2002 DODGE CARAVAN Equipment Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIO WIRES WOULD SHORT CIRCUIT WHENEVER THE RADIO WAS ACTIVATED. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V531000 (EQUIPMENT). THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR SLIDING DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FUEL TANK HOSE WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

THE RADIO JUST WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING, IT MADE A LITTLE POP SOUND AND NEVER CAME BACK ON. *TR

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO A SPEED OF 45-50 MPH WITHOUT MY HAVING PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR. THE RMP GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING WILDLY AND THE ENGINE EMITTED A LOUD "REVVING" SOUND. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKES WHICH REDUCED THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE TO ONLY APPROX. 25-35 MPH. IN ORDER TO BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP, I HAD TO "STAND" ON THE BRAKES (PRESSING EXTREMELY HARD). AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE STALLED. WHEN MY MECHANIC TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, HE, TOO, INDICATED WHAT DIFFICULTY HE HAD "CONTROLLING" THE CAR AND WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS ULTIMATELY TAKEN TO D'AMBROSIO DODGE IN DOWNINGTOWN, PA FOR REPAIR. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM, INDICATING TO ME I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED WITH MY VEHICLE. DODGE SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE 2002 CARAVAN SPORT TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE ELSE IS PUT IN DANGER. *TR

THE REAR SEAT BELTS IN OUR 2002 DODGE CARAVAN HAVE STOPPED FUNCTIONING AGAIN. THEY WERE REPLACED IN FEBRUARY 2003, JANUARY 2007 AND ARE GOING IN TO BE REPLACE AGAIN TODAY JULY 2007. THEY DO NOT ENGAGE WHEN PULLED AND THEY DO NOT RETRACT AFTER USE. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE EMITTED A FOGHORN-LIKE SOUND FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. THIS ONLY OCCURRED WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WAS RUNNING ON LOW FAN SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, HOWEVER THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.

Mileage: 66,799

DT: THE CONTACT HAD RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE ON AIR CONDITIONER DRAIN HOSE. AFTER THE DEALER FINISHED THE WORK, THE DEALER CHARGED THE CONTACT $91.00 FOR THE SERVICE. HE HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK, AND THEY STATED THEY WOULD BE CALLING HIM BACK, BUT THEY NEVER DID. ALSO, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS NOT THEIR TO SPEAK WITH, AND THAT WHEN THE MANAGER WAS AVAILABLE HE WILL CALL HIM BACK.*AK

Mileage: 129,233

DT: 2002 CHRYSLER DODGE MINIVANS ARE PRONE TO LEAKING WATER INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FOOT WELL AREA WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS OPERATING. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, AND HAS BEEN FIXED THREE TIMES BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED PREMATURELY. THE CONSUMER HAS HAD THE COMPRESSOR REPLACED, THE WARRANTY PAID FOR THAT. THE COMPRESSOR FAILED IN JUNE OF 2005. THE VEHICLE HAS 69,000 MILES. THE LEAKING DEPENDED ON HOW MUCH THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS USED. *AK *SC *JB

Mileage: 69,000

SAFETY RECALL-RADIO VENT SLOTS, D48 ON DODGE CARAVAN IS AN UNSATISFACTORY FIX. PLACING TAPE OVER THE RADIO VENTS WILL CAUSE THE RADIO TO OVERHEAT IN FLORIDA! A FIRE IS POSSIBLE. *NM

Mileage: 20,000

THE CONSUMER HEARD A SHUTTERING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. *TC THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE POWER STEERING WAS THE PROBLEM AND HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. ALSO WHEN THE A/C WAS TURNED ON, IT MADE A LOUD NOISE. *SC *JB

THE A/C UNIT LEAKED DOWN THE FIREWALL ON THE INSIDE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CARAVAN AND RUINED THE CARPET. IT WAS REPAIRED IN FEB. 2003 UNDER WARRANTY. IN MARCH 2004 WE NOTICED MOLD ON THE FLOOR . THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED AGAIN. CHRYSTLER KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS BECAUSE THEY PUT OUT A TBS 24-008-02 TO FIX IT. PROBLEM IS IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK (ACCORDING TO SERVICE REPS.) WE ARE SUEING THEM TO FIX IT AGAIN. *AK

Mileage: 49,426

MY 2002 DODGE CARAVAN SE HAS HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION PUMP REPLACED TWO TIMES IN LESS THAN 32,000 MILES. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MY DEALER DOES NOT BELIEVE THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE CARAVAN.*AK

THE FIRST FAILURE WAS THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYING ON CONTINUELY. I HAD IT REPAIRED A FEW MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE VEHICLE NEW. LESS THAN SIX MONTHS LATER, THE LIGHT STAYED ON AGAIN. WE HAD MOVED TO ASHLAND AND IT WAS REPAIRED THERE. WITHIN A WEEK OF HAVING IT REPAIRED, I TRIED TO USE MY HORN AND IT DID NOT WORK. THEY COULDN'T FIX IT AT MY CONVIENCE, SO I HAD TO WAIT A FEW WEEKS TO GET IT REPAIRS. NOW, MY WINDOWS SOMETIMES GO UP AND DOWN AND SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT. MY VAN IS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD AND ALREADY, I HAVE HAD TO BORROW SOMEONES CAR BECAUSE MINE WAS IN THE SHOP. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN WITH A NEW VAN WITH LESS THAN 25,000 MILES ON IT. DEBBIE WAGGONER [email protected]

REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SPEAKER CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY A POWER SURGE IN THE SYSTEM. THE SPEAKERS WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT.*AK

Mileage: 40,000

WHEN THE CONSUMER JACKED UP VEHICLE, THE JACK BENT WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COLLAPSE TO THE GROUND. *JB WHEN THE CONSUMER JACKED UP VEHICLE, THE JACK BENT WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COLLAPSE TO THE GROUND. *MR

THE GENERATION 3 SEAT BELTS IN MY VAN NEED TO BE REPLACED IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED, INCLUDING ALL THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE WEBSITE WWW.UNSAFEBELTS.COM. THIS SEEMS TO AFFECT OVER 14 MILLION PEOPLE, AND NO RECALL HAS YET BEEN MADE. BUT THE DEATHS KEEP RISING, AND THE MONEY ADDS UP FOR DAIMLER-CHRYSLER. I AM THINKING OF FILING A LAWSUIT OF MY OWN IN THE FACT THAT THERE IS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THESE THINGS HAPPENING TO SEAT BELTS AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE EXCEPT SITTING ON THEIR BUTTS!! TODAY I CALLED CHAMPION DODGE LOCATED IN GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE BELTS...INSTEAD I WOULD HAVE TO PA TO GET THEM DONE!! I THINK A NICE AD IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER WILL DO THE TRICK!! I HAVE A 19-MONTH OLD GIRL, I WILL BE DAMNED IF I WILL JUST LET THIS GO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MR. WESTERLUND . *NLM