Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN | |||||
| 98771 | 05/01/1998 | 601474 | The radiator fan relay may not turn on the radiator cooling fans, causing engine to overheat. *ak | 08/05/1998 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||||
| 795 | 02/01/1999 | 604819 | Emissions recall -- vehicle emission control information (veci) label replacement. *tt | 05/14/1999 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 04/15/2010 | 100000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1998 dodge caravan. the contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the engine stalled without warning; however the engine restarted. the failure occurred on twenty different occasions. the vehicle was taken to an independent who was unable to locate the problem. also, the vehicle was taken for a second opinion to another dealer for where they were unable to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was notified of the consistent problem. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000. the vin was unavailable. js | |||
| 01/15/2009 | 97000 | ||
| Tl. the contact owns a 1998 dodge caravan. the contact while driving 30 mph the serpentine belt come off while driving in the snow causing the vehicle to lose all power. the contact stated this can cause a crash. the contact has had the serpentine belt replaced six times. the contact stated there are numerous complaints regarding the serpentine belt and the manufacturer should issue a recall. the failure mileage was 97,000. jo | |||
| 08/28/2009 | 1 | ||
| Serpentine belt comes off when it gets wet such as driving through puddles or water from roadway when raining. has happened several times over past few months. replaced belt but still comes off. this results in loss of power steering making it very difficult to safely pull off road to safe location. *tr | |||
| 09/05/2008 | 74200 | 1 | |
| I own a 1998 dodge grand caravan the serpentine belt came off during my evacuation from hurricane gustav it happen in the middle of a bridge at night is the 6th time that this occur i just had this replace how come there has not been a recall to solve this before someone die. *tr | |||
| 06/29/2008 | 1 | ||
| Engine starts and immediately shuts off. after 3 or 4 tries it will not turn over at all. this happens completely at random and happens 3 or four times a month minimum. after 24 hours, engine will start normally. replaced body control module and clock spring. a mechanic also checked for loose connections in the instrument cluster and corrosion. *tr | |||
| 10/28/2007 | 122000 | 1 | |
| Our dodge grand caravan was idling at a fast food restaurant during late october of 2007. there had been no problems up to this point. i noticed that the engine temperature had gone all the way to the hot position and my husband got out to look. the cooling fans weren't running. my husband opened the hood. he heard the radiator boiling loudly, and then the cap blew off without being touched, giving him second degree burns to his face and chest. after an emergency room visit, we searched online and found that this is a common problem. the cooling fan relay system is a faulty component listed as a technical service bulletin for all chrysler minivans and as a recall item only for certain chrysler minivans. the funny thing is they used the same control unit on all of the chrysler minivans but won't fix them because they aren't on the official recall list. the van was taken to the dodge dealer in pensacola florida and i was told that they wouldn't do anything to fix it without an $80.00 inspection. the problem part is a fan relay. it is called a solid-state speed control which is a computer unit controlling several devices although dodge calls it a relay. when looking to purchase a new one, part stores either said that it is a recall item or that it is only available only through chrysler as the entire computer system needs to be flashed after installation and only a dealer can do it. we connected a hot wire directly to the fans from a power source to run the system full time. as for the radiator explosion, it is uncertain why the cap blew off. we thought the radiator top was to blame but the plastic mouth is not noticeably broken. there was no visible damage or defect in the cap. we have since replaced it. people on the web say that the boiling over had got so violent in the radiator that it may have worked the cap loose and blown it off which has been known to happen. as a side note, a reliability report at msn autos states that this is a moderate problem. *tr | |||
| 06/10/2008 | 151000 | 1 | |
| Belt falling off 1998 dodge grand caravan for the 5th time in 1 1/2 years. resulting in mechanic charges and loss of vehicle. we have replaced tensioner on 2 occasions, belts on 5 occasions to no avail. the problem continues. dodge/chrysler should do something about this problem. fortunately, no one was hurt (this time). the added expense is killing us! *tr | |||
| 05/19/2006 | 98000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. the contact stated that in cold weather and approaching a stop, the vehicle sporadically stalled without warning. after the failure occurred, the vehicle restarted immediately. speed was not a factor during the failures. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that this was a common failure with this year, make, and model vehicle, but could not determine the cause of the failure. the failure mileage was 98,000 and current mileage was 100,000. | |||
| 10/12/2006 | 85000 | 1 | 08/27/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the instrument cluster panel intermittently failed to illuminate. also, during the instrument panel illumination failure, the engine was sluggish and operated at a reduced speed. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who duplicated the problem, but was unable to determine the exact cause of the failure. the manufacturer was alerted. updated 11/21/2006 - *nm | |||
| 05/01/2002 | 71652 | 100 | 04/01/2002 |
| Besides all the 1998 recalls on this van, i found a pinhole leak in the head itself. at first i thought it was a gasket leak but its not. when it ran out of water, temperature gauge did not tell me it was hot but instead registered cold. on top of the front speakers goes off and on and the rear speakers do it on occasion. stereo gets really hot to the touch. transmission seems to be doing strange things like not kicking down when stopped and then lunging while stopped or accelerating when stopped. i think this whole van should be on recall. *nm | |||
| 07/15/2002 | 87000 | ||
| Almost all of the air conditioning components were replaced only to find that less than 1 year later, july 2003, the evaporater is leaking and needs to be replaced at a cost of $750.00. | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 95000 | ||
| The car is on it's third transmission. we like the caravan as a package, but quality is lacking and problematic. the most critical problem is body rust through. the drivers side shock mount tower is rusted through and chrysler owner relations refusing to fix it. never mind that the dealers say the problem is prevalent and chrysler used to fix it but recently stopped paying for (perhaps due to financial and market conditions). | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 78027 | ||
| The van started having problems last week.it does not want to go into first gear after reverse or after stopping. i have been told the the differential pin is broken and will take anywhere from $1700 to $2300 to repair. i am trying to get chrysler to cover the cost of this as it is a known problem with these vans. i will never buy another dodge again. | |||
