Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 56 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 56, in the owner's own words
STRUT TOWERS ON MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAVE RUSTED THROUGH. VISIBLE, SIGNIFICANT RUST HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR AT LEAST 7 YEARS, HOWEVER, IT IS NOW NOT DRIVEABLE. I DID NOT REALIZE THIS IS SUCH A BROADSCALE, SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM TO MOST OWNERS OF 1996-2000 VANS. PLEASE RECALL THIS MESS! STRUT TOWERS ARE NOT COSMETIC!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHOCK SUPPORT AND THE FRAMING NEAR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED TO THE POINT OF CORROSION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE SPRINGS WERE FAULTY AND DETERIORATED NEAR THE SHOCK SUPPORT AND THE FRAMING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUPPORT SYSTEM ON THE DRIVER SIDE FAILED AND THE SUPPORT BRACKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V480000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE SAFETY RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
I BOUGHT A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN NEW IN NOVEMBER OF 2000. IT NOW HAS 244,000 MILES AND STILL RUNS VERY GOOD. I TAKE CARE OF IT AND DO MOST NEEDED REPAIRS MYSELF. I NOTICED A FEW YEARS AGO, SOME RUST FORMING AT THE TOP OF THE STRUT TOWERS NEVER KNOWING OF THE SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY CHRYSLER/DODGE ON OCTOBER 14, 2002 - BULLETIN # 23-044-02. I WOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE BULLETIN AT THE TIME IT WAS ISSUED. LAST FRIDAY JUNE 20TH, I WAS PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT AT MY OFFICE AND THE STRUT TOWER ACTUALLY SNAPPED IN HALF, NOT AT THE TOP WHERE THE RUST WAS! I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN ON ANY VEHICLE BEFORE. THANK GOODNESS I WAS ONLY TRAVELING ABOUT 10 MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE 12 YEARS AGO AND THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL, NOT A SERVICE BULLETIN. *TR
THE DRIVERS SIDE STRUT TOWER STARTING SHOWING SIGNS OF RUST. INSTALLED THE STRUT TOWER REPAIR KIT. NOW, THE DRIVERS SIDE STRUT TOWER IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. *TR
STRUT TOWERS HAVE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN SEE THE GROUND BY LOOKING THROUGH THE STRUT TOWERS FROM THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE IS VERY LITTLE STRUCTURAL SUPPORT LEFT IN THE STRUT TOWERS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE STRUT TOWERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE STRUT TOWERS WERE UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 206,000.
LEFT STRUT TOWER COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM THAT CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT AND SHOULD B RECALLED. *TR
DRIVER SIDE STRUT MOUNT DANGEROUSLY RUSTED AND COULD GIVE WAY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC, THE MECHANIC STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT TOWER WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,900.
STRUT TOWERS ROTTED OUT AT 90000 MILES, REPLACEMENT CAPS WERE PURCHASED FROM DODGE DEALER AND INSTALLED AS PER FACTORY TSB .... STRUT TOWERS ARE ROTTED BELOW REPAIR CAPS AGAIN.... APPROX. 150000 MILES NOW ON VAN, STRUTS ARE ALSO IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT HOWEVER THIS CAN NOT BE DONE DUE TO SEVERITY OF RUST DAMAGE....THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT... RESULTING IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION... CHRYSLER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE ... THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AFFECTING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES...NOT JUST A FEW HERE OR THERE - THE QUESTION SHOULD BE HOW MANY ARE NOT AFFECTED??? I'M ACTUALLY CONSIDERING SEARCHING FOR A LAWYER TO START A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST CHRYSLER ...SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE! *TR
DRIVERS-SIDE FRONT STRUT CAP RUSTED. THE RUST IS AT THE TOP OF THE STRUT CAP HOUSING AND HAS NOT BROKEN THROUGH YET. I WENT ON-LINE TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE AND SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY OWNERS OF THE SAME 2000 CARAVAN WITH THE VERY SAME ISSUE. SOME WITH EXTREME RUST. IF THIS FAILS DURING DRIVING, THERE IS A EXTREME HIGH CHANCE OF AN ACCIDENT. I AM SURPRISED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I AM NOT A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER BUT BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. DOES IT TAKE ONE OR MORE ACCIDENTS BEFORE THIS BECOMES A RECALL ISSUE? *JB
THE STRUT TOWERS ARE SO BADLY RUSTED THAT I AM AFRAID TO HIT A BUMP. THE DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT TOWER IS CORRODED AND FLAKING. THERE ARE GAPS WHERE I CAN SEE THROUGH TO THE UNDERSIDE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MY VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION UNTIL I SHELL OUT $400 FOR SOMEONE TO WELD A CAP ON (JUST ONE SIDE). THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, YET THE COMPANY HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR ANYTHING. *TR
STRUT TOWER ON THIS VAN IS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED. TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT PRESENTS A SERIOUS ROAD HAZARD FOR I AND MY FAMILY! *TR
THE DRIVERS SIDE SHOCK TOWER HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I HAD A 1996 CARAVAN THAT DID THE SAME THING. THERE ARE MANY REPAIR CAPS THAT WILL HELP STRUCTURAL SUPPORT IF THE RUST HAS NOT SPREAD TOO FAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WILL NOT HELP ME. THE RUST WAS HIDDEN UNDER THE PAINT AND EXTENDS 4-5 INCHES DOWN THE STRUT TOWER. WITH THE VEHICLE UNDER WEIGHT AND FROM DRIVING IT, THERE IS NOW A TEAR IN THE METAL ON THE SIDE IF THE STRUT TOWER FROM FRONT TO BACK AT A DOWNWARD ANGLE. THIS MAKES THE VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE AND A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
THE LEFT STRUT TOWER WAS FOUND BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO NEED REPAIR IN ORDER TO PASS THE STATE INSPECTION. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG OWNERS OF THIS TYPE VEHICLE AND CERTAINLY A SAFETY CONCERN.
