2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM PIVOT BOLT WAS FRACTURED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 01V152000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM) AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 171,000.

NHTSA ID

10440062

Incident

Dec 13, 2011

Mileage

171,000 mi

THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SHIMMYING AND THE STEERING WHEEL. AT FIRST, IT STARTED AT ABOUT 55 MPH. NOW IT IS DOING IT AT LOWER AND LOWER SPEEDS. THERE ARE PAGES AND PAGES OF COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. IT IS ALSO VERY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN GOING SLOW. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND LOWER CONTROL ARM. CAMPAIGN NO 01V152000 BUT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. HOW CAN YOU CONTINUE TO LET THEM SELL DEFECTIVE VEHICLES AND NOT MAKE THEM RECALL ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES? THEY SAID THE SAME THING ABOUT MY RAM TRUCK. THERE'S A RECALL ON IT AND THEY SAID MY VEHICLE WAS NOT IN THE RECALL, BUT IT HAS THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE AIR AND HEAT GOING OUT. I WISH I HAD READ THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST THEM ON YOUR SITE AND ON ALL THE OTHER SITES BEFORE I BOUGHT THESE LEMONS. YOU SHOULD ALSO CHECK OUT HTTP://WWW.DAIMLERCHRYSLERVEHICLEPROBLEMS.COM/ THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE WEBSITES DETAILING THE NUMBER OF DEATHS CAUSED BY DODGE. I AM GOING TO MAKE A COMPLAINT AGAINST THEM TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ALSO. MAYBE IF THEY INVESTIGATE, YOU WILL FINALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10285017

Incident

Aug 15, 2009

Mileage

117,000 mi

I OWN A 2001 DODGE CARAVAN THAT I PURCHASED FROM MY FATHER TWO MONTHS AGO. LAST NIGHT I NOTICED A RUBBING SOUND WHEN I TURNED CORNERS. LOOKING AT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL, I NOTICED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CAME OUT OF THE BOLT. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON RECALLS FOR THE 2001 CARAVAN I SAW THAT THERE IS A RECALL OUT TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. MY FATHER SAID HE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND HE HAS LIVED AT HIS CURRENT RESIDENCE FOR 30 YEARS. MY COMPLAINT IS HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSE TO KNOW OF A RECALL WHEN YOU ARE NOT CONTACTED BY CHRYSLER? THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER IS 01V152000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10276487

Incident

Jul 12, 2009

Mileage

56,238 mi

FRONT END WAS MAKING CLUNKING NOISES SINCE ABOUT 24,000 MILES,EACH TIME I WENT TO THE DEALER SINCE THEN IT WAS BROUGHT UP, BUT NOTHING FOUND BY THEM. FINALLY AT 44,070 THEY LOOKED ONCE AGAIN AND (NOW THAT MY WARRANTY WAS OVER) THEY FOUND THAT MY FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS AND BUSHINGS WERE BAD AND REPLACED. CHRYSLER DID GOODWILL THE REPAIR UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT I STILL HAD TO PAY $100 FOR THE DEDUCTIBLE (WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER MY PREVIOUS WARRANTY WORK WHEN I PAID THE $100 AND THEY DIDN'T DO THE WORK UNTIL I CALLED CHRYSLER AFTER I ALREADY LEFT AND HAD TO GO BACK). I DO THINK IT WAS WAY TOO SOON TO HAVE FRONT END SWAY BAR PROBLEMS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10174222

Incident

Mar 1, 2006

Mileage

44,070 mi

WENT TO DEALER TO HAVE THE BRAKES FIXED AND MECHANIC TOLD ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE LOWER CONTROL ARM PIVOT BOLT, AND IF I DIDN'T HAVE IT FIXED I COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HE SAID IT WAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THIS AFFECTED THE ENTIRE ENGINE CRADLE. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ON THE 2001 MODEL. BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. AFTER CONTACTING DAIMER CHRYSLER TOLD ME THE SAME THING ,AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO ABOUT IT AND SUGGESTED I SHOULD HOLD ON TO MY RECEIPT BECAUSE ONE NEVER KNOWS WHEN THERE MAY BE A RECALL IN THE FUTURE? THEY REFERRED ME TO JONATHAN SANDERS, SENIOR STAFF OF GLOBAL RELATIONS AND HE SAID THERE IS NOTHING DAIMER CHRYSLER WOULD DO BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WASN'T IN THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE IS A 2001 AND IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE OTHER VEHICLES THAT WERE RECALLED. I OF COURSE AM HAVING THE MECHANIC FIX THE VEHICLE FOR OBVIOUS SAFETY REASONS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10148822

Incident

Jan 25, 2006

I PURCHASED A 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN AUGUST OF 2005 WITH 73K MILES. VEHICLE SMELLED MUSTY (STAGNANT WATER). THREE TRIPS TO SHOP TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX SWAY BAR LINK, BUSHING, STRUT AND STRUT MOUNT PROBLEM TO CURE A CLUNKING SOUND ON FRONT END. TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR TO NEUTRAL AT WHIM. ALSO, SHIFTS THROUGH FIRST 3 GEARS (AUTOMATIC) AT WHIM CAUSING VEHICLE TO LURCH. HOWEVER, SHOP CANNOT DUPLICATE THESE PROBLEMS OR THE PROBLEM WITH MY NON WORKING CRUISE CONTROL. AT THIS POINT, I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY FOR NON-DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGES EVERYTIME FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY SAY IT IS FINE. I TELL THEM THAT IT IS NOT FINE THAT THEY JUST CAN'T FIND IT. I AM DISTURBED BY THE NUMBER OF POSTS RE: TO SWAY BAR PROBLEMS AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND THE FACT THAT NO ONE IS HOLDING CHRYSLER/DODGE ACCOUNTABLE. WILL IT TAKE A NUMBER OF DEATHS TO DETERMINE THAT THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE? I IMPLORE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THESE PROBLEMS ALONG WITH THE WATER ISSUE. SO FAR IT CAUSED MY BLOWER RESISTOR TO SHORT OUT AND NEED REPLACING. I HAD NO HEAT IN BELOW ZERO WEATHER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10146329

