1996 Dodge Grand Caravan Powertrain (other) Problems

I HAVE A 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN LE 3.8. IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPED OFF 2 TIMES WHEN IT IS RAINING OUTSIDE OR THE VAN GOES THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN KILLED TWICE. I HAVE READ THAT OTHER DODGE OWNERS HAVE ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE WHEEL CANNOT BE CONTROLLED WHEN THIS HAPPENS, AND MY WIFE IS SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR NOW. I THINK THAT DODGE HAS SOME EXPLAINING TO DO AS THEY HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS DEFECT, AND ARE NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPEATED SERIOUS SAFETY FAULT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10372161

Incident

Dec 21, 2010

THERE ARE TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH MY 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. FIRST THERE IS A SERIOUS VIBRATION IN THE FRONT WHEEL/TIRES. I HAVE REPLACED 8 TIRES (IN 30000 MILES!), BOTH FRONT AXLES, ALL THREE MOTOR MOUNTS, AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED, AS WELL AS HAVING THREE ALIGNMENT CHECKS. THE VIBRATION IS STILL THERE. THE SECOND PROBLEM INVOLVES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE FRONT WIPERS WERE, FOR A TIME, COMING ON ANY TIME THEY FELT LIKE IT; THIS WAS REMEDIED BY REPLACING THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH ON 09/21/01. SINCE THEN, THE REAR WIPER WILL OCCASIONALLY COME ON FOR ONE SWIPE WHEN I FIRST START THE VEHICLE - ANNOYING, BUT NOT AN IMMEDIATE HAZARD. BUT TODAY, MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING AT ALL. THEY WILL ONLY WORK IF I PUT THE WIPERS ON INTERVAL - IN WHICH CASE THEY DO NOTHING FOR A TIME, THEN MAKE TWO TO FOUR SWIPES, THEN WAIT A WHILE, MAKE ONE OR TWO SWIPES, WAIT A WHILE, ETC. THEY WILL MAKE ONE HIGH SPEED SWIPE ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD IF I PRESS THE WASHER BUTTON IN. I SPENT $80 TODAY SO THE DODGE DEALER COULD TELL ME THIS WAS CAUSED BY A BODY CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. THIS REPAIR COSTS OVER $400...AND RESEARCHING A USED PART ONLINE, I LEARNED THAT BOTH THE WHEEL SHIMMY PROBLEM AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEMS ARE NOT UNIQUE TO MY CAR BUT ARE VERY COMMON ISSUES WITH THE DODGE CARAVAN/CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY/PLYMOUTH VOYAGER FAMILY. LOSING YOUR WIPERS, HAVING THEM COME ON AT RANDOM WHEN THEY TAKE A NOTION TO, AND A NON-STOP SHIMMY IN THE FRONT ARE EACH, BY THEMSELVES, SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES WARRANTING A RECALL. COLLECTIVELY, THEY SPELL OUT A LACK OF CONCERN THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER HAS FOR THE SAFETY OF THOSE WHO DRIVE THEIR PRODUCTS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM MY ONLINE RESEARCH THAT CHRYSLER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS LONG AGO AS 1998 BUT DELIBERATELY IGNORED ITS OWN INFORMATION. IT IS APPARENT THAT THE ONLY WAY THESE SAFETY ISSUES ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSED IS IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKES THEM TO TASK.*AK

NHTSA ID

10088514

Incident

Aug 24, 2004

Mileage

92,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NUMEROUS REPAIR SHOPS REPORT THAT PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS A NEAR-CERTAINTY ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR VEHICLE, DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW IN THE DIFFERENTIAL GEAR LUBRICATION SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT DENIES RESPONSIBILITY. *LA

NHTSA ID

10065613

Incident

Mar 30, 2004

Mileage

131,000 mi

THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN CAME LOOSE MAKING A HOLE THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION CASE. TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TORQUE CONVERTOR AREA AND THEN ONTO MY GARAGE FLOOR. THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 74,789 MILES. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. HE SAID IT OCCURS WHEN ONE WHEEL SPINS WHILE THE OTHER WHEEL IS STOPPED. IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU LIVE IN A CLIMATE WITH SNOW OR ICE, THIS FAILURE CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME TO YOUR VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY TELL ME THIS IS NOT A DEFECT AND THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEIR DIFFERENTIAL PINS. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, HE SAID THAT HE HAS CERTAINLY SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, BUT SINCE IT OCCURED OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY, I AM ON MY OWN. THE MINIVAN HAS BEEN REPAIRED, BUT SINCE THE REPLACEMENT DIFFERENTIAL IS THE SAME AS BEFORE, A SERIOUS DEFECT STILL EXISTS IN MY VEHICLE. I HAVE RETAINED THE WORN/BROKEN DIFFERENTIAL UNIT IN CASE DODGE ENGINEERS WANT TO INSPECT IT.

