1998 Dodge Grand Caravan Heating & air conditioning Problems

I PURCHASED MY 1998 GRAND CARAVAN IN OCTOBER OF 2003. I LOVE THIS VEHICLE, IT HAS EVERYTHING I WANT AND NEED. I PURCHASED THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE AFTER THE OTHER ONE WAS TOTALED BY A DEER. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHY THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE AIR CONDITIONER? I REPLACED THE EVAPORATOR IN MY OTHER VAN AND THIS ONE NEEDS THE SAME THING DONE TO IT. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN THE COOLER MONTH, BUT NOW THAT IT REACHES 100 DEGREES HERE IN FLORIDA, I NEED AN AIR CONDITIONER THAT WORKS. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY $1,400 TO FIX THIS ONE, I DID IN MY OTHER VAN AND AM STILL MAKING THE PAYMENTS ON THAT REPAIR BILL. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND CANNOT GO ANYWHERE WHEN THE HEAT IS SO INTENSE. MANY PEOPLE WITH A CARAVAN HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. CAN YOU HELP, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS MALFUNCTIONING PROBLEM? THANK YOU!*AK

NHTSA ID

10080642

Incident

Oct 27, 2003

Mileage

98,356 mi

THIS WAS SENT TO DODGE'S WEBSITE EMAIL CONTACT. I AM SENDING IT TO YOU FWIIW JUST IN CASE ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS. I REALLY DON'T EXPECT A REPLY. I JUST WANT TO DOCUMENT MY PROBLEMS WHICH ARE: 1. AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR GOING OUT AT 58298 MILES 2. MOTOR PUTTING A CONNECTING ROD (WE THINK) THROUGH THE CRANKCASE AT 62,500 MILES. THE MECHANICS I KNOW SAY THESE ITEMS SHOULD NOT HAVE BROKEN DOWN, RATHER STRANGE THEY SAY. I WANT TO SEND YOU MY GRIPE SO THAT IT IS DOCUMENTED. AFTER BEING TOWED 130 MILES HOME AND TALKING TO 2 TOW TRUCK OPERATORS, A JUNK YARD MECHANIC(EX-DODGE WRENCH), AND A PATRON AT MY WIFE'S RESTAURANT, I LEARNED THAT NO ONE WAS SURPRISED THAT THIS MOTOR DIED WITH THIS LOW OF MILEAGE. THEY HAVE SEEN IT HAPPEN TO OTHERS OR HAD IT HAPPEN TO THEM AT NEARLY THE EXACT MILEAGE. THIS MAY BE, AND PROBABLY WILL BE, THE LAST CHRYSLER I EVER BY. HONDA AND TOYOTA ARE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD RIGHT NOW. SOOOO, IF YOU HEAR ENOUGH GRIPES, MAYBE YOU WILL BE FORCED TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. REGARDING EXTENDED WARRANTY, YES I WAS OFFERED IT, BUT REFUSED BECAUSE IT IS EXPENSIVE AND IT SHOULDN'T BE NEEDED. SEE HONDA/TOYOTA QUOTE. THE HEAD MECHANIC AT MY SHOP, WITH A FLEET OF DOZENS OF VEHICLES OPINED THE SAME REGARDING EXTENDED WARRANTIES, THEY ARE AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE. EVERYONE KNOWS EXTENDED WARRANTIES ARE A MONEY MAKER FOR THE SELLER, OR ELSE IT WOULDN'T BE SOLD, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER INSURANCE. MY 2CENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10038671

Incident

Sep 7, 2003

Mileage

65,200 mi

WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN AUGUST 2001. AFTER TWO MONTHS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE WE HAD TO REPLACE THE SERPENTINE BELT, WHICH BROKE AS SOON AS I TURNED A CORNER,(WE WERE TOLD THE DEALERSHIP, MAROONE TOYOTA IN WESTON, FL SOULD SEE NOTHING WRONG) WE THEN HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT AS OUR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON (WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE) WITHIN THE NEXT 2 YEARS OF HAVING THIS CAR, WE HAVE REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT 4 ADDIOTNAL TIMES, WE HAVE HAD THE MOTOR IN THE DRIVER DOOR BREAK AND WE CANNOT GET THAT WINDOW DOWN, WE HAVE THE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM (WHICH I JUST NOTED IS A RECALL ISSUE THAT I NEVER RECEIVED NOTICE), WE HAVE JUST EXPERIENCED THE A/C BREAKING DOWN, WICH LOOKS IN TURN THAT THIS WILL BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PULLEY OR SYSTEM IT IS ATTCHED TO ( A COIL PROBLEM). WE HAVE 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND I MUST ADMIT THAT THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED WITH A USED VEHICLE. WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT COMPLICATIONS WITH THIS VEHICLE - I SHOULD HAVE RETURNED THEVEHICLE AND COUNT MY BLESSINGS, I'M AFRAID THE NEXT TIME SOMETHING GOES WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE - IT MAY COST US OURLIVES. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE CONTACT ME AND TELL ME MY OPTIONS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10037530

Incident

Oct 15, 2000

AIR CONDITIONER A/C FAILED DUE TO PROBLEMS AT REAR A/C SYSTEM. DEFROSTING/FOGGING PROBLEMS WERE A CONSEQUENCE AND CREATED A VISABILITY PROBLEM!*AK

NHTSA ID

10037326

Incident

Jul 1, 2003

Mileage

70,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT AIR COMPRESSOR HAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. CONSUMER ALSO, HORN IS NOT FUNCTIONING, AND THE WARNING LIGHT FOR AIR BAGS IS ON AT ALL TIMES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10032019

Incident

Jun 18, 2003

Mileage

93,000 mi

ALL OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *JG PH

NHTSA ID

10004549

WHILE DRIVING, FIRESTONE AFFINITY TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE, CLAIM 23-1380-701. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900303

Incident

Jul 22, 2001

DUE TO DEFECTIVE A/C SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING SMOKE ENTERING THE VEHICLE WHICH MAY START A FIRE. PREVIOUSLY, HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AC SYSTEM 5 TIMES. DELAER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

849162

Incident

Sep 13, 1999