1997 Dodge Grand Caravan Steering Problems

SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHILE DRIVING IN SNOW CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING ON SLIPPERY ROAD SURFACES. LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND ABILITY TO REGAIN VEHICLE CONTROL WAS COMPROMISED BY LACK OF STEERING ASSIST CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LEAVE THE ROADWAY. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE.THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS A SCHOOL BUS WAS NEAR MY VEHICLE WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND A RECALL SHOULD BE MANDATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10935387

Incident

Dec 15, 2016

Mileage

271,000 mi

PART 2 I'VE READ ON HERE THAT GATES HAS A BELT/PULLEY FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. IF THEY HAVE ONE, CHRYSLER CAN MAKE ONE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT CAN HAPPEN ANY TIME TO MANY DODGE VANS, IT RESULTS IN OTHER DAMAGES, SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL, POSSIBLE INJURY EVEN DEATH TO MANY PEOPLE AT ONE TIME. MANY OTHER VEHICLES HAVE SERPENTINE BELTS WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM SO IT CAN BE FIXED. IT'S A REPEATED DESIGN FLAW & SHOULD BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. A NTSB RULE GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS "A COMPANY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY FORESEEABLE PROBLEMS IN THEIR PRODUCT" THE SAME GOES FOR THE BRAKE LINES CORRODING ENOUGH FOR FAILURE TO OCCUR IN JUST A FEW YEARS, THIS IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS A $29,850 VEHICLE NOT A $2,000 1967 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, MY BEETLE HAS THE ORIGINAL BREAK LINES. AND IN GOOD SHAPE. ALL BREAK LINES ARE TO BE STAINLESS STEEL TO RESIST RUST AND CORROSION. THIS IS PURELY LACK OF QUALITY IN MATERIALS USED TO MAKE THESE LINES AND THE COMPANY ALSO SHOULD BE MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BY WARNING ALL OWNERS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND REPLACING ALL DEFECTABLE LINES WITH GOOD QUALITY LINES.

NHTSA ID

10735625

Incident

Jul 21, 2015

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN LAST YEAR ON DECEMBER 2007 MY SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF WHILE I WAS MAKING A RIGHT ON ONE STREET UNDER THE RAIN, I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OFF MY CAR BUT I WAS FORTUNATE THAT NO CARS WERE AROUND. IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO DRIVE MY CAR BUT I CALLED THE MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME NOT WORRY THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET SAFE TO THE SHOP. THAT INCIDENT BROKE MY WINDSHIELD HOSE WATER, MY AIR CONDITIONER AND MY STEERING WHEEL HOSE AND HEAT IT UP THE CAR SO I HAD TO STOP SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I GOT TO THE MECHANIC SHOP. I WAS SO AFRAID BUT I GOT SAFE. THEN IT HAPPEN AGAIN A WEEK LATER, I WAS SO ANGRY WITH THE MECHANIC BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT HE DIDN'T DO NOTHING TO MY CAR AND THAT HE WAS TAKING MY MONEY ONLY, SINCE I WAS AROUND THE CORNER I WAS ABLE TO GO BACK TO HIM. WITHIN THE LAS 7 MONTHS, MY SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF AROUND 5 TIMES AND EVERY TIME THAT IT CAME OFF IT BROKE SOMETHING, SO I HAD TO PAY THE MECHANIC MORE MONEY. I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR SOMEONE TO TRY TO CONTACT CHRYSLER AND TRY TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO, UNLESS THEY ARE EXPENTING FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILL BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MANEUVER THE WHEEL. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME MONICA HUAMAN *TR

NHTSA ID

10235056

Incident

Dec 13, 2007

Mileage

192,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE RPMS DROPPED TO ZERO, THE VEHICLE JERKED, AND THE ENGINE STALLED COMPLETELY. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER 10 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION. THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO FIX THE VEHICLE. THE OIL PAN WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VALVE COVER GASKETS WERE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. UPDATED 08/15/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10163047

