1998 Dodge Caravan Other / unspecified Problems

I BOUGHT A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN FROM FALLS CHURCH MOTORS FALLS CHURCH VA AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF DRIVING I STARTED TO NOTICE AND FEEL A WOBBLE IN THE FRONT LEFT DRIVERS FRONT TIRE A FEW MONTHS LATER I HAD A FLAT WHILE THE VAN WAS PARKED IT TOOK ME AND TWO OTHER MEN TO LOOSEN THE LUGS ON THE TIRE TO GET OF THE TIRE THE JACK WHILE THE VAN IN THE AIR BENT AND THE VAN FELL TO THE SIDE I PULLED ONE OF THE MEN AWAY FROM THE VAN AS I SAW IT FALLING TOWARD US WE GOT ANOTHER JACK AND GOT THE VAN BACK UP IN THE AIR AND PUT THE DONUT ON I THAN A SHORT TIME LATER GOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE DONUT FLEW OFF THE VAN IF IT WERE IN TRAFFIC IT COULD HAVE KILLED ME AND OTHER ON THE HIGHWAY A COUPLE OF MONTH LATER THE TIMING BELT BROKE AND THE WATER PUMP I THOUGHT THE VAN WAS STILL UNDER WARRANT OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM FALLS CHURCH MOTORS I LATER FOUND OUT IT WAS NOT THEY I THOUGHT FIXED THE TIMING BELT IT HAS BEEN RUNNING ROUGH EVER SINCE THE VAN NOW WHILE RUNNING THE MOTOR TURNS OFF WHILE ANY SHARP TURN TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT THEY SAID TO ME IN THE RECENT PAST AFTER I THOUGHT THEY FIXED IT . IT'S NOT GOING TO RUN LIKE NEW I FEEL THIS DEALER SHIP DID SELL ME A DEFECTIVE VAN AND UNSAFE PARTS ON THE VEHICLES AND SOME OTHER VEHICLES THEY ARE SELLING MAYBE ENDANGERING OTHER PEOPLES LIFE I MET ONE MAN AT A GAS STATION HE SAID HE HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY AND IT SLIPPING AFTER HE BOUGHT IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10318239

Incident

Oct 11, 2009

Mileage

10,600 mi

A/C FAN BELT. I HAVE WENT THROUGH 3 FAN BELTS FOR THIS VAN AND MY PARTS DEALER TOLD ME TO FIND OUT IF ANY RECALLS FOR THE PULLEY WAS OUT THERE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10232238

Incident

Jun 24, 2008

I OWN A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN 3.3L AND LESS THAN 55,000 MILES, THE TENSIONER PULLEY WENT OUT OF ALIGNMENT, THE BOLT HOLDING THE TENSIONER IN PLACE WAS SHEARED IN HALF, THE BELT FELL OFF, AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP IMMEDIATELY. THANK GOD THIS HAPPEN IN THE SHOPPING MALL PARKING LOT AND NOT ON FREEWAY, THE VAN BE IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL! HAVE THE VAN TOWED TO C&M AUTO SERVICE, HAVE THE SERPENTINE BELT, THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER REPLACED AND RE-ALIGN THE TENSIONER. THE BELT/PULLEY DESIGN ON THIS VAN IS FLAWED AND A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD! IN BRAZIL, CHRYSLER DID A RECALL BACK IN 2000 - DUE TO SEVERAL ISSUES RELATED TO BELT/PULLEY SYSTEM ON THE CARAVAN AND GRAND CARAVAN MODELS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100917

Incident

Nov 23, 2004

Mileage

54,223 mi

THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR OPENED. ALSO, THE HANDICAP LIFT OPENED , AND FOLDED OUT. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND CLOSED THE LIFT AND THE DOOR. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10098949

Incident

Oct 5, 2004

Mileage

70,000 mi

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH JUST UNDER 71,000 MILES ON IT. WE FIRST NOTICED SOME ANTI FREEZE ON THE GROUND AND COULD SEE IT LEAKING THINKING IT WAS A HOSE OR SOMETHING. I WENT UNDER TO TAKE A LOOK AND IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK. I BROUGHT IT IN TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND IT TURNS OUT THE HEADGASKET SPRUNG A LEAK. I GAVE THEM THE GO AHEAD TO FIX IT. HE TOOK IT APART AND SAID THEIR WAS A 2 INCH PIECE MISSING FROM THE GASKET. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. IT COST ME $1000+ TO HAVE IT REPAIRED .WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10054581

