1997 Dodge Caravan Brakes Problems

WAS TRAVELING HOME FROM WORK, RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC HEAVY BUT MOVING CLOSE TO POSTED SPEED LIMIT (65 MPH). TRAFFIC SLOWED IN FRONT OF ME AND I ALSO SLOWED, THEN TRAFFIC CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP, SO I ALSO INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES. WHILE DOING SO, THE PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR, I LOST BRAKE PRESSURE AND STARTED MOVING TO THE LEFT TO AVOID A COLLISION BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO. MY VAN HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TIME AND SPACE TO STOP AND NOT COLLIDE IF THE BRAKES WOULD NOT HAVE FAILED, BUT WHEN I LOST BRAKES, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN MY VAN AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CLOSED TOO QUICKLY FOR ME TO AVOID THE COLLISION. THE VAN WAS DAMAGED ON THE FRONT RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE, BUT WHEN I GOT THE VAN BACK HOME OFF OF THE TOW TRUCK, I SAW BRAKE FLUID ON MY DRIVEWAY FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VAN. A FEW DAYS LATER I GOT THE VAN ON JACKSTANDS TO LOCATE THE FLUID LEAK AND FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE TERRIBLY CORRODED BRAKE LINES RUNNING ALONG THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE IN THE AREA OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THERE IS SOME FLEXIBLE STEEL BRAIDED LINE AND WHERE IT JOINS THE RIGID LINE, THERE IS A SO MUCH CORROSION THAT THE LINE IS LITERALLY RUSTING AWAY. SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER MINIVANS FROM 1997 TO 2000. I FEEL IT IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. I AM 55 YEARS OLD AND HAVE WORKED ON CARS ALL OF MY ADULT LIFE AND HAVE NEVER SEEN BRAKE LINES CORRODE LIKE THIS. AS THERE ARE MANY VANS LIKE MINE ON THE ROAD, I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER VANS HAVE BRAKE LINES THAT ARE IN SIMILAR CONDITION AS THE ONES ON THIS VAN? IT WAS SIMPLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THESE LINES WOULD FAIL. NOW WHEN I DRIVE IN TRAFFIC AND SEE A CHRYSLER PRODUCT VAN I ASK MYSELF "DOES THAT DRIVER KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE BRAKE LINE PROBLEM?" I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO BE INFORMED! THERE ARE SO MANY POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN! CHRYSLER NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING! *TR

NHTSA ID

10449340

Incident

Feb 7, 2012

Mileage

185,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATED EVEN THOUGH THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ABS SYSTEM PREVENTED THE BRAKES FROM FUNCTIONING AT ALL AND I ROLLED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION EVEN THOUGH I WAS PRESSING FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR EVENTUALLY ILLUMINATES INDICATING SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD HAVE FAILED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PREVENT ANY BRAKING ACTION FROM OCCURRING. THIS PROBLEM HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE BUT I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE TRAVELING THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION AT THE SAME TIME THAT THIS PROBLEM CAUSED ME TO ROLL THROUGH IT WHILE THE STOPLIGHT WAS RED FOR ME. *KB

NHTSA ID

10429335

Incident

Oct 4, 2011

Mileage

187,000 mi

VEHICLE METAL BRAKE LINES RUSTED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. ON A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN, THE METAL TUBE BRAKE LINES LEADING FROM THE DISTRIBUTION BOX TO THE REAR BRAKE WHEEL CYLINDERS RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT THEY FAILED UNDER USE. VEHICLE BRAKE LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED TOTALLY, AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10297286

Incident

Dec 7, 2009

Mileage

147,683 mi

(1) NO BRAKES, BRAKE FAILURE. (2) BADLY RUSTED BRAKE LINES. (3) REPLACE BRAKE LINES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207686

Incident

Oct 31, 2007

Mileage

127,246 mi

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE FROM 5-50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD INTERMITTENTLY GO TO THE FLOOR AND CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER. WITHIN A WEEK LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10096836

