replace numerous tensioners on this make/model, and they're surprised there hasn't been a recall - especially considering the danger involved. the dealer (herb gordon dodge) advised that there is no problem with the tensioner, and that it is normal wear for it to go bad at 76,000 miles. in case the problem is not unique, i wanted to report it. i have had numerous problems with this vehicle.
08/07/2000		2	10/01/1995
	Part breaks off at shoulder. it is obvious that the part was cracked in the heat treating process when it was made based on the discoloration in the area where the crack was located. failure of the part , which is sudden, dissables the power steering and the water pump. engine failure will follow. *ak
02/01/2000		1	03/01/1998
	Water pump failed. yh
03/01/2000		1	06/01/1996
	Previous recall on this vehicle for radiator fan relay failure. if such was a safety defect, would not failed water pump present same safety risk? *ak
02/01/2000		1	03/01/1998
	Water pump failed. yh

	Went to start vehicle & the starter failed to connect. managed to get vehicle to shop. informed by mechanic started burned out. also, shocks/struts were leaking fluid & needed to be changed. in addition, water pump was leaking due to corrosion. *ak
02/25/1998		1	01/01/1997
	This component failure in heavy traffic could cause loss of all power assist equipment due to consequential damage to surrounding components. the manufacturer classifies it as a wear part. the shaft connecting the part to the engine showed quite clear evidence of a fracture line. the dealer seemed unfazed by our complaint of part defect and appeared to consider this a common failure. the component failure could easily have caused my wife to lose control of the vehicle if she had been driving at high speed in traffic.
07/01/1999		1	09/01/1995
	Replacement of ac compressor & evaporator cost $1450; engine head was replaced free even though warranty had expired(spent $870 on maint and repairs of which $300 was to replace spark plug wires and resistor pack that was said to cause check engine light. head was actually casuing problem); fan relay repaired under warranty; firestone said water pump frozed and caused belt to break ($300 repair).
04/01/1998		2	08/01/1996
	We have had multiple problems in most components of this vehicle including but not limited to both rear sliding doors, front and rear wipers, coolant leakage, engine fan & belt malfunctions, intermittent stalling, transmission failure and continuous malfunction, multiple parking brake malfunction and adjustment problems, multiple interior light malfunction, rear quad seat attachment problem, and other more cosmetic related problems with cracking door panel & poorly installed carpet & seat covers.
		1	07/01/1996
	Water pump failed.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN
02/27/2000		1
	While driving, another motorist warned consumer that van was on fire, flames were coming out from underneath the vehicle, consumer found the belts red and burning, the fan belt caused the engine fire, claim 17-9113-989. *slc
			07/01/1996
	In october of 1999, our van was overheating and we had to have the radiator fan relay replaced. two weeks later we received a recall notice and were reimbursed by daimler chrysler. in february 2001 our airbag indicator light came on and the horn stopped working. we replaced the clock spring. in june 2001 we had to replace our fuel tank because it was cracked. we continued to smell gas and had to have our fuel rail replaced because it was leaking fuel onto the engine. we were told not to drive it because it could catch on fire.*ak
12/15/1998		1	09/25/1995
	Cooling fan stays on and will not shut down. *slc
03/01/2000		1	06/01/1996
	Previous recall on this vehicle for radiator fan relay failure. if such was a safety defect, would not failed water pump present same safety risk? *ak
09/25/1998			02/15/1998
	Radiator fan relay failed.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
11/14/2004	165000	5	06/01/1996
	- 96 dodge grand caravan w/3.8 v6 and 41te 4spd transmision - 2 transmission failures - 1st went to about 125000, then kept hitting the limp home mode - 2nd has torque converter lockup problem, shops say rebuild again, after only 38000 miles. - fan relay went out before recall was issued, had to replace the radiator out of pocket. - had clock spring replaced after component failure relating to it (horn, cruise etc) - union city ga dealer attempted to fix the fuel return line issue, botched it up and caused major leak when refueling. they re-fixed it after much complaining. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
08/24/2004	92000	4	07/01/2000
	There are two major problems with my 1996 dodge grand caravan. first there is a serious vibration in the front wheel/tires. i have replaced 8 tires (in 30000 miles!), both front axles, all three motor mounts, and had the transmission overhauled, as well as having three alignment checks. the vibration is still there. the second problem involves the windshield wipers. the front wipers were, for a time, coming on any time they felt like it; this was remedied by replacing the multi function switch on 09/21/01. since then, the rear wiper will occasionally come on for one swipe when i first start the vehicle - annoying, but not an immediate hazard. but today, my windshield wipers quit working at all. they will only work if i put the wipers on interval - in which case they do nothing for a time, then make two to four swipes, then wait a while, make one or two swipes, wait a while, etc. they will make one high speed swipe across the windshield if i press the washer button in. i spent $80 today so the dodge dealer could tell me this was caused by a body control module failure. this repair costs over $400...and researching a used part online, i learned that both the wheel shimmy problem and the windshield wiper problems are not unique to my car but are very common issues with the dodge caravan/chrysler town & country/plymouth voyager family. losing your wipers, having them come on at random when they take a notion to, and a non-stop shimmy in the front are each, by themselves, serious safety issues warranting a recall. collectively, they spell out a lack of concern that daimler chrysler has for the safety of those who drive their products. it is my understanding from my online research that chrysler was aware of the problem as long ago as 1998 but deliberately ignored its own information. it is apparent that the only way these safety issues are going to be addressed is if the federal government takes them to task.*ak
06/22/2003	82550	1	05/19/1996
	Rocker arm pedistal sheared off cylinder head causing internal engine damage. multiple repair centers believe cause is design flaw of cylinder head. *ak
05/01/2002	10000	1
	While driving engine failed. dealer diagnosed that engine's main computer would not fire the #2 and #5 spark plugs, resulting in failure. consumer has had 2 other main engine computer failures since vehicle ownership.*ak
12/13/2002
	Vehicle was shut off when without warning, then vehicle caught on fire.*ak
04/19/2003
	While driving the vehicle stalled without warning which made it difficult for the driver to control the vehicle. the dealer has been notified. *nlm
		2
	The windshield wiper motor was intermittent. mr the problem with the wipers occurred shortly after purchase. the consumer had taken the vehicle in for the wipers on several occasions and was told they worked fine. the engine light was intermittent as well. scc *jb
01/15/2003	100000
	Dodge '96 minivan stalling problem while in operation. start up time 5-10 minutes later (very dangerous). transmission slipped out of gear; problem escalated to full replacement. not satisfied with replacement -bumps on second and third gears up and down. these have been costly repairs. service engine soon light would not go out no matter what repairs were performed - full fuel and electrical systems. rps raced to 15k. replaced cam sensor, harness, hoses etc. *nlm
02/19/2003		1
	The vehicle stalled, which caused consumer to pull over abruptly.*jb
10/01/2002	84000	2	09/01/2001