Incident

Jan 19, 2004

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB

NHTSA ID

8013292

Incident

Jun 1, 2002

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND MECHANIC INDICATED EXTERNAL CYLINDER GASKET WAS GONE. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VAN HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, POWER STEERING LOSS, BACK WHEELS ON FIRE, COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE AND ENGINE WOULD SEIZE AND STOP. *YH

NHTSA ID

8005221

Incident

Mar 4, 2002

VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITH A HANDICAP RAMP. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT WHICH CAUSED THE LIFT TO FALL AND HIT THE DRIVER IN THE JAW BREAKING IT. THE DRIVER ALSO SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE SHOULDER AND NECK. THE RAMP HAS NO SAFETY LOCK FEATURE WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENTED INJURIES. *AK *ML *NM

NHTSA ID

856816

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

I OWN A HANDICAP ADAPTED VAN WHICH I FEEL IS VERY UNSAFE FOR ME AND MY CHILDREN..THIS VAN HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS (AT LEAST) 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM..(WHEN FILED WITH GASOLINE, IT BUCKS, HESTITTAES AND STALLS OUT , LAST TIME ON TOP OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS(I WAS SCARED TO DEATH), EACH TIME MY VAN IS IN FOR REPAIRS AS WELLI HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION AS I CAN ONLY DRIVE MY SPECIALLY ADAPTED VAN AND ASLO EACH TIME I HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE VAN AND IT HAS TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIRS..I'M ALSO IN A JAMI CAN'T BE DRIVING A VAN THAT COULD BREAK UP ON ME(I CAN;T WALK..I CAN'T TAKE A CAB) MY VAN CAME BACK WITH A NEW FUELTANK AND FUEL LINE LAST THURSDAY AND TODAY RIDE-AWAY CORP HAD TO PICK IT UP AGAIN..FOR REPAIRS TO THE SPECIALLY ADAPTED"EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE, WHICH I'VE NOT HAD NOW SINCE LAST FRIDAY) AND ALSO SINCE THE "REPAIRED" VAN HAS BEEN RETURNED TO ME THE KNEELER(SPECIAL SUSPENSION FLOOR) HAS BEEN "BOUNCING" WHEN THE RAMP IS DEPLOYED AS WELL AS MAKING A "BARKING" SOUND..THIS VAN HAS ONLY (NOW) A LITTLE OVER 8 MILES ON IT, AND I FEEL THIS VAN IS VERY UNSAFE AND I'M VERY NERVOUS AND APPREHENSIVE EACH TIME ME AND MY 2 CHILDREN HAVE TO USE IT...I HAVE TRIED TO BE PATIENT AND HAVE TRIED "WORKING" WITH THE COMPANIES, BUT IT JUST APPEARS TO BE ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER WITH THIS VAN..ALSO I'D LIKE TO ADD ANOTHER POINT THAT I FEEL DESERVES SOME TIME..WHEN I ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THIS VAN IN 2/98 RIDE_AWAY CORP IN EAST HARTFORD OR NEW HAMPSHIRE(THE HEADQUARTERS) WERE THE "MIDDLEMAN" SO TO SPEAK , IT WAS THRU THEM THAT THE VAN WAS PURCHASED..THE MONEY WAS PAID IMMEDIATELY CUZ BRAUN IN INDIANA WOULDN'T SEND THE VAN UNTIL THEY HAD THEIR MONEY..IT WAS "FAXED" TO THEM AND WE WERE EXPECTING THE VAN IN A MATTER OF AT THE MOST 10DAYS(AS IT HAD TO BE FLAT BEDDED TO CT) THE VAN DIDN'T ARRIVE UNTIL 6 WEEKS LATER(AFTER BRAUN CHRSLER HAD THEIR MONEY) WHY DID MY VAN HAVE TO SIT THERE UP IN WINAMAC INDIANA FOR AN EXTRA 6 WEEK..COULD IT BE THAT THEY WERE HAVING A PROBLEM EVEN WAY BACK THEN?WH.

NHTSA ID

708123

Incident

Feb 2, 1998

WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A COMPLETE STOP OR TURNING A CURVE WHEN THE ROAD IS WET, THE WHEELS WILL SPIN AND VEHICLE WILL HAVE NO TRACTION. TOOK VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT'S NORMAL FOR THE WHEELS TO SPIN WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

826391

Incident

May 5, 1998