Incident

Jul 20, 2006

Mileage

135,995 mi

RECALL PROBLEMS WITH EXHAUST AND AIR BAGS. *MR THERE WAS NO BACK UP LIGHTS, HORN, OR CLOCKSPRING. *SC

NHTSA ID

10075620

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

POWER STEERING RACK OPERATES POORLY. WHEN THIS OCCURS THERE IS NO POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING RIGHT. THE STERING FLUID LEAKS OUT. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE STEERING RACK, BUT THE FAILURE RECCURED WITHIN 38,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10065397

Mileage

43,000 mi

WHEN EVEN THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF STREET WATER, I.E. WATER-FILLED POTHOLE, CURB WATER DRAINAGE, ETC GETS SPLASHED UP ONTO THE VEHICLE UNDERSIDE THE POWER STERRING ASSIST DISAPPEARS FOR A SHORT INTERVAL, 10 TO 20 SECONDS. DURING THAT PERIOD I, A 200 LB MAN WITH REASONABLE BODY STRENGTH, CAN BARELY CONTINUE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS. I HAVE ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE CURB THREE TIMES ALREADY. I AM ARETIRED MECHANICAL ENGINEER WITH EXTENSIVE "DO IT YOURSELF" EXPERIENCE AND I PERCEIVE THAT WATER IS SPLASHING UP ON THE SERPANTINE BELT AND THE BELT FRICTION IS CHANGED ENORMOUSLY WHEN WATER GETS SPLASHED ON THAT BELT. AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE IS NO SPLASH GUARD OR DEFLECTOR TO PROTECT THE BELT FROM WATER BEING SPLASHED UP BY THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. MY ENGINE IS THE LARGEST DISPLACEMENT V6. I HAVE HAD MY BELT TENSIONER CHECKED AND IT IS PERFORMING PROPERLY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10037484

Incident

Sep 1, 1998

Mileage

34,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH WATER THE VEHICLE WILL LOST STEERING ABILITY. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10020487

Incident

May 23, 2003

VEHICLE HAS HAD MOMENTARILY LOST POWER ASSIST NUMEROUS TIMES, THERE IS A TSB OUT ON THIS PROBLEM. DEALER HAS NOT REPAIRED VEHICLE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ID

8015479

Incident

Jul 1, 1999

THERE IS A MOANING SOUND, MOSTLY WHEN MAKING TURNS. DEALER SAID POWER STEERING LINES ARE VIBRATING.*AK

NHTSA ID

8014858

Incident

Jul 10, 2002

THE POWER STEERING/POWER BRAKES HAVE BEEN LOCKING/FAILING INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE PAST YEAR. TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP IN JULY OF 2001 AND WAS TOLD THE STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM WAS DUE TO HUMIDITY AND LOOSE BELTS AND THE WEATHER WOULD IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE. NOTICED THAT WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR BETWEEN 5 AND 10 MILES PER HOUR. ALSO, WHEN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, POWER BRAKES WOULD FAIL. HAD TO LITERALLY STAND ON BRAKE PEDAL OR TURN OFF CAR IGNITION TO STOP CAR. THREW CAR IN PARK AND TURNED THE IGNITION IMMEDIATELY TO REGAIN STEERING AND BRAKES. HAD NO STEERING CAPABILITY AT ALL. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ABOUT ONCE EVERY 2 MONTHS BUT SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE FREQUENT WITH 3 FAILURES IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. TOOK CAR INTO DEALER ON 6/24/02 AND THEY WORKED ON IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE DECIDING THE PROBLEM WAS SOME PART OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THEY COULD REPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING BUT NOT WITH THE BRAKES. THEY REPLACED SOME COMPONENT OF THE POWER STEERING AND RELEASED THE CAR 6/26/02. PICKED UP THE CAR ON 6/27/02. THE NEXT DAY, 6/28/02, BOTH STEERING LOCKED AND BRAKES FAILED. WILL HAVE CAR TOWED TO SHOP TODAY. BOTH SON AND HUSBAND HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING. SON NEARLY HIT A TREE WHEN STEERING LOCKED. SAID "CHECK OIL LIGHT " CAME ON DASH. SAID THE ONLY WAY HE COULD STOP THE CAR WAS THE TURN THE IGNITION OFF WHILE IN DRIVE. WE HAD NOTICED THE PROBLEM MORE WHEN MAKING A TURN. HUSBAND SAID THE PROBLEM HAPPENED TO HIM THIS PAST FRIDAY (6/28/02) AND HE WASN'T TURNING AT ALL. WE DO NOT SEE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT FLASHING ON WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS. WE ARE ALL SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID IT WILL STALL OR THE STEERING WHEEL AND POWER BRAKES WILL FAIL TO WORK AT HIGH SPEED.*AK

