1994 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Structure Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 00V305000 (STEERING), 99V213000 (STRUCTURE), 99V113000 (AIR BAGS), AND 95I00100 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

CONSUMER STATED THE SLIDING DOOR FELL OFF TRACK . THE PART HAD BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE PARTS SEEM TO WEAR TO EASY AND RUST WHEN THEY SHOULD NOT. *TC

Mileage: 140,716

WHEN THE CONSUMER CLOSED THE REAR HATCH THE HINGE ON THE UPPER RIGHT CAME OFF. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BOLT HAD BROKEN IN HALF AND ONE HALF OF THE BOLT WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE DOOR WHILE OTHER HALF FELL TO THE GROUND. THE PRESSURIZED MECHANISM WAS LOCKED IN THE OPEN POSITION AND IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE DOOR THE CONSUMER HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PUNCTURE THE ROOF. *NLM *CB *NLM

Mileage: 120,000

NHTSA RECALL 99V213000 LIFTGATE SUPPORT BRACKET; SHE HAD THIS RECALL REPAIRED TWO YEARS AGO. THE OWNER STATES THAT SHE HEARD SOMETHING, MOVED OUT THE WAY AND THE LIFTGATE SLAMMED SHUT ON ITS' OWN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. NLM

WHILE TRYING TO OPEN HATCH GATE UP STRUT THAT HOLDS HATCH GATE SHEARED OFF FRAME, AND GATE CAME DOWN ON CONSUMER, CAUSING SOME MINOR DAMAGES ON SHOULDER, ARM AND BACK.*AK *YH

SLIDING DOOR, HAD COLLAPSED WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS, AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT HAD BEEN THE CAUSE OF SLIDING DOOR FALLING OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

REAR DOOR IS FALLING APART FROM THE TOP HINGE WHERE IT COULD SEPARATE LIKE IT HAD HAPPEN BEFORE. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

SLIDING DOOR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FLY OPEN WHEN MAKING A TURN OR COMING TO A STOP. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED OF NO RECALL AND VEHICLE OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. *AK DOOR FLEW OPEN ON ONE OCCASION DURING AN ACCIDENT WHEN IMPACT WAS TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THE DOOR POPPED OPEN. *SLC

THE REAR HINGE WHICH SUPPORTS THE SLIDING PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FAILED AND CAME OUT OF IT'S TRACK, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE SIDE DOOR CLOSED. NLM

DRIVER'S DOOR HAS A STRESS CRACK AT THE WELDS AND HINGES OF THE DOOR WHICH WON'T SHUT THE DOOR PROPERLY, WON'T SHUT TO THE 2ND LATCH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

1. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS LOCKS UP IN SECOND GEAR, RPM'S WILL DOUBLE, SPEED BECOMES LIMITED. 2. WINDOW ON REAR HATCH IS OOZING GLUE AND THE WINDOW IS BUCKELING.

THE SLIDING DOOR HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE WE FIRST GOT OUR MINIVAN. AT FIRST THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE HINGE WAS BAD - IT WAS ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD. THE NEXT TIME THAT I TOOK IT IN FOR THIS THEY SAID THAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I REFUSED TO PAY STATING THAT A NEW VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 20,000 MILES DOORS HINDGES AND LATCHES WEARING OUT IS NOT NORMAL. THE NEXT TIME THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE IT WAS THE LATCH, THE NEXT TIME IT WAS THE UPPER HINDGE THEN THE LOWER AND BACK AND FORTH. FOR OVER SIX YEARS WE HAVE HAD LATCHES AND HINDGES REPLACED. HALF THE TIME THE DOOR WONT OPEN, THE OTHER HALF IT WONT CLOSE. OH, THEN THERES THOSE TIMES THE DOOR JUST FLYS OPEN AS WE ACCELARATE OR TURN A CORNER. THE DEALER HAS STATED THAT WE NEED TO BUY A NEW DOOR AND THEN HAVE THE FRAME REBENT. AS I HAVE SPOKE WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THIS SAME MAKE AND MODEL MINIVAN THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS. OR THE DOOR HAS JUST FALLEN OFF. IN ADDITION TO THIS ALL OF OUR PAINT IS PEELING OFF. WE HAD INTENDED TO KEEP THIS THROUGH TILL THE YEAR 2004. HOWEVER I AM BECOMING INCREASINGLY CONCERED SINCE OUR DAUGHTER ALMOST FELL OUT AS WE TURNED A CORNER AND THE SLIDING DOOR FLEW OPEN THEN AS SHE IS FASTENED IN LEANED AS THE DOOR SLAMMED CLOSED. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CAREFULL AND FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER. GIVEN THAT THIS IS ONLY SIX YEARS OLD I FEEL THAT THE MANUFATURE SHOULD NOT CLAIM THAT THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

