2003 Dodge Grand Caravan Visibility Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE COVER WAS CLOSED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (CENTURY DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM, 13500 VETERANS MEMORIAL PKWY, WENTZVILLE, MO 63385) WAS CALLED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11044437

Incident

Oct 31, 2017

DRIVING TO MEET MY HUSBAND. I WAS ON A HIGHWAY I GOT UP TO 60 MPH. MY VAN STARTED LOSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AT FIRST ONLY A LITTLE BUMP (DING) THEN AS I CONTINUE DRIVING I LOST THE WHOLE INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITTENTLY AND THE WIND SHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND SPRAYED WIPER FLUID AND ALL LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK. WHEN I GOT THE PANEL BACK IT WOULD LEAVE THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON. IT HAD NO EFFECT ON THE REST OF THE ENGINE. I HAD SOMETHING SIMILAR HAPPEN BEFORE AND IT WAS A DEAD BATTERY. I WENT AND HAD BOTH BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR TESTED THEY ARE FINE. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN BUT IT HAD HAPPENED AT LEAST EVERY 2 WEEKS FOR 6 MONTHS WITH NO ANSWERS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT COMPLETELY LOST THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BUT NOT THE FIRST TIME IT WOULD LOSE 5 MPH OR SO ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND NOTHING TO THE ENGINE. I AM GOING CRAZY THINKING MY CAR IS POSSESSED! WENT TO A NON DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE IT WAS NOT DOING IT RIGHT NOW THEY CAN'T TELL ANYTHING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10633291

Incident

Aug 28, 2014

Mileage

111,000 mi

I HAVE HAD SO MANY MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN! I BOUGHT IT USED IN 2008 W/ 68K MILES. AT THAT TIME THE TRANSMISSION HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING SYSTEM ($2000), AUTO WINDOW REGULATOR, AC BLOWER, TIRES, ALTERNATOR BELT, WATER PUMP, ETC.THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR SOME TIME NOW AND MECHANIC SAYS MISFIRING SPARK PLUGS. WHEN SERVICED FOR PROBLEM(@ 170K MILES) DISCOVERED ORIGINAL FACTORY SP STILL IN. HORRIBLE CORROSION/BUILD UP, HAD 2 FUEL SYSTEM FLUSHES. LIGHT ON AGAIN. NEWEST & MOST DANGEROUS PROBLEMS,ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS NOW, VAN HAS COMPLETELY TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING, IDLING, AND PARKED. IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. MORE FREQUENTLY WHILE AT LOWER SPEEDS OR PARKED BUT ONCE WHILE I WAS ACTUALLY DRIVING. WHEN IT CUTS OFF THE OIL LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED. THE CAR TURNS RIGHT BACK ON. 5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING 25-50MPH HAS GONE INTO CRUISE CONTROL BY ITSELF, AND I LOOSE CONTROL UNTIL IT DECIDES TO GIVE IT BACK! TODAY, FOR THE FIRST TIME, AFTER PARKING AND TURNING CAR OFF MYSELF, IT WOULD NOT RESTART. IGNITION NOT RESPONDING, NO NOISE, NOTHING. TRIED TO JUMP IT AND NOTHING, NOTICES THAT LIGHTS AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS NOT EFFECTED. FORTUNATELY AN OBSERVER ALSO HAPPENED TO BE A MECHANIC, HE TOOK OUT THE STARTER FUSE AND STUCK SOME WIRES IN THE SOCKET AND HAD ME TURN THE KEY, IT STARTED!!! HE SAID THAT IT SEEMS THERE IS AN IGNITION COMMUNICATION PROBLEM, A.K.A. COMPUTER PROBLEM. I HAVE 4 KIDS THAT ARE ALWAYS WITH ME AND THIS IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE. IF THE VEHICLE IS DEPENDENT ON THE COMPUTER TO FUNCTION, THEN I HAVE ZERO ROOM FOR COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS. I HAVE REVIEWED ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS FOR THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR, THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS THAT ARE SIMILAR IF NOT IDENTICAL TO MINE. I WONDER HOW MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE TO BE FILED BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN? DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE FIRST? *TR

NHTSA ID

10475044

Incident

Aug 15, 2012

Mileage

165,000 mi

MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. IT WILL POWER DOWN BUT NOT BACK UP. IT IS MORE SEVERE IN COLD WEATHER. IF YOU SLAM THE DOOR IT WILL SOMETIMES RE-ENGAGE THE WINDOW TO WORK.. WHEN INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM , MANY OWNERS STATED THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE THE WIRE HARNESS IS BEING CRUSHED. IF YOU PUT A BLOCK OF WOOD BETWEEN DOORFRAME AND MOTOR THE WINDOW SEEMS TO WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10386594