Incident

Jul 5, 2004

Mileage

186,000 mi

I HAVE HAD NUMBEROUS BRAKE PROBLEMS FOR THE PAST YEAR. MY BRAKE PEDAL KEEPS GOING DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I HAVE HAD THE MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED 3 TIMES, THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDER REPLACED 3 TIMES, I HAVE NEEDED A NEW FRONT ROTOR AND PADS BECAUSE ONLY ONE OF MY BRAKES IS ACTUALLY WORKING. I HAVE ALSO HAD MY BRAKE POWER BOSSTER REPLACED AND TO STILL HAVE THE SAME RESULT, MY PEDAL GOES DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND I HOPE THAT I STOP IN TIME. NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM, THEY CLAIM THERE IS NO LEAKING FLUID AND THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE I AM LOSING MY PRESSURE AT. THIS HAS COST ALOT OF TIME , MONEY, AND MOST OF ALL AGGREVATION. THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN. PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY RECALLS OR WHAT TO DO.*AK

NHTSA ID

10067853

Incident

Apr 4, 2003

Mileage

84,000 mi

VEHICLE RECALLED FOR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. *PH THE BRAKE LIGHT HAD COME AND THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE WHICH HAD COME FROM THE ABS BRAKES. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC THE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDER, ABS PUMP AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY WERE ALL REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10057288

Incident

Nov 25, 1997

Mileage

90,190 mi

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL 96V215000 CONCERNING MASTER CYLINDER IN JULY 2002. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE BRAKE SYSTEM CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE TIRES. MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. ON 11/18/2003, THE BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A DAMAGED DISC IN THE NECK AND SPINAL CORD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10050346

Incident

Nov 18, 2003

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION ON 1997 DODGE CARAVAN.*MR IGNITION TUMBLE WAS REPLACED, FAN ASSEMBLY.*TS

NHTSA ID

10044854

WARNING LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING BRAKE LIGHTS TO FLASH INTERMITTENTLY, AND AIR BAG SENSOR TO STAYS ON. *AK THE BRAKE LIGHT FLASHED, THE ENGINE LIGHT AND AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE HORN WAS INOPERATIVE. THE AIR BAG AND HORN PROBLEM MAY BE THE RESULT OF A CLOCKSPRING FAILURE. *PH *NLM

NHTSA ID

10039964

Incident

Sep 10, 2003

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE FRONT BRAKES CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS. THE PADS ONLY HAD 1500 MILES ON THEM. *AK *TS *NLM

NHTSA ID

10029861

Incident

Jul 22, 2003

Mileage

102,175 mi

WE HAVE HAD OUR VEHICLE SINCE 1999 AND HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED WITH ITS PERFORMANCE. THIS IS OUR THIRD CHRYSLER/DODGE VAN AND THIS IS THE SECOND OF THE THREE TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE FIRST HAD THEM AT 37,000 MILES AND THIS ONE IS HAVING THEM AT 71,000 MILES. WE WERE SMART ENOUGH TO HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR BOTH VEHICLES, UNFORTUNATELY, ON THE CURRENT VAN THE WARRANTY RAN OUT LAST MONTH...BESIDES THE POOR ENGINEERING OF THE TRANSMISSIONS THIS VAN HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE TIE ROD AND FRONT END NOISE AS WELL AS GOING THROUGH FRONT BRAKES RELATIVELY QUICKLY (WE DO NOT DRIVE IT ROUGHLY AND IT IS MAINLY USED TO TRANSPORT OUR KIDS AROUND OUR COMMUNITY APPROXIMATELY. 12000 MILES OR LESS A YEAR SINCE WE HAVE OWNED IT. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043534

Incident

Oct 21, 2003

Mileage

70,502 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT TRANSMISSION IS USELESS. TRANSMISSION HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED TWICE, AND ANOTHER ONE IS NEEDED. CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT THERE IS A BURNING RUBBER SMELL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN, AND WHEN EVER THE BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10032053

Incident

May 7, 2003

Mileage

38,200 mi

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ENTER AN INTERSECTION AND WAS HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030069

Incident

Jul 18, 2003

Mileage

87,000 mi

THE HYDRAULIC FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DECREASES AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATES. REFERENCE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 96V215000. SERVICE ADVISOR INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, I SHOWED COPY OF THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER PRINT OUT AND HE SAID "WE DON'T USE THAT INFORMATION; WE ONLY USE THE FACTORY DATA BASE AND THERE'S NO RECALL". I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE EXACT PROBLEM SPECIFIED IN THE NHTSA RECALL - SEARCH RESULTS! PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10013660

