1991 Dodge Caravan Interior & seats Problems

I OWN BOTH A 1991 AND A 1995 DODGE CARAVAN... THE 1991 HAS NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, INCLUDING A BACK HATCH THAT WON'T STAY UP BECAUSE THE AREA OF THE FRAME THAT THE SHOCK LATCHES INTO IS BROKEN DUE TO A STRESS CRACK.. THIS MAKES IT REALLY HARD TRYING TO GET THINGS IN AND OUT WHEN YOU HAVE A BABY.. THE DRIVER SEAT ALSO FALLS BACKWARDS AND DOES NOT STAY IN PLACE. THE GAUGES DO NOT WORK, WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE... BOTH THESE VEHICLES ARE WHITE IN COLOR AND THE PAINT IS PEELING IN THE SAME EXACT SPOTS ON BOTH VANS. IT'S ACROSS THE HOOD AND ACROSS THE TOP. ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS, BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS - I HATE MY VANS AND PROBABLY WON'T EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER CARAVAN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10010969

Incident

Jul 1, 2002

Mileage

100,000 mi

BOLTS ON HATCH BACK HAVE BROKEN OFF AND HATCHBACK COULD BE OPENED UP. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL.*AK

NHTSA ID

8011466

Incident

Jun 7, 2002

DRIVER SIDE BACK REST BROKE WHILE DRIVING, THROWING DRIVER BACKWARDS, CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. *JB

NHTSA ID

561212

SLIDING DOOR LATCH WOULD MAKE CLICKING NOISES WHEN DOOR IS LOCKED. LOCKS WOULD JUMP UP & DOWN. LIGHT ON DASHBOARD INDICATES THAT DOOR IS AJAR WHEN ITS NOT.*AK

NHTSA ID

884203

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT 5 MPH OR LESS DRIVER'S SEAT HAVE COLLAPSED COMPLETELY BACKWARD. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER TO FIND A USED SEAT AND REPLACE IT. *YH

NHTSA ID

882500

Incident

Mar 8, 2001

SEAT FRAME BROKE IN HALF, AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WENT BACKWARDS TOWARD BACK SEATS . DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

879036

Incident

Jan 11, 2001

PASSENGER'S AND DRIVERS SIDE DOORS DO NOT SHUT PROPERLY. ONE CAN HEAR AIR COMING IN, DOOR WAS LOOSE. THERE IS A PIECE OF THIN METAL WHERE DOOR LATCHES SHUT. IT IS WEARING BECAUSE OF THE MATERIAL IT'S MADE OFF. *AK THE METAL ON WHICH THE DOOR LOCKING DEVICE WAS MOUNTED CRACKED CAUSING THE BOLTS LOOSE AND THE DOOR NOT TO CLOSE PROPERLY. *YH

NHTSA ID

874853

Incident

Nov 13, 1998

IN BOTH CASES, THE BACK SECTION OF THE DRIVER SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD. IN THE INITIAL CASE, IT FELL BACK ON MY DAUGHTER'S LEGS WITH MINIMAL INJURY. I REPLACED THE SEAT AND ALL WAS WELL UNTIL THE START OF THIS YEAR WHEN THE BACK AGAIN IS BREAKING. I CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD IN BOTH CASES THAT THEY HAD NEVER HAD HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE. I HAVE SINCE READ OF OTHER CASES OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHICH SEEMS TO BE A CONTINUING SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO INJURY IN THE SECOND CASE, I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT PEAK HOUR AT THE MOMENT AND THE BACK JUST COLLAPSED TO 45 DEGREES.*AK

NHTSA ID

726924

Incident

Jul 9, 1995

HOOD FLEW UP, DAMAGING HOOD/WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND PLASTIC GRATE ALONG WINDSHIELD AND VEHICLE ROOF. *AK

NHTSA ID

716887

Incident

Jan 4, 2000

LIFTGATE LATCH MAKES A LOT OF NOISE. CONSUMER FEELS THAT IT IS WORN AND MAY JUST COME LOOSE, AND SOMEONE COULD BE INJURED. TOOK TO DEALER THEY REPLACED THE PART. CURRENTLY, IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

851832

Incident

Oct 26, 1998

THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAS FAILED. IT MUST REMAIN LOCKED AND CAN NOT BE UNLOCKED. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HAS REMAINED SHUT DUE TO NOT HAVING ANY LOCKS OR LATCHES TO KEEP DOOR SHUT. HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE LOCKING MECHANISM CHECKED. *AK

NHTSA ID

851746

Incident

Oct 8, 1998

LIFTGATE LATCH ISN'T FIXED PROPERLY, AND THE LATCH IS LOOSE. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINETHE CAUSE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

850752

Incident

Jan 1, 1998

FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT MOVES FORWARD OR BACKWARDS WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. DEALERS NOTED PROBLEM WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

824077

Incident

Nov 28, 1997

WHEN DOORS ARE SECURELY LOCKED, THEY CANNOT BE OPENED FROM EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE WHEN USING KEY. WHEN DOORS ARE CLOSED, ALL THE LOCKS WOULD LOCK ON THEIR OWN.*AK

NHTSA ID

830115

Incident

Oct 16, 1998

THE HATCHBACK HYDRAULIC LIFT ON THE RIGHT SIDE BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAME, CAUSING THE DOOR TO DROP DOWN IMMEDIATELY, HITTING AND INJURING CONSUMER. THE VAN WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK *ML

NHTSA ID

829247

Incident

Oct 20, 1998

FRONT DOORS DON'T HAVE STRONG SAFETY LATCHES BECAUSE THE WIND COULD OPEN THEM AND THEY ARE NOT THAT SECURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

827375

Incident

Jun 28, 1998

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH HOOD FLEW UP UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING THE HOOD TO HIT WINDSHIED, BENDING THE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *AK

NHTSA ID

823738

Incident

May 28, 1998

THE LIFTGATE LATCH CYLINDER HAS BROKEN, PREVENTING THE GATE TO LOCK. CONSUMER ALSO STATES THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. (95I-001.006). *AK

NHTSA ID

821190

DURIMNG NORMAL OPERATION THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM BROKE. VEHICLE WAS NOT IN A CRASH. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID

816297

Incident

Aug 1, 1997

LOW IMPACT OF REAR END RESULTED IN LATCH FAILURE. THIS CAUSED REAR DOOR TO OPEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. THIS OCCURRED BEFORE "NEW LATCH" WAS REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

801221

FAILURE ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT, ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK CAUSED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID

983719

Incident

Apr 27, 1996

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILURE, PASSENGER LEANED AGAINST DOOR, CAUSING IT TO BECOME OPEN. *AK

NHTSA ID

982207

Incident

Mar 29, 1996

REAR LIFTGATE LATCH; RENO CHRYSLER-NV AND MANUFACTURER BOTH WILL NOT SCHEDULE REPAIRS, REPEATEDLY TELL THEM 2 TO 3 MONTH WAIT. *AK

NHTSA ID

980737

REAR LIFT GATE LATCH FAILED, RECALL REPAIRS DELAYED DUE TO UNAVAILABILIEY OF PARTS.

NHTSA ID

501727

REPLACEMENT LATCH HAS NOT BEEN INSTALLED ON VEHICLE. TT

NHTSA ID

977779

Incident

Jan 18, 1996