	The meter read less than half a tank of gas, the van ran out of gas, then the engine stalled. the consumer started the vehicle and began to drive when soon after the check engine light illuminated. the consumer was told the problem was a misfired cylinder, the fuel fuel pump was buried inside the gas tank, and when the fuel level dropped below the fuel pump, the pump heated up and sucked in air instead of the gasoline. scc jb
09/17/2001	82890	1	07/26/1996
	Support for rocker arm broke off at 82,890 miles. from review of the nhtsa records, this has occurred for numerous customers, but it has not been recalled. as this is part of the head casting, i would expect it to last the life of the vehicle. ts
		1	09/15/1999
	The piston ring in the engine had excessively worn. *yh
12/01/2001		2	07/22/1996
	While traveling on interstate and without prior warning, vehicle shutdown and there was no power. dealership is aware of problem.ak dealer replaced a bad isc motor to remedy stalling problem. faulty cranksensor and cam sensor caused a no start condition. vehicle shakes and runs rough, dealer replaced powertrain control module. jb
08/01/2001		1	06/01/1996
	This car is a lemon and has continuous problems. the engine gaskets are now bad and leaking oil all over the engine. i have been told by the dealer (moser dodge) that this is affect and a continuous problem with this 3.0 engine. this also creates a serious fire hazard. however dodge said there is nothing they will do with me to repair this or share this cost. i am sick and tired of dodge and will never buy another one.*ak
08/02/2001		1	07/01/1995
	Engine coolant began to leak at fwd cylinder head to block after climing a steep hill and parking at shopping mall. just looked under van seen coolant, was able to get home and van is at shop for head gasket replacement.*ak
12/13/2000			09/01/1996
	Rear main seal, cam plugs, valve cover gaskets failed. all at once with no warning. *ak
06/12/2001		1	01/01/1996
	Serpentine belt tensioner shaft sheared as a result of no lubrication. instantaneous loss of power steering and vehicle control resulted in a very close call. i believe the non-lubricated shaft permitted corrossion and subsequent seizure and shearing of the assembly shaft. it is a design deficiency, in my opinion of course.*ak
02/15/2001
	Consumer had to put excessive amounts of antifreeze into vehicle. consumer took vehicle into a private mechanic that looked at engine and found a hole, pin sized near cylinders of the engine which is where antifreeze is leaking. mechanic stated this could have been a factory defect because appeared to be in molding of engine. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
02/06/2001		2	11/01/1997
	Two issues to discuss. first windshield wipers appear to work independently on instructions when on intermittment setting. you never know when or where they will stop. second issue is the tensioner and water pump within the cooling system. i have had to replace them each twice in the last year. it appears to be a chronic problem.

	Was driving, and was about to make a turn, when vehicle lost power. driver lost control of vehicle. applied brakes to stop. had checked vehicle & noticed pulley belt had came off. tension bracket had failed (serpentine belt). also, driver's side air bag did not deploy. *ak
08/30/2000		1	07/01/1998
	Idle tension pulley broken while traveling. towed to dealer for repairs. *ak
12/01/1999		1	08/01/1999
	At the dealership, they called them the valve retainer seals. i have heard repeatedly that it is a common problem with 3.0 l engines, and i would love to have the person that chose to put these engines in, knowing they would have this very expensive problem down the road, to pay for it. i was assured that i was getting a good van when i bought it used and it has numerous problems. i have 3 kids to worry about, i don't need to fork out $500 to fix a common problem. and i also hate to think that i'm polluting the environment immensley in the mean time.*ak
06/11/2000		1	04/01/1999
	The fuel rail started leaking after removal; trying to change valve cover gaskets & using a certified auto mechanic, he verified the proper instructions for removal w/ the mitchell's service manual & now they are leaking fuel that could cause a fire; talked to dodge parts counter & they are aware of problem & said they have modified the part but will cost me $160 for replacement of their poorly designed part. no recalls are listed and now a small job has turned into an expensive one. *ak
		1	08/01/1999
	Pedestal holding the rocker arm broke causing rocker arm shaft to break, also the transmission has broken this is still a new vehicle and these two items should not have broken the rocker arm and pedestal should not have broken i fill this is a design defect because of the way it broke and could have caused serious problems are damages. i also would like for this to be looked into. the local dealer told me that. *ak
05/14/2000
	While driving engine check light began to flash due to a stud pulling loose from the rocker arm shaft. dealer has been notified. *ak

	Rocker arm within the engine broke, causing vehicle to become inoperable. consumer has contacted dealer. please provide any further details.*ak
03/30/2000		1	08/01/1999
	Dear nhtsa, please look into this problem. we have had this van only 7 months!!! we have a 1996 dodge grand caravan se that has 97,000 miles on the odometer. we took a trip in the last week to california to see our daughter when the engine check light came on. even though we could not see or hear any problems, we took it to a dealer in reno, nevada - (3223 mill st, reno, nv 89502 -- #(775)-323-3106). they said that the spark plugs needed replacing. at a cost of 300 dollars, we agreed in hopes that the light problem would be cured even though nothing seemed wrong. after picking up the vehicle the next morning, we noticed that the van was running terribly and would die when stopped. frustrated that no problem with our van progressed to worse we returned to the dealer and asked them to check it again. after testing it again, they said the camshaft had to be replaced. since we had to return home for work, we could not wait to get it fix. on returning home we took it into our trusted mechanic immediately. he checked the vehicle and said that we will need a new engine. our complaint is that our engine should not of failed only after only 97,000 miles - it is ludicrous.*ak
05/18/2000		0
	While driving engine check light will come on unexpectedly. engine rocker arm broke off, and dealer had it repaired. *ak
03/10/2000
	While driving transmission broke. transmission differential pin had separated & caused a hole in the housing. the pin then flew out & cracked the engine block. the vehicle shut down without warning. vehicle was towed to dealer. consumer was informed by mechanic that transmission & engine block needed to be replaced. *ak
06/26/1999		1	11/01/1995
	The cylinder head replaced because of rocker arm shaft failure. yh
11/28/1999			10/01/1997
	This vehicle has been the worst vehicle i have ever owned because of continuous ongoing problems ,the biggest of which was the engine head failure which cost me about a $1,000.00 thats with dodge paying an additonal $800.00 for the parts. now a year later, my transmission is failing and does not change gears. please help i promise not to buy a chrysler product again, i swear. all the other problems have been nagging, but tolerable. but this is too much. *ak
08/23/1999		3
	Engine cylinder head broke, causing the engine to knock. a recall has been issued on these vehicles, however this vehicle was not included due to vin. manufacturer has been notified. *ak
		1
	Bolt that secures the rocker arm to the engine head were not drilled deep enough to allow even tension to secure the rocker arm shaft properly causing it to break and resulting in violent vibration. nlm

	There was a loss of power steering and power brakes due to the idler pulley breaking off. also, vehicle overheated quickly. dealer has the vehicle. needs new idler pulley. *ak
06/26/1999		1	06/01/1996
	When the tensioner pulley failed and snapped off of the engine at the block mount i was proceeding in a left hand turn onto a busy street. loss of the pulley caused loss of power steering which caused a hazardous condition that nearly caused a bad crash.
