1996 Dodge Grand Caravan Heating & air conditioning Problems

WHILE TRAVELING, THE DASH BOARD INDICATION LIGHTS FLASHED THROUGHOUT TRAVEL. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE AIR CONDITIONER CONTROL HEADS CONTAINED A SHORT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10017884

SINCE THE FIRST WEEK THAT I OWNED THIS CAR. WHENEVER I RUN THE AIR CONDITIONER, THE CAR WILL STALL OUT. AT FIRST, I COULD RESTART THE CAR READILY. LATER, IT TOOK SEVERAL TRIES TO RESTART IT. NOW I KNOW THAT I HAVE TO WAIT SEVERAL MINUTES IN ORDER TO RESTART IT. I MUST LEAVE THE AIR CONDITIONER OFF, IF I WANT THE CAR TO CONTINUE RUNNING. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT, AND THEY DID SOME ENGINE ADJUSTMENTS WHICH NEVER SOLVED THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A TSB ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS RUNNING, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER I'M DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC OR WHETHER I'M AT SPEED. IT WILL HAPPEN. SO, THE WAY TO AVOID THE PROBLEM IS NOT TO USE THE AIR CONDITIONER. BUT I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH AIR CONDITIONING, AND I'M ENTITLED TO HAVE WHAT I PAID FOR. MY CONSCIENCE TELLS ME THAT I HAVE TO PROTECT OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD, SO I DON'T RUN IT . CHRYSLER HAS A REGISTERED COMPLAINT FROM ME AND OTHER PEOPLE, AS WELL, ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING. I HAVE ANOTHER CRISIS OF CONSCIENCE: I'D LIKE TO GET RID OF THIS CAR AND THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM, BUT WHO WILL BUY THIS CAR? I CAN'T SELL IT WITHOUT FULL DISCLOSURE OF THE PROBLEM. AND IF I TRADE IT IN TO CHRYSLER, I'M SURE THEY WON'T DISCLOSE THE PROBLEM TO SOME UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMER. DT

NHTSA ID

769495

Incident

Oct 14, 1996

AIR CONDITIONERCONDENSER/DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR/TIE ROD, TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE, AND O2 SENSOR WERE REPLACED. ALSO, THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE, AND FROM THE EXHAUST AREA. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED. IN ADDITION, SERPENTINE BELT AND WATER PUMP WERE REPLACED. *JB. *AK

NHTSA ID

567168

Incident

Aug 17, 2001

LEAK AIR COND SYM CAUSED 5 MO. AND 2 YR CHILD TO BECOME SICK FROM R134 BLOW IN FACE. *AK

NHTSA ID

765510

THERE IS A VERY FOUL SMELL INSIDE VEHICLE WHENEVER CONSUMER STARTED UP VEHICLE.ALSO, AIR CONDITIONER DOES NOT WORK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ID

8003485

Incident

Jun 24, 2001

THE ENGINE IS RIUNED DUE TO A 'DOMINO' EFFECT OF DAMAGES BEGINNING WITH THE A/C COMPRESSOR LOCKING UP.*AK

NHTSA ID

751707

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

AIR CONDITIONER BLOWS OUT HOT AIR. CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE IN MARCH AND THERE WAS NO REASON TO TURN IT ON. ON INSPECTION LIST AIR CONDITIONER WAS CHECKED AS WORKING. CONSUMER LIVES IN A HOT CLIMATE, AND AIR CONDITIONER IS VERY MUCH NEEDED. DEALER COULDN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

894491

Incident

Aug 4, 2001

AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

561413

WE HAD TO REPLACE THE A/C COMPRESSOR, HIGH PRESSURE SWITCH, EXPANSION VALVE AND RECEIVER/DRIVER TO REPAIR LEAKS DUE TO PREMATURE WEAROUT. THIS COST US $1240.00. CHRYSLER HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS A/C SYSTEM BREAKING DOWN PREMATURELY. *AK

NHTSA ID

743939

Incident

Mar 1, 2001

REPLACED COMPLETE AIR CONDITION SYSTEM, FRONT AND REAR, TRANSMISSION, FUEL INJECTION, CV JOINTS, FUEL TANK LEAKS, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. *AK