TOOK MY VAN IN TO THE SHOP BECAUSE I WAS HEARING A NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN I DRIVE IT. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT STRUT HOUSING COVER HAD RUSTED AND THAT THE STRUT COULD NOW GO THROUGH THE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING. THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS AND THAT A KIT HAS BEEN MADE TO REPAIR IT. HOWEVER IT HAS TO BE WELDED TO THE FRAME OF THE VAN AND IT COULD COST UP TO $500.00 JUST TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND I CAN NOT EVEN FIX THE STRUT UNTIL THIS IS TAKEN CARE OF. MAKING OTHER PARTS NEEDING TO BE FIXED BECAUSE OF IT. I NOTICED SOME TIME AGO THAT THIS WAS RUSTING BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT NOT BEING A MECHANIC AND ALL. I DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT PART SINCE IT WAS UNDER THE HOOD I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY IT WOULD RUST. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A DEFECT THAT DODGE HAS KNOWN ABOUT AND THAT IS WHY THEY CAME UP WITH THE REPAIR KIT. THAT UNLESS SOMEONE DIES DODGE IS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I SURE HOPE THAT NOTHING HAPPENS TO ANYONE BEFORE DODGE DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ALREADY COMPLAINS ON THIS SITE AND THE NHTSA HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I DID CALL THE CONSUMER CENTER AT DODGE AND OPENED A COMPLAINT THERE SOMEONE SHOULD CALL ME TOMORROW. I JUST HOPE THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO FIX THIS AT NO COST OR NO INJURY TO ME, MY FAMILY OR ANYONE ELSE THAT COULD BE EFFECTED DO TO THIS PROBLEM. I HOPE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS THIS PROBLEM THEY REPORT IT ALSO THAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GET ANYONE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. I SURE DO NOT WANT TO GET RID OF MY VAN NOR CAN I AFFORD TO RIGHT NOW. MY VAN HAS BEEN GREAT AND VERY DEPENDABLE UNTIL THIS PROBLEM. I SURE HOPE DODGE OR NHTSA STANDS BY ME AND FIXES THIS PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STRUT TOWER LOCATED ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE HAS RUST ON IT AND HAVE COMPLETELY ROTTED. THE DAMAGE IS VISIBLE WHEN YOU LIFT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
FRONT STRUT UPPER SUPPORT TOWER RUSTED OUT. *TR
STRUT TOWER ON 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN RUSTED THROUGH. *TR
DODGE CARAVAN HAS CORROSION IN FRONT STRUT TOWER. THIS IS A UNIBODY FRAME. WAS TOLD BY A CHRYSLER EMPLOYEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND RARELY DOES CHRYSLER ASSIST WITH REPAIRS. ON OCT 14, 2002 CHRYSLER ISSUED A TSB REPORT #23-044-02, STATING ISSUE WITH LEFT AND RIGHT STRUT TOWERS AND THE CORRECTION OF THE CONDITION. CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND CHOOSES TO IGNORE IT. AFTER PHONING CHRYSLER THEY WILL NOT ASSIST ME IN THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD BY CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS OR BREAKS THEY WILL NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. IF THE STRUT TOWER COMPLETELY BREAKS AS IT WILL, IT WILL RENDER THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE AND POSES A SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO PERSONS. *TR
I OWN A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN THAT I PURCHASED NEW IN 2000, I RECENTLY HAD NEW STRUTS INSTALLED ON THE FRONT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND SHOULD BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT CHRYSLER WAS AWARE OF,I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1996 TO 2000 CHRYSLER MINI-VANS DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT. *TR
UPPER STRUT TOWERS ON OUR 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ARE RUSTING OUT STRUCTURALLY WITH ONLY 96,000 MILES. IT LOOKS IMPORTANT TO GET FIXED (WHICH I WILL) BEFORE THE FRONT END COLLAPSES! *TR
2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. FRONT STRUT TOWERS CORRODED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT 62,000 MILES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR NORMAL MAINTENANCE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE STRUT TOWER WAS CORRODED. THE FAILURE IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIAL FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WANTS CHRYSLER TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.
RUSTING STRUT TOWERS 2000 GRAND CARAVAN. I NOTICED RUST ON THE STRUT TOWER ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I SPRAYED UNDERCOATING ON THE TOP OF BOTH TOWERS TO PREVENT FURTHER RUST. I INSPECTED THE TOPS OF THE TOWERS THIS WEEK. BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TOWER CONTINUE TO RUST IN SPITE OF SEVERAL LAYERS ON UNDERCOATING APPLIED OVER THE LAST YEAR. AS I WAS SERVICING THE BRAKES I DETERMINED IT WAS TIME TO REPLACE THE STRUTS ON THE FRONT OF THE VAN. KNOWING THE TOWERS ARE RUSTED ON THE TOP SIDE I INSPECTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE STRUT TOWERS THIS AFTERNOON. A CRACK HAS APPEARED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE STRUT TOWER ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. I WILL INSPECT THE DRIVER'S SIDE TOMORROW. AFTER DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH I HAVE FOUND THE RUSTING STRUT TOWERS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN BOTH THE US AND CANADA. THE PROBLEM EXISTS ACROSS SEVERAL YEARS AND MODELS OF DODGE AND CHRYSLER VEHICLES. IF A STRUT RUPTURES A COMPROMISED TOWER AT HIGHWAY SPEED, LIVES CAN AND WILL BE LOST. WITH THE NUMBER OF DODGE AND CHRYSLER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, THE POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IS MULTIPLIED EXPONENTIALLY. I AM SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. SOMEONE MUST BE ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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