ALL DOOR HINGES HAVE EITHER COME LOOSE OR HAVE RUSTED, CAUSING THE DOORS NOT TO SHUT CORRECTLY. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML

THE SLIDING SIDE DOOR EXTERIOR SUPPORT TRACK IN THE BODY PANEL IS WORN OUT. THIS CAUSES MIS-ALIGNMENT OF DOOR LATCH AND STATIONARY LATCH PIN WHILE CLOSING THE DOOR. THE LATCH JAMS ON THE HEAD OF THE LATCH PIN. DOOR APPEARS TO BE CLOSED BUT IS NOT SECURE AND COMES OPEN WHILE DRIVING.

THE HYDRAULIC LIFT ARM ON PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE P0PPED OUT DUE TO THE LIFT SUPPORT ARM FAILURE. YH

PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR GOES OFF TRACK AND IS HARD TO OPEN. YH

SLIDING DOOR FELL OFF WHILE OPENING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOOR HINGES BROKE, CAUSING THE DOORS TO FALL OFF WHICH MAY RESULT IN INJURIES. *AK

IN JAN 1998, I NOTICED SURFACE DAMAGE THAT LOOKED LIKE SPOTS. OVER THE MONTHS AFTER REPEATED WASHES AND WAXES, THE SPOTS GREW IN SIZE. THE SPOTS STARTED ETCHING BELOW THE TOP SURFACE. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTERWARD I STARTED TO SEE A GRAY SURFACES APPEAR WHERE THE SPOTS WERE. DURING A SERVICE VISIT IN MID 1998 TO MY LOCAL CHRYSLER/DODGE DEALER IN FORT COLLINS, CO., I THEN ASKED THEM WHAT CAUSES THIS AND WHETHER TOUCHUP PAINT WOULD WORK TO FIX THE SURFACE. THEY SAID THE CAUSE WAS ENIVORMENTAL EFFECTS ON PAINT. I TOOK THEIR WORD ON IT AND PURCHASED THE TOUCHUP PAINT. SINCE THAT TIME, THE PAINT ON THE TOP ROOF IS COMING OFF IN LARGE FLAKES. A GRAY SURFACE NOW COMPRISES ABOUT 15% OF THE TOTAL AREA. AT THE PRESENT RATE OF FLAKING, THE ENTIRE TOP WILL BE BARE WITHIN TWO MONTHS. ESTIMATES FOR SANDING AND REPAINTING THE TOP WITH BE $1500.00 AND CHRYSLER WILL PARTICIPATE $220.91 TOWARDS REPAINTING THE ROOF AS A GOODWILL GESTURE. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH COMPENSATION. I FEAR THAT OTHER AREAS ON MY VEHICLE WILL SOON START TO SHOW THE SAME PROBLEM. MANY OTHER FAMILY, FRIENDS AND OWNERS NATIONWIDE ARE REPORTING SIMILIAR PROBLEMS. INFORMATION THAT I OBTAINED THROUGH SOURCES INDICATES THAT CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE INCOMPATABILITY OF THE WATER BASED CLEAR COAT AND THE DRY BASED PRIMER AND HOW THE SUN CAUSED THE PRIMER TO OXIDIZE AND CAUSED THE PAINT NOT TO ADHERE. INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY A CHRYSLER EMPLOYEE ON THE INTERNET ON PAINTS USED BY CHRYSLER AND SOME OF THE RELATED PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO STEM FROM CHRYSLER NOT ACKNOWLEDGING A PEELING PROBLEM RELATED TO THE ELIMINATION OF SPRAY PRIMER ON THEIR ASSEMBLY LINES. THEY ARE PRESENTLY BEING SUED IN SEVERAL STATES OVER THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE LAWSUITS ARE NOT SPECIFIC ABOUT THE AFFECTED MODELS OR YEARS. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT CARS AND TRUCKS MANUFACTURED WITH SPRAY PRIMER, AS WELL AS VEHICLES NEWER THAN MODEL YEAR 1993. I WOULD BE WILLING TO SEND PHOTO'S TO BACKUP MY COMPLAINT. *AK

