1996 Dodge Grand Caravan Exterior lighting Problems

MILKY HEADLIGHT LENS COVERS. DISTANCE AND CLARITY GREATLY AFFECTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10203152

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS ARE A PLASTIC AND THEY HAVE CLOUDED OVER SO THAT VERY LITTLE LIGHT PENETRATES. SAFETY HAZARD AT NIGHT DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10145948

Incident

Dec 22, 2005

Mileage

100,000 mi

! STATE ANNUAL CAR INSPECTION 2. FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY PLASTIC COVER FADED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW SUFFICIENT LIGHT TO PASS INSPECTION. THIS I BELIEVE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AS IT IS COMMON ON ALL DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (1996) AND NEON CARS. THIS DEFECT IS SOMETHING I BELIEVE SHOULD HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO THE MANUFACTURER. IT IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY DEFECT AFFECTING MANY CHRYSLER VEHICLES. 3. THE PART QUOTED FROM THE DEALER WAS #281.00 PLUS TAX AND INSTALLATION I WAS TOLD BY MY AUTO MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MAY 1996 DODGE CARAVAN VEHICLES. I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY OTHER VEHICLES PRODUCED BY CHRYSLER THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING ALL REPAIRS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10144980

Incident

Dec 9, 2005

WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS LENS FOGGED UP, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE DURING NIGHT HOURS. AK THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE THAT THIS WAS A BIG PROBLEM WITH DODGE PER DODGE DEALERS. THE ENTIRE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10079575

Incident

Apr 14, 2004

Mileage

98,000 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINS ABOUT A HEADLIGHT PROBLEM. THE LENS IS NOT GIVING OFF ENOUGH LIGHT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. IT APPEARS THAT THE LENS IS FILLED WITH CONDENSATION, AND LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT BEING PROJECTED DURING NIGHT DRIVING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10065285

Mileage

87,000 mi

THE VEHICLE DIDN'T PASS THE STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE OF POOR LIGHTING. THE HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE COST WAS $300 EACH PLUS LABOR. *AK THE OUTSIDE OF THE HEADLIGHT LENSES WERE COVERED WITH FROSTED LIKE COVERING OVER THE LENSES. THIS ALSO CUT THE VISIBILITY AT NIGHT TO AN UNSAFE LIGHTING. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10040530

Incident

Sep 24, 2003

HEADLIGHTS HAVE STEADILY BECOME FOGGED/ DISCOLORED. BELIEVE THIS IS CAUSED BY SOME KIND OF OXIDATION OF THE MATERIAL FROM BEING EXPOSED TO THE SUN AND OTHER ELEMENTS. REPLACED ONE HEADLIGHT WITH USED PARTIALLY CLEAR UNIT 2 YEARS AGO. IT TO NOW IS FOGGED TO THE POINT I CAN DRIVE WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON AND NO ONE KNOWS IT. MY CARAVAN HEADLIGHTS ON BRIGHT ARE CONSIDERABLY LESS BRIGHT THAN MY 10 YR OLD CIVIC ON NORMAL SETTING. LUCKILY I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT FROM THIS INADEQUACY BUT ONLY BECAUSE I DRIVE AROUND WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON TO HELP PROJECT SOME LIGHT ON THE ROAD DUE TO THESE DEFECTIVE LENSES.