| 03/31/2004 | 15000 | 3 | |
| While driving engine check light illuminated. then vehicle stalled. consumer had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 12/14/2003 | 126500 | 1 | 05/11/2001 |
| I have a 1998 dodge grand caravan se that hade engine failure. the van has been running good and has been well taken care of. my van at that time hade 126,000 miles on it, so it is pass warranty period. i still believe that this engine shouldn,t have failed at 126,000 miles. this is my second mini-van, and up until this point have been satisfied with them. i think chysler should take responsibility for this failure. my voyager has 208,000 miles on the engine and still running. something went wrong with this 3.3 l v6 engine. i am not satisfied with the failure or with me having to spend $2,500.00 to repair it. this shouldn,t have happen.*ak | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 33880 | 1 | 07/15/1998 |
| Premature, sudden failure of head gasket, potentially leading to rapid loss of coolant, obscured vision, loss of control, etc. | |||
| 02/01/2003 | 61000 | 1 | 04/05/1998 |
| Leaking head gaskets at 61,000 miles causing oil and water loss. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 10/27/2003 | 98356 | 10 | 10/27/2003 |
| I purchased my 1998 grand caravan in october of 2003. i love this vehicle, it has everything i want and need. i purchased the same type of vehicle after the other one was totaled by a deer. could you please tell me why there is no recall on the air conditioner? i replaced the evaporator in my other van and this one needs the same thing done to it. this vehicle was purchased in the cooler month, but now that it reaches 100 degrees here in florida, i need an air conditioner that works. i cannot afford to pay $1,400 to fix this one, i did in my other van and am still making the payments on that repair bill. i have three children and cannot go anywhere when the heat is so intense. many people with a caravan have this same problem. can you help, can you explain why there has not been a recall on this malfunctioning problem? thank you!*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN | |||
| 09/17/2004 | 2 | ||
| Vehicle: make : dodge model : grand caravan year : 1998 bulletin num : 98771 date of bulletin: may 01, 1998 nhtsa item number: 601474 component: engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fan summary: the radiator fan relay may not turn on the radiator cooling fans, causing engine to overheat. *ak ================ this problem happened to me for the first time in sep 2004. the radiator fan relay failed causing the engine to overheat. i took the vehicle to my dealer, they replaced the part and charged me over $200. this problem reocurred again in may 2005. this defective part should be considered a factory recall and would appreciate your assistance | |||
| 10/01/2003 | 86455 | 1 | 02/02/2002 |
| Dear nhtsa: iam posting the exact problem as listed under your defects page for my specific vehicle: make : dodge model : grand caravan year : 1998 manufacturer : daimlerchrysler corporation ervice bulletin num : 98771 date of bulletin: may 01, 1998 nhtsa item number: 601474 component: engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fan summary: the radiator fan relay may not turn on the radiator cooling fans, causing engine to overheat. *ak ================ this problem happened to me a little over a year ago. the radiator fan relay failed, causing the engine to overheat almost immediately. i was stranded and had to have the vehicle taken to my dealer, team dodge of stone mountain, goergia. they refused to replace the relay as a recall (a tiny module located on the side of the radiator), and charged me in excess of $150.00 to replace it. since this has happened to me, i have been informed by many dodge caravan owners that this is indeed a common problem. i feel this defective part should be considered as part of a factory-wide recall, and would appreciate any help you may be able to offer. thank you. | |||
| 05/30/2004 | 66000 | 2 | |
| When vehicle is turned off the fan continues to run. consumer disconnected the battery so it wouldn't burn out the motor. this occurs because the radiator fan relay does not turn the cooling fan off or on, which is causing the engine to overheat. to correct this problem dealership has to replace the radiator fan relay, and reprogram the power train control module as stated in the recall. however, this vehicle is not included in the recall due to vin. *ak | |||
| 12/30/2000 | 1 | ||
| Fan belt fell off while driving in a snow storm. consumer was told by other mechanics this was a known problem, and that some consumers have put on shields to prevent fan belt from falling off. *ak | |||
| 02/04/2000 | |||
| Drove the vehicle in the area taking children to school. pulled up into the driveway, parked vehicle and noticed that the radiator fan stayed on which will drain the battery. didn't drive a long distance for the vehicle to overheat. contacted dealer. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 02/01/2005 | 25000 | 4 | 01/20/2005 |
| Dt: consumer complained about a rack and pinion steering and other problems. consumer drove over a rough pothole with a metal flatbed on top at a low speed. while driving at a street at 25 mph consumer made a right turn and there was popping noise in the steering wheel. the noise was evident only when turning to the left or right. took vehicle back to dealer, who said there was a problem with front alignment , but that was all. however, insurance company noted there were problems with rack and pinion steering /front alignment/ radiator, and the transmission pan. also, consumer noted the engine light was constantly on and it smoked after driving a long period of time. oil was changed regularly. vehicle has had a recent front end alignment but no other repairs. *ak | |||
| 08/18/2003 | 89000 | 3 | 10/15/1998 |
| The radiator relay switch on my 1998 dodge grand caravan keeps going out, causing radiator fans to not run and vehicle to overheat. this is third time. once in april, july and now august. dealer repalces relay each time and moves it on second time with new ground. failed a third time.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 09/09/2010 | 90200 | ||
| The serpentine belt has come off of the pulleys on multiple occassions in wet weather, including rain and snow/slush, especially when a puddle is gone through by the right front side of the vehicle. on two of these occassions, i was turning a corner when the belt came off, lost control of my steering and almost hit the car which was stopped across from me. the belt coming off also causes the engine to overheat. this issue causes a loss of control and will lead to injury or death. chrysler claims it is not a safety issue.. there is an updated belt/pulley kit which has a double-sided-grooved belt and pulley which is supposed to correct this issue but the cost to the consumer is approx $400-500 since chrysler claims that this is not a safety issue. however, this is most certainly a safety issue considering the loss of steering control on wet roads especially if driving on the highway, as i do, where the speed limit is 55-65mph or turning a corner at an intersection where other cars are stopped. | |||
| 08/21/2009 | 117587 | 1 | |
