Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Dodge Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 52 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 52, in the owner's own words
REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND BURST WHERE THE STAINLESS STEEL BRAIDED LINES ARE WELDED TO THE REGULAR STEEL LINES ARE CONNECTED, CAUSING BRAKE FLUID TO DISPERSE AND LOOSE PRESSURE AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF BRAKES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO A FATAL ACCIDENT. THANK GOD MY 70 YEAR OLD MOTHER WHO OWNS THE VAN WAS NOT DRIVING IT. *TR
THE FRONT "FLEX" BRAKE LINES ON OUR DODGE CARAVAN APPARENTLY LEAKED BRAKE FLUID WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF MOST OF BRAKING POWER. FORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN AT SPEED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT CORROSION BETWEEN THE "FLEX" PART OF THE LINE AND THE METAL TUBE PART IS COMMON IN THE 1996 - 2000 YEAR CHRYSLER MINIVANS. TOTAL COST TO REPLACE THOSE LINES WAS $630. *TT
BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE HORN NO LONGER WORKED. ALSO, THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,500.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. IT WAS COASTED TO A STOP, AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE ALL THE STEEL BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED DUE TO THE BRAKE LINES LEAKING BECAUSE OF EXTREME RUST. UPDATED 12/12/06. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKES AT 20 MPH ON A CITY STREET, THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD WHICH CREATED AN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE BRAKE LINES WERE EXTREMELY CORRODED AND LEAKED BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME WHERE THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BRAKE LINES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE ROAD SALTS OR HARSH WINTER WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 10/30/2006 -REAR BRAKE LINE FAILURE DUE TO STAINLESS STEEL BRAID/STEEL LINE CORROSION. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, AND THE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS EXTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A BRAKE FLUID LEAK. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 06E022000, PERTAINING TO THE HYDRAULIC SERVICE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
LTR RE 1999 DODGE CARAVAN , PLYMOUTH VOYAGER, AND CHRYSLER MIN-VANS DEFECTIVE METAL BRAKE LINES, REQUEST A DEFECT INVESTIGATION, S10/CMBK-051208-005. *TS ALL OF THE CORROSION OCCURRED NEXT TO THE WELDED STAINLESS STEEL FLEX SEGMENT. *NM
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A BRAKE LINE BURST IN 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. *TS THE BRAKE LINE IN THE CONSUMER'S VAN WAS WELDED WITH DISSIMILAR METALS WHICH CAUSED CORROSION. ALL OF THE CORROSION OCCURRED NEXT TO THE WELDED STAINLESS STEEL FLEW SEGMENT. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER BUT THE PROVIDED TO ASSISTANCE. *NM
DT: CONSUMER DROVE DOWN A DRIVEWAY TO PARK VEHICLE. THE NEXT TIME HE WAS IN THE CAR HE HAD TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY TO A ROAD WHERE IT WAS FLAT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR. HE DROVE HOME FROM THERE USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. CONSUMER THOUGHT IT MAY BE LACKING BRAKE FLUID, WHICH HE REPLACED, AND DID NOT HELP. THE NEXT MORNING THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS MECHANIC, THINKING HE HAD AIR IN HIS LINE. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT BRAKE LINE BROKE. THE BRAKE LINE FOR EACH REAR WHEEL COME OUT OF THE ANTI-LOCKING DEVICE , IT BECAME A FLEXIBLE LINE THAT WAS WELDED TO A STEEL LINE. AT THE WELD WAS WHERE THE BRAKE LINE BROKE. *AK THE PARTS TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES WERE NOT AVAILABLE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. *NM *JB *TT
THE LEVER AND BOLT BROKE OFF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE SEAT IS UNABLE TO RECLINE, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER WILL NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER.*AK. ALSO, THIRD BRAKE LIGHT BULBS MALFUNCTIONED, BULD WAS REPLACED. *AK THE DRIVER'S SEAT ADJUSTER HANDLE BROKE. *NM