Incident

Mar 6, 2003

Mileage

42,000 mi

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD.*JB

NHTSA ID

10011543

Incident

Mar 6, 2003

I RECENTLY LEARNED ABOUT YOUR WEB SITE SERVICE AND DECIDED TO USE IT. BECAUSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED TOO MANY PROBLEMS (VARIOUS IN ADDITION TO THIS LIST) OVER THE PAST YEARS WITH THIS VEHICLE. DT

NHTSA ID

770493

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

NO SUMMARY. DT

NHTSA ID

769848

Incident

Apr 29, 2002

WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN A STANDING POSITION, CONSUMER ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED GEAR STICK CAUSING GEAR TO CHANGE AND ROLL FORWARD WITHOUT HAVING TO APPLY BRAKES. MECHANIC STATED THE ANTI- LOCK BRAKES SYSTEM WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. *AK *YH

NHTSA ID

8013138

Incident

May 15, 2002

PARKING BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY FAILED. *TT

NHTSA ID

786007

BRAKES WERE MAKING A NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED ROTORS WERE PITTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8003715

Incident

Feb 6, 2002

BRAKES WERE MAKING NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED ROTORS WERE PITTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8003714

Incident

Feb 5, 2002

BRAKES: PROPORTIONAL VALVE HAD FAILED. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BRAKE PEDAL WAS GETTING SPONGY. THEN, HAD CHECK ON BRAKE FLUID, WHERE BRAKE LIGHT HAD COME ON, AND HAD LOST BRAKE POWER. MECHANIC SAID THAT BRAKE FLUID HAD BEEN CONTAMINATED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8000957

Incident

Oct 10, 2001

DURING THE TIME OF THE JUNE '01 FAILURE I DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WAS A PROBLEM. MY FAMILY AND I HAD JUST ENTERED A LOCAL ROADWAY WHEN A DEER CROSSED IN FRONT OF US. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND IT WAS LIKE STEPPING ON A ROCK. I WAS UNABLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE. THE BRAKES HAD JUST WORKED FINE AS WE ENTERED THE HIGHWAY AND THEY WORK FINE AFTER THIS INCIDENT. I HAD NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN PREVIOUSLY. NOR DID I REALIZE AT THE TIME THIS WAS GOING TO BE A REOCCURING PROBLEM. ON OCTOBER 6, '01 I WAS TRAVELING ALONG A RESIDENTIAL ROADWAY WHEN A CAR STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME I WAS TRAVELING AT A SAFE DISTANCE AND GOING APPROX 45MPH. I SHOULD HAVE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP. HOWEVER, I ONCE AGAIN WAS UNABLE TO STOP MY VAN NO MATTER HOW HARD I STOOD ON THE PEDAL! I BARELY MISSED OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, CROSSED OVER A SIDEWALK AND HIT A HOUSE THAT LINED THE ROAD. I ENDED UP IN AN EMPTY LOT BESIDE THE HOUSE I HAD HIT. MY SON SUFFERED BRUISING ON HIS UPPER LEGS FROM BEING BOUNCED AROUND AND I SUFFERED A CUT HAND AND CONTINUE TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH MY BACK. I AM SO ANGRY THAT MY CHILDREN 8 AND 1, AS WELL AS MYSELF WERE PUT IN DANGER BECAUSE OF AN AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER NOT TAKING THE RESPONSIBLE POSITION IN NOTIFYING THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO OWN THEIR PRODUCT OF A POTENTIAL BRAKING PROBLEM. I JUST HOPE A FAMILY ISN'T KILLED BEFORE CHRYSLER/DODGE WAKES UP TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE MANUFACTURING AN INFERIOR PRODUCT THAT COULD KILL FAMILIES. I AM EXTREMELY UPSET THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF SUCH A BRAKING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT I USE TO TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!

NHTSA ID

753870

WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 23-1389-946. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900630

Incident

Aug 19, 2001