2007 Dodge Grand Caravan Steering Problems

MY 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE CAN BE EASILY SHIFTED INTO GEAR WHILE IN AUXILIARY POWER, AND IT SOMETIMES LOCKS OUT MY BRAKES, AS THERE IS A LOCKED STEERING WHEEL YOU CAN'T STEER IT AND CAN'T TURN IT ON WITHOUT SHIFTING BACK TO PARK WHICH CAN BE DIFFICULT IF THE BRAKES LOCK. A CHILD COULD EASILY SET IT IN GEAR IF YOU ARE RUNNING THE AIR AND YOU LEAVE THE CAR BRIEFLY, I DO NOT HAVE KIDS BUT I DO RUN SOME TAXI WORK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT COULD BE DONE ANYWHERE AS LONG AS IT'S IN AUXILIARY POWER TO RADIO AND ELECTRICS BUT NOT FULLY ON

NHTSA ID

11297532

Incident

Jan 6, 2020

Mileage

494,194 mi

AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK WITH GAS, THE CAR, ALMOST ALWAYS, STALLS, A FEW MINUTES INTO DRIVING. I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, SINCE MY WIFE MOSTLY USES THIS CAR, AND HAS STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES.I HAVE HAD IT STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION.OF COURSE, THE POWER STEERING ALSO CUTS OUT WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WHICH COMPOUNDS THE DANGER. WHEN I "GOOGLED" THE WORDS "2007 GRAND CARAVAN STALLS", A VERY LONG LIST OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT IMMEDIATELY CAME UP.APPARENTLY, THE SMALL PART CAUSING THIS MALFUNCTION IS PART OF THE ENTIRE GAS TANK AND CANNOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT REPLACING THE ENTIRE GAS TANK. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR, AND NOT AFFORDABLE TO MANY. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE RECALLING THESE VEHICLES AND REPAIRING WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW, BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. THIS IS NOT A DEFECT IN SOME INNOCUOUS INTERIOR PART OF THE CAR, IT AFFECTS THE SAFE OPERATION OF A MOVING VEHICLE!

NHTSA ID

10824399

Incident

Feb 5, 2016

ON APPROXIMATELY 04/07/2014 THE VAN WAS FILLED UP WITH GAS, I TOOK THE NOZZLE OUT WHEN IT SHUT OFF AND DID NOT PUT ANY EXTRA GAS INTO TANK. I STARTED UP THE VAN TO EXIT THE STATION WE DROVE ABOUT 100 YARDS AND THE VAN JERKED WITH A KNOCKING SOUND TWICE AND STALLED. I STARTED THE VAN BACK UP, WHEN IT DID START THE IDLE WAS ROUGH AND LOW. I HELD MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDDLE TO SLIGHTLY RAISE THE RPM'S FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE WE PROCEEDED. IT TOOK A COUPLE OF MILES BEFORE THE VAN SEEMED TO BE ABOUT NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO OTHER TIMES SINCE THEN. ANOTHER COMPLAINT, THE FRONT BRAKES SQUEAK EVERY TIME YOU APPLY THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10637670

Incident

Apr 7, 2014

Mileage

38,700 mi

WHEN I FILL UP MY VAN, THE VEHICLE WILL START HOWEVER AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND I AM ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. HAVE HAD TO SEVERAL MECHANICS LOOK AT THE VAN, AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE ISSUE IS. I TRY TO RIDE AROUND THE GAS STATION PARKING LOT TO INSURE THE VAN IS GOING TO RUN BECAUSE I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WHEN I AM TRYING TO CROSS TRAFFIC. I WILL THEN HAVE NO BRAKES, POWER STEERING, ETC. THE VAN SHUTS COMPLETELY OFF. I USUALLY ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10632112

Incident

Dec 30, 2013

Mileage

117,000 mi

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHEN DRIVING THE CAR, THE IGNITION KEY SUDDENLY SHUT OFF THE ENGINE CAUSING DIFFICULTY WITH STEERING AS WELL. THIS WAS CHECKED BY THE DEALERSHIP WHO COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THE ACTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607466