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND HAD NO BRAKES. CONSUMER PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND APPLIED EMERGENCY BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER AVOIDED THE OTHER VEHICLE BY SKIDDING INTO A DITCH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES,BUT REFUSED TO GO TO THE DOCTOR FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CONSUMER'S RESIDENCE.*AK
REAR BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED PREMATURELY, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES AT ANY SPEED THE VAN WOULD START BUCKING OR JUMPING. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT A SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *NLM
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL DEFECT. WHILE RAINING INTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED. ALSO, THERE WAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. WHILE TRAVELING 30-35 MPH BRAKES WERE APPLIED, PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT. INSURANCE CO. HAD VEHICLE TOWED SO THAT THEY COULD INSPECT THE DEFECT.*AK
THE DEALER REPLACED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE YEARS AGO. *AK THE PARKING BRAKE DIDN'T ALWAYS HOLD, ESPECIALLY ON A UPGRADE. THEN IT MAY OR MAY NOT RELEASE ON ITS OWN. *PH *JB
AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED/ PROBLEMS WITH CLOCKSPRING. CONSUMER HAD NO HORN AND NEED HER BRAKES REPAIRED AS WELL. *MR PH
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB
THE ROTORS CORRODED, WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*JB
I NOTIFIED THE FIRST INCIDENT TO THE DEALER ABOUT ITS SPEED SENSOR, OVER THE PHONE, WHICH BLEW AWAY JUST AFTER THE TWO WEEKS OF BUYING THIS CAR FROM HIS SHOWROOM. LAST MONTH, THE BREAK WENT BAD AND WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, I HAD TO END UP REPLACING THE ROTOR AND COMPLETE BRAKE SET, PAYING AROUND $300 FROM MY POCKET, FROM A MIDAS IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE THIRD INCIDENT WAS MOST DANGEROUS, AND DON'T KNOW HOW I SAVED THE LIFE OF MY TWO LITTLE KIDS INCLUDING THE ONE WITH 11MONTHS INFANT BABY, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BLEW AWAY WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY AND LOST CONTROL ON THE DOWNHILL, IN THE CITY OF NORRISTOWN, SINCE ITS BREAK AND THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WENT OFF DUE TO THE FAILURE OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND I EVENTUALLY TOOK A GREAT RISK OF PULLING THE CAR ALL BE MYSELF ON THE SIDEWALK AND SOMEHOW PROTECTED EACH OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS. THIS CAR IS PROVEN TO BE VERY UNSAFE AND DOES NOT WORTH THE LIFE OF MY KIDS AND MY FAMILY. I SINCERELY REQUEST TO HELP ME HAVE MY MONEY BACK AT THE EARLIEST. THE DEALER IS VERY RUDE AND ROUGH OVER THE PHONE AND DOES NOT LET ME SPEAK AT ALL. IT TOOK ME SEVERAL YEARS TO SAVE THIS MONEY TO BUY THIS CAR BUT THE DEALER HAS REALLY DECEIVED ME BY GIVING A FAULTY CAR. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS CAR DID NOT UNDERGO FOR ANY KIND OF SAFETY INSPECTION AS LONG AS IT WAS SITTING IN HIS SHOWROOM AND I AM VERY AFRAID OF DRIVING NOW. *TR
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE, THE ROTORS HAVE HOLES IN THEM CAUSING VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTEND STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS CONSUMER HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. AFTER HAVING THE ROTORS REPAIRED, THE VEHICLE STOPS AT A MUCH SHORTER DISTANCE. *JG
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER BEGAN LEAKING FLUID CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. NLMJLG
WHEN PASSING THROUGH A CHANNEL OF WATER GOING IN A DIRECTION SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF. OWNER HAD TO FORCE WHEEL TO KEEP FROM COLLIDING WITH A FENCE. ALSO, BRAKES BECAME INOPERATIVE ONCE WATER HAD SETTLED IN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
BOTH PARKING BRAKE CABLES DISCONNECTED, LEAVING VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY PARKING BRAKES.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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