1999 Dodge Grand Caravan Electrical Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHUTOFF AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER LITHIA CHRYSLER LOCATED AT 1421 N.E. 6TH ST GRANTS PASS, OR 97526-1253, WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT YET NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. ## VIN PASSED ## DODGE 1999 TOWN AND COUNTRY ##

NHTSA ID

11350096

Incident

Jul 1, 2020

Mileage

39,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MALFUNCTIONED AND ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUNCTIONS STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY, SUCH AS THE FUEL GAUGE AND THE ODOMETER. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11024910

Incident

Sep 21, 2016

Mileage

170,000 mi

MY DODGE KEEPS ON HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH BATTERY LIGHT COMING ON AND BATTERY IS NEW LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF ON PANEL WHILE DRIVING. CONCERNING POSSIBILITY OF CHARGING SYSTEM NOT WORKING AS WELL. BUT ALTERNATOR IS NEW. CAR WONT START SOMETIMES LIKE THE BATTERY IS DEAD BUT BATTERY IS NEW BOUGHT IN 2016 OCT. IT SOMETIMES WONT TURN OVER AND FACT IS THE CARS POWER DOORS ARE NOW BEEPING AT ME AND NOT SURE WHY. THAT JUST STARTED. I GOT TO UNLOCK DOORS BUT NOW THEY BUZZ CONSTANTLY. CITY DRIVING MOSTLY BUT SCARED TO DRIVE BECAUSE IT ACTS LIKE IT WANTS TO STOP COMPLETELY .ALL THIS HAPPENS AS I TRY AND DRIVE MY CAR. ONE TIME THIS LAST WEEK CAR DIDN'T START, HAD TO JUMP IT STARTED RIGHT UP THEN. IM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR.NO ONE AT BEAR AUTO TOLD ME THIS CAR HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. REDMOND OREGON.

NHTSA ID

11010019

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

193,000 mi

CLOCKSPRING ON MY 99 GRAND CARAVAN SE HAS MY AIRBAG LIGHT ON. MY GAUGES WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN HWY GOING 65MPH AND CAME RIGHT BACK ON AND MY HEAD LIGHTS FLICKER AND ITS LIKE IT JUST COMES AND GOES.

NHTSA ID

10901938

Incident

Aug 13, 2016

Mileage

189,879 mi

INTERMITTENT LOSS OF ALL DASHBOARD INDICATOR LIGHTS AND GAUGES. ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT WORK. SOMETIMES ALL MALFUNCTIONS WILL CLEAR THEMSELVES, SOMETIMES I MUST SLAP THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD WITH MY HAND SEVERAL TIMES TO CLEAR THE MALFUNCTION. I HAVE ONLY SEEN THIS WITH VEHICLE IN MOTION AND ON ALL ROADS.

NHTSA ID

10790570

Incident

Nov 10, 2015

Mileage

178,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL GO BLANK. INSTRUMENTS: GAS GAUGE, TEMPERATURE, AND SPEEDOMETER NEEDLES WILL GO TO ZERO. DIGITAL READOUTS GO BLANK. NORMAL FUNCTION RETURNS USUALLY IN MINUTES AND SOMETIMES FASTER IF I HIT THE DASHBOARD WITH MY HAND. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THIS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH NUMEROUS YEAR MODELS OF DODGE MINIVANS. THIS ISSUE IS DESCRIBED AS A COMPUTER COMMUNICATION PROBLEM CAUSED BY FAULTY CONNECTIONS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT INTERRUPT THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE THREE ONBOARD COMPUTERS. WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT TO THE DASH, INDICATING A CONNECTION PROBLEM, WILL MY AIRBAGS STILL WORK? THE ERROR CODE FOR THIS MALFUNCTION IS: P1698. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607487

Incident

Jun 15, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN ROAD AS USUAL AND ALL THE DASH COMPONENTS WENT DOWN I HIT A BUMP AND THEY CAME BACK UP OR IF I SLAP THE TOP OF IT THEY WILL COME BACK ON. I LIKE KNOWING HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE,HOW FAST I'M GOING OR EVEN IF I'M OVERHEATING. AND I DO CARRY A DISABLED PERSON PLUS MY SELF SO WE DEPEND ON THIS EVERYDAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10604914

