1999 Dodge Grand Caravan Engine Problems

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

SERPENTINE BELT REPEATEDLY COMES OFF DURING RAIN, CAR WASH, ETC. POWER STEERING GOES OUT, WATER PUMP QUITS WORKING, ALTERNATOR STOPS WORKING. THIS CREATES SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC AND/OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF PEOPLE WITH THIS COMPLAINT. CHRYSLER/DODGE TURNS A DEAF EAR TO THE REQUEST FOR A FIX, ALWAYS POINTING TO OTHER POSSIBLE ISSUES (WHICH AT TIMES ARE LEGITIMATE), WHILE IGNORING THE DESIGN DEFECT IN THEIR VANS (WHICH IS ALWAYS PRESENT). THIS IS A MULTI-YEAR PROBLEM INVOLVING SEVERAL DODGE VANS AND THERE IS STILL NO RECALL ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT. WHERE IS THE PROTECTION NHTSA STATES IS THEIR MISSION? THERE IS A SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM: GATES 38379K ENHANCEMENT COMPONENT KIT PRICE: $125.74 FOUND ON EBAY. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL! *TR

NHTSA ID

10937387

Incident

Dec 24, 2016

Mileage

255,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER LANE AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A FIRE REPORT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V268000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 275,000. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED.

NHTSA ID

10923844

Incident

Oct 31, 2016

Mileage

275,000 mi

MY SERPENTINE BELT FALLS OFF EVERY TIME IT GETS WET. IT FALLS OFF IN HEAVY RAIN, IT FALLS OFF IN SNOW. AS YOU COULD IMAGINE WHEN YOU SUDDENLY DON'T HAVE STEERING ON WET AND/OR ICY ROADS IT BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IN A FAMILY VAN. EVEN AFTER I GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I HAVE TO GET THE BELT BACK ON. ROAD SIDE REPAIRS ARE NEVER SAFE OR EASY BUT THEY ARE MADE EVEN MORE SO WHEN DONE IN THE RAIN OR IN A BLIZZARD WHEN IT'S 60 BELOW WIND CHILL. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10594524

Incident

May 1, 2013

SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF PULLEYS WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN. LOST ABILITY TO STEER VAN. HEADED DIRECTLY FOR ANOTHER CAR AND COLLISION NARROWLY AVOIDED. BELT COMING OFF WHEN WET APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS SERIES VAN, AND WOULD SEEM TO BE A VERY SERIOUS HAZARD. IT IS BEYOND ME WHY DODGE IS NOT REQUIRED TO RETROFIT A BETTER BELT/PULLEY SYSTEM (WHICH DOES EXIST AND IS ON THE MARKET). *TR

NHTSA ID

10392841

Incident

Mar 10, 2011

Mileage

170,000 mi

AFTER HITTING APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES OF SNOW/SLUSH IN THE ROAD THE SERPENTINE BELT SLID OFF CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO AVOID ACCIDENT AND PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD. THIS IS THE 5TH SUCH INCIDENT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10375560

Incident

Jan 10, 2011

Mileage

109,000 mi

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

1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 3.3L. SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF PULLEYS WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS, EVEN SLIGHTLY. THIS PRODUCES AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER STEERING, WATER PUMP, ETC., AND WITHIN 15-20 SECONDS THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS. THIS CREATES SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD WITH IMPAIRED STEERING ABILITY ALONG WITH ATTEMPTS TO REMOVE VEHICLE FROM TRAFFIC BEFORE IT OVERHEATS, STALLS, OR ENGINE CATCHES FIRE. THIS SLIPPAGE OCCURS CONSISTENTLY TO THE POINT WE MUST AVOID DRIVING WHEN RAINING (EVEN DRIZZLING) OR EVEN IF ROADS ARE STILL MOIST AFTER A RAIN. WE FOUND HUNDREDS OF THE SAME COMPLAINT AFFECTING NUMEROUS MODEL YEAR DODGE CARAVANS, AS WELL AS CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VAN. TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS STATED THE CAUSE IS POOR DESIGN OF THE PULLEY SYSTEM. TWO OF THE PULLEYS ARE SMOOTH-SURFACED AND ONE SIDE OF THE SERPENTINE BELT IS SMOOTH. WHEN A LIQUID (RAIN/SNOW/LUBRICANT, ETC.) IS INTRODUCED TO THE PULLEY SYSTEM, THESE SMOOTH SURFACES ALLOW THE BELT TO EASILY SLIP OFF. DODGE OFFERS TO REPLACE THE TWO SMOOTH PULLEYS WITH GROOVED PULLEYS, AS WELL AS PROVIDE A SERPENTINE BELT WITH DUAL SIDED GROOVES FOR AROUND $400. THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, BUT RATHER A POOR DESIGN THAT HAS CONTINUED FOR OVER A DECADE DESPITE EARLY COMPLAINTS. CONSUMERS HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS IN TOWING AND REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO PAY TO FIX THE MANUFACTURERS' SAFETY DEFECTS AND ADD TO THEIR PROFITS IN DOING SO. WAS IT AN INTENTIONAL DEFECT TO BOOST SERVICE DEPT PROFITS? THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY AND SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL TO REPLACE THE TWO PULLEYS AND SERPENTINE BELT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10342069