Incident

Dec 15, 2005

Mileage

84,035 mi

2001 CHRYSLER GRAND CARAVAN SPORT BALL JOINTS WENT BAD.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR *JB

NHTSA ID

10124772

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND THAT THE SWAY BAR LINKS BROKE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED TWICE.*AK THE SWAY BAR LINK, BUSHINGS AND NUTS WERE ALL REPLACED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10083540

Incident

Nov 11, 2003

Mileage

38,447 mi

DRIVING AROUND A CURVE AT 35 MPH THE CAR WOULD NOT STRAIGHTEN OUT AND INSTEAD BEGAN FISHTAILING AND SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL. CAR RAN OFF THE ROAD UP AN INCLINE WHERE IT CAME TO REST. RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS PERPENDICULAR TO CAR WITH TIRE HANGING OFF OF RIM. WE LATER LEARNED THAT THE RIGHT CONTROL ARM HAD SNAPPED. MANUFACTURER CLAIMS I MUST HAVE HIT A VERY DEEP POTHOLE, BUT WE ARE UNAWARE OF ANY SUCH OCCURRENCE. NO DEEP POTHOLES EXISTED ON AREA OF ROAD WHERE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL. ALSO, THE TIRE RIM WAS NOT DAMAGED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10062321

Incident

Feb 23, 2004

Mileage

66,094 mi

BUSHINGS ON RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED. PROBLEM WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY PRICE DODGE IN NEW CASTLE, DE, IN NOV '03, NECESSITATING REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION IN FEB '04.

NHTSA ID

10060440

Incident

Feb 23, 2004

Mileage

38,139 mi

I ONLY HAVE 25,000 MILES ON MY 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. (1) THE SWAY BAR LINKS WERE REPAIRED TWICE, AND PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER FOR A THIRD REPAIR. (2) I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKES AFTER ONLY 14,000 MILES, AND THEY ARE HALF GONE ALREADY AT 25,000 MILES, PLUS THE REAR BRAKES HAVE TO BE REPLACED. (3) THE ENGINE HAS A FLAT SPOT DURING ACCELERATION, AND I GET ABOUT 11 MILES PER GALLON IN THE CITY, AND ABOUT 15-16 MILES PER GALLON ON THE HIGHWAY. IT STATED IT GOT 18 MILES PER GALLON IN THE CITY, AND 24 MILES PER GALLON ON THE HIGHWAY. (4) THE TRANSMISSION MAKES A MOANING SOUND; THE POWER STEERING WAS LEAKING FLUID, (5) I HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY THE FIRST SUMMER I HAD IT, THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES WENT OUT EARLY THIS SUMMER (6) THE DRIVER?S SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP WHEN WE WERE AT BEAR COUNTRY USA SURROUNDED BY BEARS (7) THE SHIFT GEAR LEVER SOMETIMES SLIPS FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL, AND I HAVE HAD THAT LOOKED AT TWICE (8) THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT LAST SUMMER

NHTSA ID

10069423

Incident

Nov 15, 2002

THE REAR AXLE WARPED. *NLM WHEN THE REAR TIRE VIBRATED AND MADE AN ERRATIC SOUND, THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THE ONE REAR TIRE HAD WORN TO THE CORD. (THE SECOND TIRE SHOWED SEVERE WEAR) *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10020017

Incident

May 8, 2001

Mileage

8,500 mi

SWAY BAR LINKS WORN OUT AT 40K MILES. WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS PART BECAUSE THEY CLAIM IT IS NORMAL WEAR. DEALER STATED THAT HE HAS 15 PAIRS A WEEK IN HIS FACILITY BEING REPLACED AT A COST OF $289.00 PER CAR. *TT

NHTSA ID

10020573

Incident

May 27, 2003

Mileage

38,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL GRINDS AND SHAKES WHEN MAKING TURNS.CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY CAN'T DUPLICATED PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8007532

Incident

Feb 1, 2002

THE VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE RIGHT AT ANY SPEED. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE ON 5 OCCASIONS BUT IS UNABLE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. NLM

NHTSA ID

8006550

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 TO 45 MPH WHEN TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAS REMAINED ON. *AK DEALER STATED THAT SEALS AND PISTON FAILED, CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A BANGING NOISE WHEN DOWNSHIFTING, DEALER STATED THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATION. WHILE DRIVING, STEERING WOULD SHAKE, DEALER STATED WHEELS WERE OUT OF BALANCE. CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A RATTLE IN THE DASH. CONSUMER STATED PASSENGER FRONT WEATHERSTRIP WAS NOT TIGHT ENOUGH AND HAD A SMALL WATER LEAK, SIDE MOULDING AROUND DOOR IS MISHAPEN, DEALER REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

883908

Incident

Mar 22, 2001