Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 124 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 124, in the owner's own words
WHEN DRIVING MY 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN THE SPEEDOMETER GOES CRAZY AND THE RPM GAUGE FLUCTUATES A LITTLE AND THE RPMS RAP OUT AROUND 40MPH AND WONT SHIFT ITS LIKE IT HIT SAFETY MODE OR SOMETHING I THINK IT IS MY WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WHAT DO YOU THINK?
WHILE DRIVING CRUISE CONTROL INCREASED THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DISENGAGE THE SYSTEM. VEHICLE WENT IN ACCESS OF 85 MILES PER HOUR. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BY APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT EXTREME PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES WAS REQUIRED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE OVER A DISTANCE OF ONE MILE. A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT BRAKES FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. *TC
"AIR BAG" LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED (KNOWN PROBLEM), THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL ACTIVATE UPON PUSHING THE BUTTON, BUT THE CANCEL BUTTON WHEN PUSHED DOES NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL...THE DEACTIVATION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL REQUIRES THE BRAKE TO BE APPLIED. CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ON WET ROADS, USING CRUISE CONTROL, AND HAVING TO DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL VIA THE BRAKES....CAN BE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE...THANKS!! - STEVE DOWLING. *JB
I HAVE A 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL HAS GONE OUT. I HAVE 3 OTHER FRIENDS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL FIX IF SO MANY OTHER SAME YEAR VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. I EVEN FOUND A WEBSITE WITH MANY OTHERS LISTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE RECENTLY RETURNED FROM KUWAIT IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND WHEN I BEGAN DRIVING MY VAN AGAIN THIS PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I CAN TAKE TO A DEALER NEAR ME TO HAVE FIXED FREE OF CHARGE? *LA
CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED WITHOUT DRIVER'S KNOWLEDGE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE WHEN TRYING TO SLOW DOWN. IT WAS VERY HARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD AFTER IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. *AK
MR
AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME. CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN WERE NOT FUCTIONING CORRECTLY.DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
THE CLOCKSPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED. THIS CAUSES THE HORN, CRUISE CONTROL AND AIRBAG SYSTEM TO FAIL. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE HORN IS OUT. ONLY THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASH COMES ON. YOU DON'T KNOW THE HORN IS OUT UNTIL YOU NEED IT! I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON MY PERSONAL VAN AND ON MY COMPANY VAN. THEY WERE BOUGHT FROM DIFFERENT DEALERS AT DIFFERENT TIMES. IT IS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A SINGLE DRIVER CAN HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ON TWO DIFFERENT CARS WITHOUT THERE BEING AN INHERENT DESIGN DEFECT IN THIS PART. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST THROUGH THE LOSS OF THE HORN OR AIRBAGS THAT DON'T WORK WHEN NEEDED. THE CONDUCTORS THAT FEED THE EXPLOSIVE CHARGE TO THE AIRBAG ARE OPEN DURING THIS CONTINUOUS FAULT AND THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK
THE CLOCKSPRING FAILED ON THE DATE INDICATED. THE AIR-BAG, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL WERE NON-FUNCTIONAL DURING THE FAILURE. I REPLACED THE UNIT WITH A NEW ONE. I INVESTIGATED WHY THE UNIT FAILED BY DISASSEMBLING IT. THE FLAT RIBBON CABLE IN THE UNIT FAILED FROM INADEQUATE STRAIN RELIEF AT THE POINT OF CONNECTION. ALL 5 CONDUCTORS WERE BROKEN DUE TO REPEATED HARD BENDING WITHOUT ADEQUATE SUPPORT AT THE CONNECTION POINT.*AK
AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND NOTED HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL WERE INOPERABLE. RESEARCH INDICATES AIRBAG CLOCK SPRING FAILURE LOCATED IN STEERING WHEEL. INTEND TO REPORT TO DEALER.*AK
HORN, CRUISE CONTROL, WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING SAME TIME AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *AK
HORN WILL NOT WORK, AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND NO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON THE STEERING COLUMN FUNCTION. DODGE IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT REPLACE THE CLOCK.*AK