Incident

Jun 2, 2014

Mileage

185,000 mi

BOTH ORIGINAL KEYS AND SPARES CAN BE REMOVED WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND IN ANY GEAR. THE VAN ALSO HAS A FAILURE TO START THAT RESEMBLES A DEAD BATTERY. I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND IS COMPLETELY RELATED TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10583732

Incident

Apr 17, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER WINDOWS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND CRUISE CONTROL WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ALSO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE RADIO HAD ALSO FAILED IN ADDITION TO THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINING ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL REPAIRS IN 2008 UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V480000 (AIR BAGS) WHERE THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED. THE REPAIR CORRECTED THE FAILURE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH BEFORE RECURRING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVE BELT WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

10351707

Incident

Apr 1, 2008

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SERVICED FOR RECALL 04V480000 (AIR BAGS). A MONTH AFTER BEING REPAIRED, THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED THE SAME FAILURE WHICH WAS THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL, WINDOWS, RADIO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HORN, LIGHTS, DOOR LOCKS AND RADIO DID NOT FUNCTION ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 178,000.

NHTSA ID

10328741

Incident

May 4, 2008

Mileage

160,000 mi

THREE TIMES IN SIX WEEKS, THE SERPENTINE BELT (WHICH POWERS THE POWER STEERING, ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP) HAS SLIPPED OFF THE PULLEYS. IN ONE OF THE THREE INSTANCES, THE DRIVE BELT WAS SHREDDED. AFTER A QUICK SEARCH OF THE INTERNET, LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS WERE FOUND. FORTUNATELY, IN OUR CASE, THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INJURY TO DATE, HOWEVER A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT THE WRONG MOMENT COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. LIKEWISE, LOSS OF ACCESSORIES SUCH AS THE ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP COULD LEAVE SOMEONE STRANDED. ON THIS VEHICLE, THE BELT TENSIONER HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN 1,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10252774

Incident

Dec 24, 2008

Mileage

80,000 mi

I HAVE A 99 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WHEN I FIRST GOT IT EVERY THING WAS WORKING FINE. I HAVE HAD IT FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND NOW THE HORN DOESN'T WORK, THE BLINKERS ONLY WORK SOMETIMES, THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON WHICH MEANS IT ISN'T WORKING. THESE PROBLEMS ARE DANGEROUS IN ALOT OF WAYS AN AIRBAG FAILING CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. ALSO MY BLINKERS ONLY WORKING SOMETIMES HAVE CAUSED ME TO GET A TICKET AND THE HORN NOT WORKING MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET MY CAR INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED TO THE WIRING IN THE DASH. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE THE WHOLE THING REWIRED SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO IT YET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10248377

Incident

Jun 10, 2008

KEYSWITCH WILL NOT TURN... SOMETIMES IT DOES FINE, OTHER TIMES IT LOCKS UP. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. FIDDLING WITH IT, OR HITTING IT, WILL SOMETIMES CAUSE IT TO UNLOCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10237505

Incident

Aug 7, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITTENTLY FAILS. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE THE FAILURE, BUT TWO YEARS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED FOR THE FOURTH TIME. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN BECAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER WAS THE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10224173

Incident

Apr 13, 2002

INSTRUMENTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS BECOME INOPERATIVE WITH NO WARNING. IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WHILE DRIVING THE 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF AND ALL GAUGES WOULD QUIT WORKING. USUALLY, A SMACK ON THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD WOULD BRING IT BACK, HOWEVER, LATELY THIS DID NOT WORK. THE LATEST INCIDENT WAS ON A COLD, DARK, WET EVENING WITH MY WIFE DRIVING AND THE CHILDREN IN THE VAN. THIS PROBLEM RESULTS IN NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER NOR THE GEAR SELECTION. I FEEL THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BY THE MANUFACTURER. IN PERFORMING AN INTERNET SEARCH ON THIS SUBJECT, IT APPEARS THERE MAY BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE SOLDERING OF SOME CONNECTORS FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10211229

Incident

Dec 8, 2007

Mileage

50,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO START THE VEHICLE. THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE WAS GRADUAL WORSENING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY CHANGED 3 YEARS AGO.

