1999 Dodge Grand Caravan Body & structure Problems

THE LEFT FRONT SPRING TOWER RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE BODY TO DROP ON THE WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10352155

Incident

Aug 2, 2010

Mileage

130,000 mi

MY 1999 CARAVAN HAS THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE SHOCK TOWER RUSTED OUT. THE IS A COMMON FLAW AND A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED BY THE DEALER AND REPAIRED. THEY'VE HAD SO MANY VANS DO THIS, THEY CREATED A REPAIR PART KIT. IF THE SHOCK BREAKS THROUGH WHILE DRIVING, SEVERE INJURIES DUE TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WILL LIKELY OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10339029

Incident

Jun 17, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

WHILE REPAIRING A FAULTY STRUT IN THE FRONT END I DISCOVERED A RUSTED THROUGH TOWER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE HOLE IS ABOUT ONE-THIRD THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TOP OF THE TOWER. THE TOP IS ALSO PARTIALLY BENT UPWARDS FROM THE FORCE OF THE STRUT PUSHING UP. IF THIS BREAKS THROUGH THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION WILL COLLAPSE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DODGE ISSUED TSB 23-044-02 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, THE DEALER I TALKED TO, HERB CHAMBERS IN DANVERS MASS., SAID THE RIGHT WAY TO FIX IT IS TO REMOVE THE MOTOR AND WELD IN A NEW TOWER. THIS IS VERY COSTLY, PROBABLY MORE THAN THE VALUE OF THE VAN. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT DODGE SHOULD RECALL AND PAY FOR! *TR

NHTSA ID

10290861

Incident

Oct 29, 2009

Mileage

190,786 mi

WE BOUGHT OUR DODGE GRAND CARAVAN NEW IN 1999. TODAY (MAY 13,2009) I WENT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE STRUT MOUNT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS RUSTING AWAY. ONE-QUARTER TO ONE-THIRD OF THE METAL SUPPORTING THE STRUT MOUNT WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. IT WAS LARGE ENOUGH THAT YOU COULD HAVE STUCK YOUR HAND THROUGH IT. I THEN TOOK IT TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP THEY THEN CALLED THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP REGARDING ANY HISTORY OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED A HISTORY OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM AND SAID A "KIT" WAS AVAILABLE TO FIX IT. THE BODY SHOP SAID IF THERE WAS A REPAIR KIT FOR THIS THEN THAT MEANS THAT THIS WAS BY NO MEANS AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. HE ALSO SAID HE WAS SHOCKED THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL OR INVESTIGATION INTO THIS BECAUSE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10268683

Incident

May 13, 2009

Mileage

204,000 mi

MY 99 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS THE STRUT TOWERS RUSTING AWAY,CREAKING AND POPPING NOISES CONTINUE,NO REPAIR DONE YET,CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THEY FAIL TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN IT'S DRIVEN DOWN THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10252067

Incident

Sep 24, 2005

Mileage

99,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 1999, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLAMPS WERE DIM. WHEN SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY LAUGHED AT HER. THE FAILURE PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED. SHE HAD THE BULBS REPLACED AND RECENTLY HAD THE HEADLAMPS POLISHED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IS THE CONTACT'S PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 280,000. UPDATED 09/10/08. *LJ THE TAILGATE WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE SLIDING DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN. THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE CRYSTALLIZED TO THE POINT IT CREATES SHADOWS ON THE ROAD. UPDATED 09/012/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10232315

Incident

Mar 1, 2007

Mileage

230,000 mi

HAVE A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN AND THE STRUT TOWERS ARE RUSTING THROUGH. THEY ARE GETTING TO WHERE THE VAN IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. FROM WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT DODGE KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN BUT THEY DID NOTHING. THEY SHOULD RECALL AND FIX THEIR POOR WORK. IF THEY DON'T FIX THIS SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED! *TR

NHTSA ID

10227246

Incident

May 7, 2008

FRONT STRUT TOWERS OF 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ARE RUSTING THROUGH CAUSING POTENTIAL FAILURE OF FRONT SUSPENSION. CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUSPENSION/BODY - STRUT TOWER CORROSION. NUMBER: 23-044-02 GROUP: BODY DATE: OCT. 14, 2002 SUBJECT: NS STRUT TOWER CORROSION THEY ARE CONSIDERING IT A COSMETIC ISSUE. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. CHRYSLER HAS PRODUCED A REMEDY WITH A CAP KIT, AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. NO NOTIFICATION TO PRESENT OWNERS TO INSPECT THIS SAFETY ITEM HAS BEEN PRODUCED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10209627

Incident

Oct 14, 2002

MY 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN STRUT TOWER IS RUSTED OUT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND IS IDENTIFIED IN CHRYSLERS TSB 23-044-02. THIS DEFECT APPEARS TO BE COMMON ON ALL MODELS IN THOSE YEARS. CHRYSLER REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR DESPITE THE FACT IT IS A LATENT DEFECT. THE TOWER HAS BEEN RUSTING FOR MANY YEARS AND I NEVER NOTICED IT BEFORE. NOW I OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY AND I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. IF THE STRUT TOWER BREAKS I COULD LOOSE CONTROL AND CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10198276

