2002 Dodge Grand Caravan Interior & seats Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED AUTOMATICALLY OR MANUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE DOORS HAD TO BE TAKEN APART IN ORDER TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILES WERE 77,000. UPDATED 07/27/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE RADIATOR COOLING FAN BROKE, THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WAS INCORRECTLY FIXED AT THE DEALER. THE ELECTRIC TAIL GATE DOESN'T WORK. ONE OF THE TAIL LIGHTS CAME OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON THE INTERSTATE, THE HEADLIGHTS HAD TO BE REPLACED THE LEFT ND RIGHT WINDOW REGULATORS BROKE, THE FUEL PUMP BROKE OFF AND THE ABS SENSOR WAS FAULTY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 08/01/11

NHTSA ID

10403970

Incident

May 21, 2011

Mileage

77,000 mi

I OWN A 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE DRIVERS SIDE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SOME TIME BUT AFTER FOOLING AROUND WITH IT MANUALLY AND WITH REMOTE, I COULD SOMEHOW GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. NOT THIS TIME. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS IS A RECALL ISSUE NOT JUST A REPAIR. IT IS A DEFECT BY DODGE/CHRYSLER. MY CAR IS TOTALLY UNDRIVEABLE BECAUSE THE BACK DOOR WILL NOT ENGAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10311257

Incident

Feb 16, 2010

Mileage

120,000 mi

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS ON MY 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAVE STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING TO THIS FAILURE, JUST WORKING ONE DAY AND NOT THE NEXT. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING HASN'T BEEN DONE TO CORRECT IT. IF THE VEHICLE WERE TO CATCH FIRE HOW WOULD ANYONE BE ABLE TO GET OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10274693

Incident

Feb 1, 2009

Mileage

63,000 mi

2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SLIDING DOOR LOCKS AND CAN'T BE OPENED MANUALLY OR REMOTELY. PASSENGERS MUST EXIT OPPOSITE SIDE OF CAR. STARTED 3 DAYS AGO, HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO BRING TO DEALER YET. THIS COMPLAINT IS COMMON ON SITE: HTTP://AUTOFORUM.CLASSIFIEDS1000.COM/DODGE-GRAND_CARAVAN/POWER_LOCKS_WILL_NOT_LOCK_OR_UNLOCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10263301

Incident

Mar 24, 2009

Mileage

78,300 mi

WHILE DRIVING I SMELLED SMOKE. I COULDN'T SEE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM SO I CONTINUED DRIVING. THEN I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM BEHIND THE PANEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SLIDING DOOR. I THEN PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. I COULDN'T SEE A FIRE FROM INSIDE AND THE DOOR DIDN'T FEEL HOT. I WALKED AROUND TO THE OUTSIDE AND TOUCHED THE DOOR, WHICH WAS HOT. I THEN NOTICED BURN MARKS THROUGH THE PAINT. I WENT BACK INTO THE VAN AND PULLED PART OF THE PANEL AWAY AND SAW FLAMES INSIDE THE DOOR. I THEN TOOK A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. I CALLED 911 AND ASKED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10222249

Incident

Mar 17, 2008

THIS COMPLAINT WAS IN REGARD TO THE DRIVER'S FRAME SEAT BREAKING ON A 2002 DODGE CARAVAN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. TO ME THIS WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. A CALL TO CHRYSLER CORPORATION WAS UNSUCCESSFULLY AS THE COMPANY WILL NOT COVER THIS LOSS DUE TO MILEAGE, WHICH SHOULD NOT BE A FACTOR IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT COMING APART. *AK

NHTSA ID

10196555

Incident

Jul 3, 2007

Mileage

95,732 mi

THE DOOR LATCH ON THE 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN REQUIRED REPLACEMENT TWICE IN A 15 MONTH SPAN. THISWAS FOR THE POWER SLIDING DOOR. IT WAS REPLACED ON 12/29/2005, AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AGAIN ON 4/5/07. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE THE FAILURE HAS NOT OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN MOTION, BUT AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE FREQUENT FAILURES. THE DOORWAS NOT SUBJECTED TO ABUSE, AND HAS NOT BEEN MODIFIED IN ANY WAY FROM FACTORY SPECS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187108