Incident

Mar 28, 2011

I HAVE A 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE NOT A GM VEHICLE, I HAVE EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE IGNITION AS HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE GM VEHICLES. I HAVE HAD SEVEN INCIDENTS. THE ISSUES INVOLVES VEHICLE LOSING ALL POWER. ALL GAUGES WILL DROP TO ZERO AND STEERING WILL BE LOST. I HAVE HAD TO SWITCH THE VEHICLE OVER TO NEUTRAL AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON SHUTTING OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE STARTS FINE. AFTER HEARING ABOUT THE GM RECALL, I TOOK ALL EXCESS KEYS OFF OF MY KEY CHAIN. I HAVE NOT ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEM SINCE. HOWEVER, THIS IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME. AT ONE TIME, I WAS TURNING AROUND A CIRCULAR MONUMENT AND ALMOST COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN NEUTRAL. I FEAR THAT THIS IGNITION ISSUE IS AFFECTING MORE VEHICLES THAN JUST GMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10576073

Incident

Nov 14, 2013

Mileage

112,000 mi

2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PROBLEM WITH TIE RODS *TGW ALSO, THE ABS SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10428533

Incident

Sep 1, 2011

OUR 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT SHOWS PREMATURE WEAR IN THE BRAKE AND RACK-AND-PINION SYSTEMS. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 20,500 MILES AND AGAIN AT 42,300 MILES. THE BRAKE PADS WERE COMPLETELY WORN OUT AFTER JUST ABOUT 20,000 MILES TWICE NOW. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, BECAUSE YOU DO NOT EXPECT THE BRAKES TO WEAR OUT AFTER 20,000 MILES PARTICULARLY IN THIS FAMILY CAR, ALWAYS DRIVEN WITH KIDS, VERY CAUTIOUSLY AND NEVER OFF-ROAD. THE RACK-AND-PINION SYSTEM IS WORN OUT AT 42,300 MILES AND THAT IS ALSO A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IT IS PREMATURE AS WELL. THE CONSUMER DOES NOT EXPECT A FAILURE AFTER SUCH FEW MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY AND METICULOUSLY INSPECTED AT THE CHRYSLER DODGE DEALERSHIP ACCORDING TO DODGE SPECIFICATIONS WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR AT 11,234 MILES IN MAY 2008. *TR

NHTSA ID

10351170

Incident

Aug 21, 2010

Mileage

42,300 mi

2007 DODGE CARAVAN WITH 37,000 MILES WENT FOR ANNUAL INSPECTION. FOUND BOTH OUTER TIEROD ENDS WERE WORN OUT AND UNABLE TO PASS INSPECTION. VAN WAS NEVER ABUSED, NOR PUT INTO SEVERE SERVICE. FOUR PREVIOUS VANS DATING BACK TO 1991 HAD OVER 100,000 MILES AND NEVER THIS PROBLEM. THEREFORE, THE MATERIAL MUST BE DEFECTIVE. DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT ABNORMAL FOR THIS EARLY REPAIR. I THINK CHRYSLER USED DEFECTIVE MATERIALS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10332322

Incident

May 26, 2010

Mileage

37,000 mi

I PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT ABOUT MY REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. MY ABS LIGHT IS ON AGAIN SO I TOOK IT THE GARAGE. I AM TOLD MY RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD AND THE SWAY BAR KIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE LEFT OUTER TIE ROD ABOUT 10,000 MILES AGO. THE SUSPENSION OF THIS VAN IS HORRIBLE AND IT IS A FAMILY CAR. I CARRY MY FAMILY IN THIS CAR THAT COULD LOOSE A TIRE, FLIP OVER, OR LEAVE ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I AM A MOTHER WHO DOESN'T USE THE VAN FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN ORDINARY USE. I AM NOT BAJA OR CAUSING ANY STRESS ON THE SUSPENSION TO CAUSE ALL THESE PROBLEMS. CURRENT MILEAGE IS 64,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10331668

