2004 Dodge Caravan Brakes Problems

I ORIGINALLY FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE PAD MANUFACTURER BUT IT SEEMS TO BE THE COMPOSITE PISTON IN THE CALIPER THAT IS INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING THE BRAKES TO OVERHEAT. THE PEDAL TRAVEL GOES TO ZERO AND THE BRAKE IS LOCKED. THIS IS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT AND A HAZARD. IT WOULD BE EASY FOR THESE BRAKES TO FAIL IN HIGHWAY CONDITIONS AND HAVE THE GREASE MELT OUT OF THE BEARINGS FROM THE HEAT AND BRAKE FLUID TO BOIL. THIS CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED ITS ENTIRE LIFE AND MAINTAINED. IT IS CHRYSLER THAT IN THE INTEREST OF PROFIT CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10543445

Incident

Jul 9, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi

I REPLACED THE BRAKES ON MY 2004 DODGE CARAVAN WITH DURALAST BRAKES FROM AUTO ZONE. THERE IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THE TOLERANCES ON THE PADS. I HAVE BEEN INSTALLING BRAKES FOR 50 YEARS. THERE IS A SEVER DEFECT WITH THESE REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE PADS WILL NOT ALLOW THE CALIPER TO RETRACT THE PADS WEDGE AGAINST THE ROTOR-DISC. THEY CAUSED A VEHICLE FIRE FROM THE EXTREME HEAT. I CONTACTED AUTO ZONE AND INSTALLED ANOTHER SET . THIS TIME IT CAUSED THE BRAKE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE TO OVERHEAT. I GOT A THIRD SET THIS TIME I MEASURED THE PADS WITH A VERNIER CALIPER ACCURATE TO 1/1000 INCH AND THEY VARIED BY A 1/10 OF AN INCH WHICH IS OUTRAGEOUS. THAT JUST ACCOUNTS FOR UNACCEPTABLE MEASUREMENTS AND NOT SPECIAL OR ORIENTATIONAL DEFECTS WHICH I SUSPECT EXIST BUT HAVE NO EXACT PATTERN TO COMPARE. THESE BRAKES ARE AN EXTREME HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10537280

Incident

Jul 9, 2013

WHILE DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, I FELT SLUGGISH ACCELERATION FROM A STOP LIGHT. THE NEXT STOP LIGHT THE BRAKES FELT HARD, AND AGAIN ACCELERATION WAS SLOW. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING I SMELLED MY BRAKES BURNING AND I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE CLOSEST REPAIR SHOP. SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF BOTH FRONT WHEEL WELLS. BRAKES LOCKED, PADS AND ROTORS BURNT, MASTER CYLINDER NOT ALLOWING FLUID TO RETURN. MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED WITH FRONT PADS AND OTHER WORK. EXACT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED 15 WEEKS LATER. DIFFERENT SHOP. REPLACED ABS UNIT. SAME PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED 8 WEEKS LATER AFTER MINIMAL DRIVING. SHOP FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT NO WRITE UP BECAUSE HE FIXED FOR FREE. 1 YEAR LATER, SAME PROBLEM. BRAKES LOCKED, BRAKES BURNING, BRAKES SMOKING. IT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY AS I TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10423137

Incident

Mar 12, 2010

Mileage

87,645 mi

BRAKE LIGHTS REMAIN LIT AFTER BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED, AND REMAIN ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE CENTER BRAKE LAMP BULB BEING BURNED OUT. I WAS NEARLY STRUCK FROM BEHIND SINCE THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN THE LIGHTING WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212467

Incident

Dec 17, 2007

Mileage

71,700 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT 33,000 MILES THE FRONT BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED THEY DETERMINED THAT IF THEY HAD BEEN ALERT IN 12,000 THEY COULD HAVE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE FRONT BRAKES WERE WORN OUT BUT THE REAR BRAKES LOOKED UNTOUCHED. FROM THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THERE WAS DUST ON THE FRONT WHEELS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND THE DEALER WAS ASKED ABOUT THE DUST THEY STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG.

NHTSA ID

10174543

Incident

Nov 23, 2006

Mileage

33,000 mi

WHILE ON THE HWY, DOING THE POSTED SPEED OF 65, I SUDDENLY FELT A VIBRATION IN THE DRIVER'S REAR WHEEL. THINKING A TIRE BLEW, I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TIRE WAS FINE, NOTHING WAS HANGING. I PROCEEDED TO CONTINUE DOWN THE HWY, AND WITHIN MINUTES, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. ONCE AGAIN, I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE TIRE WAS FINE, NOTHING WAS HANGING UNDER THE VEHICLE, BUT THERE WAS A STRONG BURNING SMELL. COME TO FIND OUT, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE COMING APART. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING, AND COULD'VE CAUSED A COLLISION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10171344

Incident

Aug 18, 2006

Mileage

32,700 mi

2004 DODGE CARAVAN SXT, BOTH REAR BRAKES ARE ALL RUSTY INSIDE. SPRINGS, BACKING PLATE,BRAKE SHOES, DRUMS, ADJUSTERS EVERY THING IS RUSTY. I CALLED MY DEALER AND TOLD THEM AND HE SAID THAT ALL THEY DO IS SAND THE SURFACE OF THE BRAKE PAD AND PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER. WELL TODAY IT'S 25 DEG OUTSIDE AND BOTH WHEELS ARE FROZE UP. THE VAN WILL NOT MOVE, BOTH BACK WHEELS JUST SLIDE. WHEN I DRIVE THE VAN I CAN TELL THAT THE BACK BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING BECAUSE THE VAN WILL NOSE DIVE WHEN I PUT THE BRAKES ON. *NM

NHTSA ID

10142843

Incident

Nov 16, 2005

Mileage

10,000 mi

THE BRAKES FAILED AT 55 MPH. THIS CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED IN A ROLLOVER FOLLOWING BRAKE FAILURE. NO AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED. *TC

NHTSA ID

10099486

Incident

May 23, 2004

THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO. THE BRAKES ACCUMULATED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF BRAKE DUST. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE BRAKES ARE WORKING NORMALLY. *AK THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS INCREASED BY 430% WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS LOADED. THE VEHICLES FRONT WHEELS LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING ON WET/LOW FRICTION SURFACES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10073641

Incident

May 12, 2004

Mileage

1,500 mi