| When i purchased my van august 21 2009 it had a problem with the left turn signal. the salesperson said it was from the bulbs being burnt out. i went to autozone that day to get the bulbs replaced, and that wasn't the problem. autozone told me it was the turn signal switch that had went bad and was causing my left turn signal not to work. i went to goodyear a few days later to have the turn signal switch replaced. they told me it was not a guarantee that it would hold or work for a while. since then it still has not been working properly. sometimes if i turned the defroster on it would kick on, but now it will turn on for maybe one turn and turn off right and when i go to use it again, it'll turn on then cut off and wont turn back on. also my sliding passenger doors, the child lock is stuck and noone can open the door from the inside. i have to get out or the passenger has to get out to open the doors. the door handles are hard to open on the outside. even though the child lock will say its not on, you can not still open the doors from the inside. this has been like this since i purchased the van. also i have some pans under my engine that leaking fluids and as far as i know, its the oil pan, coolant pan, and i have metal shavings in some of my fluids. this was also like this when i purchase this vehicle. *tr | |||
| 08/01/2004 | 120000 | 1 | |
| After having clock spring changed from recall, vehicle will stall while driving down the road and automatically start back up on its own. it will do this from a coasting speed to highway speeds of 70 mph. there is no warning!! i don't know if its from the clock spring or another issue. had to 2 different deals and personal friend that has the obdii computer and it does not kick or store a code, even when hooked up to the computer! i have a 1998 dodge grand caravan, 3.3l with the flexfuel engine. *jb | |||
| 01/05/2006 | 75000 | 6 | 11/30/1997 |
| My 1998 dodge grand caravan (3.3 l engine vin: 1b4gp44g6wb511831), the serpentine belt comes off when driving in rain, or when driving thriugh puddle. when this happen, the vehicle lose power brakes power steering, causing very hazardous condition. this has happened about 6 time during the last 18 months out of which 2 where on freeway at 60mph. fortunately i was able to pull over safely. replaced the belt, tensioner etc, still the probelm persists. took it to dodge dealer (dayton dodge, dayton, nj) on 01/10/2006, they were unable to fix, siting chrysler is aware of problem, but has no fix a search on google shows numerous hits for this problem on chrysler minivans. i believe chrysler has a tsb for this, but has not a recall. see below links below. http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-4450.html http://www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_review_30931.html. *nm | |||
| 09/07/2005 | 130000 | 1 | 02/01/2005 |
| Service engine soon light came on revealing a problem. computer diag shows that there is a misfire on #6. opening the valve cover revealed that the camshaft is defective - metal pieces have fallen off of it. replacement of camshaft and all other parts (rocker, lifters etc.) including labor will come to a total of close to $1800. nothing has been done to correct the defect.*jb | |||
| 06/05/2004 | 77326 | 1 | 03/08/1998 |
| The engine blew up. apparently there was an oil problem on the inside of one side of the engine and a chunck of it actually blew off. the entire engine had to be replaced including hoses, etc. the original engine had only 77,326 miles!!! i have spoken with many people who have had to replace their engines in this same mini-van at or around 70,000-80,000 miles! not only that, but i spoken with and was warned that this would probably happen by the owner of an auto body shop, prior to this happening. he said we see these engines on these mini-vans go bad right around 70,000 miles, lynn. this seems to be a chronic problem for the dodge/chrysler mini-van. *ak | |||
| 03/07/2004 | 53000 | 2 | 08/01/1998 |
| Engine failure of second engine in vehicle within 55,000 miles. i previously reported the replacement of engine in my dodge grand caravan at 37,000 miles due to a lifter failure occasioned by what was described by the regional service manager as soft metal. a long block replacement was installed and now at 55000 miles i am told that the engine has a bad lift and needs replacement. thus, i now have had two engines in the same car each of which has failed in about the same way. i have a warranty claim pending but feel strongly that this is a systemic problem that needs to be investigated. i assure you that the car was well cared for and that all required service was met or exceeded. i have had many cars not one of which had engine failure even after a hundred and twenty thousand miles and considerably less meticulous care. | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 104000 | 2 | 07/10/2000 |
| My 1998 grand caravan suddenly started burning oil. my mechanic says this is due to leaking valves that are common in the 3.0l engine. the disturbing part is the oil light never came on despite a very low level of engine oil. i contacted the manufacturer regarding both problems and received no assistance with either problem. the engine and warning light malfucntions resulted in lifter damage that was repaired at a cost of $500.*ak | |||
| 11/12/2003 | 73551 | 1 | 08/09/2000 |
| November, 2003 - 1998 grand caravan with 73500 miles. head gasket failure. leaking coolant to the outside of engine from rear head. had to replace both head gasket and oil pressure switch. vehicle has been well maintained and serviced regularly. driven by soccer mom. also, complete transmission failure-see automatic transmission section. *jb | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 33880 | 1 | 07/15/1998 |
| Premature, sudden failure of head gasket, potentially leading to rapid loss of coolant, obscured vision, loss of control, etc. | |||
| 07/05/2003 | 60174 | 2 | 05/22/1998 |
| On 07/05/03, the engine stalled without warning when driving. mechanic diagnosed problem as broken camshaft and repaired it. on 08/19/03, engine stalled again while driving. mechanic diagnosed failure due to camshaft broken again. the consumer believed a defect existed behind the engine block which caused the camshaft failure.*ak *ph *jb | |||
| 01/24/2003 | 67000 | 0 | 02/25/1998 |
| On january 24, 2003 at about 10 p.m. my 1998 dodge grand caravan just stopped dead while i was driving on route 7 in ridgefield ct. the engine with 67,000 miles just seized up. i was able to use the cars momentum to pull to the side of the road, but if this had happened on a highway, we might have had a serious problem. *nlm | |||
| 1 | 01/01/1998 | ||
| All of the original tires on the vehicle experienced tread separation. *jg ph | |||
| 01/27/2003 | |||
| I have a 1998 grand caravan 3.3 ltr with only 57,xxx miles. i just took it to a mechanic to check out an antifreeze smell, and he informed me that the head gasket is leaking, and to talk to chrysler asap. he also informed me that he has been seeing this problem quite frequently. | |||
| 04/19/2001 | 8 | 04/01/2001 | |