FAILURE OF THE CLOCKSPRING THAT CONTROLS THREE SAFETY DEVICES, THE AIR BAG.THE HORN AND THE SPEED CONTROL.*AK
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, AND HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. MANY OTHER 1996 GRAND CARAVAN OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THIS SAME FAILURE, AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THE CLOCK SPRING HAS FAILED. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS, THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. I'M CERTAIN MANY MORE OWNERS WOULD REPORT THIS IF THEY WERE AWARE OF SO MANY OTHERS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, BUT GIVE THE MODEST COST OF REPAIR ($250 EST.), MOST PEOPLE HAVE PROBABLY PAID FOR THIS REPAIR WITHOUT REPORTING IT SINCE THE POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEMS ARE SO SERIOUS (NO HORN OR AIR BAG!!) GIVEN THE MODEST COST OF REPAIR AND THE SERIOUS INJURY THAT COULD RESULT FROM NOT CORRECTING THIS, DODGE SHOULD PAY FOR THIS REPAIR BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED. ISN'T THIS WHAT NHTSA IS FOR? PLEASE HELP FORCE DODGE TO BE RESPONSIBLE. SIMILAR MODELS AND OTHER MODEL YEARS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME PART, AS WELL. PLEASE RESPOND, AND LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE DODGE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION.*AK
NO HORN, NO CRUISE CONTROL, CLICKING IN COLUMN. AND AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. *AK
AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, AS WELL. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
THE THREE COMPONENTS HAVE CEASED TO WORK, APPARENTLY DUE TO THE CLOCKSPRING. FROM INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH THESES VEHICLES.*AK
EA 01007; AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND STAYS ON. HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE NOT OPERATING AS WELL. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND A APPPOIONTMENT WAS MADE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING.*AK
AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, HORN STOPPED WORKING, AND CRUISE CONTROL WORKS INTERMITTENTLY.*AK
AT 57K MILES, THE LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE AIRBAG. THIS CAUSED FAILURE OF HORN & AIRBAG.THE MANUFACTURER SAID IT WASN'T THEIR PROBLEM. DEALER SAID THEY HAVE HAD MULTIPLE CASES OF THIS. BUT EACH REFUSED TO REPAIR IT AT NO COST AND CHARGED OVER $300 FOR THE SAFETY REPAIR. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT THIS SAFETY ISSUE IS NOT COVERED. IT CAN CAUSE FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS FOR NOT ONLY US, BUT OTHERS AS WELL. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. IT APPEARS THAT CHRYSLER HAS PUT A PRICE ON SAFETY ALLOWING THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO REPAIR THEIR DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS TO RISK INJURY OR DEATH. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. THANKS, I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.*AK
EA 01 007 AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING: CONSUMER STATES THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON WHILE DRIVING, ALSO THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. THE DEALER NOTIFIED. *JB DEALER STATED IT COULD BE A BAD WIRE INT HE STEERING COLUMN OR THE CLOCK SPRING, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE PROBLEM UNLESS STEERING WHEEL IS TAKEN APART. *TT
THE CLOCKSPRING FAILURE CAUSED SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO STOP FUNCTIONING INCLUDING THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG DODGE VEHICLES AND AM UPSET THAT THEY FIRST CHARGE A SIZABLE DIAGNOSTIC FEE ONLY TO DETERMINE THAT THIS COMMON PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED RATHER THAN OFFERING A FREE PART REPLACEMENT WHICH WOULD RENDER THE DIAGNOSTIC UNCESSARY. THE AIR BAG AND HORN SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY DODGE TO BE SAFETY COMPONENTS AND IF THIS CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY IS A COMMONLY DEFECTIVE PART, IT SHOULD BE REPLACED AS PART OF A RECALL PROGRAM.*AK
AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON ALL DAY, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION OF AIR BAGS/ HORN, AND CRUISE CONTROL.*AK
AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED; HORN INOPERATIVE; CRUIZE CONTROL INOPERATIVE. DEALER REPLACED THE "CLOCKSPRING" ($297). TURNS OUT EVERY '96 CARAVAN OWNER I KNOW HAS HAD THIS FAIL, AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE HORN WOULDN'T HAVE WORKED IF I'D NEEDED IT UNTIL THE DEALER POINTED IT OUT.*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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