1996 Dodge Caravan Steering Problems

THIS VEHICLE HAS A CHRONIC DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THROWING ITS SERPENTINE BELT WHENEVER THE TENSION PULLEY GETS WET. SOON AS THE BELT IS THROWN THERE IS NO POWER STEERING, AND IT STEERS 10 TIMES WORSE THAN A MACK TRUCK. THE LACK OF STEERING IS A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD TO EVERY OTHER VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. AS IT HAPPENS SUDDENLY BY DRIVING THROUGH A WATER PUDDLE, ETC. THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO TIME TO REACT. IN ADDITION TO LACK OF STEERING THERE IS NO ALTERNATOR OUTPUT, RESULTING IN RAPID BATTERY DRAIN. ALSO THERE IS NO COOLANT SYSTEM FAN RESULTING IN RAPID ENGINE OVERHEATING. THIS DESIGN FAULT HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR WELL OVER A DECADE, NO MAKE THAT 2 DECADES, BUT CHRYSLER HAS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM DATES BACK TO ALL CHRYSLER MINI-VAN DESIGNS FROM THE EARLY 1990S TO AT LEAST 2000. IF THE LACK OF STEERING IS NOT A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. WE HAVE A USED WHEELCHAIR CONVERSION CARAVAN VAN TO TRANSPORT MY WIFE. THIS LATEST INCIDENT WAS THE PAST SATURDAY NIGHT AS WE LEFT A RESTAURANT TO RETURN HOME. IT HAD BEEN RAINING PROFUSELY AND SUDDENLY I HAD NO STEERING. I KNEW IMMEDIATELY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS SINCE THIS IS THE 3RD OCCURRENCE IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. DO YOU EXPECT YOUR VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERABLE JUST BECAUSE YOU DRIVE IN THE RAIN? WHY HAS NOT CHRYSLER BEEN MADE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM AND ISSUE A REPAIR RECALL? I DON'T CARE IF THE VAN IS OVER A DECADE OLD. THIS DEFECT IS ONE WHICH ENDANGERS EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD AND WHICH CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO ADDRESS WELL OVER A DECADE AGO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10522678

Incident

Jun 30, 2012

Mileage

72,000 mi

1996 DODGE CARAVAN - RIDICULOUS....ALMOST EVERY PUDDLE MAKES BELT SLIP OFF AND POWER STEERING BECOMES DANGEROUS. THIS IS THE 14TH TIME SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON ALL OF THESE VANS OR A REIMBURSEMENT PLAN FOR THIS OR BETTER YET.... A FREE FINAL FIX!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10319470

Incident

Mar 12, 2010

Mileage

46,000 mi

RAIN CAUSE BELT TO SLIP OFF LOSING POWER STEERING. CAN NOT USE VEHICLE IN RAIN OF SNOW! 1996 DODGE CARAVAN HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST TEN TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10174971

Incident

Jan 21, 2006

THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT. IT CAN SLIP OFF. WHEN IT DOES, YOU POWER STEERING GOES (SAFETY) AND YOUR CAR CAN OVERHEAT WITHIN MINUTES. YOU ARE STRANDED. PUTTING THE BELT YOURSELF IS NOT EASY, EVEN WITH THE DIAGRAM (THANK GOODNESS THEY HAVE THE DIAGRAM UNDER THE HOOD FOR OTHER MECHANICS, DO IT YOURSELFERS) THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN, BUT NOT A RECALL. I THINK THEY PUT ON A BRACKET WHICH WILL HELP KEEP THE BELT ON TRACK IN CASE OF WET WEATHER.

NHTSA ID

10071164

Incident

Nov 15, 2003

Mileage

83,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER WHEN IT RAINS. CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. TS *DT

NHTSA ID

10004599

Incident

Oct 15, 2002

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING DOESN'T WORK. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS STEERING HARD TO TURN LEFT ESPECIALLY WHEN BACKING UP. *TT

NHTSA ID

10004511

Incident

May 7, 2002

Mileage

44,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD LOCK UP WITHOUT WARNING.*JB

NHTSA ID

10003634

Incident

Dec 23, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE CLOCKSPRING IN GEAR BOX WENT OUT CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO STAY ALLUMINATED. HORN GOES OUT\AND CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT ENGAGE. MR

