1997 Dodge Caravan Driver assistance Problems

DT: JUST BACK FROM A ROAD TRIP THE VEHICLE STARTED ACTING UP, IT WOULD KEEP SPEEDING LIKE IT WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS ON, HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND PHYSICALLY PUSH THE THROTTLE DOWN ,IT'S LIKE IT GETS STUCK. IT WOULD DO THAT AFTER TURNING ON THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND EVEN AFTER TURNING IT OFF, IT STILL WOULD RUN AWAY. IT WOULD ONLY DO THIS DURING TIME PERIODS OF USING THE CRUISE CONTROL. DURING THAT PARTICULAR TRIP. THIS WOULD HAPPEN REGARDLESS IF THE CRUISE WAS OFF OR ON. HAD TO BRAKE VERY HARD IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN TO PULL OFF. *AK CUSTOMER STATED THE THROTTLE STICKS WITH CRUISE WHEN ON AND AFTER IT HAS BEEN ON DOES NOT HAPPEN UNLESS CRUISE HAS BEEN ON SEEMS LIKE IT WANTS TO DRIVE AWAY. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED A VACUUM HOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 09/14/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10126679

Incident

Jun 16, 2005

DT: AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON/THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH DIDN'T WORK, AND THE HORN MALFUNCTIONED. NOTICED THESE FAILURES ON JUNE 1, 2005. HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER. HAD CHECKED THE FUSES, THEY WERE STILL GOOD. *AK

NHTSA ID

10131718

Incident

Jun 1, 2005

THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. THEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. I LATER REALIZED THAT THE HORN DOESN'T WORK. I REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. AT A NYS INSPECTION VISIT. THE VEHICLE PASSED INSPECTION.*AK I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE I NEEDED TO USE THE HORN, AND WAS UNABLE TO. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

10082916

Incident

Jul 10, 2003

Mileage

92,000 mi

WE BOUGHT THIS VAN ONE YEAR AGO AND SO FAR WE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH OXYGEN SENSOR, SPEED SENSOR, HEAD GASKET, WATER PUMP, THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, DOORS LOCK AND UNLOCK WHENEVER THEY WANT NOT JUST THE 16 MPH THING, BALL JOINTS ARE CLUNKING, THE CD PLAYER QUIT AND THEN SOON AFTER FM RADIO ONLY AM WORKS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10056554

Incident

Feb 4, 2004

CRUISE CONTROL BECAME INOPERATIVE AND DROVE CONSUMER OFF THE INTERSTATE ONTO THE SHOULDER AT 70 MPH. *MR THE CRUISE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE BRAKE PEDAL OR THE CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER REPLACING THE CLOCK SPRING PER RECALL, THE SERVICE DEALER ASSURED THE CONSUMER THE CRUISE WAS REPAIRED. THE PROBLEM RETURNED WHEN THE CONSUMER'S WIFE HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE LEADING FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM TO THE THROTTLE ITSELF FAILED AT THE POINT OF THE EXIT FROM THE CABLE STRANDS IN THE CABLE WERE PULLED BACK INTO THE CABLE HOUSING LOCKING THE ACTION OF THE CABLE, AND CAUSED FAILURE. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10022526

CLOCKSPRING FAILED, CAUSING HORN/AIR BAG AND CRUISE CONTROL TO MALFUNCTION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10011360

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

THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCKSPRING FAILURE RESULTS IN THE SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, HORN, AND CRUISE CONTROL.*AK

NHTSA ID

767503

Incident

Aug 6, 2002

THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AND NOW THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN DO NOT WORK. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. IT IS STATED THAT THE "CLOCK SPRING" IS THE PART IN QUESTION, THIS SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE AT ONE TIME (NHTSA# 98V046) FOR A DIFFERENT MODEL , WHY IS IT NOT A SAFETY RECALL ITEM NOW? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE THE AIR BAG WILL NOT PERFORM WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART DEFECTIVE, WHICH WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGES OR WORSE YET "DEATH ". IF WE GET A REDUCTION IN OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR PURCHASING RESTRAINT SYSTEMS SUCH AS THIS , IT SHOULD BE UPON THE MANUFACTURER TO STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT.*AK

NHTSA ID

765902

AIRBAG, HORN, AND CRUISE CONTROL ALL FAILED AT THE SAME TIME. CAUSE IS THE CLOCKSPRING MODULE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS A SAFEFY HAZZARD AND CHRYSLER SHOULD PAY THE REPAIR. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MINI VAN.*AK

