2000 Dodge Caravan Other / unspecified Problems

WHEN I TRIED TO PULL MY DODGE CARAVAN (2000) OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AFTER A HEAVY RAINING DAY, I FOUND THE POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK. I COULD GO FORWARD OR BACKWARD, BUT COULD NOT TURN, OR COULD TURN ONLY VERY SLOWLY (I COULD HEAR THE WHEEL KIND OF MAKING CLICKING SOUND WHEN I TRIED TO TURN). AFTER DRIVING VERY SLOWLY ON THE PARKING LOT AND TRIED TO TURN SLOWLY SEVERAL TIME, THE STEERING FINALLY GOT BACK. I GOOGLED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, MOSTLY WITH A DODGE, BUT ALSO SOME OTHER CARS. HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/DODGE-GRAND-CARAVAN/TC37VJLP6MD4POHVJ SINCE I DON'T DRIVE MUCH AND MOSTLY PARK MY VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE, I DON'T HAVE MUCH PROBLEM. IT HAS HAPPENED A COUPLE MORE TIMES AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, BUT IT USUALLY RETURNS NORMAL AFTER I MAKE SEVERAL SMALL TURNS IN THE PARKING LOT. BUT THIS MORNING, IT HAPPENED AGAIN, AFTER I PARKED MY CAR OUTSIDE WITH AN OVERNIGHT RAIN, AND THE WHEEL WAS STILL KIND OF STUCK AFTER I DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES, MAKING SEVERAL TURNS ON PURPOSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S STILL POURING OUTSIDE, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GET THE STEERING BACK TO NORMAL AFTER WORK. SINCE I AM NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, I HOPE THE MANUFACTURER COULD HELP US SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THANKS!

NHTSA ID

10776653

Incident

Apr 18, 2013

THE FOLLOWING REQUEST WAS RECEIVED FROM THE NTSB WEB SITE: MESSAGE: VAN ACCIDENT INCIDENT - 2000 DODGE VAN 2500 ON TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012 AROUND 4PM, I WAS ON MY WAY TO MARYVILLE TO PICK UP A TV. TRAVELING SOUTH ON EBENEZER ROAD, I ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL SETTING IT AT 45 MPH. APPROACHING NORTH SHORE IN THE RIGHT LANE, I SAW 4-6 CARS WAITING AT THE LIGHT. I TAP THE BRAKE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL AND IMMEDIATELY FELT THE VAN ACCELERATION. I TURNED INTO THE LEFT LANE TO MISS THE CARS IN THE RIGHT LANE. I REPOSITION MY FOOT BY LIFTING IT UP THINKING THAT I HAD PRESS BOTH THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE, AND PRESS IT BACK ON THE BRAKE. THE VAN WAS STILL ACCELERATING AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF WHY WAS IT STILL ACCELERATING? BY THAT TIME, I WAS IN THE INTERSECTION AND HAD NO CONTROL. I HIT A POLE AND GUARD RAIL ON THE FAR SIDE OF NORTH SHORE. I DID NOT HIT ANY OTHER VEHICLE. ALL OF THIS TOOK AROUND 10 SECONDS. THE VAN WAS TOTALED! ARE THERE OTHERS REPORTED WITH THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL? *TR

NHTSA ID

10470814

Incident

May 22, 2012

2000 DODGE CARAVAN, EASTBOUND WHEN LEFT FRONT TIRE CAME OFF OF THE VEHICLE. UNIT 1 CAME TO FINAL REST ON THE RIGHT BERM. TIRE WAS LOCATED ON THE WESTBOUND SIDE BY OHIO TURNPIKE MAINTENANCE. *BF THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, LEFT FRONT HUB AND LEFT FRONT QUARTER PANEL. ( OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0550-90)*JB

NHTSA ID

10357568

Incident

Aug 19, 2010

THE SERPENTINE BELT ON A 2000 DODGE CARAVAN SLIPS OFF WHEN YOU GO THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER OR WET CONDITIONS SUCH AS IN THE RAIN OR SNOW, RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING (LOSS OF CONTROL); WATER PUMP (OVERHEATING AND POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE ALUMINUM HEADS); ALTERNATOR (NO BATTERY CHARGING) AND AC. THIS WAS AFTER A NEW BELT AND TENSIONER WAS INSTALLED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS INCIDENTS SITED ON RELATED WEB SITES. MY WIFE ALMOST WRECKED BECAUSE OF NO STEERING. IT HAPPENED OVER A DOZEN TIMES TO HER AND 4 TIMES TO ME. COST OF PUTTING BELT BACK ON WAS AROUND $40 EACH TIME. TRIED A FIX USING A DISC OVER THE TENSIONER AND IDLE PULLEY RECOMMENDED BY DEALER, BUT FIRST TIME THROUGH A RAIN PUDDLE, IT SLIPPED OFF. A $200 FIX IS AVAILABLE PLUS $150 LABOR CALLED A GATES KIT # 38379K ALSO BY GOODYEAR #49215K. THEY BOTH COME WITH A DOUBLE SIDED GROOVED BELT, GROOVED IDLE PULLEY AND GROOVED TENSIONER AND STATES THAT IT FIXES THE PROBLEM OF BELTS COMING OFF THE DODGE VANS IN WET WEATHER. IF THIS IS PART OF THE SELLING POINT OF THE KIT, THEN THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER, DODGE, PLYMOUTH VANS AND THE CONSUMER SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS "FIX." THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE PAID FOR AND CORRECTED BY CHRYSLER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10294665