| Within the first month of owning our van, the belt came off the pulley system rendering the van dead. when it came off it was cut in two and wrapped around the crank pulley. we replaced the belt 8 times since that occurrence. we have also replaced the crank pulley and tension pulley. after becoming totally frustrated with this problem, we contacted the corporation, which was of no use. a fairbanks dodge service consultant shared with us the fact that they often receive several towed in caravans on rainy days due to the belt slipping off. my concern is that when this belt comes off there is no power steering, nor alternator, nor a/c. if this occurs at a high rate of speed, the use of power steering will be lost, meaning quick reaction if needed would be hindered. our mechanic called chrysler to verify if it was purely the use of a wrong belt type, only to be told no. as a matter of fact, they told him not to use a chrysler belt. in addition to that, we were also informed that the belt system is being redesigned for 2003 because of this problem. please help! i have a wife and two kids that ride in this vehicle everyday and i am concerned about their safety.*ak | |||
| 07/04/2002 | 1 | 08/01/2098 | |
| Starting at about 15,000 miles, this car produced clicking noise from the head/valve train. upon initial inspection, a dealer (not the one where it was bought) told me there was nothing wrong, at 35k, during a highway trip, the noise became pronounced. soon thereafter, i took the car to my local garage and explained the noise and that i noticed the head was running dry without the type of oil splash i have seen in all other cars i have owned. he said that it seems that chysler mini-vans have a lot of problems with the valves and that it was, in his opinion, an oil delivery problem. he said that he had 2 in during the prior few weeks for the same type of problem. he suggested that i should take it to the dealer as this was a serious problem, one that shouldn't exist in a car with 35k miles. when i took the car into the dealer, to my shock, i was told that they would have to do major repairs due to camshaft failure. although i asked for more detail on the cause of the failure many times, both in writing and on the phone, camshaft failure is all they would say about the problem. fortunately for me, they agreed to provide a full long block engine replacement (under courtesy warranty with $300 deductible.) because of what my non-dealer mechanic said (that this is a common problem in chrysler mini-vans of my car's vintage and because he opined that there may be a systemic problem with oil delivery, plus the fact that when i checked this site, i found that other people had reported like sounding problems, i feel i should report this. fyi, this car always seemed to run dry (no oil splash when engine run with filler cap off). i think nhtsa might wish to consider investigating to see if this is a common defect due to a manufacturing error. thanks for the help keep up the good work!.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer has notice bolt on the intake manifold separated from the vehicle causing anti freeze to leak onto the engine. nlm | |||
| 01/08/2002 | 06/01/1998 | ||
| Chrysler refused to help with the over $600 repair bill for head gasket. did not call them on the valve cover gaskets in october. now with the failure of the head gasket it makes me wonder why the failure of their gaskets. this is premature failure on both cases. chrysler refuses to stand behind their vehicles. no wonder they will soon drop out of the big three. *ak | |||
| 06/17/2001 | 1 | 03/01/2001 | |
| We were driving down the interstate and the van came to a sudden stop. with the thought of engine trouble furthest from our minds with only 48000 miles on the vehicle. we were told that the camshaft was broke and no explanation given, we were told by the dealer it was rare but that one of their technicians had seen this in about 2-3 other vans like ours. the dealer refused to pay anything and daimler chrysler was notified and although they would not admit to factory defect they did reluctantly pay half of the more than 3000.00 in damages. the vehicle was inspected by a none dodge dealer first who could not believe how bad the engine looked for 48000 miles. we purchased the vehicle in march of 2001 from the dealer and the engines appearance was good we owned it less than 4 months when malfunction occured. chrysler was contacted directly by us and told us this was rare, however for one technician to see 2-3 vans besides ours in one state does not seem that rare to us. *ak | |||
| 08/10/2001 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| The head gasket for the vehicle developed a hair line crack which leaks antifreeze down the backside of the engine block. this occurred after standard warranty expired with a milage of only 57000 miles. the leaking creates an oder from the evaporation of antifreeze which is clearly detectable from within the vehicle cab. this problem equates to an estimated repair cost of $1000.00+. it is my understanding after talking to several mechanics that this is an epedemic typical of this engine. the auto manufacturer is aware of this problem but has done nothing, that i'm aware of, to rectify this problem for current owners apart from making the owner repair the defect at their expense (without having purchased an extended warranty). i'm deeply disgusted with the manufacturers attempt to ignore this design flaw.*ak | |||
| 02/21/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| Head gasket failed at 45,000 miles, allowing coolant to flow out of the driver's side of the engine. driver's side seat belt retractor failed to spool out and allow the occupant to buckle the latch plate.*ak | |||
| 03/02/2001 | 1 | 03/18/1998 | |
| Consumer had taken vehicle to mechanic for an oil change , and mechanic found out that anti-freez was leaking from head gasket. then, took vehicle to dealer to be repaired, and drove home finding out that dealer did not put fluid in transmission, and had to return for repairs.*ak consumer states that dealer did not perform all repairs, only fixed head gasket, did not properly re-clamp fuel line. consumer states there was transmission problem due to dealer possibly removing radiator and not properly re-attaching the transmission line, causing loss of transmission fluid and noise. *slc | |||
| 06/01/1999 | 2 | 04/01/1999 | |
| Engine failure premature wear of head gasket which started leaking. *ak | |||
| 12/26/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving head gasket blewout unexpectedly which could have caused vehicle to stall, and result in a crash. *ak *slc | |||
| 07/16/1998 | 2 | 05/01/1998 | |
| D.i.s and crankshaft sensor failed. yh | |||
| 12/23/1998 | 1 | 09/07/1997 | |
| Transmission was noisy--faulty flywheel and starter were replaced to correct it. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 09/03/2000 | 54000 | 3 | 08/03/2000 |
| We bought our 1998 dodge grand caravan se (3.3 liter) used from the original owner in 2000. at that point, the tensioner had been replaced once at least. since then we have had the unfortunate and dangerous circumstance of being stranded on a major highway with our 3 children because of the tensioner belt falling off, not once, but twice. it coincided with rainy weather both times. i have read several other reports on the internet with other consumers having the same exact problem with their dodge grand caravans. this is a serious problem. this could lead to deaths very easily. we were lucky enough to get across 3 lanes of traffic, with no steering or power, and park in the break down lane while traffic passed by us at 75 miles an hour. we were nearly rearended a couple times, which would have meant our children would have been hit first, and i doubt that they would have survived that kind of impact. in the meantime, my husband literally stood in back of our van waving our detached serpentine belt in the air desperate for someone to help get us off of the busy and potentially deadly highway. the next 30 minutes were scary, i cried the entire time scared for the safety of my 3 young children (a newborn, a 2 year old and a 3 year old). the next time the belt fell off, luckily i was nearer to our home on a quiet street. i could only imagine what would have happened had i lost the belt while on a back country road in maine, in the middle of the winter, with my 3 children by myself. a family van should never lose it's serpentine belt 3 times in 4 years. with all the recorded statements from others who have had this same exact problem, several times over, there is ample proof that dodge is aware that there is a huge problem. losing power, steering, etc. is a major issue that cannot be ignored. we were lucky to survive our incident. there will come a day, if this situation is not resolved, where a person or whole family, will die because of this careless defect. *ak | |||