NHTSA ID

763682

Incident

Jul 10, 2001

THE MOUNTING BOLT ATTACHING THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONING PULLEY HAD BROKEN ALLOWING THE BELT TO ENLODGE NEAR AN ENGINE MOUNT. *JG

NHTSA ID

564352

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER COULD SMELL SMOKE, PULLED OVER AND SMOKE AND FLAMES STARTED COMING OUT OF THE HOOD, FIRE ORIGINATED FROM A LEAKY POWER STEERING LINE AT THE REAR OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP, CLAIM 05-4462-943. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900992

Incident

Mar 5, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY HEARD A WHIRING NOISE. THEN, POWER STEERING WENT OUT, CONSUMER COULD NOT TURN WHEEL WITH OUT EXCESSIVE FORCE. *AK CONSUMER STATES NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A PROBLEM, NO LEAKS OF FLUID, WHICH IS CHECKED EVERY 3000 MILES, MECHANIC ADVISED CONSUMER THAT CABLES OR LINES WERE RUSTED AND ONE WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN. *JB

NHTSA ID

888895

Incident

May 17, 2001

HEARD A NOISE WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 5 MPH. THEN, POWER STEERING WENT OUT. PULLED OVER, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. SERPENTINE BELT HAD TOO MUCH TENSION AND BROKE. *AK

NHTSA ID

885017

Incident

Apr 2, 2001

STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT LOCK WHEN MOTOR IS SHUT OFF AND IN PARK. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHEN TRYING TO START THE ENGINE, I TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING HAPPENS. THE LIGHTS AND RADIO DO NOT WORK. EVENTUALLY, IT WILL START AND THE CLOCK HAS RESET TO 12:00 AND RADIO POWER IS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON AT LEAST 10 OCCASIONS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED MORE DETAILS. THANK YOU! *AK

NHTSA ID

743043

Incident

Apr 1, 2000

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASH. ALSO, THE HORN IS INOPERABLE AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO WORK, DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN A CLOCK SPRING IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

873663

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP AND NOT MORE THAN TEN SECONDS LATER I LOST ALL POWER STEERING. I BARELY MANAGED TO STEER MY VAN INTO A PARKING LOT ON MY RIGHT. OURISMAN DODGE DEALERSHIP IN VIRGINIA STATES THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER WAS BROKEN AND SERPENTINE BELT BORKEN. ALSO FOUND POWER STEERING PUMP PULLY BROKEN. THEY REMOVED POWER STEERING PUMP AND REPLACED THE PULLY. INSTALLED NEW SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

730817

Incident

Sep 8, 2000

WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT, CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT, CLAIM 25-5411-610. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900653

Incident

Jul 5, 2000

PART 4612894AC TENSIONER CAUSED THE FAILURE OF PART 4861322 BELT-DRV WITH A/C. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, 10/98, RESULTED IN THE CAR COMING TO A DEAD HALT. HAD THIS OCCURRED A FEW MINUTES EARLIER, WHILE ON THE TOLLWAY, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TO WRITE ABOUT THIS. SINCE THEN, THE BATTERY FAILED 1/10/2000 (POSSIBLY RELATED) AND THE TENSIONER/BELT FAILED SOON AFTER, RESULTING IN WATER PUMP FAILURE. THE TENSIONER, BELT AND PUMP WERE REPLACED. A COWORKER ADVISED ME THAT HIS TENSIONER HAS FAILED 4 TIMES - APPROX. EVERY 15,000 MILES. MY OCCURENCES HAVE HAPPENED WITHIN SIMILAR TIMESPANS. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE, AS I DREAD THE FAILURE OF THE TENSIONER WHILE ON MY DAILY COMMUTE TO WORK AT EXPRESSWAY SPEEDS. A SUDDEN STOP WITH THE FAILURE OF THE BELT IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS.