Incident

Nov 21, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ES: FEBRUARY 2010. DURING A RECENT SNOWSTORM, AFTER USING THE REAR DEFROSTER AND FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER AND SITTING IN THE VAN FOR ABOUT 1/2 AN HOUR TO DE-ICE THE WINDOWS AND WARM UP THE VEHICLE, I PRESSED THE REAR WINDOW WIPER BUTTON. THE REAR WIPER STARTED ITS NORMAL MOTION AND THEN STOPS ABRUPTLY AS IT BROKE THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW WHICH SHATTERED INTO MANY SMALL EGGSHELL LIKE PIECES. THERE WAS GLASS ALMOST ALL THE WAY UP TO THE DRIVER'S FRONT SEAT. HALF THE REAR WINDOW WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED AND GONE WHILE THE REMAINDER OF THE REAR WINDOW GLASS WAS STILL ATTACHED BUT SHATTERED INTO MANY SMALL CRACKED EGGSHELL LIKE PIECES. IT WAS FORTUNATE THIS HAPPENED WITH THE VEHICLE PARKED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10316133

Incident

Feb 24, 2010

Mileage

156,000 mi

BOTH POWER WINDOWS CEASED OPERATION AROUND 40K MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10219225

Incident

Dec 17, 2007

PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR WINDOW - WINDOW SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY - THE WINDOW WAS NOT HIT BY ANYTHING THE MOLDING IS MISSING FROM THE SIDES OF THE WIDOW - IT SEEMS AS THOU THE GLUE AND MOLDING CAME APART FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR - LOOKS LIKE MOLDING HOLDS THE GLASS - *TR

NHTSA ID

10192167

Incident

May 31, 2007

Mileage

76,000 mi

MY PASSENGER AND DRIVER POWER WINDOWS STOP WORKING, SOMETIMES FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. IN ADDITION, THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN FROM IT'S LOCKED POSITION (STEERING WHEEL IS "NOT" LOCKED) *JB

NHTSA ID

10174265

Incident

Oct 1, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE DEALER WAS CALLED ON 07/07/06 AND AGREED TO REPAIR THE WINDOW FOR A CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CALLED ON 07/07/06 WHO OFFERED NO RESOLUTION.

NHTSA ID

10161786

Incident

Jul 5, 2006

Mileage

61,980 mi

PURCHASED NEW 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 1-14-2003. ON 12-8-2003 AND 24638 MILES DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. POWER WINDOW FAILED AGAIN AROUND 4-1-2006 AND 54400 MILES, WHICH IS ABOUT 30000 MILES LATER. WIFE BEING HANDICAPPED PERSON NEEDS THE WINDOW TO WORK AND EXPERIENCE MASSIVE BRUISING ON LEFT ARM DUE WHEN GOING THROUGH DRIVE THROUGH AT BANK AND POST OFFICE DUE TO TROUBLE REACHING AROUND DOOR TO DROP OFF AND DEPOSIT BOXES. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE RHUEMATOID ARTHRITIS AFFECTS HER HANDS, WRISTS AND ARMS. SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BREAK OPEN A WINDOW IN AN EMERGENCY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10155466

Incident

Apr 1, 2006

Mileage

54,430 mi

INCIDENT #1: 1. WE WERE RETURNING HOME FROM A WEEKEND VISIT TO IOWA. WE HAD BEEN TRAVELING ABOUT 5 HOURS. WE WERE SLOWING DOWN TO EXIT OFF HIGHWAY 212 NEAR GLENCOE, MN. 2. THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW EXPLODED AT ABOUT 4:00 PM AS WE WERE SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE OUR TURN. GLASS WAS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE (2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN) AND CHIPPED THE PAINT ALONG THE SIDE OF THE VAN. 3. THE WINDOW WAS REPLACE BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY (PROGRESSIVE) AND THE VAN WAS REPAINTED AND DETAILED (VACUUMED) TO REMOVE THE GLASS INSIDE THE VAN. INCIDENT #2: 1. ON THE SAME VEHICLE (2003 GRAND CARAVAN) A SECOND WINDOW EXPLODED ON OCTOBER 7, 2004. THIS TIME IT WAS THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR WINDOW. I WAS ACCELERATING INTO A PASSING LANE EAST OF COKATO, MN. 2. THE WINDOW EXPLODED AT 6:45 AM. GLASS CHIPPED THE PAINT ON THE SIDE OF THE VAN AND WAS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE INSIDE OF THE VAN - AGAIN. 3. THE SIDE WINDOW ON THE SLIDING DOOR WAS REPLACE BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY (PROGRESSIVE) AND THE VAN WILL BE PAINTED AGAIN SOON. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10095758

Incident

Jul 19, 2004

Mileage

24,188 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. THERE WAS A REFLECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD THAT IMPAIRED VISION WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER SPOKE WITH THE DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED HE DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10082154

Incident

Jul 16, 2004

THE WEATHER STRIPPING SECURING THE WINDSHEILD CAME LOOSE AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO STOP IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAD TO HOLD THE FLAPPING PIECE OF WEATHER STRIPPING WHILE DRIVING. THE LONGER I DROVE THE MORE IT BECAME DETACHED DUE TO THE WIND PREASURE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10033010

Incident

May 29, 2003

Mileage

3,800 mi