| 12/24/2002 | 1 | 06/01/2001 | |
| Vehicle caught on fire while engine was off. dealer was not contacted has gone out of business. ts | |||
| 06/30/2000 | 05/01/2098 | ||
| I looked on the internet and was surprised to see how many people were experiencing oil leakage from the rear of the engine. dt | |||
| 08/26/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught on fire in the engine compartment, claim 20-5406-593. *slc | |||
| 09/30/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment, claim 05-4542-179. *slc | |||
| 04/23/2000 | 1 | ||
| While traveling through a parking lot, vehicle caught on fire under the hood in the engine compartment, claim 22-v298-813. *slc | |||
| 03/07/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle experienced engine fire, claim 75-a337-158. *slc | |||
| 03/18/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, engine compartment caught on fire, claim 13-7276-388. *slc | |||
| 09/30/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, engine caught on fire, claim 05-4542-179. *slc | |||
| 11/03/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer noticed smoke coming from under the hood, consumer parked the vehicle and called the fire department who put out the fire, claim 35-w772-194. *slc | |||
| 04/23/2000 | 1 | ||
| While traveling through parking lot, vehicle caught on fire under the hood, there was one injury, claim 22-v298-813. *slc | |||
| 03/07/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle experienced engine fire, claim 75-a337-158. *slc | |||
| 08/26/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment, claim 20-5406-593. *slc | |||
| 11/03/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer noticed smoke coming from under the hood, consumer parked vehicle and called fire dept, vehicle experienced fire in engine compartment, claim 35-w772-194. *slc | |||
| 03/18/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught fire while consumer was driving, claim 13-7276-388 | |||
| 09/30/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, engine caught on fire, claim 05-4542-179. *slc | |||
| 08/26/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment, claim 20-5406-593. *slc | |||
| 04/23/2000 | 1 | ||
| While traveling through parking lot, vehicle caught on fire under the hood, there was one injury, claim 22-v298-813. *slc | |||
| 03/07/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle experienced engine fire, claim 75-a337-158. *slc | |||
| 03/18/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught fire while consumer was driving, claim 13-7276-388 | |||
| 11/03/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer noticed smoke coming from under the hood, consumer parked the vehicle and called the fire department who put out the fire, claim 35-w772-194. *slc | |||
| 09/30/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment, claim 05-4542-179. *slc | |||
| 08/26/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught on fire in the engine compartment, claim 20-5406-593. *slc | |||
| 04/23/2000 | 1 | ||
| While traveling through a parking lot, vehicle caught on fire under the hood in the engine compartment, claim 22-v298-813. *slc | |||
| 03/07/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle experienced engine fire, claim 75-a337-158. *slc | |||
| 03/18/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, engine compartment caught on fire, claim 13-7276-388. *slc | |||
| 11/03/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer noticed smoke coming from under the hood, consumer parked vehicle and called fire dept, vehicle experienced fire in engine compartment, claim 35-w772-194. *slc | |||
| 01/05/2002 | 07/01/1998 | ||
| We had to trade in our 1998 dodge grand caravan on 01-05-02 as the engine was worthless. we lost over $7500. | |||
| 1 | |||
| Had just filled fuel tank, got inside vehicle, and smelled an odor of gasoline fumes. engine check light came on & stayed. took vehicle to mechanic, and ran diagnostic test. mechanic reset the engine check light, and it came back on.*ak consumer states engine light is continuously illuminated and there is a strong odor coming from the fuel tank door. *slc | |||
| 07/15/1998 | 1 | ||
| Consumer has had problems with vehicle 3 months after vehicle was purchased. a valve had to be changed at 24,000 miles later while vehicle was brand new. currently, vehicle emitts black smoke. there has been no remedy thus far for problems. sliding door rattles, dealer made an adjustment, front passenger door rattles when closing. engine hesitates, misses, and squeals, dealer replaced belts for the squealing. while turning steering wheel, there is a grinding noise in the front end, dealer performed tsb 19-05-98. spark plugs were replaced due to being worn. gear level was hard to get out of park. the left visor would not stay up, delaer found a broken clip. *slc | |||
| 01/01/1998 | |||
| The belt tensioner froze on my grand caravan. as an integral part of the steering this part needs to be given more consideration. i have found several complaints on this problem on the internet www.allpar.com . the damage that can be done to drive pulley's power steering units can be quite expensive and chrysler will not include this part in their warranty's. only after telling them i would report this to the nhtsa did they offer to pay 1/2 the repair. it still did not make me feel that the problem was looked at properly there are far too many caravans on the road to have a potential problem with the steering. | |||
| 04/23/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1998 | |
| I have contacted chrysler on several occasions requesting them to state in writing the cause of the fire. they will not tell me the cause; however, they are real quick to state that they are not responsible. this is a newer vehicle with all original components installed directly from their assembly plant. all i know is that we were driving the vehicle a fire stated in the engine and i was without a vehicle for over two weeks. i am getting nothing but the run around from this company. they are trying to avoid my requests. i have contacted your office three times once via phone and once via internet and have yet to hear anything. it has now been 30 days since your agency was originally contacted. kindly help in a timely fashion. *ak | |||
| 04/23/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1998 | |