NHTSA ID

10176254

Incident

Jul 15, 2004

Mileage

101,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A DING DING SOUND WAS HEARD EVERYTIME THE VEHICLE MADE A RIGHT TURN WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE WHERE THE SOUND CAME FROM BUT EXPRESSED THAT NOISE SOUNDED LIKE AN ALARM. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED.

NHTSA ID

10166549

Incident

Aug 18, 2006

Mileage

79,993 mi

STARTER SOLENOID FAILED, STUCK IN "ON" POSITION. WOULD NOT SHUT OFF WHEN ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. CLOUDS OF ACRID SMOKE POURED OUT FROM UNDER VEHICLE. I REMOVED BATTERY CABLE AND TOWED CAR TO MECHANIC. DEALER REPLACED STARTER. 67,000 MILES SIMILAR TO COMPLAINT #10138490. *NM

NHTSA ID

10151068

Incident

Aug 31, 2004

Mileage

67,000 mi

I WENT OUT TO START MY CAR (1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE) AND IT INITIALLY WOULDN'T START. THERE WAS JUST A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE STARTER BUT IT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. I TRIED IT A COUPLE MORE TIMES AND IT FINALLY STARTED. BUT THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL RATTLING NOISE. I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY OFF AND THE ENGINE STOPPED BUT SOME PART ON THE CAR KEPT RUNNING. I HAD MY FIANCE LOOK AT IT - HE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON EITHER. IT DROVE OK AROUND THE BLOCK BUT IT SOUNDED HORRIBLE. HE COULDN'T GET IT TO TURN OFF COMPLETELY EITHER. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. MY FIANCE COULD SEE IT WAS IN THE AREA OF THE STARTER. INITIALLY, IF THE CAR WAS LEFT IDLING, THE SMOKE LESSENED BUT IF THE IGNITION WAS SHUT OFF THE SMOKE GOT WORSE. SO WE LEFT IT IDLING WHILE WE LOOKED FOR POSSIBLE WAYS TO SHUT IT OFF COMPLETELY. AFTER A FEW MORE MINUTES, THE SMOKE BEGAN AGAIN AND THERE WERE FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD AROUND THE STARTER. I CALLED 911 TO GET THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE WHILE MY FIANCE USED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO TRY TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AFTER WE WERE ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH THE EXTINGUISHER AND THEY HELPED US DISCONNECT THE BATTERY CABLE IN A SAFE MANNER SO THAT EVERYTHING SHUT OFF. THE FIREMAN SUGGESTED WE CHECK FOR POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WITH OTHER VANS LIKE OURS AND TO FILE A COMPLAINT REGARDING OUR EXPERIENCE. THEY TOOK DOWN MY INFORMATION AND FILED A REPORT FOR THEIR RESPONSE TO THE FIRE. WE REPLACED THE STARTER AND CHECKED ALL THE CONNECTIONS FOR FIRE DAMAGE. THE OLD STARTER WAS TAKEN BY THE AUTO PARTS STORE SO IT IS NOT AVAILABLE ANYMORE. THE MECHANIC AT THE STORE SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE THE SOLENOID ON THE STARTER WAS STUCK IN THE "ON" MODE AND THAT WAS WHAT CAUSED THE ODD NOISE AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE. SINCE THEN, EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE RUNNING JUST FINE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10138490

Incident

Sep 17, 2005

Mileage

104,800 mi

POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE SHORTED TO GROUND MELTING THE INSULATION ON THE CABLE AND NEARLY ALL INTERCONNECTED HARNESS WIRES. TOTAL ESTIMATE TO REPAIR AND REPLACED DAMAGED WIRES, STARTER, SENSORS, CONNECTORS, ETC: $3,000+. INVESTIGATION STILL ONGOING.. FAILURE RESULTED FROM DESIGN PLACEMENT OF POSITIVE CABLE IN PROXIMITY OF STRUT TOWER BOLT. BATTERY LOCATION FOR 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IS IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF STRUT ASSEMBLY. THIS CABLE DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY INSULATION SLEEVE (E.G., CONVOLUTED TUBING OR LOOM) AND IS THEREFORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO WEAR AND ABRASION FROM VIBRATIONS DURING DRIVING.*JB