07/01/1999		1	09/01/1995
	Replacement of ac compressor & evaporator cost $1450; engine head was replaced free even though warranty had expired(spent $870 on maint and repairs of which $300 was to replace spark plug wires and resistor pack that was said to cause check engine light. head was actually casuing problem); fan relay repaired under warranty; firestone said water pump frozed and caused belt to break ($300 repair).
05/29/1999		2
	Vehicle would stall out for no reason & no warning. speed would not be a factor. has taken to dealer & no error would appear on diagnostic machine. so far, problem is intermittent & only happened twice since. it seems to occur when traveling at highway speeds then letting of the accelerator and gradually deceleraing. the vehicle will stall instead of idling. *ak

	A defect within exhaust valve damaged the head gasket. the part is on backorder. *ak .
10/08/1998			01/31/1997
	Tension pulley/ power steering belt failed.
02/21/1999		2	07/01/1996
	Tensioner pulley bent, and the serpentine belt came off. the second time the pulley actually broke off. bothe times the car lost all controls, luckily, both times i was driveing on a small strret and slow speed *ak

	Pin that secures the pulley assembly broke, causing loss of vehicle control cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak
04/12/1996		1	01/19/1996
	Broken engine mount failed.
10/20/1998		50	01/01/1997
	1. there are 2 problems with wipers. 1.the front windshield wipers go on by themselves. it occurs at different times and different speeds, even when in park. to turn them off i must turn it on and then off again. 2.when front wipers are placed in the high position they will go off by themselves leaving me unable to see. to make them go back on i must turn it off and then back on. have had it at the dealers numerous times to no avail. they change a part but don't fix the problem. 2. while driving at highway speeds the belt will fray and just fall apart leaving me with no power steering and no accelerator or generator. this is dangerous because i travel with my 3 small children on rural highways and driving on only whatever power is in the battery and without the powersteering the van becomes almost impossible to steer. my dealer has informed me that it is the tension pulley and that it is a problem for a lot of people and when asked if it was a recalled part he informed us it was not but should be. it is a part that can not be changed by us(there are no instructions in the mechanics manual we were given). we called chrysler and was informed that we had to have the dealer replace this part at a cost of $90 for the tension pulley plus labor. this however will not solve the problem because there is still a defect.
06/05/1997		0
	Heard a loud clanking/clinking noise while driving vehicle; noise occurred after having a free oil change done at dealer. had pulled vehicle to side of road & checked oil. there was no oil. it was dry. *ak
05/18/1996		1
	Gasket leak.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
07/07/2003	98100	1
	Camshaft on 1996 dodge grand caravan failed (broke into two pieces) while driving down the ohio turnpike with family (two young children) in the van - failure of all power assist and foward motion (other than coasting) was immediate. the vehicle was in the middle lane at the time and if the road had been busier the potential exisited for a major accident and possible injury/death. the vehicle had approximately 98,100 miles on it at the time (3.3l engine). this failure may be related to chrysler tsb 09-008-01 which discusses camshaft failure with camshaft bearing wear. i would like to see daimler/chrysler step up to the plate on the potentially dangerous situation and correct the problem prior to the failure occuring. i will be contacting d/c to pursue reimbursement for the new engine as an event like this should not occur.
