1997 Dodge Caravan Exterior lighting Problems

MY WIFE PARK THE VAN INSIDE THE GARAGE, TURN OFF THE RADIO, ENGINE AND LIGHTS. SHE OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR AND SEE FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING BY THE PARKING BRAKE HANDLER. AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE VAN WERE ON. SHE REMOVE THE KIDS FROM THE VAN AND MY SON CALL 911.POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, REMOVE THE VAN FROM THE GARAGE AND CHECK IT AND FOUND POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION .CHECK THE VAN TODAY 8-24 2013 AND FOUND THAT THE FIRE START AT THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH. DIM SWITCH OK AND MIRROR SWITCH OK. THE FIRE DAMAGE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD, WINDSHIELD, SUN VISOR AND CELLING. I HAVE THIS VAN SINCE NEW, NEVER HAVE A PROBLEM BEFORE. AND NEVER SEE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10537090

Incident

Aug 23, 2013

Mileage

209,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE BODY CONTROL MODULE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,000.

NHTSA ID

10409208

Incident

Jun 11, 2009

Mileage

164,000 mi

HEADLIGHT HOUSING ON 1997 DODGE SE GRAND CARAVAN. THE PLASTIC LENS OF THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING IN WHICH THE HEADLIGHT BULB IS ENCASED HAS DISCOLORED, THEREBY, OBSCURING THE LIGHT GENERATED BY THE HEADLIGHT BULB. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT HEADLIGHT HOUSINGS. I HAVE SURVEYED OTHER MINIVANS OF THE SAME VINTAGE AND NOTICED THEY TOO WERE DISCOLORED. IT CONCERNED ME SO MUCH THAT I PURCHASED TWO NEW HEADLIGHT HOUSINGS FROM OFF THE INTERNET (NOT MOPAR). THERE IS PROBABLY A SAFETY FACTOR WITH THIS DEFECT.*JB

NHTSA ID

10174485

Incident

Nov 27, 2006

Mileage

1,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS ON 1997 DODGE CARAVAN HAVE BECOME CLOUDED AND ARE NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10154660

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

95,000 mi

1) DEFECT RESULT OF NORMAL USE, NO EXCEPTIONAL SITUATION JUST NORMAL EVERY DAY USE.RELATED TO TWO VEHICLES ONE 1996 CARAVAN, ANOTHER 1997 CARAVAN. 2) EXESIVE HAZE BUILDOFF ON HEADLIGHTS(PLASTIC LENS) I CAN CONTRIBUTE A LOSS OF PROPER DISTANCE ILUMINATION, FOR WITCH SEVERAL ATEMPTS OF DIFERENT METHODS WHERE TRIED TO CORRECT PROBLEM, RESULTING IN PEDESTRIAN STRUCT ACCIDENT ON DARK NIGHT,MY DRIVING RECORD HAD BEEN TICKET, ACCIDENT CLEAR FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. 3) SEVERAL POLISHING METHODS WHERE ATTEMPTED WITH DIFFERENT ADVERTISED PRODUCTS RESULTING IN SLIGHT TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENTS ALWAYS RESULTING IN LESSER TIME RECURRANCE OF PROBLEM, CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE ALL 4 WITH NEW PARTS DUE TO EXCESIVE COST $135.00 EACH, ANLY REPLACED ONE AFTER ACCIDENT AND YES HAVE PARTS IF NEED TO BE SUBMITTED. POINT IN CASE, MY WORK IS AND HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS RELATED TO PLASTICS, SPECIFICALLY INJECTION MOLDING, FOR WITCH I KNOW FIRST HAND THE CONSECUENCES FOR A POORLY DESIGN CHEMICAL CONTENT PLASTIC IN THIS CASE POLICARBONATES WITH INCORRECT UV ADITIVE CONTENT, WITCH IS THE CAUSE FOR NOT ONLY MY PARTICULAR BRAND OF VEHICLE,YEAR OR MODEL, THIS PROBLEM IS WITH ALL PLASTIC HEADLIGHT,SURE TGHEY SAVE WEIGTH, SURE ITS EASIER TO MANUFACTURE TO THE WEIRDEST SHAPES, SO MUCH SO THA KNOW A DAYS THE SEEM TO BE PART OF EITHER THE HOOD OR THE FENDERS, SO NOW THEIR BEING EXPOSED TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT FROM THE TOP CAUSING EVEN PREMATURER CONDITIONS, (THIS IS NOT A SCRATCHING RELATED ISSUE HERE THIS IS SUNLIGHT RELATED DAMAGE CAUSING REDUCED NIGHT DRIVING VISIBILITY REACH (SINCE WHEN A BODY PART IS SUBJECT TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. SINCE ASTM D 1003-92 DOES MENTION OTDOOR EXP. TEST-HAZE AND LOSS OF SURFACE LUSTER OF PLASTIC MATS, I FAILED TO LOCATE PROPER TIME LIMITS OF ACCEPTED FAILURE TO CONSIDER THEM TO BE, NON ACCEPTABLE. (GLASS DOES NOT CARRY THIS CONDITION), LIKE IT WAS MENTINED BEFORE, THIS IS NOT ONLY RELATED TO CHRYSLER THIS PROBLEM IS WITH ALL MAKES,BRANDS

NHTSA ID

10137254

Incident

Oct 28, 2002

Mileage

47,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS DON'T TURN ON ALL TIMES UNLESS THE SWITCH IS WIGGLED AND SOME TIMES IS GOES OUT AFTER THEY COME ON

NHTSA ID

10124986

Incident

Mar 23, 2004

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS WERE MADE OF PLASTIC AND HAVE OXIDIZED TO THE POINT THAT THE CONSUMER HAD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FILM WAS SO BAD THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THE BULB INSIDE THE COVER. *TC