NHTSA ID

10013697

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

Mileage

120,000 mi

I RECENTLY REPORTED THE FOLLOWING DEFECT TO DODGE: "THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON MY 1996 GRAND CARAVAN HAVE BECOME FOGGED OVER. I'VE NOTICED REDUCED NIGHT VISIBILITY AS A RESULT. I'VE NOTICED THE SAME DEGRADATION IN HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON OTHER CARAVANS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO OUR LOCAL DEALER WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM BUT SAID DODGE HADN'T ISSUED ANY RECALL AS OF YET. THIS LOSS OF CLARITY IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY MATERIAL WILL LEAD TO NIGHT TIME ACCIDENTS IF NOT CORRECTED. IS DODGE AWARE OF THIS DEFECT AND IF SO ARE THERE PLANS TO CORRECT THIS MANUFACTURING SHORTCOMING IN THE SAME MANNER YOU CORRECTED THE RECENT CLOCKSPRING DEFECT?". DODGE REPLIED: "THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECENT E-MAIL TO DAIMLERCHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION REGARDING THE HEADLIGHTS ON YOUR 1996 GRAND CARAVAN." THERE ARE NO INCOMPLETE RECALLS OR PENDING RECALLS INVOLVING YOUR VEHICLE FOR THE PROBLEM YOU HAVE DESCRIBED. YOUR CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE EXPENSE AND INCONVENIENCE INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE, ARE UNDERSTANDABLE. HOWEVER, YOUR REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER MUST BE DECLINED, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION HAS EXCEEDED THE TIME OR MILEAGE LIMITATIONS OF THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY AT THE TIME THE EXPENSE WAS INCURRED. ALTHOUGH A MORE FAVORABLE REPLY COULD NOT BE PROVIDED, SHARING YOUR CONCERNS WITH US IS APPRECIATED. SINCERELY, NICOLE KALISH SENIOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER I FEEL THE RESPONSE IS IN ADEQUATE AND DOES NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL INDENTICAL COMPLAINTS FOR THE CARAVAN LISTED ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE. I AM CERTAIN AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH OF ALL CHRYSLER MINIVAN PRODUCTS WOULD FIND NUMEROUS IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS. THIS MATERAIL DEFECT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND CORRECTED. IT WILL, IF IT HASN'T ALREADY, KILL OR INJURY INNOCENT PEOPLE DUE TO REDUCED NIGHT LIGHTING CAPABILITY.

NHTSA ID

10005303

Incident

Feb 4, 2003

THE CLEAR LENSES HAVE BECOME CLOUDY WITH AGE AND GREATLY REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT THAT REACHES OUT IN FRONT OF THE CAR MAKING NIGHT DRIVING DIFFICULT.*AK

NHTSA ID

767402

TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO OPERATE. DEALER CANT FIND PROBLEM OR DUPLICATE PROBLEM. ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU ARE IN TRAFFIS AND NEED TO SIGNAL A TURN. VERY HAZARDOUS.*AK

NHTSA ID

765131

Incident

Jul 21, 2002

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRED VEHICLE, HOWEVER PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO BATTERY FAILURE. THE SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT SHUT PROPERLY. PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT LOCK DUE TO DOOR LOCK MOTOR FAILURE. DRIVERS WINDOW MAKES NOISE DUE TO REGULATOR FAILURE. *YH

NHTSA ID

8013344

Incident

Oct 6, 1997

LEFT AND RIGHT TURNING SIGNALS DO NOT WORK, CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO TURN OFF A BUSY STREET WITH OTHER CARS BEHIND. *AK THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES, WHEN THE SIGNAL FAILED THE FOURTH TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE FLASHERS, THE TURN SIGNALS WORK FINE NOW. *NLM

NHTSA ID

897216

Incident

Jul 28, 1997

BATTERY CRACKED AND LEAKED ACID INTO WIRING COVER AND AIR CLEANER HOUSING CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO START, BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND BEGAN TO LEAK AGAIN APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS LATER, SEVEN MONTHS LATER THE BATTERY HAD TO BE BOOSTED TO START VEHICLE, AGAIN DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY, BATTERY WAS REPLACED A FOURTH TIME ALONG WITH A FAULTY STARTER. *SLC

NHTSA ID

562605

Incident

Oct 7, 1997

THE WINDSHIELD HAS A STRESS CRACK. NLM

NHTSA ID

560543

THE TURN SIGNAL IS AN INTERMITTANT PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN WITH THE VAN SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. THEY JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN WON'T WORK. NO LIGHTS, NO FLASH, NO NOTHING. THEN FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON THEY DECIDE TO WORK. WE JUST BOUGHT A 2000 CHRYSLER SEBRING AND MY WIFE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. HER DEALER CAN'T SEEM TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE SEBRINGS TURN SIGNAL EITHER. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE ONLY BECAUSE, DURING A RAIN STORM I COULD NOT SIGNAL OTHER DRIVERS OF MY INTENT TO CHANGE LANES BEFORE I GOT TO MY EXIT. THIS WAS NOT A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE. AND YES, YOU GUESSED IT, THE NEXT DAY THEY WORKED FINE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER.