Incident

Jun 4, 2010

Mileage

108,000 mi

THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF SEVERAL TIMES IN THE RAIN , ON OUR 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I HAD GONE THROUGH A PUDDLE AND AS I TURNED A CORNER I LOST POWER STEERING. I MADE IT ONTO THE SIDE GRASS AS I WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN. I WAS ONLY A COUPLE FEET AWAY FROM HITTING A BRICK BUILDING. THIS WAS A VERY UNSETTLING EXPERIENCE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10276201

Incident

Jan 10, 2009

THE SERPENTINE BELT FELL OF DURING WET ROAD CONDITIONS. I DRIVE A 3.3L DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. I HAD NO IDEA HOW POPULAR THIS PROBLEM IS. CHRYSLER COULD FIX IT WITH A TENSIONER WITH A SIDEWALL OR A RIBBED TENSIONER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10260715

Incident

Feb 27, 2009

Mileage

109,000 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

1- NOISE SERPENTINE BELT. 2- SUDDEN TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN. OCCURS EVERYTIME IT RAINS. RESULTING IN TEMPORARY EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS I AM UNABLE TO STEER EVEN THOUGH I AM A STRONG 350LBS. 3- HAVE CHANGED SERPENTINE BELT SEVERAL TIMES BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10236500

Incident

Jul 30, 2008

Mileage

85,000 mi

SERPENTINE BELT FALLS OFF TENSIONER REPEATEDLY AND HAVE REPLACED SEVERAL TENSIONER PULLEYS AND SERPENTINE BELTS WITHOUT ANY REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10220511

Incident

Nov 25, 1999

Mileage

2,000 mi

DRIVING HOME IN ICE STORM OUR 1999 DODGE CARAVAN LOST POWER STEERING, LIGHTS DIMMED, OVERHEATED. APPARENTLY THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE CARAVANS AND THE SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218890

Incident

Feb 21, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHES. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BELT EIGHT TIMES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON JANUARY 25, 2008. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE DEALER SHOULD PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PULLEY BRACKET, THE BOLTS, AND THE SERPENTINE BELT ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON JANUARY 27, 2008. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 160,669 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 605. UPDATED 02/14/08. *LJ UPDATED

NHTSA ID

10216412

Incident

Jan 28, 2008

Mileage

605 mi

THE SERPENTINE BELT ON OUR 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS SLIPPED OFF SEVERAL TIMES. VISIT CARSURVEY.ORG AND YOU'LL SEE THAT MANY OTHER DODGE OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM REGULARLY. SOME ARE GETTING STUCK IN THE FREEZING SNOW AS A RESULT. WE'VE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS, SUCH AS A BURNED OUT COMPUTER BOARD OWED TO A SHORT IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW WILL NOT FUNCTION. WE WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLE. FURTHERMORE, AS A JOURNALIST, IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT DODGE HAS NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL THE GLITCHES IN THE CARAVAN AND ISSUED ADDITIONAL RECALLS. I'D HAVE MUCH MORE RESPECT FOR THE COMPANY IF THEY DID. WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE RECALL, AND THAT WAS FOR A CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10215455

Incident

Jan 19, 2008

Mileage

106,000 mi

THE SERPENTINE BELT HAS COME OFF THREE TIMES TO DATE. ONCE IN 3 INCHES OF SNOW, ONCE ON A SUNNY DAY AND ONCE WHEN ON SLICK ROADS BUT NO PUDDLES. ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS TWICE WITH THREE CHILDREN IN THE CAR! THE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED AS HAS THE TENSIONER AND THIS HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10209990