09/25/2002
	Consumer experienced vehicle shut down while driving. dealer contacted. *mr
11/20/1998		25
	Consumer states that at various speeds the vehicle stalls out. the dealer has inspected the vehicle several times and could not duplicate the problem.jb battery, battery cable, alarm system, starter and cranksensor have been replaced. however problem still exists. dealer states computer possibly causing stalling. tt
11/17/2000		1
	Consumer started the vehicle and the engine caught on fire, claim 33-0270-578. *slc
11/17/2000		1
	Consumer started the engine when it caught on fire, claim 33-0270-578. *slc
09/12/2000		1
	Vehicle caught fire in engine compartment while parked in carport, claim 03-3171-084. *slc
10/13/2001		1
	While driving, consumer smelled gasoline, he pulled over and heard a funny noise, then smoke came out of the hood, claim 35-w757-894. *slc
08/05/2001		1
	Consumers daughter informed her that vehicle was smoking, consumer walked out to see vehicle smoking and in flames, prior to the fire the consumer had complained that vehicle idled fast and dealer could not find cause, claim 52-2509-400. *slc
10/30/2000		1
	Consumer was dropping off niece and noticed smoke coming from under the hood, consumer lifted up the hood and thought it was okay, after driving past 4-5 houses, consumer saw orange and stopped, vehicle was on fire, consumer had heard that there was a recall on the fuel line, claim 49-3238-941. *slc
09/12/2000		1
	Vehicle caught fire in carport in the engine compartment, claim 03-3171-084. *slc
02/24/2000		1
	Consumer took children to school and could smell gas, consumer had received a recall regarding the fuel pump, however after speaking with the dealer he did not believe this problem had to do with the recall, after package, vehicle went into house, neighbor called her and stated her vehicle was on fire and was totaled, claim 20-5211-880. *slc
04/07/2000		1
	Vehicle was parked on the side of the road when it caught on fire, claim 04-1215-889. *slc
10/13/2001		1
	While driving, consumer could smell gasoline, consumer pulled over and heard a funny noise, smoke came from under the hood, claim 35-w757-894. *slc
08/05/2001		1
	Consumer noticed vehicle smoking, vehicle started to have flames come out, consumer had complained about vehicle idling fast and dealer could not find cause, claim 52-2509-400. *slc
10/30/2000		1
	While driving, consumer saw smoke coming from under the hood, consumer looked under the hood and thought it was okay to drive, about 4 or 5 houses down, vehicle caught on fire in the engine compartment, claim 49-3238-941. *slc
04/07/2000		1
	Vehicle was parked on the side of the road when it caught on fire in the engine compartment, claim 04-1215-889. *slc
11/17/2000		1
	Consumer started the vehicle and the engine caught on fire, claim 33-0270-578. *slc
04/07/2000		1
	Vehicle was parked on the side of the road when it caught on fire, claim 04-1215-889. *slc
10/30/2000		1
	Consumer was dropping off niece and noticed smoke coming from under the hood, consumer lifted up the hood and thought it was okay, after driving past 4-5 houses, consumer saw orange and stopped, vehicle was on fire, consumer had heard that there was a recall on the fuel line, claim 49-3238-941. *slc
09/12/2000		1
	Vehicle caught fire in carport in the engine compartment, claim 03-3171-084. *slc
02/24/2000		1
	Consumer took children to school and could smell gas, consumer had received a recall regarding the fuel pump, however after speaking with the dealer he did not believe this problem had to do with the recall, after package, vehicle went into house, neighbor called her and stated her vehicle was on fire and was totaled, claim 20-5211-880. *slc
10/13/2001		1
	While driving, consumer smelled gasoline, he pulled over and heard a funny noise, then smoke came out of the hood, claim 35-w757-894. *slc
08/05/2001		1
	Consumers daughter informed her that vehicle was smoking, consumer walked out to see vehicle smoking and in flames, prior to the fire the consumer had complained that vehicle idled fast and dealer could not find cause, claim 52-2509-400. *slc
02/01/2001			10/01/1999
	1996 dodge caravan has the very common dodge oil leak...airbag light on also..horn does not work. *ak
02/25/2002		0
	While driving engine stallled without a prior warning. consumer tried to restart vehicle, but engine could not be restarted. had to be towed to dealer then repaired. please provide more information.*ak
11/17/2000		1
	Consumer started the engine when it caught on fire, claim 33-0270-578. *slc
09/12/2000		1
	Vehicle caught fire in engine compartment while parked in carport, claim 03-3171-084. *slc
10/13/2001		1
	While driving, consumer could smell gasoline, consumer pulled over and heard a funny noise, smoke came from under the hood, claim 35-w757-894. *slc
08/05/2001		1
	Consumer noticed vehicle smoking, vehicle started to have flames come out, consumer had complained about vehicle idling fast and dealer could not find cause, claim 52-2509-400. *slc
10/30/2000		1
	While driving, consumer saw smoke coming from under the hood, consumer looked under the hood and thought it was okay to drive, about 4 or 5 houses down, vehicle caught on fire in the engine compartment, claim 49-3238-941. *slc
04/07/2000		1
	Vehicle was parked on the side of the road when it caught on fire in the engine compartment, claim 04-1215-889. *slc
07/09/1997		20	06/01/1996
	One year after the van was purchased it started to stall. the stall occurred and continues to occur when the air conditioner is on in hot weather. the van will stall while driving at low speeds. i have taken it two dealerships with not success. serramonte dodge had me put a co-pilot on my car which was to record the incident. when i returned the co-pilot with they said they lost the data when they tried to download the information. they wouldn't put the co-pilot back on. they will not check the pcm computer to see if it is failing. according to the dealer the pcm should record an error message when the van fails, but the pcm module never records anything. this is why we asked them to check the pcm module. if it was working right it would record the failure. 5 years later i still have the problem. my car will stall on the freeway when there is bumper to bumper traffic. chrysler dosen't seem to think this is a safety issue. i think it is. what if it causes an accident.*ak
08/08/1999		3	08/01/1998
	No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
06/01/2001		1	09/01/2000
	The engine is riuned due to a 'domino' effect of damages beginning with the a/c compressor locking up.*ak
07/01/2001
	Consumr was backing out and noticed an oil spot on the ground. oil was leaking. manufacturer agreed to pay for 1/2 .consumer for financial reasons was not able to have repairs done. dealer stated that no damage would be done to vehicle if consumer continued to drive it while the problem existed. consumer returned to dealer, and was told that lower half of engine cylinder and seals needed to be repaired. *ak
05/23/2001		1	06/01/1996
	Could not find any recalls. no safety defect mentioned. *ak
07/01/2000		1	08/01/1996
	Vehicle stalls at slow speeds and when coming to stop. took vehicle to dealer numerous times, cannot remedy problem. *ak
04/01/1996		1	02/01/1996
	The engine light illuminates intermittently, vehicle also hesitates. nlm
02/01/2001		20	09/01/1996
	Windshield wipers come on by themselves, engine stalls when braking, sliding power door locks replaced 4x.
05/09/2000			03/01/1996
	I still had other compnents replaced in my vehicle, but you did not have enough room for all my information.
09/12/1999		4	03/01/1997
	This is a dameged truck since the beginning, is a failure truck, i dont want it
04/15/2000		5
	At 48,000 miles vehicle been experiencing ongoing / intermittent problem with engine stalling while driving or at a stop position. been in dealer shop on five occasions, and dealer was unable to duplicate the problem.ak jb
08/01/2000		100	04/01/1999
	Like 1,000 of others, our engine cuts out any any speed causes lose of steering.