Incident

Dec 4, 2009

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE CARAVAN. I HAD BEEN FRIEND BORROW IT FOR THE WEEKEND . WHEN SHE RETURNED IT, SHE TOLD ME SHE LOST THE BRAKES. SHE BROUGHT IT TO A SHOP AND THEY FIXED THE BRAKE LINE. THEY TOLD HER THE WHOLE BRAKE LINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY BRAKES ARE VERY LOW. THEY ARE BELOW THE GAS PEDAL WHEN PUSHED TO STOP. I FEEL THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10248345

Incident

Nov 2, 2008

2000 DODGE CARAVAN - BELT KEEPS COMING OFF DURING RAIN/SNOW -- THIS EFFECTS THE POWER STEERING MAKING THE VAN VERY HARD TO STEER --- WE HATE DRIVING IT WHEN IT'S DOING TO RAIN/SNOW -- THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY VAN ---- MAKE DODGE FIX IT --- SO FAR THEY DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM BUT INSTALLING NEW BELTS/TENSIONER --- WHICH EVERY 2-3 WEEKS IS EXPENSIVE ALONG WITH TOWS --- PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ID

10217341

Incident

Feb 5, 2008

Mileage

126,000 mi

THE SERPENTINE BELT KEPT COMING OFF THE 2000 DODGE CARAVAN WHEN IT RAINED. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THIS STARTED AFTER HAVING THE ORIGINAL BELT REPLACED DUE TO FRAYING. THE TENSIONER WAS REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE BELT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10195340

Incident

Jul 4, 2007

Mileage

71,845 mi

ONE DAY ON MY WAY TO WORK (ABOUT 10 MILES FROM MY HOUSE) I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SLAMMED INTO SECOND GEAR AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANOTHER GEAR. I HAD MY VAN TOWED TO A SHOP AND IT WAS TWO SENSORS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VERY NEXT DAY I WENT TO GET MY VAN I WENT TO WORK THE VAN SEEMED TO RUN LIKE NEW, AND THEN WHEN I GOT OFF OF WORK I ROLLED DOWN MY POWER WINDOW ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND THE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL BACK UP! TO HAVE THE TWO SENSORS FIXED WAS AROUND TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS AND TO GET THE WINDOW FIXED WAS ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS AND THAT PART FOR THE WINDOW WAS THE REGULATOR AND THE MOTOR, FOR A NEW PART WAS LIKE THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS, I GOT ONE USED. IT HAS BEEN SIX MONTHS SINCE I GOT THESE THINGS REPLACED AND NOW THEY ARE BOTH BROKE AGAIN! THE SENSORS AND THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW MOTOR AND REGULATOR. I DO HAVE THE PARTS THAT ARE DEFECTIVE NOW BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS FROM BEFORE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10149250

Incident

Jan 27, 2006

Mileage

55,000 mi

I WAS TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE OUTER TIE ROD BROKE. THIS CAUSED AN IMMEDIATE STOP AS THE WHEEL TURNED IN. THE VEHICLE STEERING WAS LAST INSPECTED IN JULY 2005 (VA STATE SAFETY INSPECTION) AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. THE TIE ROD BROKE AT THE TAPERED STUD. THIS DID RESULT IN A LOST OF STEERING. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES HAD THIS HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEED. THE INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS WERE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE UNBROKEN DRIVERS SIDE OUTER TIE ROD.*JB

NHTSA ID

10140737

Incident

Oct 21, 2005

Mileage

108,667 mi

SUN VISOR WAS DEFECTIVE WHILE IN USE, THE SUN VISOR BROKE OFF ITS ASSEMBLY, PREVENTING THE BLOCKING OF SUNLIGHT WHILE DRIVING. *AK WHEN REPOSITIONING THE SUN VISOR TO BLOCK THE SUN, THE SUN VISOR BROKE OFF IN CONSUMER'S HAND. MANUFACTURE NOTIFIED. *TT

NHTSA ID

10111782

Incident

Feb 15, 2005

Mileage

46,000 mi

A CONVERSION TOP WAS PUT ON MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE TV HAS NEVER BEEN PROPERLY SECURED. WHILE DRIVING, THE TV FLEW OUT OF THE TOP, RIPPING CORDS, SWINGING BACK AND FORTH, WHILE HANGING FROM A CABLE. THE TV JUST BARELY MISSED THE HEAD OF MY CHILD. NO ONE IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THIS TV WEIGHS ABOUT 10 POUNDS. THE TV BOUNCES AROUND WHILE DRIVING. WHILE BRINGING THIS CAR IN FOR OTHER UNRELATED SERVICE PROBLEMS, I WOULD ALWAYS ASK THEM TO SECURE THE TV. IT WAS SECURED BY VELCRO!. *AK

NHTSA ID

10060181

Incident

Jan 10, 2004

THE VEHICLE NEEDED RESHIMING AND BOLT KITS FOR THE FRONT WHEELS AT 20000 MILES. (CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNES VEHICLE) *YH

NHTSA ID

567412

RUST UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. ALL FOUR AXLES/BRAKE CALIPER,BRAKE DRUMS/STABALIZER/ EXHAUST PIPE AND LEAF SPRING BRACKET.ALSO, ON TIRES AND INSIDE OF THE RIMS WERE RUSTED. CONSUMER STATED NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP.*AK CUSTOMER ARBITRATION BOARD DINIED CUSTOMER'S REQUEST FOR REPLACEMENT VEHICLE SAYING THAT THE RUST IS NOT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *YH

NHTSA ID

868963

Incident

May 1, 2000