1995 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER Latches/locks/linkages Problems

I FOUND THAT I EXPERIENCE A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH DOOR HINGE CRAKING RESULTING IN DOOR NOT CLOSING PROPERLY. MY FATHER WAS ABLE TO FIX WITH SIMPLE WELDING., BUT NOW I FIND I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO EXPERIENCE THIS. MY FRIEND HAS A SIMILAR 95 DODGE CARAVAN WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM ON BOTH DOOR. I HAD IT ONLY ON ONE. NOW LOOKING THROUGH THE COMPLAINTS I'M WODERING IF IT MAY BE A STRUTUAL PROBLEM INTEAD OF JUST WEAR AND TEAR ON THE VEHICLE. DATE IS NOT ACCURAT ALL I REMEMBER WAS THAT IT WAS LAST YEAR. THE COMPUTER WOULDN'T LET ME PROCEED WITH OUT A FULL DATE INPUT.

CONSUMER STATED DOORS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE FRAME WHERE THE HINGES WERE ATTACHED CRACKED. THIS WAS HAPPENING AROUND DRIVER'S SIDE AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER' SIDE DOORS. BECAUSE OF THE CRACKS DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK, AND COULD BE OPENED INVOLUNTARILY. *AK

Mileage: 136,000

WHEN DRIVING BOTH SLIDING DOORS UNLATCHED, CAUSING THE DOORS TO OPEN. *AK

ACCIDENTS INVOLVING PLYMOUTH VOYAGER'S, THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *PH (NAR) THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS AND THE TAIL GATE LIGHT COMING ON. *CB

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT STRUCTURE PROBLEMS. THE HINGES ON THE DOOR WERE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE DOOR, AND THERE WAS A CRACK. DEALER AND MANUFACTURE WERE CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. ALSO, LATCH ON THE DOOR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY TO THE POINT THAT WHEN THEY MADE A SHARP CURVE THE DOOR CAME OPEN. *AK

Mileage: 10,400

THE HOOD RELEASE HANDLE BROKE OFF IN HAND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN HOOD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

Mileage: 70,000

WHEN THE DOOR MECHANISM FAILED I TOOK IT TO TIMBERLINE AND THEY COULD NOT FIX IT AND SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IT FIXED AT A BODY SHOP. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE BODY SHOP THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE APPROX. 6 OF THESE MECHANISM ON THE SAME MODEL OF VAN AS MINE IN THE PAST YEAR. THEY SAID THAT WHEN IT WAS BUILT THE MECHANISM SHOULD HAVE HAD STEEL FRAMEWORK TO ADHERE TO AND THERE WAS ONLY A VERY LIGHT METAL USED TO BUILD IT WITH. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IT ONE OF MY CHILDREN WOULD HAVE HAD THE DOOR COME OPEN OR MYSELF BECAUSE THE LATCH AND LOCK FAILED. *AK

HAD THE LATCH ON THE HATCHBACK SERVICED ABOUT A YEAR PRIOR AS PER THE RECALL. ALL OF THE SCREWS CAME LOOSE AND THE LATCH FELL OFF THE HATCH. THE DEALER APPARENTLY NEGLECTED TO TIGHTEN THE SCREWS WHEN REPLACING THE UNIT AS PER THE RECALL! LUCKY NO ONE WAS HURT! *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH HOOD LATCH RELEASED, CAUSING THE HOOD TO FLY UP, BLOCKING VISIBILITY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE SLIDING DOOR LATCH BROKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE'S DOOR TO NOT SHUT ALL THE WAY. DEALER HAS PUT A CORD ON THE DOOR TO KEEP IT FROM OPENING. *AK

I BOUGHT THIS VAN IN 1998 AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS,I BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY,BUT IT EXPIRED WHEN I HIT 100,000 MILES.I AM STILL PAYING FOR IT AND KNOW AM PAYING FO REPAIR BILLS.I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION RIGHT AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND NOW AM HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN,HAVE ALSO HAD PRO. WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM.AND PRO. WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE AND SLIDING DOOR HINGES OR LOCKS ALSO BRAKES EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND IT'S SOMETHING ELSE BASICLY "I BOUGHT A LEMON"