09/15/1996
	Reporting problem with engine stalling intermittently when a/c or defogger are used. vehicle been in dealer's shop on six occasions, and deale r informed consumer that they are unable to duplicate the problem. feel free to provide further details. *ak
07/28/1997			08/01/1996
	Vehicle stops without wandering for no apparent reason while driving. many occurrences but dealer cannot locate problem and denies any reports of similar occurences with other vehicles. this is a serious defect in the vehicle waiting for an incident to happen. please investigate. there are several notices of this problem type under edmunds.com. thank you.*ak
05/17/2000		2	11/01/1995
	Windshield wipers still engage by themselves originally repaired 05/99. transmission went out at30904 miles. airbag light came on and horn stopped working had to replace click spring. car stall while driving said it needed tune-up. when using ac or driving in rain and making a turn steering gets stiff and cannot control. interior lights flash dealer could not duplicate. power door locks lock and unlock by themselves. had to replace axle due to it being bent when new transmission was put in. had to get new tires because axle threw off balance. keep replacing batteries. drove car for 10 minutes and fan came on and stayed on after car was turned off. *ak

	While driving about 60mph engine cut off without warning. mechanic said transmission needed to be replaced. *ak
03/30/2000		1	08/01/1999
	Dear nhtsa, please look into this problem. we have had this van only 7 months!!! we have a 1996 dodge grand caravan se that has 97,000 miles on the odometer. we took a trip in the last week to california to see our daughter when the engine check light came on. even though we could not see or hear any problems, we took it to a dealer in reno, nevada - (3223 mill st, reno, nv 89502 -- #(775)-323-3106). they said that the spark plugs needed replacing. at a cost of 300 dollars, we agreed in hopes that the light problem would be cured even though nothing seemed wrong. after picking up the vehicle the next morning, we noticed that the van was running terribly and would die when stopped. frustrated that no problem with our van progressed to worse we returned to the dealer and asked them to check it again. after testing it again, they said the camshaft had to be replaced. since we had to return home for work, we could not wait to get it fix. on returning home we took it into our trusted mechanic immediately. he checked the vehicle and said that we will need a new engine. our complaint is that our engine should not of failed only after only 97,000 miles - it is ludicrous.*ak
04/22/2000		1	04/01/1997
	Belts became badly frayed and tattered prematurely; 3 days after replacement of the belts, the engine died on the freeway at 65 mph. the engine would not restart and we needed to be towed from the freeway to the dealer. the dealer claimed that they could not locate any problem and that the vehicle started right away.
07/01/1999		3	05/01/1997
	All of these break downs have come with in the 9 month period there are other break downs that have not been said like the main comp (emc comp),3 sensors and about 5 recalls in this time period we contacted dealership to see if there was any major problems with this van prior to purchasing this van and to see if there was anything they could do and nothing was done.we feel this van was a lemon and will cont to have problems we ask that dodge stand by there name and do something about this. *ak
08/19/1999			07/01/1996
	Have had to add 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles since 1996; dealer would not do anything about it until 8/99; they said it was normal oil usage; have used mobil 1 5w30 oil since new per owner's manual and had oil changed at mt. ephraim dodge regularly since new; they monitored oil usage and i brought in car to get oil added and recorded from 8/99 to present; i think the engine piston rings are defective.
11/03/1999
	While traveling 55 mph without indication vehicle stall. *yc
		1
	Bolt that secures the rocker arm to the engine head were not drilled deep enough to allow even tension to secure the rocker arm shaft properly causing it to break and resulting in violent vibration. nlm

	Engine died 3 times. called customer service rep. audrey who was very rude and unhelpful.
09/08/1995		11	06/01/1995
	Two letters dated 05/23/98 and 06/08/98 addressed to mr. robert eaton, ceo of chrysler corp. was sent with a repair history schedule containing 24 itemized occurences depicting the associated repair order number, nature of repair, mileage, date-in and date-out, remarks as to results, warranted repair or not, location of repair and cost if applicable. also depicted was the number of times we repeatedly returned the vehicle for brake repair which was six times within first six months and six times regarding electrical within the first six months of possession which all is evidenced by the given information on the repair history schedule i provided with the letters. i received a response back from customer service to no avail. i would be delighted to provide you at your request a copy of both letters which includes the repair history schedule i eluded to earlier.
		4	09/01/1996
	The engine shuts off intermittently at various speeds. onboard computers give no indication of a problem. dealer could not locate source of problem, installed electronic co-pilot to capture data if van stalled again. dealer wanted co-pilot returned after. *ak
03/19/1999		1	03/01/1996
	No summary listed for this vehicle. *ak
			07/01/1996
	Dealer said using 1 qt oil/1,000 miles is normal but it is not
04/01/1998		2	08/01/1996
	We have had multiple problems in most components of this vehicle including but not limited to both rear sliding doors, front and rear wipers, coolant leakage, engine fan & belt malfunctions, intermittent stalling, transmission failure and continuous malfunction, multiple parking brake malfunction and adjustment problems, multiple interior light malfunction, rear quad seat attachment problem, and other more cosmetic related problems with cracking door panel & poorly installed carpet & seat covers.
08/23/1998
	While driving vehicle intermittently stalls. vehicle has been in dealer's shop, and manufacturer was notified. condition has not been resolved at this time. *ak
		6
	Engine would shut off during driving at normal speeds. also steering wheel locks up, making it difficult to steer away from traffic.
12/01/1997
	While driving 70 mph the vehicle stalled without prior warning which almost caused an accident. took to dealer and dealer cannot determine problem. *ak
09/15/1998			12/01/1997
	Intermittently when driving the engine stalls out with no indication , resulting in the loss of vehicle control. the delaer has replaced the idle speed motor. owner has contacted the manufacturer. **ak
05/02/1997		15	05/18/1996
	While driving vehicle about 45 mph vehicle stalled on the road, causing lack of acceleration or power. dealer and manufacturer were contacted. ak windshield wipers come on by themselves, dealer replaced multifunction switch. vehicle would not start up and run, dealer replaced battery. steering wheel shakes while braking, dealer machined rotors. slc
07/01/1996		10	06/30/1996
	In high humidity, the vehicle stalls.
06/24/1997			07/05/1996
	Vehicle's engine shuts off while driving at normal speeds and the steering wheel locks making it hard to steer.
05/01/1998		3	10/15/1995
	Engine surged when brakes were applied and resulted in a minor crash.
05/18/1998
	While traveling the vehicle will stall out without indication. please provide further details. *ak

	The engine caught fire after being parked for 2 minutes. vehicle was totaled. *ak
12/01/1996		2	01/01/1995
	Engine makes thumping noise.
01/21/1998		1	07/25/1995
	Intermittent stalling. in addition, vehicle experiences transmission slippage.
		1	12/06/1996
	Engine fire.
08/01/1996		12	08/13/1996
	Vehicle stalls and cuts off in hot weather with the air conditioning on.