Incident

May 17, 2010

Mileage

64,000 mi

WHEN I RIDE THROUGH PUDDLES OF WATER, I LOOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER MY VEHICLE. I WAS TURNING THE CORNER ENTERING ONTO A MAIN ROAD THAT HAD A MODERATE SIZE PUDDLE OF WATER. I LOSS THE ABILITY TO STEER MY VAN AND ALMOST RAN INTO THE MEDIAN. THE LOSS WAS ONLY FOR A FEW SECONDS BUT LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF MY VAN. I COULD NOT STEER MY VEHICLE AFTER A VERY HARD GUST OF RAIN SHOWERED MY VEHICLE AS I WAS YIELDING BEFORE ENTERING A MAIN HIGHWAY. AFTER PROCEEDING ONTO THE HWY I HAD TO STOP AND WAIT SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE BEING ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD ONE OTHER OCCURRENCE AFTER SPLASHING INTO A VERY SMALL PUDDLE OF WATER ENTERING INTO THE DEVELOPMENT THAT I LIVE IN. I WAS TRAVELING VERY SLOWLY AS I WAS APPROACHING THE GUARD GATE. I HAD TO WAIT AT LEAST 20 SECONDS BEFORE BEING ABLE TO STEER MY VEHICLE. EACH OCCURRENCE THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT I LOOSE STEERING SEEMS TO INCREASE. EACH TIME IT SEEMS THE WATER SPLASHES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE BECOME A PROBLEM WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. I AM VERY CONCERNED AND WILL BE CONTACTING MY DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10319314

Incident

Sep 1, 2009

Mileage

60,000 mi

CONTINUAL POWER STEERING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE AND METALLIC SOUND FROM FRONT SUSPENSION. I TOOK TO RICHMOND DODGE IN RICHMOND, MI FOR SERVICE 3 TIMES FOR SAME COMPLAINT. ON LAST SERVICE, LEARNED TIE RODS, BALL JOINTS, AND STRUT BEARING DEFECTIVE. POWER STEERING STILL MAKING NOISE AND HARD TO STEER. TOTAL SHOP TIME 10 DAYS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10281402

Incident

Jul 27, 2007

Mileage

22,000 mi

1-TOOK CHRYSLER 2007 GRAND CARAVAN FOR REPAIR, JULY 2, 2009, FOR BRAKE REPAIR AND TUNEUP. REPAIR MAN NOTICED THE FRONT TIE-RODS WERE OF MORE IMMEDIATE CONCERN. HE SAID HE NOTICED SAME CONDITION OF DAMAGED/BENT TIE RODS ON OTHER CHRYSLER MINI VANS (NOT SURE IF OTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLES AS WELL). HE EVEN QUESTIONED WHETHER THERE WAS AN IMMANENT RECALL. I DID JUST WRITE TO CHRYSLER EXPRESSING CONCERN ON TIE RODS. 2- THE FAILURE IS THE FRONT TIE RODS (NOT SURE ON REAR) WHICH NOW MAKES SENSE AS MY FRONT TIRES ARE PREMATURELY WORN. DID THE TIE RODS ALSO CAUSE THE BRAKES TO PREMATURELY WEAR? I HAVE 45K MILES ON VEHICLE (NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS)AND AM NOW ON 2ND BRAKE REPAIR (ROTORS AND PADS). NOT 100% CLEAR IF BRAKES AFFECTED BY TIRE RODS DAMAGE BUT PREMATURE TIRE CONDITION IS, ACCORDING TO MECHANIC. CONSEQUENCES OF FRONT TIE ROD DEFECT COULD BE SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING. 3- ACTION ITEM: I WILL HAVE REPAIR PLACE REPAIR FRONT BRAKES THEN BRING VAN BACK IN ONE WEEK TO REPAIR THE FRONT TIE RODS ($150). THEN A WEEK LATER GET NEW FRONT TIRES. COULDN'T AFFORD ALL THREE AT ONCE. *TR THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP/GUIDANCE

NHTSA ID

10275629

Incident

Jul 2, 2009

Mileage

45 mi

ON 8/22/07 I PURCHASED A 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN FROM ED NAPLETON DODGE IN OAKLAWN, ILLINOIS. ON 10/5/07 WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, IT OVERHEATED AND THE STEERING WENT OUT OF CONTROL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE HARD TO STEER. LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD THE ALTERNATOR BELT WAS IN SHREDS. IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10205217

Incident

Oct 5, 2007

Mileage

2,138 mi