NHTSA ID

10101504

Incident

Nov 11, 2003

Mileage

40,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS FROSTY OR OPAQUE, TOO DIM TO SEE WITH SAFELY

NHTSA ID

10067969

Incident

Apr 27, 2004

Mileage

82,552 mi

HEADLIGHT LENS DISCOLORED- CAR HAD TO HAVE REPLACEMENT TO PASS STATE INSPECTION. COST: $322 FOR ONE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ID

10039380

Incident

Sep 23, 2003

Mileage

100,000 mi

AT ONE TIME, BEFORE 1960, FRONT TURN SIGNALS WERE WHITE, THEN THEY CHANGED TO AMBER AND HAVE REMAINED SO FOR 40 YEARS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT STATED THAT FRONT TURN SIGNALSSHALL ONLY BE AMBER IN COLOR.*AK REAR TURN SIGNALS, ALSO AT ONE TIME THEY WERE RED THEN THE MANUFACTURERS CREATED THE 3 COLOR TAIL LIGHT RED FOR STOP AND TAIL, AMBER FOR TURN AND WHITE FOR BACK-UP. UNFORTUNATELY MANY HAVE COMBINED THE TAIL AND BRAKE IN TO A LOWER COST SINGLE LAMP . I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE RETURN TO THE AMBER TURN SIGNAL. WITH THE HUGE MARKET WE HAVE FOR VEHICLES WE HAVE THE ECONOMIC POWER TO MAKE AN IMPACT FOR CHANGE. SIDE MARKER LAMPS. WHEN THESE WERE REQUIRED THEY WERE SEPARATE LIGHTS. NOW THEY ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE TAIL LAMPS AND HAVE WRAPPED AROUND THE REAR STRUCTURE OF THE VEHICLE AND IN MANY CASES ARE A NOW A SINGLE LAMP THAT HAS TAIL, SIDE MARKER AND BRAKES AS PART OF THE DUAL FILAMENT BULB. SO THE ISSUE IS THAT WHEN THIS LAMP BURNS OUT WE MAY HAVE NEITHER TAIL BRAKING OR SIDE MARKER. OVER THE YEARS THESE LAMPS HAVE GROWN SMALLER AND LESS VISIBLE AGAIN A COST OR DESIGN ISSUE AND ULTIMATELY A SAFETY ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MINIMUM NUMBER OF SQUARE INCHES FOR EACH LAMP AND MINIMUM CANDLE POWER. AND FOR BRAKING A RETURN TO THE 7X DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TAIL LAMP/RUNNING AND BRAKING ILLUMINATION. IF MY SUGGESTIONS SHOULD BE ENACTED IT MIGHT FORCE THE MANUFACTURES TO REDESIGN THEIR LIGHTING SYSTEMS TO CREATE SOME UNIFORMITY THAT WE ALMOST HAD SOME YEARS AGO ( ABOUT 1989 ). HEADLIGHT: SUV HEADLAMPS ARE NOT AIMED LOW ENOUGH. THEY CREATE A HAZARD TO ONCOMING CARS AND BLIND THE DRIVERS OF VEHICLES CLOSER TO THE GROUND. THE NEWET LAMPS HAVE REDUCED VISABILTY AS THEY ARE RECESSED AND DO NOT SHOW VERY MUCH TO THE SIDE. MANY HEADLAMPS ARE NOW MADE FROM A PLASTIC THAT DES NOT REMAIN CLEAR. THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT TRANSMITTED IS REDUCED AND DIFUSED. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EITHER A RETURN TO GLASS OR A NEW PLASTIC THAT REMINS CLEAR. T

NHTSA ID

10028697

Incident

Jan 1, 1998

WHILE BACKING OUT, NOTICED VEHICLE HAD NO TAIL LIGHTS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND REPAIRED VEHICLE, BUT PROBLEM HAS RETURNED EVERY YEAR. *AKPROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING. A DODGE MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE SWITCH ON THE TRANSMISSION. *JG

NHTSA ID

8012473

INTERTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON. WHEN DRIVING THE WIPERS WILL INADVERTENTLY COME ON. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. NLM *JG

NHTSA ID

8006587

CONSUMER STATES TRANSMISSION IS NOT ENGAGING ON COLD START. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION. *TT

NHTSA ID

564629

Incident

Nov 16, 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

REPLACEMENT OF FAILED BULB CAUSED ABRASIONS TO HAND ACCESS DOOR IS TOO SMALL, AND A WIRING HARNESS OBSTRUCTS ACCESS TO LIGHT SOCKET. TWO BULBS SHATTERED. DEALER HAD TO DISASSEMBLE BATTERY AND ELECTRICAL BUS TO ACCESS THE LIGHT SOCKET, 30 MIN LABOR, $45 COST. DIFFICULTY OF REPLACEMENT DISCOURAGES SAFE MAINTENANCE OF LIGHTING, AND CUTS YOUR HANDS.

NHTSA ID

742469

Incident

Nov 15, 2000

BATTERY FAILED.

NHTSA ID

543967

Incident

Aug 22, 1998

HIGH BEAM LIGHTS FAILED.

NHTSA ID

607034

Incident

Oct 10, 1998

DURING NIGHT DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT FULLY ILLUMINATE THE ROAD FAR ENOUGH AHEAD TO SEE POTENTIAL HAZARDS.

NHTSA ID

543334

HEADLIGHTS TOO DIM. QCAW

NHTSA ID

540018

FRONT HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT IN LOW OR HIGH BEAM OPERATION. DEALERS HAVE REALIGNED HEADLIGHTS WHICH DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW. *AK

NHTSA ID

826430

HEAD LAMP SWITCH FAILED. (MJS)

NHTSA ID

523176

Incident

Nov 25, 1996