2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Interior & seats Problems

I BOUGHT A USED 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. ALL THE LIGHTS CONSTANTLY FLICKER LIKE A CANDLE IN THE WIND. THIS INCLUDED THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS. THIS IS ANNOYING AT BEST. THE DEALER SAYS THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSES IT. I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE 800,000 CARAVANS JUST LIKE MINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ACCORDING TO YOUR WEBSITE. I BELIEVE THE CARS COMPUTER MAY BE FAULTY WHICH IS WHY CHRYSLER SAYS THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. DRIVING WITH CONSTANTLY DIMMING HEADLIGHTS IS EXTREMELY FATIGUING ON A PERSONS EYES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10268583

Incident

Mar 1, 2008

Mileage

100,000 mi

OUR BACK LATCH ON OUR DODGE GRAND CARAVAN DOES NOT RELEASE ENOUGH TO LET THE AUTOMATIC LIFT GATE OPEN. THE DEALER CLEARED THE CODE AND SAID IT WORKED, BUT IT DOES NOT FULLY RELEASE AND THE AUTO LKIFT GATE FAILS EVERYTIME.

NHTSA ID

10177038

Incident

Jul 1, 2005

1) EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE: EACH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED AFTER OR DURING A SUMMER VACATION TRIP THAT INCLUDED 700+ MILES. USE OF THE AC USUALLY CONTINUES ON LOW FAN SPEEDS (1 OR 2). 2) FAILURE AND CONSEQUENCES: FIRST FAILURE WOULD BE THE POWER WINDOWS WOULD BEGIN NOT TO WORK. SECOND A RELAY FUSE WOULD GO BAD. THEN THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE FAN SPEEDS WOULD SHORT OUT ONLY ALLOWING FOR HIGH FAN SPEED ONLY. 3)HAVE NOT BE ABLE TO FIX THE SWITCHES DUE TO DEALER CHARGING HIGH RATES JUST TO LOOK FOR THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH NO GUARANTEE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THE FAULT AND STILL WANTING $70+/HOUR BEFORE ANY REPAIR WORK IS STARTED. WE HAVE OWNED A 1996 CARAVAN AND 2001 GR CARAVAN AND THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH VEHICLES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147832

Incident

Aug 10, 2005

Mileage

91,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO OFF BY THEMSELVES. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND NO DEFECTS FOUND. *AK

NHTSA ID

10105149

Incident

Nov 9, 2004

Mileage

35,000 mi

(1) NORMAL USAGE (2) THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT LATCH AND REMAINS OPEN. EVEN AFTER CLOSING BY HAND. A SIDE EFFECT IS THAT IT DOES NOT OPEN WHEN THE CLOSE BUTTON IS PRESSED. (3) TO FIX RIGHT NOW - I HAVE TO STOP THE VAN, GET OUT, AND CLOSE A COUPLE OF TIMES BY HAND. EACH TIME YOU HAVE TO CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS CLOSED. NOW I AM PAYING $320 TO HAVE THE DEALER PUT IN A NEW LATCH AND ELECTRONIC SWITCH. THE DEALER, JOLLY JOHN, HAD TWO OF THESE SAME FAILURES TODAY! A SEVICE DESK PERSON MENTIONED HE HAD A SIMILAR FAILURE. SEEMS LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT A COLD PROBLEM, AS OUR VAN IS IN A HEATED GARAGE AND IT OCCURS ANYTIME SINCE OCTOBER.

NHTSA ID

10103075

Incident

Oct 30, 2004

Mileage

58,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND THAT THE CLOCKSPRING WAS DEFECTIVE. CLOCKSPRING WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES. ALSO, DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS CAME AND OFF WHENEVER THEY WANTED TO.*AK