| Chrysler and the dealership are unable to tell me what started the engine fire only that they have not seen this type of fire before. they are quickly to state that they do not feel that it is due to a manufacturing or assembly error. how can that statement be made when they are unable to state what caused the fire? they will not comment on a defective part. i have all defective (burnt) parts in my possession. how do i know that my vehicle is safe to drive when they can't tell me if they fixed the part that started the fire because they don't know. in a letter dated 5/2/200 from thier company they appologized over the fire but have washed their hands of the incident without being held accountable as to how this happened. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Rear cylinder head failed causing the vehicle to use excessive amounts of engine oil. nlm | |||
| 01/02/1999 | 2 | 05/01/1998 | |
| Incident 1 - 08/1998 - while driving at 10 mph in rainy weather, turned a corner and drove through a puddle. all control was lost to vehicle, which had to be immediately stopped. the serpentine belt was hanging visibly from the vehicle and after towing to the dealer, was replaced as defective under warranty. incident 2 - 01/02/99 - while driving 10 mph in rainy weather, turning a corner throgh a puddle, all control was lost and the vehicle was immediately stopped. the serpentine belt was checked and found by the owner to be disconnected. the dealer will be contacted for warranty replacement on the next business day. please investigate this dangerous loss of control problem before a third occurance at higher speeds. | |||
| 10/10/1997 | 365 | 10/01/1997 | |
| We bought this car brand new. it vibrated when we test drove it.the dealer said it just needed the tires balanced. we have had this car in the shop many times over the course of the year. it vibrates terribly at 45 mph. the district manager for orlando zone chrysler plymouth drove the car and verified the vibration. she has documented this problem and opened a file number. however, we are still in limbo as to what course of action to take or what chrysler will do to fix this problem. we rented a 1998 grand caravan in another state. it vibrated terribly at 45 mph. then one day in a parking lot, a woman stopped me(she had just bought a car like ours) and she asked me if i had vibration and chugging problems. i think there is something wrong with the engine/transmission of these cars. i would like to know if you have any information about this or know what can be done about it. while it may not be life threatening, it is a real nuisance. everything in my new car rattles...because it shakes so badly. the service manager at frank griffin dealership says another customer is having the same problem with his 1998 caravan. any information you have regarding this will be most aprpeciated. thank you. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 03/22/1981 | 120000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. the contact has experienced two failures regarding the serpentine belt. while driving 30 mph, the power steering and power brakes lost power. there were no warnings prior to the failures. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and he repaired the vehicle himself by re-attaching the serpentine belt. the contact is currently unable to take the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. the manufacturer stated that no compensation would be provided because there were no recalls. the failure mileage was 120,000 and current mileage was 123,000. | |||
| 02/22/2008 | 156000 | 15 | 06/18/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. the contact stated that the serpentine belt continuously detaches in wet weather conditions. the belt detaches while driving at various speeds and causes the vehicle to shut off. the vehicle has not been taken to a dealer for repair. the powertrain was unknown. the current mileage was 158,000 and failure mileage was 156,000. | |||
| 02/14/2008 | 102000 | 3 | |
| Serpentine belt flies off with a minimal amount of moisture. both wife and i have driven our 1998 dodge grand caravan in wet weather and the serpentine belt has come off numerous times. the vehicle doesn't even need to hit a puddle, the slightest amount of water splashing from another car will cause it to come off. belt falling off causes power steering, cooling, and charging to fail resulting in serious safety hazard as car is impossible to control. *tr | |||
| 09/14/2007 | 61680 | 1 | 06/24/1998 |
| While driving in heavy rain my serpentine belt came off the pulleys and resulted in a dangerous situation when i lost my steering while driving in traffic. i understand that this is a common and dangerous problem on the earlier (1997 through the early 2000s models) dodge caravan 3.0, 3.3, and 3.8 engines. there are many postings on the internet with people having the same thing happening during rain storms. i am the original owner of this 1998 dodge caravan. the van only has 61,686 miles on it. at 43,000 miles i had to replace the belt, tensioner, and pulley idler. i also have heard that dodge did a recall on this problem in at least one other country. chrysler should be mandated to offer a fix for this here in the usa. i temporarily fixed my problem by putting the old serpentine belt back on the pulleys. this is not an easy task and trying to do it along the road is hazardous. but for most people this would be impossible to do. *jb | |||
| 06/17/2007 | 4 | ||
| Serpentine belt came off four times while driving in the rain. after the fourth time the garage ordered a conversion kit from the gates corporation that replaced the idler plus the tensioner. the kit also included a new double sided ribbed belt. their part number is 38,342 k. it can also be ordered through car quest auto parts stores. their part number is the same. i have not had a problem since. *tr | |||
| 03/16/2007 | 70000 | 4 | 02/14/1998 |
| Tl* - the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. the contact stated that the serpentine belt slipped off in wet weather, and it made steering extremely difficult. when this happened there was no longer power steering. this has happened at least 4 times. the failure mileage was 70,000, and the current mileage was 107,000. *ak consumer states dealer made additional installation of the belt 6 months prior to the incident. update *4/23/07 **tr | |||
| 09/28/2006 | 151300 | 1 | 02/02/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 25 mph, the power steering failed, followed by loss of vehicle power, illumination of all warning lights, and the rising of the engine temperature. the vehicle was taken to a private repair shop, who determined that the serpentine belt became detached due to water splashing up into the undercarriage. the mechanic replaced the belt, however the problem persisted. the service dealer mentioned that a splash shield kit was no longer available for the vehicle. updated 10/30/06. *jb | |||
| 12/16/2005 | 103002 | 2 | 09/06/2001 |
| During a hard rain shower, the serpentine belt which drives the alternator, a/c, power steering and water pump jumped off of the pulleys resulting in the loss of the power steering and the engine overheating. had vehicle towed to a repair shop for repairs. repair shop could not find any reason for the belt to jump off. belt was examined and found to be in good condition. this first occurrence occurred on 12/16/2005. the second occurrence occurred on 7/28/2006 under the same wet weather conditions. the vehicle was taken to the same repair shop and checked out by the owner of the business. the belt was examined again and found not to have any sign of damage. the owner of the business replaced the belt with a new one as he could find no reason for the belt to jump off. steering of the vehicle was next to impossible due to the loss of the power steering. i checked with the service manager at the local chrysler dealership and he said he had not had any service bulletins from chrysler on this problem. *nm | |||