Incident

Jul 20, 2007

THE REAR HATCHBACK DOOR ELECTRICAL ACTUATOR UNIT BLEW OUT. CONSUMER DISCOVERED YOU CANNOT OVER RIDE THE DOOR IN ANY WAY TO GAIN ACCESS TO THAT SECTION OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10107251

Incident

Jan 12, 2005

Mileage

114,000 mi

AS THE OWNER OF TWO CAREFULLY MAINTAINED 1999 CHRYSLER EXTENDED-WHEEL BASE MINIVANS, I WAS SURPRISED TO NOTE THE SUDDEN APPEARENCE OF STRUT TOWER CORROSION ON BOTH VEHICLES, PRIMARILY ON THE LEFT TOWERS. IN CONSULTING BOTH THE INTERNET AND MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER, I WAS EVEN MORE SURPRISED TO SEE THAT DAIMLER-CHRYSLER'S POSITION ON THIS ISSUE IS TO OFFER ABSOLUTELY NO HELP IN THE FORM OF FREE OR REDUCED-COST REPAIRS TO CORRECT THIS RESULT OF POOR ENGINEERING AND QUALITY CONTROL, WHICH IF UNDIAGNOSED AND/OR UNCORRECTED MAY CAUSE VEHICLES OF RELATIVELY YOUNG AGE AND MILEAGE TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WITH POTENTIALLY DISASTEROUS RESULTS. AS THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE, AND DAIMLER CHRYSLER HAS SPECIFICALLY CHOSEN NOT TO HONOR ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECT A SAFETY ISSUE AFFECTING RELATIVELY NEW VEHICLES OF ITS MANUFACTURE, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT A RECALL ORDER BE ISSUED BY YOUR AGENCY, BEFORE INJURIES OR FATALITIES OCCUR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEW OF THIS INFORMATION!*AK

NHTSA ID

10091342

Incident

Sep 20, 2004

Mileage

89,400 mi

CAR WAS REPORTED TO (CHRYSLER) TO HAVE RUST AT WELD SEAMS IN VARIOUS PLACES, BUT ONLY ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VAN. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE END OR ONLY ONE WEEK OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE CHRYSLER SERVICE REP. WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. IT IS AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT FROM IMPROPER PAINT / WELD PREP AND COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT (SHOCK TOWER RUST). THE SHOCK TOWER RUST IS ADMITTED IN A FACTORY SERVICE BULLETIN, BUT IS NOT A CURRENT RECALL (AS PER FORD'S RECENT RECALL) THAT COULD CAUSE THE STRUT TO PUNCH THROUGH THE SHOCK TOWER AND LODGE INTO THE ENGINE BAY, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT / VEHICLE FIRE. ADDITIONAL AREAS OF RUST EXIST AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR SLIDER AT THE ROCKER AND AROUND THE REAR WHEEL LIP. VAN IS GARAGE KEPT AND WASHED REGULARLY, NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND DOES NOT OPERATE IN A CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENT. ABSOLUTE POOR WORKMANSHIP HAS LED TO THIS DEFECT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10082651

Incident

Jan 5, 2004

Mileage

79,000 mi

SUNVISOR TILTED AND STUCK TO STEERING WHEEL. WAS UNABLE TO STEER VEHICLE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

8011157

Incident

Jun 3, 2002

THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING IN AN INCLINE OR DECLINE POSITION, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE SLIDING DOOR HAS BAD CONTACT, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. NLM

NHTSA ID

564240

Incident

May 12, 2000

EMERGENCY BRAKE DID NOT RELEASE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AFTER USE. WHEEL SKIDDED ABOUT 3 FEET WHEN DRIVER DECIDED TO BACK-UP TO ATTEMPT RELEASE. WHEEL RELEASED WITH A LOUD BANG. OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT LIST CAPACITIES FOR OIL, COOLANT ETC... CALLED CHRYSLER, THEY CLAIM CAPACITIES ARE ON BACK COVER OF MANUAL. CHRYSLER VERIFIED MANUAL REAR COVER IS BLANK. CHRYSLER TO COPY 1998 MANUAL BACK AND SEND TO CUSTOMER. CHRYSLER CLAIMS 1998 CAPACITIES ARE UNCHANGED FOR 1999.

NHTSA ID

704588

Incident

Mar 15, 1999

DEALER CLAIMS GASKET WAS NOT INSTALLED IN FUEL LINE. GASKET IS NOT AVAILABLE SEPARATELY, SO ENTIRE TANK ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED. DEALER OPTED TO SQUIRT SEALER INTO LINE FOR REPAIR. DRIVER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR RATTLES BADLY. DEALER ADJUSTED STRIKER, DOOR GOT WORSE. TECHNICIAN CLAIMS RATTLE IS NORMAL.

NHTSA ID

704587

Incident

Mar 10, 1999