Incident

Apr 5, 2007

Mileage

72,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED AT A STOP LIGHT WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE HEATING VENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DASH BOARD. THE SMOKE BEGAN TO TURN BLACK AND FLAMES ERUPTED FROM THE DASHBOARD VENT. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING SIMILAR TO PLASTIC BURNING. THE CONTACT REPORTED THE SAME SMELL INTERMITTENTLY THREE TO FOUR MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THERE WAS A HOSE LEAKING FLUID AND IT WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT DOES NOT RECALL THE TYPE OF FLUID LEAKING OR THE TYPE OF HOSE THAT WAS REPLACED. THE SMELL CONTINUED HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL. UPDATED ON 05/30/2006. *AK

NHTSA ID

10157559

Incident

May 13, 2006

Mileage

74,000 mi

I EXPERIENCED RAMDOM FAILURE OF THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY DODGE CARAVAN. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF MY DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY "COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONCERN". I WAS TOLD THE CAUSE WAS PROBABLY THE "FRONT CONTROL MODULE" BUT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT POSITIVE IT WAS THE CAUSE, AND BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THE PART. AFTER THIS OCCURED THE SECOND TIME I TOOK IT TO MY OWN MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE MODULE AT A COST OF $307.05. THE REPLACEMENT OCCURED 9/15/2004. I HAVE HAD NO SIMILAT PROBLEMS SINCE THE MODULE WAS REPLACED. I HAD PURCHACED THE EXTENDED WARRENTY WITH THE VEHICLE BUT I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THE MODULE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE POLICY. IT COVERS 7 DIFFERENT NAMED CONTROL MODULES BUT NOT THIS ONE. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND REGISTERED A COMPLAINT-#12641005.

NHTSA ID

10125170

Incident

Jul 6, 2004

Mileage

46,837 mi

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS DID NOT TURN ON WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10099762

Incident

May 19, 2004

Mileage

57,000 mi

THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, WHICH INCLUDES THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, AND ODOMETER, KEEPS SHORTING OUT. THE TURN SIGNALS ARE ON THE SAME CIRCUIT. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. INITIALLY THE SHOP REPLACED THE FUSE. THE SECOND TIME, THEY STATED THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE CIRCUIT THAT HAD TO BE REPAIRED. A NEIGHBOR OF OURS WHO OWNS A TOWN & COUNTRY HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE TURN SIGNALS, NOT TO MENTION NOT KNOWING THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE.*AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10106176

Incident

Jan 12, 2005

Mileage

29,200 mi

WE OWN A 2002 DODGE CARAVAN WITH A PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR. IN COLD TEMPERATURES (BELOW 40 DEGREES) THE MOTOR FAILS TO OPERATE THE DOOR AND THE DOOR MUST BE OPENED AND CLOSED MANUALLY. DUE TO ITS WEIGHT AND DESIGN THE DOOR IS QUITE DIFFICULT FOR A SCHOOL AGED CHILD TO OPEN. IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET LEVERAGE, OUR SON HAS HAD HIS HEAD BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE FRAME AS HE ATTEMPTS TO SLIDE THE DOOR CLOSED. THANKFULLY NO ACCIDENTS HAVE YET RESULTED. HOWEVER, I DO SEE A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION SHOULD A CHILD'S HEAD GET CAUGHT AS THEY PULL THE DOOR SHUT. THERE IS A SENSOR THAT PREVENTS THE DOOR FROM CLOSING ALL THE WAY WHEN THE POWER FEATURE IS USED TO CLOSE THE DOOR BUT I DON'T THINK IT OPERATES WHEN THE DOOR MUST BE SHUT MANUALLY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10106153

Incident

Jan 11, 2005

Mileage

35,000 mi

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR BY A SCHOOL BUS AND DRIVER'S SEAT DID NOT HOLD. THE RECLINING BACK BROKE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10099847