Incident

Nov 26, 2007

IN FEB 2007, A NEW MOPAR SERPENTINE BELT WAS INSTALLED ON MY 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (89,000 MILES) BY A LOCAL DODGE DEALER. AFTER ONE WEEK BELT STARTED A LOUD SQUEAL. AT THE SUGGESTION OF MECHANICS I TRIED BELT DRESSINGS, SPRAYS AND WIRE BRUSH, ALL WITH NO HELP TO THE PROBLEM. ONE MECHANIC SUGGESTED I REPLACE THE PLASTIC PULLEY ON MY PROPERLY WORKING TENSIONER WITH A METAL PULLEY. THIS I DID WITH NO HELP. ALL PULLEYS WERE CHECKED AND FOUND O.K. DEALER INSTALLED ANOTHER BELT IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR. SAME PROBLEM AFTER ONE WEEK. ENDED UP GOING TO LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP (NOT DEALER) AND THEY INSTALLED "KIT", WHICH CORRECTED PROBLEM. "KIT' CONSISTED OF BELT WITH GROOVES ON BOTH SIDES AND IDLER PULLEY AND TENSIONER PULLEY WITH GROOVES. PROBLEM SOLVED. THE DODGE DEALER NEVER HEARD OF THIS "KIT"....COME ON DODGE BOYS, GET WITH IT!!!! *JB

NHTSA ID

10199738

Incident

Feb 27, 2007

Mileage

89,000 mi

CONTINUAL SERPENTINE BELT ISSUES WITH DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 1999, IT HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES AND HAS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE SERPENTINE BELT AT LEAST 4 TIMES. ADDITIONALLY, THE BELT HAS COME OFF ON 2 OCCASIONS WHEN VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN THROUGH A PUDDLE. THIS SEEMS EXTREMELY EXCESSIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10192348

Incident

Jun 2, 2007

Mileage

94,000 mi

1999 GRAND CARAVAN - SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHEN IT RAINS OR VEHICLE IS DRIVEN THROUGH WATER, EVEN MINOR AMOUNTS. CAUSES SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY, ESPECIALLY IF IT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING DURING A TURN. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 6 YEARS AND 125,000+ MILES WITHOUT INCIDENT. DURING THE LAST 25,000 MILES BELT HAS COME OFF UNPREDICTABLY 6-8 TIMES IN WET WEATHER. OCCURRENCES STARTED FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF FRONT TIRES AND A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. DEALERS AND SERVICE STATIONS HAVE BLAMED THE TENSIONEER, A PULLEY, THE BELT ITSELF, AND WATER. REPLACEMENT OF THESE PARTS DOES NOTHING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WHICH OCCURS AGAIN WITH THE NEXT RAIN STORM. SOMETHING CHANGED AT 125,000 MILES THAT CAUSES THE BELT TO DISENGAGE THE PULLEYS AND /OR TENSIONER WHEN WATER IS SPRAYED UP BY THE TIRES IN WET WEATHER. I CHANGED TIRES TO A DIFFERENT TREAD DESIGN AND THIS HELPED FOR A TIME, BUT WITH WEAR THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10184255

Incident

Mar 3, 2007

Mileage

125,000 mi

THE SERPENTINE BELT ON MY 1999 DODGE CARAVAN KEEPS COMING OFF. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RAINS. THE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE IDLER PULLEY HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE BELT TENSIONER HAS BEEN REPLACED. AN ENGINE BRACKET FOR THE IDLER PULLEY HAS BEEN REPLACED. WHEN THE BELT COMES OFF , POWER STEERING IS LOST WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO CONTROL THE VAN. IF I WAS NOT A FAIRLY STRONG PERSON I WOULD HAVE HIT A SEMI-TRUCK AT THE LAST INCIDENT. MY WIFE COULD NOT HAVE CONTROLLED IT. THERE IS AN AFTER MARKET FIX FOR THE PROBLEM THROUGH GOODYEAR OR GATES. CHRYSLER DOES NOT HAVE A FIX FOR IT. BELOW IS THE LATEST INCIDENT. IT HAS HAPPENED FIVE TIMES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10173078