10/17/1996		2
	Engine: when driving along in traffic the vehicle will automatically shut down without any warning.. dealer has checked twice and they can't find anything wrong with the vehicle. *ak
10/01/1996		1	08/01/1996
	Engine failed.
		2	09/01/1995
	Engine shut off.
03/26/1997		1
	Vehicle caught on fire.
01/07/1997		1	05/02/1996
	Intermittent stalling, causing accident/injuries.
11/14/1996		1
	While driving vehicle caught on fire in engine compartment area, the cabin was filled with black smoke. ak jb
09/03/1996		1	02/25/1996
	While driving, speed dropped from 60 mph to 35 mph, followed by 'service engine soon' light coming on/speedometer failure and gear indicator lights coming on.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
01/12/2007	96000	3	04/23/1996
	Serpentine belt falls off during rain/snowy weather on 1996 dodge grande caravan. *tr
09/13/2004	160000	10	06/14/2000
	I have a 1996 dodge grand caravan . in september of 2004 the serpentine belt came off in the rain causeing loss of steering and overheating alarm. i replaced the tensioner and belt and thought it was fixed .to date i have had to put the belt back on at least 7 times and replaced it with a new one three times .but the problem is still there wet roads or rain and the belt comes off.looking on the internet i see this is a widespread problem .ive worked on cars most of my life and have never had this kind of problem.have your experts look at the tensioner and idler pulley design they are smooth without sides to keep the belt on them.this should be a major recall.
12/20/2003		2
	While the vehicle was parked, fluid was leaking from underneath the vehicle. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and the mechanic determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced, and replaced it. however, the problem recurred. ak the time belt cover was a problem. sc
07/01/2004	500	15	11/29/1995
	Serpentine belt or tensioner clip has had to be repaired 4 times (towed every time) electrical problems since the beginning; turn the key and the windshield wipers start going, turn the key off and the wipers keep going, take the key totally out of the ignition and the wipers go and the dinging alarm that tells you the lights are on or the key is in, starts.(i seriously thought the car was possessed) or turn the key and nothing comes on except the engine. i've replaced the battery 5 times at least - it's usually better w/ a new battery for a little while. have had to have the window motor and assembly replaced on drivers side twice and 5 times on the passenger side. most recent was 4/04, which was replaced 7/04 again. the side sliding doors on both side do not lock, if you push the button down, you can't get it back up. the rear hatch is damaged from closing the door, looks like i was hit in the rear, but have not been. check engine light was on for months in fall '03, no mechanic could say why. wanted to get the a/c charged but it wouldn't hold a charge. dealer couldn't figure it out. took it to another mechanic who said the a/c unit was totally melted. had it replaced and then the computer reset. replaced the transmission at 100000, the plantatary gears were cracked. check engine light is on again in 7/04, failed emisions, replaced o2 sensor, light still on, tack sticks and car won't accelerate at times - i can push it to the floor and it won't go?? feels like it's choking, no power. have a 3.8l, should have power. there is no panel/door for pass. airbag to come out. if i ever got in an accident, what would it do...just bust through my dash? over time, the dash on that side has gotten soft and mushy, what's that about? my dad bought the same year caravan i did, but he doesn't have the grand caravan le and he doesn't have the 3.8l and he hasn't had a single problem...i guess i got all of them.*ak
02/09/2004	109000	3
	When driving through water serpentine belt slipped off from the engine, causing vehicle to lose power steering. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak
02/02/2004	98000	1
	While stopped the belt tensioner snapped and caused loss of power steering. the consumer managed to pull over and had the vehicle towed. *nm
03/21/2003	163451	3	06/15/1999
	There is a problem with the serpentine belt, when it rains the belt comes off the pulley system. this has occurred several times, and is becoming costly, so now i am considering the honda odyssey!. *jb
09/11/2002		1	05/01/2099
	The drive belt tensioner assm. brakes at the stud that connect to the backet,causing the drive belt tension assm. to brake then damage hood and some other parts of engine .i have talked to alot of people and they have had the same problem .two people said it caused acc. the drive belt tensioner assmebely is of poor design and failes and the repaires are very costly. 1200.00 to 2500.00 to repair defeat.please check this out ii will give you a ex. driving down the freeway at 55 to 70 mph and all of the sudden bang then a hole in the hood and smoke comming for under the hood. think there sould be a nationail recall on this before someone get killed.l. *ak
02/27/2000		1
	While driving, consumer was flagged down by a passing motorist and was informed that vehicle was on fire, flames were coming out from underneath the vehicle, the fan belt caused the fire, claim 17-9113-989. *slc
03/14/2002		1	04/01/1998
	Mechanic who replaced my belt tensioner, stated that he replaced same parts on dodge caravans in a recent short period of time and suggested that this is a factory or design defect. *ak
07/31/2001		1	06/01/1996
	I have had my serpentine belt and tensioner replaced twice, once at 32000 (under warranty) and once at 73000 miles. the dealer charged me the full $200 for the repair in spite of the fact that i'd had it replaced at 32000m and it is a known problem with a service bullitin. the failure causes the power steering to cease opperating. i also had a broken gear tooth in my transmission at 73,000m. the dealer was going to charge me $2100 for a new transmission, but i decided to take it elsewhere and have yet to have it fixed. *ak
03/09/2001		2	03/01/1996
	Engine belt tensioner failure while driving with associated loss of steering control second incident first incident occured at 33071 miles 01/11/1999. *ak
01/01/2001		1	02/01/2000
	Air bag light illuminates on dash and horn is inoperable. consumer has contacted dealer, dealer noticed spring in steering column broke, causing problem. spring is on back order. ak serpentine belt replaced. slc
11/25/1998		1	04/01/1996
	While driving 65 mph, the engine stalled. mechanic found engine belt tensioner broke. ak jb

	Was driving, and was about to make a turn, when vehicle lost power. driver lost control of vehicle. applied brakes to stop. had checked vehicle & noticed pulley belt had came off. tension bracket had failed (serpentine belt). also, driver's side air bag did not deploy. *ak
12/01/2000		0
	Tensioneer pully fell off. when this happens consumer loses tension on fan belt/power steering/power brakes, and then vehicle is very hard to stop or steer. *ak
03/15/1999		1	02/01/1999
	Right before vehicle shifts into overdrive there is a jerky motion. dealer cannot find problem, at 40 -45 mph. also, transmission has to be rebuilt, and airbag light stays on. dealer says it's due to an open circuit, brakes replaced twice, rotors replaced. ak the consumer had transmission problems numerous times. noise in engine while driving due to serpentin belt and tensioner failure. yh
10/23/2000		2	09/01/1998
	Repeated failure of serpentine pulley repaired, but why is it failing again. *ak
09/04/2000		1	05/01/1997
	The mounting bolt for the spring tensioner of the serpentine belt suddenly failed, rendering the car inoperable. loose failed parts then damaged an auxiliary pulley in engine compartment (power steering pump). inspection of failed bolt shows no sign of wear, cracks, weakening, etc. bolt failure was sudden, unexpected, and complete. i suspect poor quality of metal in bolt's composition to be the cause of failure. repairs have been completed by dealer with cost coming out of my pocket despite evidence of faulty material and my appeal for reimbursement to dealer and chrysler regional representative. reviewing consumer complaints listed on nhtsa web site, i find no less than a dozen identical problems described on 1996 models alone. there were no injuries resulting from my incident and effects on the engine as a whole remain to be seen. furthermore, the bolt appears to be made of aluminum (despite its critical function and delicate location). i would appreciate any information you can provide me concerning this situation. hopefully, if there is a problem with the material, chrysler will do the right thing before injuries/fatalities occur as a result of failures of this engine component. the failed part is in my possession and is available for inspection/testing if you wish. thank you in advance for your time and the services you provide to consumers. chuck toland
07/28/2000		1	06/01/1996
	The vehicle lost its power steering, cooling system, etc. when the tensioner went bad and the engine belt came off. my local service station advised they have had to replace numerous tensioners on this make/model, and they're surprised there hasn't been a recall - especially considering the danger involved. the dealer (herb gordon dodge) advised that there is no problem with the tensioner, and that it is normal wear for it to go bad at 76,000 miles. in case the problem is not unique, i wanted to report it. i have had numerous problems with this vehicle.