NHTSA ID

10087319

Incident

Sep 18, 2001

Mileage

1,830 mi

1. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS, ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC IT WASN'T GOING BAD IT JUST WENT. 2. I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT INTO TRAFFIC WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED MOVING. I WAS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AND INSTEAD OF GETTING OUT AND GOING I GOT OUT AND ALMOST GOT HIT. THE CAR COMING TOWARDS ME SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS AND WAS ABLE TO SWERVE AROUND ME. 3. THE REAR PLANITARY GEAR WELD FAILED, THIS FAILURE WAS DESCRIBED AS A SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC FAILOR. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE PUT INTO PARK. IT WAS TOWED INTO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THE FLUID WAS BAD AND THE FILTER CLOGGED. THE VEHICLE HAS 55,000 MILES THEY SAY THE 7/70 WARRENTY DIDNT APPLY TO MY MODEL. THE SECOND MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE FILTER OR THE FLUID THAT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE A LOT OF THESE PART THE WELDS FAIL ALOT. I CALLED DIAMLER/CHRYSLER AND TOLD THEM WHAT THE MECHANIC SAID THAT I WANTED TO SEND THEM BACK THE PART THAT SHOWED THAT THE FAILURE WAS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT DIDN'T MATTER THAT IT WHY IT FAILED JUST THAT IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE THE PART. I WAS LUCKY THE NEXT PERSON MAY NOT BE. THE VEHICLE IS 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SPORT. SO FAR THE HATCH DOESN'T WORK WHEN THIS PART FAILED I WAS ALSO NOTIFIED THAT THE WHEEL CYLINDER ON THE REAR BRAKES FAILED AND THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED FIRE TO THE VEHICLE THE DEALERSHIP WANTED 4.000 PLUS TAX TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS. THE ENTIRE REAR BRAKING SYSTEM HAD TO BE REDONE AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. I HAVE DECIDED NOT TO DEAL WITH FIXING THE HATCH SO IT OPENS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10072905

Incident

Apr 18, 2004

Mileage

55,138 mi

THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO READ THE FUNCTIONS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10020252

Incident

May 18, 2003

THE LOW-BACK BUCKET SEATS IN THE 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ARE VERY HIGH AND TILTED (HIGHER AT THE KNEES THAN AT THE SPINE) TO THE POINT THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR AN AVERAGE-HEIGHT WOMAN TO REACH THE ACCELERATOR WITHOUT MOVING THE SEAT ALL THE WAY FORWARD. (AT WHICH POINT THE STEERING WHEEL IS ALMOST TOUCHING THE BODY, THE ELBOWS ARE PRESSED INTO THE SEAT BACK, AND THE KNEES HIT THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN BRAKING). WHEN THE SEAT IS AT A COMFORATABLE DISTANCE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, I CANNOT REST MY HEEL ON THE FLOOR, BUT HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY TOES ONLY. THE HIGH-BACK BUCKET SEATS I TESTED DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THEY WERE LOWER IN THE FRONT (PERHAPS OVERALL). THE SEAT IS SO HIGH THAT I (AT 5'3") MUST DUCK MY HEAD IN ORDER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HITTING IT ON THE DOOR FRAME.

NHTSA ID

10011027

Incident

Mar 25, 2003

REAR SEATS TRACKING AND ANCHOR SYSTEM WILL LOCK OR STICK, CAUSING SEATS TO MALFUNCTION. DEALER HAS SERVICED REAR SEATS ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, HOWEVER WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY PROBLEM . TRACK WAS WEARING DOWN, UNABLE TO KEEP SEAT IN TRACK.*AK *YH

NHTSA ID

8015075

THE TRANSMISSION CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME ON AN EXIT RAMP. FORTUNATELY, MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT BARKE ROTORS ARE WARPED. MY WIFE WAS INFORMED BY DODGE THAT THIS SHIMMY WE WERE FEELING AS WE APPLIED THE BRAKES WAS THE ABS ENGAGING. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DODGE DEALERSHIP, WE WERE INFORMED THE PROBLEM IS WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. IN ADDITION, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS OVER 12000 MILES, WE NOW HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS! THE LEATHER SEATING IN THE REAR IS 'DELAMINATING.' (I DON'T KNOW OF A BETTER WAY TO DESCRIBE IT). THE REAR AUTOMATIC HATCH DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY OPEN. THIS TOO IS A RECURRING PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

756056

Incident

Feb 2, 2001

FRONT SEATS (MANUAL, NOT POWER) ARE TOO HIGH AND CLOSE TO DASH PREVENTING PERSONS OF A HEIGHT OF ABOUT 5" 5" FROM SAFELY APPLYING BRAKES - VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT LEGS ARE RESTRICTED BY DASH BOARD - CAUSES YOU TO ADJUST SEAT TO A MORE BACK POSITION WHICH SIMPLY TRADES ONE DANGER FOR ANOTHER. CANNOT ENTER OR EXIT VEHICLE BECAUSE INADEQUATE LEG ROOM BETWEEN SEAT AND DASH AREA. CHRYSLER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM. IT'S REAL! BE WARNED - APPLIES TO MANUAL SEATS - NOT POWER.

NHTSA ID

750309

Incident

Nov 1, 2000

THE FRONT SEATS ARE TOO HIGH MAKING IT HARD FOR A WOMAN WHO'S HEIGHT IS 5'3"-5'5" TO REACH THE BRAKE/GAS PEDALS WITHOUT SEAT PULLED ALL THE WAY FORWARD THEREFORE NOT LEAVING ENOUGH ROOM BETWEEN CONSUMER AND AIR BAG. NLM

NHTSA ID

559771