1998 Dodge Caravan Driver assistance Problems

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IN 2012, WHEN THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED, I HAD TO PUT MY VEHICLE INTO GEAR IN ORDER FOR IT TO STOP. EVEN THOUGH I WAS ONLY GOING 5 MPH OR LESS, I WAS ON A DOWNHILL SLOPE. THERE WASN'T AN ACCIDENT NOR ANY DAMAGE, SO I DON'T HAVE THAT TO REPORT. THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO TOWBIN DODGE IN HENDERSON, NV THAT WEEKEND I BELIEVE AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL DEFECT HAD BEEN FIXED. HOWEVER, THE HORN, AIRBAG LIGHT AND ABS STILL DO NOT WORK. MY VIN #[XXX], MY QUESTION IS THIS. IF THE RECALL PROBLEM IS STILL DEFECTIVE EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN REPAIRED, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10672754

Incident

Mar 15, 2012

Mileage

132,000 mi

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE VAN CARAVAN. INTERMITTENTLY THE CRUISE CONTROL STAR TO FAIL, SOME TIME WOULD TURN ON OTHER TIMES WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL AND THEN DIED THEN THE HORN QUIT WORKING AND THEN E FEW WEEKS LATER THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT THE VAN AT PARKED WOULD START THEN SHUT OFF; START SHUT OFF. IT DOES THAT FIVE TIMES AND THEN IT DIES. 20 MINUTES LATER IT WOULD START JUST FINE. A FRIEND OF MINE CALL TO MY ATTENTION THAT THERE WERE A FEW RECALLS ON THIS VAN. ONE OF THEM WAS THE CLOCK SPRING AND THE REAR SOUND BARRIER/OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS. THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED. THE HORN AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT STATS OFF BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON BY IT SELF AND THE SHUTS OFF BY IT SELF. THE CRUISE CONTROL STILL NO ENGAGING. THE OTHER PROBLEM WITH ENGINE NOT STATING, IT WAS GOOD FOR A WHILE AFTER THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED BUT AFTER FOUR WEEKS IS DOING IT AGAIN ALONG WITH WHEN I AM DRIVING IT WONT BE NO FUNCTION ON THE PANEL. IT BLACKS OUT AND NO GAUGES ACTIVITY ( SPEEDOMETER,RPM :PANEL LIGHT: TEMP;GAS;ETC;ETC. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THESE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED TO ANY RECALLS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10230481

Incident

Sep 16, 2007

Mileage

95,000 mi

SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10094023

Incident

Sep 21, 2004

AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON, THE HORN DID NOT WORK, AND CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. RECALL 02V950000 CONCERNING CLOCK SPRING FAILURE WAS ISSUED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10087424

Incident

Jul 8, 2004

Mileage

87,000 mi

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY 1998 DODGE CARAVAN WOULD STALL WHEN STARTING UP, IT HAS A REOCCURING AIRBAG LIGHT, CRUISE CONTROL MISFUNCTIONING AND HORN STALLING ISSUES. I CURRENTLY HAD TO TAKE IT TO CHYRISTLER FOR REPAIRS. I WAS TOLD FROM THE MANUFACTURER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE DODGE CARAVAN 1996-1998 RE:CLOCKSPRING. MY VEH. WAS NOT LISTED WITH THIS RECALL AND I'M CONCERNED THAT I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE DODGE CARAVANS THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THE AIR BAG LIGHT APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAIN ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE CLOCKSPRING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10078963

Incident

Jun 25, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG LIGHT SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. WHEN THIS OCCURRED IT RENDERED THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE. RECALL 02V290000 WAS ISSUED FOR THE AIR BAG, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10067195

Incident

Mar 14, 2004

Mileage

125,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER LOST THE HORN, CRUISE CONTROL, AND AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. DEALER DETERMINED CLOCK SPRING FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10061486

Incident

Mar 5, 2004

Mileage

64,700 mi

AT ANY SPEED AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. ALSO, HORN IS INOPERABLE, AND CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. THERE IS RECALL 02V293000 CONCERNING CLOCK SPRING FAILURE. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10057215