BUSHINGS ON SLIDING DOOR FAILED AND DOOR FELL OFF WHEN OPENED. DEALER CLAIMED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

THE HYDRAULIC LIFTGATE SUPPORT PISTON ON THE RIGHT SIDE BROKE, CAUSING THE LIFEGATE TO FALL DOWN AND SHATTER THE WINDOW. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE PISTON HAS BEEN REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING WE EXPERENCED A LOUD EXPLOSIVE SOUND WHICH WAS THE FAILURE OF THE BOLT HOLDING THE RIGHT GATE LIFT STRUT ON THE GATE AND BLOWING THE STRUT OFF. THE GATE WAS CLOSED BUT HAD IT BEEN OPEN IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY TO THE PERSON UNDER IT.

THE LIFTGATE BOLT BROKE IN HALF WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. *AK

FAILURE OF BOLT ATTACHING THE RIGHT LIFTGATE STRUT ROD TO VEHICLE. THE BOLT BROKE OFF WHEN LIFTING THE LIFTGATE. THIS CAUSED THE LIFT ROD (HYDRAULICALLY PRESSURIZED) TO EXTEND, PUNCHING A HOLE IN THE HEADLINER OF THE MINIVAN. THERE IS NO SECONDARY 'CATCHER' MECHANISM TO RESTRAIN THE STRUT ROD IF THIS BOLT BREAKS. ALSO, THE LIFTGATE IS TOO HEAVY FOR THE OTHER LIFTGATE TO SUPPORT IT ALONE, OR TO SLOWLY LET THE LIFTGATE DOWN. THEREFORE, IF THE BOLT FAILURE HAD OCCURED WHEN THE LIFTGATE WAS RAISED UP, THE LIFTGATE WOULD HAVE SLAMMED DOWN UNCONTROLLABLY. HAD I BEEN UNDER THE LIFTGATE, I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. HAD MY TODDLER BEEN THERE, HE COULD HAVE BEEN FATALLY INJURED. IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT THIS DESIGN IS ALLOWED SINCE ONE FAILURE OF ONE BOLT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS OR FATAL INJURIES.

MY WIFE WAS CLOSING THE REAR DOOR WHEN THE ANCHOR BOLT HOLDING THE LIFT CYLINDER BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE DOOR TO FALL. *AK

BOLT BROKEN ON ONE OF THE GAS FILLED PISTONS THAT HOLD THE REAR LIFTGATE OPEN CAUSING THE LIFTGATE SUPPORT TO FALL DOWN BETWEEN THE LIFTGATE AND THE BUMPER AND THE GLASS TO SHATTER.

WHEN THE DOOR IS LOCKED WITH THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK , THERE IS NO WAY THAT ONE CAN EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE SLIDING DOOR. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

REAR DOOR HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FAILURE. OWNER'S 1992 GRAND CARAVAN WAS RECALLED FOR SAME PROBLEM.

SLIDING DOOR RELEASED FROM THE TRACKS WHICH WAS CAUSED BY BROKEN BOLT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAIL. *AK

THE DEFECTIVE SLIDING DOOR FELL COMPLETELY OFF THE HINGES DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE DOOR, ALMOST INJURING THE OCCUPANT. *AK

THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE DOORS WILL LOCK, NOT ALLOWING OCCUPANT TO EXIT OUT THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

EXPERIENCING SLIDING DOOR MISALIGNMENT WHEN DOOR FAILS TO LINE UP RIGHT WHEN CLOSED AND PART DETACHMENT FROM DOOR FRAME.**AK

WHEN SHUTTING THE SLIDING DOOR, DOOR CAME OFF THE TRACK. *AK