NHTSA ID

733330

WHILE DRIVING SPEED CONTROL ACTIVATED WITHOUT MANUAL OPERATION. AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED, AND HEADLIGHTS COULD NOT BE MANUALLY TURNED OFF.PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

871746

INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW OF DRIVER. DEALER HAS REPLACED MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, AND THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

870939

THE HEADLIGHT PLASTIC COVER HAS BECOME "FOGGY" ON THE OUTSIDE WHICH IS DISTORTING THE ACTUAL HEADLIGHT COVERAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID

727466

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE OCTOBER OF 1995, IN MARCH OF 96 THE FUSE BLOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH A MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH BECAUSE THE WIPERS WOULD COME ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE I WAS DRIVING, A CONTACT AND PLUNGER KIT BECAUSE THE RIGHT SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT ALWAYS UNLOCK WHEN USING THE UNLOCK BUTTON, THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT ONLY HELD 12 GALLONS OF GAS WHEN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HOLD 18 - 20, THE TANK WAS INSTALLED SO THAT THE TANK WAS BOWED IN THE MIDDLE AND THE FRONT DOOR PANEL WAS REATTACHED TO THE DOOR AND THE LEFT SLIDING DOOR WAS REPAIRED BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH THE KEY. IN AUGUST OF 1997 THE SWITCH FOR THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER, THE LEFT SIDE SLIDING DOOR LOCK WAS REPLACED AGAIN ALONG WITH THE REAR DOOR LATCH. IN SEPT. 0F 97 A GEAR WAS REPLACED FOR THE POWER STEERING, THE LEFT SLIDING DOOR HAD MOULDING REPLACED BECAUSE THE CLIPS WERE BROKEN. IN AUGUST OF 98 THE STEREO WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE TREBLE WOULD FADE, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING NO ONE COULD EXPLAIN THIS PHENOMENON, THE RELAY SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED ALSO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AGAIN. IN SEPT. OF 98 THE CAR WAS BACK IN THE SHOP BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. EVIDENTLY WHEN THEY REPLACED THE RELAY SWITCH JUST 7 DAYS EARLIER THINGS IN THE DASH STARTED WORKING THAT HAD NOT WORKED UP TIL THAT POINT FOR INSTANCE I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE CHIME WOULD GO OFF IF THE BLINKER WAS LEFT ON FOR OVER A MILE. IT TOOK 7 DAYS TO GET MY CAR BACK BECAUSE THEY FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE NEVER ANY SCREWS HOLDING THE AIR BAG IN THE MODULE SO AS FAR AS I KNOW FOR THE TWO YEARS THAT MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING THIS CAR THERE WAS NO PROTECTION BY AND AIR BAG. THIS PAST WEEK JULY 1, WE WERE ON VACATION AND WE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF $L771. THE CAR IS BACK IN THE SHOP TODAY (7/6) BECAUSE IT APPEARS THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO SLIP AND RUN AT HIGH RPM.PLEASE HELP!!

NHTSA ID

708289

Incident

Sep 22, 1997

BRAKE WHEEL CYLINDER AND ROTORS WARPED.

NHTSA ID

541959

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED ON THE ROAD, CAUSING LACK OF ACCELERATION OR POWER. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. *AK WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES, DEALER REPLACED MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START UP AND RUN, DEALER REPLACED BATTERY. STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHILE BRAKING, DEALER MACHINED ROTORS. *SLC

NHTSA ID

827373

Incident

May 2, 1997

MASTER SWITCH FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED.

NHTSA ID

536231

Incident

Sep 1, 1997

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BOTH INTERIOR/EXTERIOR TURN SIGNALS WILL FUNCTION WHEN SWITCH IS ENGAGED. AREA DEALER NOT ABLE TO CORRECT FAILURE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.

NHTSA ID

803789

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, RUBBING NOISE OCCURS, FOLLOWED BY DIFFICULTY STOPPING VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

505526

Incident

Nov 9, 1995