NHTSA ID

10060799

Incident

Mar 4, 2004

Mileage

74,789 mi

A/C INTERNAL FAN SWITCH FAILS IN AT LEAST TWO POSITIONS AND HAVE HAD SMOKE ENTER INSIDE THE VAN WHILE DRIVING, FROM I THINK THE FAN. ONCE THE FAN IS TURNED OFF THE SMOKE GOES AWAY.

NHTSA ID

10068999

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

Mileage

48,650 mi

WHILED RIVING AT NORMAL SPEED FRONT LEFT AXLE BROKE. DEALER NOTIFIED. CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WITHOUT WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030097

Incident

Jul 24, 2003

THE VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTED WITHOUT WARNING.*JB

NHTSA ID

10007467

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

EXPERIENCED INCIDENT WHERE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT FROM FIRST GEAR. ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT FROM N TO D FAILED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION CORRECTED ITSELF AFTER BRINGING VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP, PLACING IN P AND RESTARTING ENGINE. HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED NUMERIOUS INCIDENTS DURING PAST 6 YEARS WHERE TRANSMISSON FAILS TO SHIFT FROM P TO R AND R TO D AND REQUIRES TO BE RESHIFTED TO P AND THEN TO DESIRED SELECTION. RESEARCH INTO PROBLEM BY QUESTIONING VARIOUS PRIVATE TRANMISSION SPECIALISTS THAT AN UNDETERMINED DESIGN FLAW IN DIFFERENTIAL, IN 1995 AND LATER MODELS, CAUSES BOTH PROBLEMS AND HAS EVEN RESULTED IN DIFFERENTIAL COMPLETELY FAILING AND EXPLODING.*AK

NHTSA ID

767531

Incident

Sep 16, 2002

AFTER PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP, NOTICED A PUDDLE WAS LEFT & A CLANKING NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. WAS INFORMED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN HAD WEDGED A HOLE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS WAS CAUSING THE LEAK & THE NOISE. NLM

NHTSA ID

8007810

Incident

Feb 12, 2001

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

ON APPROACH TO A STOP SIGN, A LOUD CLUNK WAS HEARD. FROM STOPPED POSITION VEHICLE NO LONGER MOVED ALTHOUGH ENGINE WAS RUNNING. MECHANIC STATED FRONT AXLE BROKE MID SHAFT. MECHANIC ALSO NOTED NO DAMAGE OR NOTICEABLE STRESS FRACTURES AND STATED IT WAS PROBABLY DEFECTIVE. I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHAT THE RESULT MAY HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT 75MPH!

NHTSA ID

750760

Incident

Aug 8, 2001

DIFFERENTIAL PIN FLEW OUT AND TORE A HOLE IN THE TRANSMISSION CASING. *AK

NHTSA ID

741986

Incident

Feb 1, 2001

THE PIN FELL OUT OF THE DIFFERENTIAL AND POKED HOLES IN THE TRANSMISSION, RUINING IT. THE PROPERTY DAMAGE REFERRED TO IS THE COST OF A NEW TRANSIMISSION. IT IS LIKELY THIS ONE CANNOT EVEN BE REBUILT, WHICH MEANS IT WILL COST ANOTHER $500 TO FIX IT. SINCE THIS HAPPENED I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY PEOPLE THAT CHRYSLER HAS LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSIONS AND I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL STORIES OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM, INCLUDING A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT TO NHTSA.*AK

NHTSA ID

740754

Incident

Feb 6, 2001

DIFFERENTIAL PIN BROKE OFF AND SHATTERED THE TRANSMISSION CASING.

NHTSA ID

739892

Incident

Jan 11, 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

WHEN PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY DRIVESHAFT BROKE. HAD IT REPAIRED FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. THEN WAS BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE, DRIVESHAFT BROKE AGAIN. EACH TIME IT WAS AT LOW SPEED. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE BREAKAGE EACH TIME. WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP EACH TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