NHTSA ID

738083

Incident

Sep 10, 2000

INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE AND SOMETIMES COME ON BY THEMSELVES, OBSTRUCTING VIEW OF DRIVER. VEHICLE AT DEALER'S FOR REPAIR. *AK O2 SENSOR, IGNITION SWITCH, KEY CYLINDER, AND A/C BLOWER RESISTOR AND WIRING KIT ALL REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

876123

Incident

Dec 7, 2000

I STILL HAD OTHER COMPNENTS REPLACED IN MY VEHICLE, BUT YOU DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR ALL MY INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID

734740

Incident

May 9, 2000

AIR CONDITIONER/EVAPORATOR/CONDENSOR FAILED. EST COST TO FIX $1000. TRANSMISSION FAILED. WAS FIXED. COST $2,300. *AK

NHTSA ID

724684

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

THE EVAPORATOR COIL IS PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE. I WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT OWNS 25 TO 30 DODGE CARAVANS AF VARIOUS YEARS AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON MODELS BUILT BETWEEN 1993 AND 1999. ALSO THE DEALERSHIP HAS ADMITTED TO ME THAT THEY HAVE REPAIRED 100'S OF VEHICLES (CHRYSLER/DODGE/PLYMOUTH) WITH THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. DAIMLER CHRYSLER'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE HOT LINE OFFERED NO HELP WHAT SO EVER. WHEN THE REFRIGERANT (R134A) LEAKS, IT ENTERS THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CAN BE TOXIC IF COMBUSTED, NOT TO MENTION NOT A GOOD THING TO BREATH NON-COMBUSTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

722455

Incident

May 1, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

720428

Incident

Mar 21, 2000

AT THE START UP OF THE VAN, THE COMPRESSOR PULLEY WAS LOCKED UP TO THE POINT THAT IT WOULD NOT TURN AND THE BELT WAS RUBBING ON THE PULLEY CAUSING LARGE AMOUNT OR SMOKE. COST TO REPAIR WAS MORE THAN $3,000.00.

NHTSA ID

720396

Incident

Jan 17, 2000

DEALER STATES THERE IS NO "GOODWILL" WARRANTY FOR THIS VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

715918

Incident

Dec 2, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

713407

Incident

Jul 24, 1999

REPLACEMENT OF AC COMPRESSOR & EVAPORATOR COST $1450; ENGINE HEAD WAS REPLACED FREE EVEN THOUGH WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED(SPENT $870 ON MAINT AND REPAIRS OF WHICH $300 WAS TO REPLACE SPARK PLUG WIRES AND RESISTOR PACK THAT WAS SAID TO CAUSE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HEAD WAS ACTUALLY CASUING PROBLEM); FAN RELAY REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY; FIRESTONE SAID WATER PUMP FROZED AND CAUSED BELT TO BREAK ($300 REPAIR).

NHTSA ID

711429

Incident

Jul 1, 1999

TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING AND THE VAN DOES NOT BACK UP. STARTER, AIR CONDITIONER, AND BRAKE PADS ALL HAD TO BE REPAIRED. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

846210

Incident

Aug 27, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

707373

Incident

Jun 1, 1999

AIR CONDITIONING-DEALER REPLACED COMPRESSER,CONDENSOR AND EVAPORATOR, WE PURCHASED VAN IN MARCH AND A/C NEVER WORKED WHEN THE WEATHER WARMED UP. FUEL PUMP FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $450. TIRES WENT NEXT AT A COST OF $350 FOR TWO FRONT TIRES. TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND WON'T SHIFT CONSISTANTLY. WILL COST $1500-$1800 TO REPLACE ON A TWO YEAR OLD VAN WITH 45000 MILES.( DOT NUMBER: M30D TIRE SIZE: 21565R16 )

NHTSA ID

701467

Incident

Sep 22, 1998

TRANSMISSION/STEERING COLUMN/HORN/STRUTS/BRAKES/SWAY BARS/BATTERY/WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH AND A/C CONDENSOR FAILED.

NHTSA ID

539583

AIR CONDITIONER REPAIRED.

NHTSA ID

603024

Incident

Mar 20, 1996