NHTSA ID

724578

Incident

Oct 19, 1998

ON MARCH 29, WHILE TRAVELING AT A LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT, THE TIE ROD SIMPLY FELL AWAY FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL. AS IT WAS UNDER A SERVICE CONTRACT, WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WHERE THEY RE-ATTACHED IT. STILL CONCERNED, WE RETURNED THE VAN ON MARCH 30 FOR A THOROUGH INSPECTION. THEY ASSURED US IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. LESS THAN 100 MILES LATER, ON APRIL 4, THE TIE ROD DISENGAGED A SECOND TIME. FORTUNATELY WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING. THE VAN IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER'S SHOP. THEIR COMMENT WAS THAT IT WAS INCONCEIVABLE THAT THE TIE ROD WOULD SIMPLY BECOME DISENGAGED, AND THEY CLAIM TO BE FLABBERGASTED THAT SUCH A THING SHOULD HAPPEN TWICE. IT'S FRIGHTENING TO THINK THAT WE'VE DODGED TWO BULLETS. *AK

NHTSA ID

721033

Incident

Mar 29, 2000

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE, PULLED OVER AND SMOKE AND FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM THE HOOD, FIRE ORIGINATED FROM A LEAKY POWER STEERING LINE AT THE REAR OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP, CLAIM 05-4462-943. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900660

Incident

Mar 5, 2000

WHILE DRIVING, THE OPERATOR EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ASSISTED STEERING. MINI-VAN BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. A VERY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. LUCKILY NOT A CONGESTED TRAFFIC AREA AT THE TIME OR CURVY ROAD OR SNOWY ROAD. THIS IS UNUSUAL SINCE MY VEHICLES ARE ROUTINELY WELL CARED FOR. I HAVE 2 OTHER VEHICLES TOGETHER TOTALING NEARLY 400,000 MILES ON ORIGINAL ENGINES. CURRENT DIAGNOSIS (VEHICLE STILL IN SHOP), TOTAL POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY FAILURE (APPX. $800). *AK

NHTSA ID

719469

Incident

Feb 27, 2000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, AS I WAS TRYING TO EXECUTE A LEFT HAND TURN THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY HARD AND I HAND TO FORCEFULLY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL.RIGHT AFTER THAT INCIDENT I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS DIFFICULT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AND ALSO WHILE IT WAS IDILING. I CALLED CHRYLER CUTOMER SERVICE TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME I WAS ON MY OWN DO THE THE VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARANTY. I HAD RESEARCHED AND FOUND OUT THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY CUSTOMER WHO HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE STEERING,AND THAT THERE WERE MANY INSTANCES OF RACK AND PINIONS FAILING AND BEING REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THESE PARTICULAR VEHICLES ARE ALSO PRONE TO A VARIETY OF STEERING RELATED PROBLEMS WHICH ARE COMMON KNOWLEDGE AND THERE ARE A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED IN REGARDS TO THESE PROBLEMS. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND THEY ALL GAVE THE SAME DIAGNOSIS AND ALL WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THAT A FAIRLY NEW CAR WOULD HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM SO YOUNG IN ITS LIFE.WHEN I ASKED HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO FIX THEY ALL WERE SAYING $700-800 DOLLARS AND, ALL OF THEM WERE HAVING A HARD TIME FROM CHRYSLER GETTING A NEW RACK AND PINION AS I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A NATIONAL BACKLOG ORDER ON THIS PARTICULAR PART. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

717334

Incident

Dec 14, 1999

WHEN DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES AT ANY SPEED, THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT. DEALER RECENTLY REPLACED BELT TENSIONER, BUT THIS DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

715120

Incident

Nov 21, 1999