| 02/12/2006 | 110000 | 2 | 09/05/2002 |
| This is for a 1998 dodge grand caravan 3.0 we had to replace the serpentine belt tensioner twice in two years. in doing some research, it seems that others have had problems with the serpentine belt tensioner so we wanted to add that it has happened twice to ours. *jb | |||
| 03/11/2006 | 85000 | 5 | 04/15/2003 |
| Serpentine belt keeps coming off. *nm | |||
| 06/01/2005 | 102900 | 7 | 12/10/1997 |
| While driving through puddles the serpentine belt which controls the steering and other accessories slips off. i have owned this vehicle since new and never had this problem before. went to dealer he installed tsb bulletin 07-02-99 that consists of a bracket to stop the belt from coming off, but after i drove 7 miles in the rain it came off again. while at the dealer there were several other caravans towed there with the same problem, even a 2005. the dealer rep says this is a common problem because the water is splashed onto the belt tensioner and idler pulleys which are not grooved and just slips off. i did a web search at allpar.com, edmunds.com, etc. and found numerous complaints. this is a serious condition, people can be seriously injured or killed when they lose power steering control unexpectedly. i can't believe chrysler corp. has allowed this condition to go unresolved for so long. *nm | |||
| 11/08/2000 | 40000 | 3 | |
| The serpentine belt falls off when it gets wet. dealer has replaced it twice, and a shield once, however the problem still exists.*ak | |||
| 07/01/2004 | 35500 | 5 | |
| While driving serpentine belt disengaged, causing power steering to fail, and water pump to overheat. this happened five times. a technical service bulletin was issued on this problem. *ak | |||
| 11/18/2004 | 94596 | 5 | 06/15/1998 |
| The drive belt has repeatedly come off resulting in the immediate loss of power steering while the vehicle is in motion. i took the car to the dealership each time, but they were unable to determine the problem. finally a different dealership identified the problem as a flexing engine mounting bracket. this problem is so common there is a chrysler service bulletin #07-02-99. this repair should be covered as a safety recall. *jb | |||
| 04/14/2004 | 6 | ||
| While driving 10 mph pulley belt fell off. steering wheel was hard to steer and turn. consumer drove vehicle to dealer for inspection, and mechanic told consumer that problem could not be duplicated or resolved. *ak | |||
| 01/11/2004 | 64000 | 1 | 08/18/1998 |
| While driving cruise control light began to illuminate along with the air bag light. consumer took vehicle to the dealership, and they informed consumer that clock spring cracked. *ak the tensioner seized. *nm | |||
| 02/04/2004 | 59900 | 1 | 12/27/1997 |
| After driving through standing water, the serpentine belt slipped off, causing a loss of power steering control. the same thing had happened in june 2003, about three weeks after the dealer had replaced the belt and tensioner. the tendency for the belt to slip off after driving through water is a serious safety problem, which could easily lead to a loss of control of the car by a less experienced driver.*ak | |||
| 01/09/2004 | 10000 | 4 | 07/04/1998 |
| My 1998 dodge grand caravan (which i purchased new) had thrown its' serpentine-belt 4 times (approximately every 10,000 miles- it now has approximately 50,000 miles on the odometer). the danger/hazard in this circumstance is that power-steering, water-pump, alternator, & possibly oil-pump are driven by this belt! dodge has replaced the belt, tensioner, tensioner-mount bracket successively: i.e.- belt at 1st incident, tensioner at 2nd, bracket at 3rd. now it has occurred again & they wish to charge for all the aforementioned. the vehicle had camshaft failure at 41,000 miles & now has a rebuilt engine- the belt/ tensioner/ bracket are said by dodge not to be affected by the replaced engine. so, does this mean the vehicle needs a new tensioner/ belt/ bracket every 10,000 miles? *la | |||
| 12/17/2003 | 65821 | 1 | |
| The serpentine belt fell off intermittently. dealer indicated the need to install bracket to retain the serpentine belt.*ak | |||
| 78000 | 1 | 01/29/2001 | |
| Serpentine belt fell off the tension pulley, causing a loss of power steering. tsb 6088784 was issued on the problem, which indicated that cause was rain/stagnant water, and snow.*ak 1998 dodge grand caravan experienced problem where serpentine belt fell off the tension pulley causing a loss of power steering, power brakes and engine failure. chrysler corporation sent a memo to their dealerships addressing how to correct the problem. the memo also stated that this problem was not a safety issue.*mr | |||
| 12/04/2003 | 86000 | 1 | 08/25/2003 |
| Serpentine belt of my 1998 dodge grand caravan came off while driving down the highway. i lost abs, power steering, radio, and the engine overheated almost immediately. my daughters were in the car and i was in heavy traffic. i could barely steer the van. i was alarmed to find that many others have had this same problem. if my wife had been driving, i'm not sure if she could have steered the van. i could have easily caused an accident/injury/death to myself or others. the belt was not frayed, the tensioner is fine. the thing just slipped off. it was raining at the time as well, making a dangerous problem almost catastrophic.*jb | |||
| 07/10/2002 | 57000 | 2 | |
| On two occasions, both during a heavy rainstorm, the serpentine belt had fallen off the vehicle while driving at a high speed. this caused a lost of power steering, overheating and the alternator light had come on. the service could not find a reason as to why this occurred. the consumer was also told that this was common on the east cost due to the rain and snow. (model/sport) *ph *scc *jb | |||
| 10/15/2000 | 1 | 08/18/2001 | |
| We purchased this vehicle used in august 2001. after two months of having the vehicle we had to replace the serpentine belt, which broke as soon as i turned a corner,(we were told the dealership, maroone toyota in weston, fl sould see nothing wrong) we then had to have the vehicle looked at as our engine light came on (we were told there was nothing wrong with the engine) within the next 2 years of having this car, we have replaced the serpentine belt 4 addiotnal times, we have had the motor in the driver door break and we cannot get that window down, we have the warning lights come on for the air bag system (which i just noted is a recall issue that i never received notice), we have just experienced the a/c breaking down, wich looks in turn that this will be a problem with the pulley or system it is attched to ( a coil problem). we have 3 small children and i must admit that this has been the worst experience that i have ever encountered with a used vehicle. we have had nothing but complications with this vehicle - i should have returned thevehicle and count my blessings, i'm afraid the next time something goes wrong with this vehicle - it may cost us ourlives. can someone please contact me and tell me my options.*ak | |||
| 06/14/2003 | 91000 | 5 | |