NHTSA ID

8020574

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 3 MONTHS TRYING TO GET FIXED. THE FIRST DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER TWICE AND BLED AIR TO TRY TO REPAIR. THE SECOND DEALER PERFORMED A BRAKE INSPECTION. THEY FOUND A LOT OF AIR IN THE LEFT REAR LINE AND ALSO BLED THE ABS SYSTEM. I ALSO HAD THEM CHECK THE STEERING BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I TURNED THE STEERRING WHEEL AND STEERING WAS NOISEY, LIKE A GROANING SOUND. THEY REPORTED THE CLOCK SPRING CLICKING WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON - AND THERE IS A MOAN OR A HONK NOISE WHEN TURNING WHICH WOULD TAKE NEW P/S HOSES TO REPAIR. ONE WEEK LATER THE PEDAL WAS ONCE AGAIN GOING TO THE FLOOR AND THE ABS STILL COMING ON. THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD ORDER A PUMP. WHICH TOOK 2 WEEKS TO GET IN. WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN THEY KEPT IT A FEW DAYS THEN CALLED TO SAY IT NEEDED THE ABS HYDRAULIC PACKAGE AT A COST OF $2,000+. THEY RECOMMENDED I CALL CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE TO SEE IF THEY COULD ASSIST WITH THE COSTS. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID IT WAS A MECHANICAL PART THAT COULD GO OUT AT ANY TIME THEREFORE MY COST SINCE THE VAN IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY (LOW MILEAGE DOESN'T MATTER). I CALLED THE DEALER AND HAVEN'T HEARD BACK IN TWO DAYS TO SEE WHAT THEY COULD RECCOMMEND/ I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE DODGE CRAVAN SO I WANTED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. NLM

NHTSA ID

767715

Incident

Jul 31, 2002

WHEN DRIVING THROUGH A RAIN PUDDLE YOU SERPENTINE BELT, THAT CONNECTS ENGINE TO THE COOLANT FAN ETC., FAILED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING.CONTACTED DEALER. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED 4 TIMES.*AK

NHTSA ID

8018885

Incident

Sep 17, 2002

WHILE DRIVING STEERING COLUMN WENT OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

8015550

Incident

Jul 25, 2002

AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED ON DASH. HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

8002384

Incident

Nov 11, 2001

CLOCKSPRING "BROKE" AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HORN/CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT WORK . REPLACED, BUT SAME SYMPTOMS ARE HAPPENING AGAIN. TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. I FOUND THIS HAS HAPPENED IN SO MANY MINIVANS MADE BY CHRYSLER.

NHTSA ID

749486

Incident

Feb 6, 2001

WHILE DRIVING, POWER STEERING LOCKED UP AND ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, CLAIM 52-2482-587. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900623

Incident

Apr 26, 2001

POWER STEERING WILL LOCK UP AND AFFECT STEERING CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHEN UNDER DAMP WEATHER CONDITIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

885182

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

THIS VEHICLE HAS GONE THROUGH 5 ALTERNATOR/POWER STEERING BELTS (SERPENTINE) AND 3 BELT TENSIONERS OVER A PERIOD FROM 1/30/98 (12,858 MILES) TO 9/29/00 (39,761 MILES). THIS SEEMS TO BE FAR TOO MANY PROBLEMS FROM THIS COMPONENT AND COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD IF IT FAILS WHILE DRIVING (NO POWER STEERING).

NHTSA ID

733802

Incident

Sep 29, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY SPEED TRANSMISSION WILL LOOSEN. COULD STEP ON FUEL PEDAL AND VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELARATE, WILL LOSE POWER STEERING INTO THE VEHICLE AND IT WILL STOP BY ITSELF.*AK

NHTSA ID

872153

Incident

Mar 1, 2000

CAM SEAL, CRANKCASE SEAL,TRANSMISSION SEAL AND AXLE SEAL WHERE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKAGE. NLM

NHTSA ID

555731

Incident

Feb 1, 1998

BELT TENSIONER AND SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT FAILURE, TENSION MOUNTING BELT IS SPONTANEOUSLY SHEARED OFF AND THE BELT BECOMES TORN APART, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKING.

NHTSA ID

553098

Incident

Feb 18, 1999

INNER TIE RODS HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY, CAUSING WHEEL TO COME OFF THE TIE ROD.*AK

NHTSA ID

869117

Incident

Aug 16, 2000

AFTERING FINDING STAINS ON THE PAVEMENT VAN WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. POWER STEERING PUMP WAS FOUND RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH, CAUSING POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK. PUMP WAS BEING REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE LIST ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

868192

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING LOST POWER STEERING/ ALL BELT DRIVEN ACCESSORIES/ WATER PUMP PULLEY FLEW OFF,AND VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. *AK

NHTSA ID

867597

Incident

Aug 7, 2000

THE INNER TIE ROD END SEPARATED FROM THE OUTER TIE ROD ON DRIVER WHEEL WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WHILE COMING OUT OF PARKING SPACE, CAUSING TIRE TO TURN INWARD AND STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID

866944

Incident

Aug 3, 2000

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT SHUT-DOWN RELATED TO A STEERING WHEEL LOCK WHEN ENGAGING THE TURN SIGNALS CAUSING CONTROL PROBLEMS WHILE TURNING. *MJS

NHTSA ID

552315

POSSIBLE CLOCK SPRING FAILURE IS CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. NLM

NHTSA ID

551776