Incident

Jan 14, 2004

Mileage

151,000 mi

MY 98 DODGE CARAVAN HAD A FAILED CLOCKSPRING, WHICH CAUSED THE AIRBAG, HORN, AND CRUISE CONTROL TO NOT FUNCTION. CHRYSLER HAS A RECALL ON A FAILED CLOCKSPRING FOR 96-98 DODGE CARAVANS, AND CLEARLY STATES ON ITS WEBSITE IT WILL REIMBURSE CUSTOMERS FOR REPAIRS TO THE CLOCKSPRING. HOWEVER, WHEN I BROUGHT MINE IN FOR REPAIR, AND ON SUBSEQUENT PHONE CALLS AND LETTERS WRITTEN TO CHRYSLER, THEY INDICATE THAT MY BUILD DATE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THEY NEED TO EXPAND THE BUILD DATE TO LATER MONTHS IN 1998, AND CONSEQUENTLY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CARS COVERED IN THE RECALL, BECAUSE THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH THE CLOCKSPRING DURING MY BUILD DATE. THIS WILL CAUSE PEOPLE TO HAVE NON-FUNCTIONING AIRBAGS, CRUISE CONTROL, AND HORNS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, MAY CAUSE LIVES TO BE LOST. I BELIEVE CHRYSLER SHOULD ALSO REIMBURSE ME THE $284.20 I HAD TO PAY TO GET THE CLOCKSPRING REPAIRED, AS THEY INDICATE ON THEIR WEBSITE THEY WILL REIMBURSE CUSTOMERS WITH 98 CARAVANS FOR REPAIRS ON FAILED CLOCKSPRINGS. BY THEM NOT REIMBURSING ME, THEY ARE FALSELY ADVERTISING ON THEIR WEBSITE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10049359

Incident

Oct 23, 2003

Mileage

94,469 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH CRUISE CONTROL SENSOR LIGHT BLINKED, THEN ENGINE STALLED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10038198

Incident

Sep 1, 2003

WHILE PASSING A TRACTOR TRAILER ON RT 422 WEST OF POTTSTOWN WITHOUT WARNING MY RMP'S SHOT UP AND I LOST POWER. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. I WAS ABLE TO GET MY CARAVAN TO QUIGLEY MOTORS WHICH IS THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS 3RD GEAR WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED AND THEY FOUND ALOT OF METAL FRAGMENTS IN THE PAN. IT'S GOING TO COST ME $2500. TO FIX IT. THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION AND SHOULD RECTIFY THE SITUATION. IT IS MY FIRST CHRYSLER VEHICLE AND IT WILL PROBABLY WILL BE MY LAST. THE SERVICE THAT I RECEIVED AT QUIGLEY MOTORS WAS HORRENDOUS. MY VAN WAS THERE AN ENTIRE WEEK BEFORE THEY COULD GET IT IN TO GIVE ME A REPAIR ESTIMATE. 5 STAR SERVICE??? I DON'T THINK SO!*AK

NHTSA ID

10021362

Incident

Jun 3, 2003

Mileage

72,000 mi

CLOCKSPRING FAILED, CAUSING CRUISE CONTROL/HORN, AND AIR BAG TO MALFUNCTION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*JB....*AK

NHTSA ID

10003657

AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON. ALSO, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE INOPERATIVE.DEALER CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8015353

PROBLEM IS WITH A COMPONENT CALLED A "CLOCK SPRING CONNECTOR". IT CONTROLS NOT ONLY THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM BUT ALSO CONTROLS THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN OPERATION. I HAVE BEEN OUT ON THE INTERNET AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL DODGE CARAVANS DATED FROM 1994-2000. I HAVE ALSO SPOKE WITH NUMEROUS REPAIR SHOPS STATING THAT THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM AT LEAST 2-3 TIMES A WEEK. THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME AND CONSIDERATION TO THIS MATTER.*AK