| I have had to replace the serpentine belt 5 times since i bought the 1998 grand caravan a year and a half ago. i have also replaced all idler pulleys, tensioners etc multiple times trying to get rid of the squaking noise and the belt falling off when you get it wet.*ak | |||
| 27000 | 1 | ||
| When it rains hard the serpentine belt comes off the engine. this results in loss of power steering, and overheating.*ak | |||
| 05/30/2003 | 95000 | 2 | 02/06/1999 |
| Serpetine belt has shredded two times in the last two months. a small section of the belt on the inner side next to the engine appeared to have been cut, both times this occurred the damage was the same. vehicle had 99,000 miles and was well maintained. this event never occurred until the vehicle was over 95,000 miles. *tt | |||
| 05/26/2003 | 42000 | 2 | |
| While driving the drive belt came off and shredded into pieces which caused loss of power steering and the vehicle to overheat. *nlm. *ak *cb *nlm | |||
| 05/10/2003 | 41700 | 02/16/2002 | |
| The drive belt came partially off while driving. the belt shredded and then came off completely. the belt was replaced 6000 miles ago. it was a wet day outside (light rain). *nlm | |||
| 02/25/2003 | 79389 | 2 | 08/04/1998 |
| Tension, idler pulley. second time this has occurred. wet pavement causes belt to slip and loss of power resulting to vehicle during operations. this has occurred during regular driving, as well as highway driving under what should be normal operating conditions.*jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| The engine serpentine belt slipped off the pulleys. *ak *jb | |||
| 11/05/2002 | 67000 | 1 | 06/25/2001 |
| Serpentine belt fell off when driving through a puddle. this disabled all of the accessories and made the van undrivable. this has happened once before. vehicle was disabled in the middle of a busy street | |||
| 01/31/2003 | 3 | 10/20/2002 | |
| Serpentine belt comes off often causing loss of steering and other functions.this is something that happens very often in the short time that i have owned this car.there must be some way this can be prevented or corrected!! | |||
| 3 | 09/01/2098 | ||
| Belts have been braking after ~ 18000-20000 miles. dodge does not seem to care.*jb | |||
| 09/07/1999 | 3 | 06/01/1998 | |
| The failure of the tensioner belt caused the serpentine belt to come off resulting in power steering failure. *yh | |||
| 04/01/1999 | 4 | ||
| Serpentine belt will come off in heavy rain, this has happened 4 times. dealer will put on new belt. *ak | |||
| 11/01/2001 | 5 | 08/01/1998 | |
| Engine belt has had to be replaced five times since date of purchase. also, all electrical components including lights and hazard lights and power steering are lost. vehicle cannot be driven more than twenty miles per hour when this happens. dealer has been contacted. *ak consumer stated that the tensioner failed and was replaced for the fifth time on 1-04-02. *yd | |||
| 09/07/1999 | 3 | 06/01/1998 | |
| The failure of the tensioner belt caused the serpentine belt to come off resulting in power steering failure. *yh | |||
| 08/09/2001 | 3 | 05/01/1998 | |
| Serpentine belt failed x3 over 3d incl. on hwy -> loss of power. steering, alternator and other functions. *ak | |||
| 11/01/1999 | |||
| Serpentine belts have come off while consumer was driving, it resulted in cosumer losing control of vehicle. contacted dealer. *ak | |||
| 12/20/1999 | |||
| Tensioner on engine had broken twice. repaired first time under warranty. second time not under warranty. had lost power steering due to tensioner breaking.*ak | |||
| 02/27/2001 | 0 | ||
| After transmission was replaced serpentine belt fell off. then, took vehicle back to dealer, and they said that belt could fell off any time if it gets wet. consumer had to purchase a cover to avoid to fell off.*ak | |||
| 07/10/2000 | 2 | 01/14/1999 | |
| Serpentine belt came off, and there was a loss of steering. this happened in rain or snowy weather. consumer was traveling 35-40mph in rain and splashing through puddles. just as they were exiting battery/oil and temperature lights came on. vehicle lost steering. second time on 2-22-01, going 60mph in rain and water splashing underneath made vehicle lose steering. maufacturer said not enought vehicles were affected to assist with problem. *ak *slc | |||
| 01/07/2001 | 1 | 10/01/1997 | |
| Serpentine belt thrown off. *ak | |||
| 06/13/2000 | 2 | 06/01/1999 | |
| Transmission: down shifts to second gear and will not shift out. occurred while entering freeway on an on ramp. serpentine belt slipped off while driving in small puddles of water on highway. total loss of power steering which resulted in dangerous handling of vehicle on wet roads. *ak | |||
| While driving the serpentine belt came of, causing the vehicle to shut down. dealer has been notified. *ak | |||
| 07/13/1999 | 3 | 10/01/1997 | |
| The same identical failure has occurred 3 time in 14 months on my minivan. this problem only occurs during rain when water gets up onto the belt causing it to come off and causing complete loss of ability to steer and control the car. although i was not in an accident any of the times this occured, this is a safety issue. i was just lucky to be able to get off to the side of the road without running into anyone or getting run into by someone else. each time, jerry's dodge has implemented yet another technical services bulletin to fix the problem, but the problem still exists and it is a dangerous problem. | |||
| 05/17/1998 | 4 | ||
| While driving through a puddle serpentine belt came off. lost control of vehicle and lost all power. took to dealer & had belt replaced at least three times. this only happens when vehicle is driven through water or puddles. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 07/15/1998 | 1 | ||
| Consumer has had problems with vehicle 3 months after vehicle was purchased. a valve had to be changed at 24,000 miles later while vehicle was brand new. currently, vehicle emitts black smoke. there has been no remedy thus far for problems. sliding door rattles, dealer made an adjustment, front passenger door rattles when closing. engine hesitates, misses, and squeals, dealer replaced belts for the squealing. while turning steering wheel, there is a grinding noise in the front end, dealer performed tsb 19-05-98. spark plugs were replaced due to being worn. gear level was hard to get out of park. the left visor would not stay up, delaer found a broken clip. *slc | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 02/22/2008 | 129580 | ||
| Tl*the contact's client owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. after installing a new transmission and driving the vehicle, the contact's client noticed an excessive amount of fuel loss. the following day it was determined that the seam of the muffler had rotted away and was blowing hot air directly onto the plastic gas tank. the current and failure mileages were 129,580. | |||
| 02/03/2005 | 1 | ||
| Exhaust became loud and you can smell it coming through to cabin. i was told it was a crack in the exhaust manifold crossover pipe. doing research on the web, there have been several other people who had the same problem citing that they were told by dealers it was a bad design. the repair costs in excess of $900 and there is a chance if not repair for carbon monoxide to leak into cabin.*ak | |||
| 09/20/2004 | 100000 | 5 | |
| The cross over manifold was recalled. however, the dealer stated the part was on national back order consumer was waiting for eight months. as a result, fumes seeped through the passenger compartment, and the vehicle was unable to pass emissions inspection. *ak | |||