1996 Dodge Caravan Driver assistance Problems

WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING SPACE I TOUCHED BREAK AND THE VAN ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE. THE VAN JUMPED THE CURB AND WAS HEADING TOWARD 3 PEOPLE, I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL ENOUGH TO HIT A LIGHT POLE INSTEAD OF THEM. THE VAN QUIT RACING FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN REVVED UP AGAIN. THE LIGHT POLE FELL AND I WAS AGAIN HEADED TOWARD THE PEOPLE. I PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BREAK AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VAN, BUT NOT BEFORE HITTING THE PEOPLE. LUCKILY THEY WERE JUST BRUISED BECAUSE I JUST BUMPED THEM AND DIDN'T RUN OVER THEM. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. I ALMOST KILLED SOME PEOPLE AND NO LONGER HAVE TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE THE VAN WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA ID

10724131

Incident

May 9, 2015

BCM-1, (WARRANTY) LOSS OF DASH FUNCTIONS 1996: BCM-2 ESTIMATE $1200 REPLACED CHRYSLER P/N P4686727 LOST 95,000 MILE ODOMETER FOR A WORKING BCM FROM JUNKYARD (2001), BCM-3, LOST FUEL GAUGE AND SPEEDOMETER BCM FROM JUNKYARD FIXED P/N P46867(2006) BAD WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT LEAKS WATER INTO CABIN, BCM-3, FAILED AGAIN CURRENTLY NO WIPERS, NOT ABLE TO FIND A 1996/1997 BCM ONLY 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER BCM P/N P04801062AE. WILL TRY TO VALIDATE COMPATIBILITY TONIGHT. ADEL CHRYSLER ESTIMATE $1,400 PLUS LABOR. ALREADY GAVE THEM $742 FOR TUNE UP AND TROUBLE SHOOTING WHAT THEY SAID WAS A BAD MULTI-SWITCH ($110) DID NOT FIX AND NO DISCOUNT FOR NOT KNOWING HOW TO DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM PROPERLY. THEIR NUMBER IS 515-993-4587 CORY (KARL IS THE SERVICE MANAGER-OWNER'S SON). *TR

NHTSA ID

10265009

Incident

Jan 15, 2009

Mileage

18,000 mi

THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, THE HORN DOES NOT WORK, AND THE CRUSIE CONTROL DOES NOT FUNCTION......A CLOCKSPRING MALIFUNTION FROM ALL REPORTS....AND DEFINETLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAZARD. WILL ATTEMPT TO REPLACE BUT AT A HIGH COST....

NHTSA ID

10111909

Incident

Jul 20, 2004

WHILE DRIVING HORN/CRUISE CONTROL FAILED AND AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10067068

Incident

Mar 31, 2004

Mileage

106,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAME INOPERATIVE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10057700

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE HORN ON MY 1996 CARAVAN HAS STOPPED WORKING; THE AIR-BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME; THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM IS STARTING TO FAIL.*AK I SAW THE REPORT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS ON NEWER MODELS. I THINK THE RANGE OF MODEL YEARS NEEDS TO BE BROADENED. I HAVE ALSO SEEN REPORTS OF OTHER 1996/1997 MODELS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS ON INTERNET AUTO REPAIR WEB SITES.

NHTSA ID

10056434

Incident

Feb 3, 2004

Mileage

125,000 mi

WHILE SHIFTING GEARS TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED ON ITS OWN. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC REPLACED SPEED SENSOR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10049991

Incident

Dec 3, 2003

CLOCKSPRING MECHANISM

NHTSA ID

10039369

Incident

Aug 12, 2003

Mileage

115,335 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS LIT AND CRUISE CONTROL NO LONGER WORKS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10029086

Incident

Jul 1, 2003

Mileage

87,600 mi

WIPERS TURN ON INTERMITTENTLY, INAPPROPRIATELY. AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CRUISE DOESN'T WORK, HORN DOESN'T WORK. OTHER THAN THAT, THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED WELL. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****769501

NHTSA ID

10007143

Incident

Nov 1, 2000

Mileage

80,000 mi

CLOCKSPRING (LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL) FAILURE RESULTED IN LOSS OF USE OF BOTH AIRBAGS, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE HORN