875956

Incident

Aug 14, 2000

THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS BEEN IN A SJOP SPECIALIZING IN TRANSMISSIONS DEFYING ALL ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE THE SECOND TRANSMISSION INSTALLED JANUARY, 1999. THE MECHANICS ARE AT A TOTAL LOSS TO EXPLAIN WHY A SIMPLE THING LIKE A TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY IN JANUARY, 1999 AND HAS BEEN EFFECTIVELY DESTROYED BY SOMETHING UNIDENTIFIABLE NOW. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILED ON AUGUST 3, 2000 AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INOPERABLE TO THIS WRITING. THE CAR WOULD STOP AT HIGH SPEED IN HIGHWAYS TRAPPING ME AND MY CHILDREN IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC, LIETRALLY TERRORIZING ME AND MY CHILDREN. THIS WOULD HAPPEN AFTEN AND THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE OCCURRED EARLY WHNE THE COLUMN-MOUNTED SHIFT WOULD WITHOUT WARNING POP OUT OF GEAR, LEAVING THE CAR EITHER IN NEUTRAL OR WITH THE ENGINE TURNING OFF. ALL THIS WAS VERY TROUBLING BUT CHRYSLER SAID IT WAS "NORMAL." THAT SUMMARIZES MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS TOTALLY DANGEROUSLY UNRELIABLE VEHICLE. THE ONLY THING THAT HASN'T FAILED HAS BEEN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. I WAS TOLD THAT I OR ANY PASSENGERS OR OTHER DRIVERS (MY OLDER CHILDREN DRIVE) COULD HAVE DIED IF THE GAS IGNITED WHEN I FOUND THE DISCHARGE OF GAS AS INDICATED BY THE RAPIDLY DROPPING GAS GAUGE INTO THE ENGINE CREATING AN INCREDIBLY NOXIOUS ODOR OF GASOLINE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT ALERTING ME TO THE POTENTIAL HAZARD. CHRYSLER SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED TWO RECALLS ON THIS FAILED FUEL SYSTEM. I HAVE JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER- THIS AT FOUR YEARS OLD. CLEARLY CHRYSLER KNOWS A LOT MORE ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS, DEADLY VEHICLE THAN IT IS ADMITTING THROUGH THESE RECALLS AND I AM RIPPING MAD. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

NHTSA ID

733604

Incident

Jun 10, 1996

COMPLETE TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL AND TCM REPLACEMENT, VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. *SLC

NHTSA ID

555112

Incident

Jun 27, 1996

THE TACKOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER FLATLINED TO 0 THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL, THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL, HAVE STOPPED WORKING AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON MOST OF THE TIME. THE TRANSMISSION HAD A TOTAL FAILURE IN THE HIGHWAY AND HAD TO BE REBUILT. THE WIPERS OCCASIONALLY COME ON BY THEMSELVES AND CYCLE A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN STOP AND OCCASIONALLY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD (THIS HAS BEEN TOTHE DEALER IN MADISON HEIGHTS, VA SEVERAL TIMES FOR REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NOT SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE LEFT SPEAKERS ON THE SOUND SUYSTEM PERIODICALLY GO OFF AND ON WHILE THE SYSTEM IS ON. THE STARTER WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED THE END OF JUNE, 2000.

NHTSA ID

726768

Incident

Dec 15, 1999

WHILE DRIVING THE TACKOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER FLAT LINED TO ZERO. ALSO, TRANSMISSION INDICATOR LIGHT WENT OUT. CONSUMER SHUT ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED VEHICLE. AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED/ HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL WERE INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

865909

HESITATES WHEN PUT INTO GEAR, ALSO SLIPS WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING MUCH FEAR. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO GOES UP AND DOWN AT WILL, EVEN WHEN DRIVING A STEADY SPEED. HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES NOW, AND THEY HAVE YET TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS CAUSING MUCH AGGRAVATION FOR OUR FAMILY. *AK

NHTSA ID

723800

COOLANT GAUGE, TACH,AND SPEEDOMETER ALL FLATLINE AT SAME TIME AND RETURN INTERMITTENTLY, AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AND HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AT SAME TIME. DRIVERS SIDE SLIDING DOOR LOCK WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. NO FUEL LEAKS UNTIL RECALL REPAIR MADE THEN LEAK DEVELOPED WHEN TANK FILLED ( DEALER FIXED). RADIO DOES NOT SWITCH FROM AM TO FM UNLESS BUTTON PUSHED 3 OR 4 TIMES. JUST ONE BIG ELECTRICAL LEMON. *AK

NHTSA ID

723187

Incident

May 20, 2000

RIGHT LEFT INNER/OUTER CV JOINT FAILURE CAUSED THE FRONT END TO SWERVE. YH

NHTSA ID

552067

Incident

Nov 1, 1999

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION BROKE. TRANSMISSION DIFFERENTIAL PIN HAD SEPARATED & CAUSED A HOLE IN THE HOUSING. THE PIN THEN FLEW OUT & CRACKED THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT TRANSMISSION & ENGINE BLOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

860299

Incident

Mar 10, 2000

TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO PIN ON THE DIFFERENTIAL CRACKED THE REAR-END TRANSMISSION COVER ON THE VEHICLE, FAILURE CAUSED VEHICLE TO LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING. *MJS

NHTSA ID

551307