09/04/2000		1	05/01/1997
	The mounting bolt for the spring tensioner of the serpentine belt suddenly failed, rendering the car inoperable. loose failed parts then damaged an auxiliary pulley in engine compartment (power steering pump). inspection of failed bolt shows no sign of wear, cracks, weakening, etc. bolt failure was sudden, unexpected, and complete. i suspect poor quality of metal in bolt's composition to be the cause of failure. repairs have been completed by dealer with cost coming out of my pocket despite evidence of faulty material and my appeal for reimbursement to dealer and chrysler regional representative. reviewing consumer complaints listed on nhtsa web site, i find no less than a dozen identical problems described on 1996 models alone. there were no injuries resulting from my incident and effects on the engine as a whole remain to be seen. furthermore, the bolt appears to be made of aluminum (despite its critical function and delicate location). i would appreciate any information you can provide me concerning this situation. hopefully, if there is a problem with the material, chrysler will do the right thing before injuries/fatalities occur as a result of failures of this engine component. the failed part is in my possession and is available for inspection/testing if you wish. thank you in advance for your time and the services you provide to consumers. chuck toland
07/15/2000		1	04/01/1999
	Belt tensioner bolt snapped off. throwing of belt, breaking another pully. happened to many other people too. recall time dodge.
08/25/2000
	Serpentine belt separated from vehicle at 554mph, causing engine to lock up. delaer has repaired the vehicle several times prior to this incidnet.*ak
05/29/2000		0
	Consumer was traveling about 70mph and heard some noise coming from the hood area. also, smoke and flames came out of the hood area. serpentine belt caught on fire. vehicle was inoperable. no steering, vehicle won't start at all. vehicle was towed to the dealership. *ak
04/22/2000		1	04/01/1997
	Belts became badly frayed and tattered prematurely; 3 days after replacement of the belts, the engine died on the freeway at 65 mph. the engine would not restart and we needed to be towed from the freeway to the dealer. the dealer claimed that they could not locate any problem and that the vehicle started right away.
		2	07/01/1999
	Serpentine belts failed. yh
04/01/2000		1	03/01/1996
	Serpentine belt snapped while driving after belt assembly nut split and broke, dislodging the entire assembly. vehicle has been repaired. ak ml
07/11/1997		3	10/01/1996
	Since 1996, the serpentine belt tensioner device has broken three times. two of the three times the bolt holding the device sheared off as well as the device breaking. both the local chrysler dealership and the repair shop that have performed the repairs stated that this is a recurrent problem with the caravans. the dealership keeps this item in stock because of the frequency of repairs. this component failure causes great risk to the driver as it controls the power steering, radiator fan, water pump and alternator. it has broken so many times while i've been driving, that i'm getting to be an expert at navigating the vehicle off the road without killing someone. the three repairs have occured on 7/11/1997, 5/22/1998 and 9/3/1999. i can provide the documentation if requested. please look into this apparent manufacturer's defect! thank you for your assistance in this matter. *ak

	Front rotors warped or flawed. heavy steering wheel and front end vibration during downgrade slow braking. fuel tank is collapsed which will hold only about 13 gallons. wipers coming on intermittently and gets worse when climate gets hot. belt tensioner failed which can hit and break the main crankshaft pulley.
08/01/1999		2	01/01/1996
	Belt tensioner failed and hit the main pulley which was damaged and replaced. brakes pulsated at around 30k miles. they were maintained by turning the rotors, but the problem came back after a month. all of these problems where paid out of my pocket after i was told it is not covered under the extended warranty. *ak
06/01/1998
	Ie98054, while driving over a water puddle vehicle lost power steering for that moment which could hav e caused loss of control. after it was out of the water, a squeaky noise was heard and vehicle returned back to normal. dealer replaced steering belt tensioner and serpetine belt. problem is reoccurring. please provide further information. *ak
03/18/1999		1	11/01/1995
	After exiting interstate 80 my wife lost steering control of our minivan. fortunately this was on a suburban street and not on the highway. upon inspection of the engine i found that the belt tensioner (fp# 4612894-ac) was no longer attached to the engine. *ak
02/21/1999		2	07/01/1996
	Tensioner pulley bent, and the serpentine belt came off. the second time the pulley actually broke off. bothe times the car lost all controls, luckily, both times i was driveing on a small strret and slow speed *ak
		7	02/01/1997
	I purchased a '96 dodge grand caravan in 2/97 with approx 15,000 miles on it. within the first couple of weeks the serpentine belt was breaking apart. the dealership replaced it and said all looks good. a few weeks after it, happened again. this time the dealer checked and said there was a defect and the upgrade was ordered (the belt was replaced again). when the upgrade parts arrived and were installed, the belt had to be replaced again. sometime after that the belt went again. because i was beyond the 30,000 mile point i went to my usual machanic. he replaced the belt. a short time after that the belt fell apart again. this time the mechanic got intouch with chrysler and was told about the upgrade which according to chrysler had already been done on the vehicle. he was told to use only original replacement parts when replacing the belt. which he did. although this one lasted the longest, last week it had to be replaced again. then last night the belt flew apart again. this time it wrapped around one of the lower pullys as it broke apart, and sounded like i was dragging a garbage can under the van. that 7 belts in 2 years. something has got to be wrong. *ak
03/14/1997		3	06/01/1996
	Serpentine drive belt fell off due to design, snow builds up under the engine and because of design it allows belt to fly off .