Incident

Jan 25, 2004

Mileage

14,267 mi

WHERE TO START, SINCE THE DAU WE BOUGHT IT IN 7/02, WE HAVE BROUGHT IT IN 3 TIMES FOR FAULTY WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEMS, WE LOST POWERING STEERING (THANK GOD MY WIFE WAS NOT DRIVING IT WITH OUR TWO SMALL KIDS), THE REAR HATCH DIDN'T WORK AND IT TOOK 3 MONTHS FOR US TO FINALLY GET IT FIXED, WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS AT 14,000 MILES, AND JUST RECENTLY THE ALTERNATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. NOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES THEY MAKE A HORRIBLE SOUND WHEN PRESSING ON THEM AND IS GOING INTO THE DEALER AGAIN NEXT WEEK. MY WIPER REFUSES TO DRIVE THE CARAVAN THAT WE BOUGHT SO IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR HER WITH THE KIDS, BUT SHE FEELS THAT SOMETHING ELSE IS GONNA GO WRONG. WE WROTE A LETTER TO CHRYSLER AND THEY RESPONDED "WE'RE SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE". (THE DATE OF THE FIRST INCIDENT LISTED BELOW MAY NOT BE EXACTLY WHEN IT HAPPENED, THE PAPERWORK IS AT HOME.) *LA

NHTSA ID

10052660

Incident

Oct 18, 2002

PROBLEMS WITH SEAT TENSIONER AND AUTOMATICS DOORS MALFUNCTIONING.*MR AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON, AS A RESULT CONSUMER HAS HAD THE SEATBELT TENSIONER AND AIRBAG MODULE REPLACED. AUTOMATIC DOORS HAVE ALSO MALFUNCTIONED AND HAS BEEN REPROGRAMED. *TS

NHTSA ID

10040150

Incident

Apr 25, 2002

I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ON 4/17/02. SINCE THEN, THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT/SEATBELT TENSIONERS AND MALFUNCTIONING AUTOMATIC DOORS. THIS TIME THE VAN WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE AIRBAG LIGHT AGAIN. PER THE DEALERSHIP THE AIRBAG MODULE WAS REPLACED AGAIN AND TENSIONER OVERLAY HARNESS COMPLETED AS PER STAR. THE REAR AUTOMATIC DOOR WOULDN'T OPEN AGAIN, HAD ALREADY BEEN REPROGRAMMED AND THIS TIME THE LIFTGATE LATCH WAS REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE IS A SAFETY HAZARD!!!!*AK

NHTSA ID

10033363

Incident

Apr 9, 2003

ON 4/17/02 I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THIS TIME IT WAS THE AIRBAG LIGHT AGAIN. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, AIRBAG DIAGNOSTIC TESTS WERE PERFORMED AND THE LEFT FRONT SEATBELT TENSIONER CIRCUIT WAS REPROGRAMMED. I INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THE SECOND ROW SEATBELTS WOULD NOT "LOCK" WHEN YOU JERKED ON THEM, BUT ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC THEY WERE "OPERATING NORMALLY AT THIS TIME". I ALSO HAD TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE REAR LIFTGATE AGAIN. PER THE DEALERSHIP, THE CODES WERE REPROGRAMMED AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10033362

Incident

Mar 20, 2003

I PURCHASED A NEW DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ON 4/17/02. ON 11/20/02 (FOR THE SECOND TIME SINCE PURCHASE - FIRST TIME WAS 5/08/02), I HAD TO TAKE THE VAN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE AUTOMATIC TAILGATE AND SLIDING DOORS WERE MALFUNCTIONING. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT WAS REPROGRAMMED PLM AS PER BULL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10033360

Incident

Nov 20, 2002

I PURCHASED A NEW DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ON 4/17/02. ON 5/8/02 THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR MALFUNCTIONING AUTOMATIC REAR LIFTGATE AND RIGHT SIDE DOOR. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT DO ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10033358

Incident

May 8, 2002