1998 Dodge Grand Caravan

THE DRIVER AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING CAN DEVELOP AN OPEN-CIRCUIT CONDITION RESULTING IN NONFUNCTIONAL DRIVER-SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG, HORN, CRUISE CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED), AND/OR STEERING WHEEL RADIO CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED).IN ITS OCTOBER 5, 2004 LETTER TO NHTSA, DAIMLERCHRYSLER STATED THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL AND REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY ON ALL MY 1998.5-2000 DAIMLERCHRYSLER MINIVANS, BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1998 AND AUGUST 2000, WITH 70,000 MILES OR LESS.IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE A LIFETIME WARRANTY FOR THIS COMPONENT ON MY 1998.5-2000 MINIVANS, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE.THE DETAILS OF THE CORRECTIVE ACTION ARE DESCRIBED IN DAIMLERCHRYSLER'S LETTER (SEE RECALL NO. 04V-480).THE AGENCY BELIEVES THAT FURTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS WITH RESPECT TO THOSE VEHICLES COVERED ONLY BY THE LIFETIME WARRANTY.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE PAGE 2 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

COMPLAINTS REPORT AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, AND THIS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED WITH A NON-FUNCTIONING HORN AND/OR CRUISE CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED).THIS IS INDICATIVE OF AN OPEN-CIRCUIT CLOCKSPRING FAILURE (RESULTS IN NON-FUNCTIONING DRIVER'S AIR BAG), SIMILAR TO THE FAILURE CONDITION THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF DAIMLERCHRYSLER'S RECALL OF MODEL YEAR 1996-1998.5 MINIVANS (RECALL NO. 02V-293).THIS RECALL QUERY HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA04-013).

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The contact owns a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist and then stalled. Additionally, the odometer failed to display the correct mileage and the speedometer failed to display the correct speed of the vehicle while the engine revved. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

NHTSA ID

11471228

Incident

Jun 27, 2022

Mileage

152,000 mi

THE DRIVER'S HORN DOES NOT WORK AND HASN'T SINCE IT WAS TAKEN IN TO REPLACE THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY. THIS WAS DONE AS PER A RECALL ISSUED BY NHTSA AND DAIMLERCHRYSTLER CORPORATION RELATING TO DRIVER'S AIRBAG BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER. HE ALSO DID NOT HAVE THE ORIGINAL PAPERWORK ON THE VAN. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND WHEN I DISCOVERED THE HORN DID NOT WORK. AFTER RESEARCHING AND SUBSCRIBING TO THE THE NHTSA RECALL ALERTS I DETERMINED THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE CLOCK SPRING REPLACEMENT. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT CLOCK SPRING COULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE AS WELL, BECAUSE IT WAS DONE SO SOON AFTER THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE I LIVE AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ISSUED AND THEY WERE SORRY, BUT THEY COULDN'T REPLACE IT AGAIN. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED FROM ORIGINALLY. EVEN WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD PAY THE COST OF THE REPAIR, THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO TOUCH IT BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH INVOLVED IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT COULD GO WRONG AND HE DIDN'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO DO IT. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE AND HASN'T BEEN SINCE BEFORE AND AFTER I PURCHASED IT. MY CONCERN IS IF THE HORN DOESN'T WORK'THEN HOW CAN I BE SURE THE AIRBAG DOES. I'M STILL DRIVING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I CAN'T SELL IT TO SOMEONE ELSE IN THIS CONDITION. IS THERE NO RECOURSE IF THE VEHICLE AS NOT REPAIRED AS PER THE NHTSA'S RECALL? THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 91054 MILES ON IT AS OF THIS DATE.

NHTSA ID

11321721

Incident

Oct 5, 2004

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, A KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO LOW OIL PRESSURE CAUSED BY FAULTY ENGINE CONNECTING RODS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. SWANTYS DODGE (2494 SOUTH HWY 95, BULLHEAD CITY, AZ) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 261,000.

NHTSA ID

11220018

Incident

Mar 1, 2019

Mileage

261,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE HORN, SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT CALLED STEW HANSEN DODGE RAM CHRYSLER JEEP AT (515) 331-2900 (LOCATED AT 12103 HICKMAN RD, URBANDALE, IA 50323) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

NHTSA ID

11120658

Incident

Aug 16, 2018

Mileage

165,000 mi

SERVICE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING, DIAGNOSED BY REPAIR SHOP AS A RUPTURED BRAKE LINE. INSPECTION OF OTHER BRAKE LINES SHOWED HEAVY CORROSION. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION (STRAIGHT LINE) ON A CITY STREET AND RETAINED MINIMAL BRAKING. I WAS ABLE TO STOP AT A STOP LIGHT (NO COLLISION) AND 'LIMP' TO THE REPAIR SHOP. REPAIRS CONSISTED OF REPLACING THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES.

NHTSA ID

11016162

Incident

Aug 12, 2017

Mileage

156,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 45 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH STRUCK THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT (THE CONTACT'S SEAT) SEPARATED FROM THE SEAT TRACK. THE CONTACT STRUCK THE SIDE DOOR AND WAS THROWN INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONTACT AND HE WAS THEN STRUCK BY THE SEAT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK. THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE WERE ALSO INJURED, AS THE FRONT PASSENGER'S FEET WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND TWO OF THE OCCUPANTS SUFFERED WHIPLASH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED FOR ALL THE INJURED OCCUPANTS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE AND THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. SEE ALSO 11004763. *DSY ..UPDATED 08/04/17 *BF UPDATED 10/11/2017*JS *JS *JS

NHTSA ID

11004775

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

180,000 mi

I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END CRASH AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT INCAS IN CAME APART AT THE ADJUSTER TRACKS. THIS CAUSED ME TO BE THROWN INTO THE REAR OF THE VAN MAKING MY INJURES MUCH WORSE. SEE ALSO 11004775. *DSY

NHTSA ID

11004763

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

1,800,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WITHOUT WARNING, THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED OUT OF PLACE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELTS AND THE PULLEYS, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO SERVICE CAMPAIGN AND RECALL TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 05/30/17*LJ UPDATED 09/25/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10947639

Incident

Dec 1, 2016

Mileage

225,000 mi

KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.

KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.

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