NHTSA ID

10102792

Incident

Dec 2, 2004

Mileage

124,000 mi

D/C REFUSED TO PAY FOR MY LABOR ON A CLOCKSPRING REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ID

10102241

Incident

Dec 6, 2004

WE NOTICED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE TAKEN TO FIRESTONE. PROBLEM DUE TO BAD LEAK DETECTION PUMP. LDP ON ORDER BUT VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE. VEHICLE IS DRIVEN THREE DAYS. THE DAY LDP ARRIVES SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER QUITS. COMPUTER BURNED OUT. ORDERED REBUILT COMPUTER, SINCE NO NEW COMPUTERS AVAILABLE, FROM DODGE. VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN 14 DAYS WAITING FOR COMPUTER. FIRESTONE INSTALLS COMPUTER. THREE DAYS LATER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES. FIRESTONE SAYS PROBLEM DUE TO BAD LDP. OBTAIN NEW LDP FROM DODGE BUT INSTALLED BY FIRESTONE. TWO DAYS LATER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES. FIRESTONE RESETS COMPUTER BUT CODES KEEPS DISPLAYING. FIRESTONE SAYS PROBLEM BEYOND THEIR EXPERTISE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DODGE. DODGE INSPECTS VEHICLE SAYS COMPUTER BURNED OUT. DODGE HAS VEHICLE FOR 10 DAYS WAITING REPLACEMENT COMPUTER UNDER WARRANTY. DODGE REPLACES COMPUTER AND CHECKS WIRING HARNESS FOR LOOSE CONNECTIONS. TWO DAYS LATER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES. DODGE SAYS COMPUTER BURNED OUT. DODGE REPLACES AND THIRD COMPUTER WHICH BURNS OUT. DODGE SUSPECTS BAD LDP, BUT RULES OUT WHEN INFORMED LDP WAS REPLACED LESS THAN ONE MONTH. DODGE REPLACES AND BURNS OUT FOURTH COMPUTER. 26 DAYS AND FIVE COMPUTERS LATER, DODGE SAYS VEHICLE HAS SERIOUS PROBLEM. DODGE CONSULTS WITH CHRYSLER TECHNICAL WHO RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS. WE DECLINE BECAUSE NOT A SURE FIX AND HAVE DODGE PUT THE VEHICLE BACK TOGETHER. DODGE DISCONNECTED WIRE BETWEEN LDP AND COMPUTER TO PREVENT COMPUTER FROM BURNING UP. UPON TAKING VEHICLE HOME RADIATOR LEAK DISCOVERED WHICH WE REPLACE. WIRING HARNESS INSPECTED BY INDEPENDENT AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL EXPERT WHO SAID VEHICLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WAS TOO MUCH TROUBLE TO TRACE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100522

Incident

Jul 5, 2004

Mileage

90,603 mi

WHEN TURNING A CORNER AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON AND OFF. THEN, HORN WENT OUT, AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. RECALL 02V293000 WAS ISSUED FOR 1996 AND 1998, BUT NONE FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10090189

Incident

Jun 16, 2004

Mileage

64,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE ELECTRICAL DEVICES FAILED TO COME ON. THE DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT A ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE WAS INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO BE PLACED ON A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10096757

Incident

Oct 13, 2004

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANEL, AIR BAG SENSORS AND ASSOCIATED PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD MODULES. *MR THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE PCM, THE SENSOR FAILED, THE ENGINE STALLED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON ALONG WITH THE MALFUNCTIONING INDICATOR LIGHT, THE SHIFT INDICATOR LIGHT HAD GONE OUT, THE DASH LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT, AND THE ODOMETER MALFUNCTIONED. THE CIRCUIT BOARD HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE AND THE AIR BAG AND AIR BAG LIGHT RETURNED. THE CLOCK SPRING AND AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10092218

Incident

Mar 1, 2000