04/11/1997		1	05/01/1995
	Serpentine belt broke.
06/01/1996		1	09/01/1996
	Serpentine belt adjustment broke and took ot major engine parts and wires.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM
08/17/2001		1	08/17/2001
	Air conditionercondenser/driver side window regulator/tie rod, transmission shift cable, and o2 sensor were replaced. also, there was a noise coming from front of vehicle, and from the exhaust area. engine check light appeared. in addition, serpentine belt and water pump were replaced. jb. ak
06/24/2001
	There is a very foul smell inside vehicle whenever consumer started up vehicle.also, air conditioner does not work. contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak
05/09/2000			03/01/1996
	I still had other compnents replaced in my vehicle, but you did not have enough room for all my information.
10/20/1998
	When getting into the vehicle consumer can smell vapors. also transmission leaks. in addition, when putting gas into the vehicle, consumer should be able to put 15 to 16 gallons into the tank, but can only put 12 to 13 gallons into the tank. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL
07/01/2004	500	15	11/29/1995
	Serpentine belt or tensioner clip has had to be repaired 4 times (towed every time) electrical problems since the beginning; turn the key and the windshield wipers start going, turn the key off and the wipers keep going, take the key totally out of the ignition and the wipers go and the dinging alarm that tells you the lights are on or the key is in, starts.(i seriously thought the car was possessed) or turn the key and nothing comes on except the engine. i've replaced the battery 5 times at least - it's usually better w/ a new battery for a little while. have had to have the window motor and assembly replaced on drivers side twice and 5 times on the passenger side. most recent was 4/04, which was replaced 7/04 again. the side sliding doors on both side do not lock, if you push the button down, you can't get it back up. the rear hatch is damaged from closing the door, looks like i was hit in the rear, but have not been. check engine light was on for months in fall '03, no mechanic could say why. wanted to get the a/c charged but it wouldn't hold a charge. dealer couldn't figure it out. took it to another mechanic who said the a/c unit was totally melted. had it replaced and then the computer reset. replaced the transmission at 100000, the plantatary gears were cracked. check engine light is on again in 7/04, failed emisions, replaced o2 sensor, light still on, tack sticks and car won't accelerate at times - i can push it to the floor and it won't go?? feels like it's choking, no power. have a 3.8l, should have power. there is no panel/door for pass. airbag to come out. if i ever got in an accident, what would it do...just bust through my dash? over time, the dash on that side has gotten soft and mushy, what's that about? my dad bought the same year caravan i did, but he doesn't have the grand caravan le and he doesn't have the 3.8l and he hasn't had a single problem...i guess i got all of them.*ak
08/13/2002
	While filling gas tank fuel began leaking out of top of tank. vehicle checked by dealer who determined leak was from a vent line*ak
01/27/2002		1	07/01/1996
	This is a followup on odi 757303 voq submitted 01/24/2002 by owner for original gas tank vent assembly leak. a certified dodge service agent had replaced my original gas tank and vent assembly with new gas tank and vent assembly, as the original vent assembly is no longer manufactured; hence a new gas tank was required for a replacement part. this part system contained a redesigned vent assembly and gas tank. after tank/vent assembly replacment was completed on 01/24/2002, car was returned to owner. on 01/27/2002, the owner's wife proceeded to fill up the gas tank. owner's wife reported strong raw gasoline fumes. visual inspection of the undercarriage noted visible gasoline leaking from the newly replaced gas tank at the vent assemby. this is extremely dangerous, as the owner measured a clearance distance of only nine (9) inches from the hot surface of the rear muffler assembly with no thermal shielding. the owner has immediately notifed the service agent. the owner questions the appropriateness, design and location of the present vent assembly on the gas tank, in light of this leak. a potentially hazardous or explosive situation could exist..*ak
08/15/2000
	Vent tube had a fuel leakage. dealer / manufacturer were not notified at this time. please feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak
12/07/2000		4	08/01/1996
	Intermittently windshield wipers become inoperable and sometimes come on by themselves, obstructing view of driver. vehicle at dealer's for repair. ak o2 sensor, ignition switch, key cylinder, and a/c blower resistor and wiring kit all replaced. slc
08/22/2000
	Consumer has taken vehicle to dealer 3-4 times. original owner showed that recalls were taken care of. consumer has had other dealer to verify that work was done right. fuel tank leaked & had a odor that came from it. problem was intermittent. a mechanic was going to change purged canister to rectify the problem. manufacturer believed that could be the problem. previous owner could have over filled the tank which could have been the reason.*ak
02/26/2000
	Fuel leaked from vent tube. manufacturer notified and informed consumer that vehicle was out of warranty, and any repairs would be at consumer cost.*ak.
02/01/2000		1	03/01/1998
	Oxygen sensor failed. yh
11/10/1998			08/01/1995
	Van leaks from gas tank. dodge dealer said rollover valve was defective. mechanic indicated that he has been replacing the valves constantly for weeks. this was a newly designed valve that became defective. dealership ronald olsen dodge---402-397-8400. vehicle has been repaired. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
	149000	1
	Consumer complained about gas fumes. while driving the smell of gas fumes was strong, and was coming through the vents. *ak

	A defect within exhaust valve damaged the head gasket. the part is on backorder. *ak .
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
10/01/2000		1	09/03/2000
	Vehicle is leaking fuel. dodge dealership informed consumer that there was a defective fuel rail in vehicle. consumer was informed vehicle was not part of any current recalls. there was a fuel smell when consumer was inside vehicle,. also, a small fire began from overheating of manifold. ak slc