NHTSA ID

765793

Incident

Mar 1, 2002

FIRST THE AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON AND DID NOT GO OFF. THEN THE HORN STOPPED WORKING. THEN THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT COME ON. I TOOK THE VAN TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND THE DIAGNOSIS IS THAT CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IN THE CURRENT CONDITION THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY ON THE DRIVER SIDE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE ESTIMATED COST IS ~ $300.00. I HAVE SCHEDULED THE WORK FOR NEXT WEEK. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR THIS THEY WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE REPAIR COST. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. PER ARTICLES ON THE INTERNET CHRYSLER HAS REPLACES OVER 124,000 CLOCK SPRINGS, ON THEIR OWN ADMISSION!

NHTSA ID

763952

Incident

Jul 1, 2002

DODGE CARAVAN SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE AIR BAG. THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON, THE HORN DOES NOT FUNCTION AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. MY MECHANIC AND THE DEALER BOTH FOUND THIS TO BE A DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK

NHTSA ID

763950

Incident

Jul 1, 2002

FIRST TIME CLOCKSPRING FAILURE RENDERED DRIVER AIRBAG INOPERATIVE. SECOND FAILURE RENDERED CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE. A NON-WORKING AIRBAG IS A SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

NHTSA ID

763822

Incident

Mar 13, 2002

AIR BAG/ HORN AND CRUSIE CONTROL FAILED DUE TO CLOCKSPRING MALFUNCTIONING. HORN COULD NOT BE USED IN A EMERGENCY SITUATION. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8012981

Incident

Jun 14, 2002

MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, CRUISE CONTROL WAS LOST AND HORN DOES NOT WORK. I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE CLOCK SPRING FAILURE ON DODGE CARAVANS.*AK

NHTSA ID

763400

WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKS PART TIME, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. *SCC

NHTSA ID

8012108

Incident

Jun 1, 2002

Mileage

67,000 mi

VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE STOPPED,THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *MJ

NHTSA ID

8009118

Incident

May 3, 2002

CLOCK SPRING FAILED, CAUSING CRUISE CONTROL/AIR BAGS,AND HORN NOT TO WORK. CHRYSLER SAID PART NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IF PART IS CONSIDERED A WIRING HARNESS THEN IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY THAT WE PURCHASED.*AK

NHTSA ID

761172

Incident

Apr 15, 2002

THIS FAILURE CAUSES THE AIRBAG TO NOT WORK, THE HORN TO NOT WORK AND NO CRUISE CONTROL. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THE THE AIRBAG MAY DEPLY AT ANY TIME. THIS COULD BE A PROBLEM IF GOING DOWN THE ROAD AT 65 MPH. THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART AND CHRYSLER SHOULD RECALL AND REPAIR. I UNDERSTAND THAT OTHER CARS WITH SAME PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECALLED (SOME JEEPS AND TRUCKS). *AK

NHTSA ID

758852

Incident

Feb 1, 2002

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT IT WOULD NOT WORK, THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM.*AK *JG

NHTSA ID

8003910

Incident

Feb 11, 2002

AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS BEEN ILLUMINATING/ HORN DOES NOT FUNCTION WHEN NEEDED, AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILS TO OPERATE. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY IN STEERING COLUMN HAS FAILED, AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

898158

Incident

Oct 1, 2001

INFORMED THAT CLOCK WORK MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE UNDER STEERING WHEEL COVER, THIS CONTROLS THE AIRBAG,CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN. TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ID

753575

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND CAME TO A OFF RAMP, HE STOPPED AT T STOP SIGN AND MADE RIGHT TURN INTO TRAFFIC. ROARED AND SURGED INTO TRAFFIC. HAD FOOT ON BRAKES, AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GO. HAD TO SHUT VEHICLE OFF. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. IN FIRST INCIDENT VEHICLE RAN INTO A TREE. THERE WERE INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

896994

Incident

Sep 27, 2001

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. AT THE SAME TIME, THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL CEASED TO FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE WIPERS COME ON AT RANDOM, BUT ESPECIALLY UPON USING TURN SIGNALS (WIPER CONTROLS ARE INCORPORATED INTO THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER).*AK

NHTSA ID

752486

Incident

Aug 3, 2001

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHIEL DRIVING, AND CRUISE CONTROL IS INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CLOCK SPRING CONNECTOR FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

896085

Incident

Mar 15, 2001