ON APRIL 14, 1999, THE DOOR LATCH FAILED, MAKING IT DIFFICULT (AT BEST), TO SECURE THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IN THE CLOSED POSITION. THE DOOR LATCH WAS REPLACED ON 4/15. ON MAY 2, THE REPLACED DOOR LATCH FAILED. UPON INSPECTION BY OUR MECHANIC, AND A SEPARATE MECHANIC AT A LOCAL AUTO BODY SHOP, WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW IN CHRYSLER VEHICLES: THAT THE DOOR IS TOO HEAVY FOR THE SHEET METAL IT IS BOLTED TO, THAT THE SHEET METAL WEAKENS AND THE DOOR BEGINS TO COME OUT OF ALIGNMENT, AND THAT AS THE SHEET METAL CONTINUES TO BE STRESSED, IT MISALIGNS, CAUSING THE LATCH TO FAIL TO MAKE CONTACT CORRECTLY AND EVENTUALLY BREAKING THE LATCH. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A HAZARD AS IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE WHEN THE DOOR MAY COME OPEN SUDDENLY, (AS YOU ARE NOT IMMEDIATELY AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE DOOR). OUR MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC AT THE BODY SHOP CHECKED TO SEE IF THE VAN HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR REPAIRS, AS THEY SEE THIS TYPE OF REPAIR FREQUENTLY ON CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. TWO DEALERSHIPS WERE CONTACTED AND WE WERE TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN RECALLED. THE FIRST REPAIR COST ABOUT $60 (REPAIRING THE LATCH ONLY). AN ESTIMATE FOR THE SECOND REPAIR IS $331. UNFORTUNATELY WE CANNOT WAIT FOR A RECALL TO HAVE IT FIXED. I HOPE THAT OUR EXPERIENCE WILL HELP SAVE SOMEONE ELSE THE TROUBLE WE'VE HAD. IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW WE MIGHT DEAL WITH THE MANUFACTURER, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. I AM HAPPY TO GIVE YOU THE VIN NUMBER OVER THE PHONE IF YOU WISH TO CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. THANKS A BUNCH, DIANA BALDWIN

TAILGATE OPENED UNEXPECTEDLY/ TAILGATE LATCH SCREWS FELL APART.

SLIDING DOOR ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER'S SIDE DOES NOT HAVE A LATCH OR LOCK THAT KEEPS THE DOOR OPEN OR SECURE WHEN OCCUPANTS ARE ENTERING OR EXITING THE VEHICLE ON INCLINE AREAS. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS HIT VERY HARD WHEN THE DOOR CLOSED ON HIM. THE CONSUMER WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE INJURY OF HIS CHILDREN. *YH

IN ACCIDENT 6:00 POSITION WHEN HIT AT 10-20MPH REAR HATCH OPENED.OWNER IS STILL WAITING FOR NEW REPLACEMENT PARTS HAS BEEN 1 YEAR. TT *JB

DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK FAILED TO UNLOCK. *AW

REAR LATCH RECALL IS TAKING TOO LONG TO GET REPAIRED. TT

REAR HATCH LATCH SCRAPING AROUND LOCK AREA. *SD

REAR HATCH LATCH FAILED, CAUSING REAR HATCH TO OPEN BY ITSELF PRIOR TO SERVICE RECALL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TAILGATE LATCH FLEW OPEN. ALSO SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE AND AT 20MPH VEHICLE LURCHES REARWARD. TT

LACK OF INSIDE DOOR LATCH RELEASE FOR TAILGATE MAY CAUSE PASSENGER'S TO BECOME STUCK INSIDE OF VEHICLE DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. *SKD

CONSUMER CONCERNED OVER POSSIBILITY OF REAR LATCHES POPPING OPEN. *AW

POOR DESIGN OF DECKLID LATCH. *TW