NHTSA ID

766998

Incident

Jan 3, 2001

FAILURE OF THIS PART CAUSES THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL TO BE INOPERABLE AND FOR THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO STAY ON ALL THE TIME. WITH THE NUMBER OF FAILURES OF THIS PART, A RECALL IS NECESSARY. MANY PEOPLE WILL NOT FIX AT THE COST OF THE PART AND WILL BE DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

766435

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CRUISE CONTROL WILL WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

8016858

Incident

Jul 14, 2002

FIRST THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AUTOMATICALL,YTHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPS, THEN THE HORN STOPS WORKING, THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON, NOW THE CAR OCCASIONLLY DOESN'T START UNLESS I ADJUST THE STEERING COLUMN

NHTSA ID

765961

AIRBAG LIGHT ON , NO SPEED CONTROL, NO HORN. AIRBAG LIGHT INDICATES NONFUNCTIONING RESTRAINT SYSTEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

764034

Incident

Jun 1, 2002

EA 01 007/AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING:AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON WHILE DRIVING, ALSO, BOTH HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE INOPERATIVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8011033

Incident

Mar 15, 2002

FAILURE STARTED AS AN INTERMITENT ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG LIGHT. LATER NOTICED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT WORK. APRIL 10, 2002 HORN WOULD NOT SOUND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SIGNAL ANOTHER CAR BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. AVOIDED THE CAR AND AN DAMAGE. NOW THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY. NEITHER THE HORN OR CRUISE CONTROL WORK AND I ASSUME THE AIR BAG IS INOPERATIVE. THE VAN IS GOING IN FOR THE FUEL RAIL RECALL ON APRIL 29 AND I WILL ASK ABOUT THE CLOCKSPRING AT THAT TIME.

NHTSA ID

761108

Incident

Apr 10, 2002

SRS LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL IS INOPERABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8007302

Incident

Apr 6, 2002

DEVICES ON STEERING WHEEL DO NOT WORK. WINDSHIELD WIPERS/ CRUISE CONTROL, AND HORN DO NOT WORK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8006957

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON, AND HORN/ CRUISE CONTROL DO NOT WORK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ID

8006270

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING CAUSED CRUISE CONTROL/ AIR BAG, AND HORN TO MALFUNCTION AT THE SAME TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.*AK

NHTSA ID

8006176

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON, NO HORN OR CRUISE CONTROL. A FEW DAYS LATER I READ ABOUT CHRYSLER MINIVANS BEING INVESTIGATED BECAUSE OF FAULTY CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLIES. AFTER READING THAT, I CALLED OUR DEALER AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT. NONE! THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. NO AIRBAG, NO HORN MEANS DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. WE HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED. AFTER READING THROUGH 96 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PART ON YOUR WEBSITE, I THOUGHT I WOULD ADD MY COMPLAINT. CHRYSLER PAID FOR OUR NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT WE HAD TO PAY LABOR. ALSO PAID FOR THE NEW ELECT. FOR AC KNOB.*AK

NHTSA ID

759443

Incident

Jun 21, 2000

THE HORN, SPEED CONTROL AND AIRBAG ARE ALL CONNECTED TO THE STEERING WHEEL THROUGH THE CLOCKSPRING. AT THIS POINT, BOTH THE HORN AND AIRBAG ARE COMPLETELY DISABLED AND THE SPEED CONTROL RARELY FUNCTIONS. I'VE CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER ABOUT RECALLS OR COURTESY REPAIRS AND THEY STATE THAT NONE ARE ALLOWED FOR THIS PROBLEM. REPAIRS HAVE NOT YET BEEN MADE. *AK

NHTSA ID

758560

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY, HORN WON'T BLOW AND CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8004083

Incident

Nov 1, 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON, HORN DOESN'T WORK, CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK. I WAS TOLD BY DEALER THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDS REPLACING AND THAT THIS DEFAULT COULD CAUSE THE AIRBAGS TO NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY CHRYSLER. *AK

NHTSA ID

758082

Incident

Feb 11, 2002