NHTSA ID

763933

Incident

May 1, 2002

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE WILL HAVE TROUBLE ACCELERATEING, AND THEN WILL SHUT OFF. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

8007580

Incident

Mar 15, 2002

A CRACK IN EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSED FUMES TO COME INTO VEHICLE.*AK DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONCERN. CUSTOMER STATES VEHICLE JERKS WHEN IN CRUISE. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. *TT

NHTSA ID

8007291

Incident

Nov 22, 1999

WHILE DRIVING TRIED TO USE HORN AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND DID NOT GO OFF.ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT WORK. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8006056

I HAVE HAD A RECENT PROBLEM WHERE I JUST THOUGHT THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. I LATER LEARNED THAT NOT ONLY IS THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON BUT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF N ACCIDENT OCCURS. IN ADDITION THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. BY SEARCHING ON THE WEB I HAVE LEARNED FROM THE DEALER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THEIR VEHICLES. IT WILL COST ME OVER 250 DOLLARS TO CORRECT. HOW CAN DODGE KNOW THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS AND DOES NOT TELL ANYONE OR HAVE A RECALL. THIS IS DEPLORABLE. I AM SURE THAT DEATHS HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS AND DODGE KNOWS THIS TOO. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE. THANK YOU. VINCE FILLIBEN 610-361-8921.*AK

NHTSA ID

758858

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

AT LEAST A YEAR AGO, MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS STAYED ON. APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME, I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY CRIUSE CONTROL. IN ADDITION, MY HORN HAS QUIT FUNCTIONING. I CONTACTED A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY STATED IT SOUNDED LIKE THE AIRBAG CLOCKSPRING HAD GONE BAD. THE PART ALONE WAS ESTIMATED TO COST $250. I RECENTLY CHECKED THE NHTSA SITE, AS SEE THAT MY VAN IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE SAME PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID

758577

AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL FLICKERS ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, HORN HAS FAILED TO OPERATE DURING OPERATION OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS YET TO EXAMINE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

899933

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

MY ACCELERATOR STUCK IN MY 98 DODGE CARAVAN. THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS FRAYED BADLY. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER MENTIONED HE TOWED ABOUT 50 DODGE CARAVANS IN THE LAST YEAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER WHERE WE GOT THE PART HAD "HEARD COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ACCELERATOR." SINCE THIS VEHICLE IS THE BEST SELLING MINI VAN AND MOMS, DADS AND USUALLY A LOAD OF KIDS ARE IN THE BACK, THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND DETERMINE WHETHER A RECALL IS WARRENTED.

NHTSA ID

752909

Incident

Sep 21, 2001

VEHICLE WAS SET ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 70-72MPH. CONSUMER MADE REST STOP/ GOT BACK ON ROAD RESUMING CRUISE CONTROL,AND IT QUIT WORKING. HORN WOULD NOT WORK EITHER. A DAY IN A HALF BEFORE, AIRBAG LIGHT JUST STAYED ON. CONSUMER HASN'T CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

890570

Incident

Apr 1, 2001

AIR BAG LIGHT ON / HORN DOESN'T WORK / CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK

NHTSA ID

743823

WITH THE MINIVAN IN REVERSE GEAR BACKING UP,AT 5MPH FROM A DISTANT OF 100FT AND THEN APPLY BRAKE PEDAL, FAIL TO STOP THE MINIVAN.THE ENGINE PICK UP SPEED,WHILE FOOT IS STILL ON BRAKE AND MINIVAN IS TURN TO LEFT MOVING IN A CIRCLE IN A PARKING AREA CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY MINIVAN AND ANOTHER CAR PARK IN AREA.*AK

NHTSA ID

743298

Incident

Mar 28, 2001

CONSUMER HEARD A GROWLING NOISE WHEN TAKING FOOT OF GAS PEDAL. TRANSMISSION BLEW A QUARTER SIZE HOLE IN IT. ALSO, LOSING OIL*AK

NHTSA ID

883127

Incident

Mar 1, 2001