Incident

Nov 6, 2006

Mileage

88,654 mi

1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN,3.3 LITER ENGINE, STARTED OUT ABOUT ONCE A YEAR THE SERPENTINE BELT WOULD SLIP OFF AND HAVE TO BE REINSTALLED. THEN STARTED EVERY 6 MONTHS, USUALLY DURING WET WEATHER, CAME OFF WITH MY WIFE, SHE WOULD LOSE STEERING ALMOST CAUSING A WRECK. I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE WORK AND GO WHERE EVER SHE WAS AND PUT BELT BACK ON. FINALLY NOTICED THE TENSIONER PULLEY LEANING TO THE LEFT ALLOWING BELT TO SLIP OFF. REPLACED PULLEY THINKING PROBLEM SOLVED, BUT ONCE AGAIN BELT WOULD SLIP OFF DURING A RAIN AND WIPERS ON. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR MY WIFE AGAIN, NO STEERING. TRIED A BETTER QUALITY BELT, SAME THING, BELT WOULD SLIP OFF DURING RAIN. 2 WEEKS AGO IT SLIPPED OFF WITH MY WIFE ON MAJOR FREEWAY IN BIRMINGHAM, AL , I HAD TO GO ABOUT 50 MILES AND PUT BELT BACK ON WITH TRAFFIC SPEEDING BY AND ALL DURING A RAIN STORM OF COURSE. YESTERDAY I DROVE THE VAN TO MY JOB AND ON THE WAY HOME RAN INTO A RAIN STORM AND GUESS WHAT, IT CAME OFF AGAIN, LUCKILY ON THE STREET I LIVE ON. I'VE READ ABOUT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF VAN. I'VE OWNED THE VAN SINCE THE BEGINNING, LOVED IT EXCEPT FOR THIS PROBLEM, EVEN BOUGHT A NEW 05 GRAND CARAVAN BECAUSE THEY ARE GOOD VANS. I JUST WISH DODGE WOULD ADMIT THE 99 AND SIMILAR YEARS HAD A RECALL ISSUE ON THIS SERPENTINE BELT. OR WHY CAN'T THEY TELL US, THE OWNERS HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM? *JB

NHTSA ID

10166273

Incident

Aug 22, 2006

Mileage

60,000 mi

DESPITE REGULAR (3,000-MILE OR LESS) OIL CHANGES AT DEALER OR CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH 3.3 LITER ENGINE DEVELOPED SEVERE OIL SLUDGE PROBLEMS. FIRST INDICATION OF PROBLEM WAS A SOFT CLICKING ENGINE NOISE. CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS OIL SLUDGE, SHOWED US CAKED ENGINE COMPONENTS. REPLACED ROCKERS ARMS AND SOME VALVES AND BEARINGS AND FLUSHED ENGINE. REPAIRS NOT SUCCESSFUL, NOISE CONTINUED. RETURNED TO MECHANIC WHO KEPT THE VAN FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND DID SEVERAL MORE ENGINE FLUSHES AND OIL CHANGES. THIS DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM AND MECHANIC WARNED ME THAT DRIVING WOULD SOON LEAD TO MASSIVE ENGINE FAILURE. THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS AN EXPENSIVE OVERHAUL ($7,000-$8,000) OR A NEW/REBUILT ENGINE ($5,000-$6,000) THAT MIGHT STILL HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. AFTER INTERNET RESEARCH, I REALIZED THIS WAS CHRYSLER PROBLEM WITH ENGINE. NOW MY VAN IS AN EXPENSIVE YARD ORNAMENT--AT LEAST UNTIL I DRIVE IT ONE LAST TIME TO TRADE IT IN. I DO NOT CONSIDER IT SAFE TO DRIVE AS MASSIVE FAILURE COULD LEAD TO FIRE OR ACCIDENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10163516

Incident

May 1, 2006

Mileage

92,000 mi

I HAVE REPEATEDLY HAD THE SERPENTINE BELT COME OFF WHILE DRIVING IN MY 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THIS IS UNSAFE. I LOSE POWER STEERING, A/C OR DEFROSTER, THE VAN OVERHEATS UNLESS YOU PARK IT INSTANTLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES AND I HAVE REPLACED THE TENSION PULLEY AND IT STILL DIDN'T HELP. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10159419

Incident

Jun 9, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20-40 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLS. THIS OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO TWO DEALERSHIPS, BUT THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWS NO CODES.

NHTSA ID

10152307

Incident

Mar 9, 2006

Mileage

85,000 mi