1998 DODGE VAN Problems & Recalls

ON AUG. 8, 2017 I WAS DRIVING A LEVEL 2 LANE SECLUDED ASPHALT ROAD IN MY 1998 DODGE CAMPER VAN. THE VAN IS DODGE 3500 EXTENDED MODEL, MODIFIED BY SPORTSMOBILE INTO A CAMPER VAN IN 1999. AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 50 MPH SUDDENLY A LOUD NOISE OCCURRED AND PIECE OF TIRE BEGAN TO FLY OFF. THE TIRES HAS BEE...

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS; HOWEVER THERE IS NO OVER RIDE FOR THE LOCKS. THE DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN ALERTED.

Mileage: 70,000

1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN; RATTLING SOUND FROM ENGINE AREA FOR A FEW WEEKS, INTERMITTENT. SOUNDED FINE WHEN WE BOUGHT IT, USED, IN JULY. TOTALLY LOST THE TRANSMISSION OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND, STRANDING MY HUSBAND AND I AND OUR 6-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ALMOST 2 HOURS FROM HOME. NOW HAVE TO INVEST NEARLY ...

Mileage: 95,000

1-AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON 2-CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING 3-HORN STOPPED WORKING. *NM

Mileage: 89,000

POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MOTOR FAILURES - TRAPPING OCCUPANTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. OPERATING THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS NO EFFECT, NOR CAN THE LOCKING ROD BE RAISED MANUALLY; DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE BY THE DOOR HANDLE OR TURNING THE KEY LOCKING/UNLOCKING MECHANISM. DEALER HAS ...

Mileage: 128,800

POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MOTOR FAILURES - TRAPPING OCCUPANTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. OPERATING THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS NO EFFECT, NOR CAN THE LOCKING ROD BE RAISED MANUALLY; DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE BY THE DOOR HANDLE OR TURNING THE KEY LOCKING/UNLOCKING MECHANISM. DEALER HAS ...

Mileage: 128,865

POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MOTOR FAILURE - TRAPPED PASSENGER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. EXITING THE VEHICLE REQUIRED CRAWLING OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE, AND EXITING VIA ANOTHER DOOR WITH A STILL FUNCTIONAL LOCKING MECHANISM. DEALER HAD TO REMOVE INTERIOR DOOR PANEL AND DESTROY THE ACTUATOR MOTOR, AND INSTALL...

Mileage: 89,000

I STARTED THE VAN THAT MORNING AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINED ON. I WAS NOT AWARE AT THAT TIME THAT MY HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL WERE ALSO AFFECTED. I FOUND THAT THE HORN DIDN'T WORK WHEN A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I ALMOST HIT IT. AFTER THAT I CHECKED THE FUSES AND RELAYS BUT FOUND NO...

MY WIFE AND I NOTICED A SMOKY ODOR IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VAN A YEAR AGO. AFTER REPLACING SEVERAL ENGINE GASKETS AND PRESSURE-WASHING THE ENGINE BLOCK TO RULE OUT BURNING OIL, THE SMELL CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. FINALLY, MIDAS DISCOVERED A CRACKED CROSSOVER PIPE WAS ALLOWING ENGINE EXHAUST TO ESCAPE...

WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY BRAKES FAILED. DRIVER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING UNDER THE VEHICLE DUE TO A RUPTURED BRAKE LINE. *AK

Mileage: 90,000

NAR 04/10/2003 THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS DONE ON AIR BAG ASSEMBLY. AFTER REPAIRS WERE MADE A RECALL WAS ISSUED. THE CONSUMER HAS INCLUDING RECEIPTS OF THE AMOUNT PAID FOR REPAIRS BUT DODGE HAS REFUSED TO MAKE PAYMENTS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *CB

Mileage: 57,081

LEFT FRONT BEARING FAILED AT 36,000, AGAIN AT 52,000. RIGHT FAILED AT 63,000, BOTH AT 65,000. RIGHT FAILED AGAIN AT 69,100. BOTH BEARINGS AND SPINDLES REPLACED. RIGHT FAILED AGAIN AT 69,146.*AK

LEFT FRONT BEARING FAILED AT 36,000, AGAIN AT 52,000. RIGHT FAILED AT 63,000, BOTH AT 65,000. RIGHT FAILED AGAIN AT 69,100. BOTH BEARINGS AND SPINDLES REPLACED. RIGHT FAILED AGAIN AT 69,146.*AK

B3500 MODEL VEHICLE - VALVE STEM IS SEPARATING FROM RUBBER AND METAL, CAUSING TIRES TO DEFLATE FASTER. VALVE STEM IS MANUFACTURED BY SCHRADER PART # TR-600HP. YEAR OF VEHICLE 1998.*AK *TT

WHILE MAKING A TURN INTO DRIVEWAY, VEHICLE STALLED, DEALER STATED THE AUTOMATIC IDLE SPEED MOTOR THAT REGULATES THE IDLE OF THE MOTOR WAS CARBONED AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. *SLC

WHILE MAKING A TURN INTO DRIVEWAY, VEHICLE STALLED, DEALER STATED THE AUTOMATIC IDLE SPEED MOTOR THAT REGULATES THE IDLE OF THE MOTOR WAS CARBONED AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. *SLC

LOW SPEED WOBBLE - TSB 22-02-99. *AK

FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. ALSO, DEALER PREVIOUSLY REPLACED TWO OTHER FAULTY FUEL TANKS WHICH LEAKED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

AS OF THIS DATE, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS AT 8,000 MILES, REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS, CALIPERS, AND BRAKE PADS. THE SECOND INCIDENT, I HAD THE VEHICLE BACK IN 4 MONTHS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS DATE, 05-18-00, I AGAIN HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS AND PA...

FUEL LEAKAGES HAVE OCCURRED ON AT LEAST THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ON EACH OCCASION, PROBLEMS WERE "FIXED" BUT LEAKAGES SUBSEQENTLY OCCURRED.*AK

DOOR LOCK.

INTERIOR LIGHTS.

WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL QUIT WORKING DURING OPERATION, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY . DEALER HAS REPLACED MOTOR TWICE, BUT DEFECT KEEPS REOCCURRING. *AK

CONSUMER APPROVED FOR THE ON/OFF AIR BAG SWITCH, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP WILL NOT PERFORM WORK. MJS

REAR DOOR LOCK FAILED. NM

SEAT BELTS ARE PLACED IN THE WRONG SPOT. WHEN PULLING THE RESTRAINT ACROSS THE SHOULDER, THE LAP PART OF OF THE BELT IS POSITIONED UP AROUND THE WAIST INSTEAD OF THE HIPS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK