1998 Dodge Van Owner Complaints

ON AUG. 8, 2017 I WAS DRIVING A LEVEL 2 LANE SECLUDED ASPHALT ROAD IN MY 1998 DODGE CAMPER VAN. THE VAN IS DODGE 3500 EXTENDED MODEL, MODIFIED BY SPORTSMOBILE INTO A CAMPER VAN IN 1999. AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 50 MPH SUDDENLY A LOUD NOISE OCCURRED AND PIECE OF TIRE BEGAN TO FLY OFF. THE TIRES HAS BEEN RECENTLY ROTATED AND PRESSURE ADJUSTED TO ABOUT 80 PSI BY LES SCHWAB TIRES. WE HAD BEEN ON A ROAD TRIP SO I CHECKED TIRE INFLATION ABOUT EVERY DAY. THE TIRE TREAD HAD DISINTEGRATED AND PART OF IT HAD FLOWN OFF BUT THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED (AND STILL IS). ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE TREAD IS GONE. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC AND WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OVER AND REPLACE THE TIRE. HOWEVER UNDER NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING AND ESPECIALLY IF THE TIRE HAD BEEN IN FRONT I BELIEVE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND THE VAN WOULD LIKELY ROLLED.

NHTSA ID

11013803

Incident

Aug 8, 2017

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS; HOWEVER THERE IS NO OVER RIDE FOR THE LOCKS. THE DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN ALERTED.

NHTSA ID

10154662

Incident

Apr 1, 2006

Mileage

70,000 mi

1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN; RATTLING SOUND FROM ENGINE AREA FOR A FEW WEEKS, INTERMITTENT. SOUNDED FINE WHEN WE BOUGHT IT, USED, IN JULY. TOTALLY LOST THE TRANSMISSION OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND, STRANDING MY HUSBAND AND I AND OUR 6-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ALMOST 2 HOURS FROM HOME. NOW HAVE TO INVEST NEARLY $2,000 TO REBUILD THIS TRANSMISSION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10136247

Incident

Sep 3, 2005

Mileage

95,000 mi

1-AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON 2-CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING 3-HORN STOPPED WORKING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10132603

Incident

Jul 11, 2004

Mileage

89,000 mi

POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MOTOR FAILURE - TRAPPED PASSENGER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. EXITING THE VEHICLE REQUIRED CRAWLING OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE, AND EXITING VIA ANOTHER DOOR WITH A STILL FUNCTIONAL LOCKING MECHANISM. DEALER HAD TO REMOVE INTERIOR DOOR PANEL AND DESTROY THE ACTUATOR MOTOR, AND INSTALL A NEW UNIT AT APPROXIMATELY $250.00 PARTS & LABOR. OLD ACTUATOR WAS RETAINED BY FLETCHER CHRYSLER-DODGE DEALERSHIP IN ROGERS, AR.

NHTSA ID

10120074

Incident

Sep 3, 2002

Mileage

89,000 mi

POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MOTOR FAILURES - TRAPPING OCCUPANTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. OPERATING THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS NO EFFECT, NOR CAN THE LOCKING ROD BE RAISED MANUALLY; DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE BY THE DOOR HANDLE OR TURNING THE KEY LOCKING/UNLOCKING MECHANISM. DEALER HAS TO REMOVE INTERIOR DOOR PANEL, DESTROY THE ACTUATOR MOTOR, AND INSTALL A NEW UNIT AT APPROXIMATELY $200.00 PARTS & LABOR. OLD ACTUATOR WAS RETAINED BY FLETCHER CHRYSLER-DODGE DEALERSHIP IN ROGERS, AR.

NHTSA ID

10120068

Incident

May 3, 2005

Mileage

128,865 mi

POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MOTOR FAILURES - TRAPPING OCCUPANTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. OPERATING THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS NO EFFECT, NOR CAN THE LOCKING ROD BE RAISED MANUALLY; DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE BY THE DOOR HANDLE OR TURNING THE KEY LOCKING/UNLOCKING MECHANISM. DEALER HAS TO REMOVE INTERIOR DOOR PANEL, DESTROY THE ACTUATOR MOTOR, AND INSTALL A NEW UNIT AT APPROXIMATELY $200.00 PARTS & LABOR. OLD ACTUATOR WAS RETAINED BY FLETCHER CHRYSLER-DODGE DEALERSHIP IN ROGERS, AR.

NHTSA ID

10120065

Incident

Apr 26, 2005

Mileage

128,800 mi

I STARTED THE VAN THAT MORNING AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINED ON. I WAS NOT AWARE AT THAT TIME THAT MY HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL WERE ALSO AFFECTED. I FOUND THAT THE HORN DIDN'T WORK WHEN A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I ALMOST HIT IT. AFTER THAT I CHECKED THE FUSES AND RELAYS BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I EVEN TOOK THE HORNS OFF THE VAN AND WIRED THEM UP DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY. ALSO MY CRUISE CONTROL WORKED FINE UNTIL THE PRODUCT FAILED. NOW THAT DODGE FIXED THE CLOCKSPRING THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS OFF, I DON'T KNOW IF THE AIRBAG WILL WORK ? THE HORN WORKS BUT IT'S NOT AS LOUD AS IT USED TO BE, AND OF COURSE THE CRUISE CONTROL DON'T. THE CRUISE LIGHT FLASHES OR STAYS ON FOR A SHORT TIME AND I HOPE IT DON'T SHORT OUT AND CAUSE A ELECTRICAL FIRE OR THE CRUISE SYSTEM TURNS ON AND I CAN'T TURN IT OFF? I CALLED TO TAKE THE VAN BACK THE NEXT DAY AFTER I HAD SAT AT THE DODGE DEALER FOR A COUPLE HOURS THE NIGHT BEFORE TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED, AND I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE AN $80.00 CHARGE UNLESS IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY CAUSED. I TOLD THE PERSON THAT IT HAD BEEN WORKING FINE UNTIL THERE PRODUCT FAILED,AND I DIDN'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY. REGARDLESS TO SAY I DIDN'T TAKE THE VAN BACK. I DON'T HAVE AN EXTRA $80.0 O GIVE AWAY. OH AND A STRANGE COINCIDENCE, THE ESTIMATE FOR THE CLOCKSPRING IS $80.00 WITHOUT A RECALL NOTICE, IF YOUR VEHICLE IS ON THE LIST. I WAS SERIOUSLY THINKING ABOUT BUYING A NEW DODGE TRUCK BUT AFTER THIS I MIGHT JUST GO WITH TOYOTA. I NEVER GOT TO SEE THE PART THAT FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10110163

Incident

Sep 12, 2004

MY WIFE AND I NOTICED A SMOKY ODOR IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VAN A YEAR AGO. AFTER REPLACING SEVERAL ENGINE GASKETS AND PRESSURE-WASHING THE ENGINE BLOCK TO RULE OUT BURNING OIL, THE SMELL CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. FINALLY, MIDAS DISCOVERED A CRACKED CROSSOVER PIPE WAS ALLOWING ENGINE EXHAUST TO ESCAPE AND ENTER INTERIOR OF THE CAB. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS PART HAS BEEN ON A NATIONAL BACKORDER WITH DODGE FOR OVER 3 MONTHS AND OVER 1,000 OF THESE PARTS ARE ON ORDER ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ACCORDING TO MIDAS, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GRAND CARAVANS AND LONG DELAYS DUE TO NATIONAL BACKORDERS IS TYPICAL FOR THIS PART. THE DANGER IS THAT LARGE AMOUNTS OF CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERS THE VEHICLE. MY SON HAS BEEN COMPLAINING OF HEADACHES WHILE RIDING IN THE VAN. AFTER 3 MONTHS OF WAITING, WE FINALLY WORKED OUT WITH MIDAS A CUSTOM RETROFIT OF ANOTHER MANUFACTURERS CROSSOVER PIPE AND THAT SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED. THE DODGE PART NUMBER IS 4694374. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE CARBON MONOXIDE KILLS SOMEONE WHILE THEY ARE DRIVING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10106244

Incident

Jan 11, 2005

WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY BRAKES FAILED. DRIVER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING UNDER THE VEHICLE DUE TO A RUPTURED BRAKE LINE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10050315

Mileage

90,000 mi

NAR 04/10/2003 THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS DONE ON AIR BAG ASSEMBLY. AFTER REPAIRS WERE MADE A RECALL WAS ISSUED. THE CONSUMER HAS INCLUDING RECEIPTS OF THE AMOUNT PAID FOR REPAIRS BUT DODGE HAS REFUSED TO MAKE PAYMENTS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *CB

NHTSA ID

10015656

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

Mileage

57,081 mi

LEFT FRONT BEARING FAILED AT 36,000, AGAIN AT 52,000. RIGHT FAILED AT 63,000, BOTH AT 65,000. RIGHT FAILED AGAIN AT 69,100. BOTH BEARINGS AND SPINDLES REPLACED. RIGHT FAILED AGAIN AT 69,146.*AK

NHTSA ID

763678

Incident

Mar 3, 2000

B3500 MODEL VEHICLE - VALVE STEM IS SEPARATING FROM RUBBER AND METAL, CAUSING TIRES TO DEFLATE FASTER. VALVE STEM IS MANUFACTURED BY SCHRADER PART # TR-600HP. YEAR OF VEHICLE 1998.*AK *TT

NHTSA ID

8002652

Incident

Jan 11, 2002

WHILE MAKING A TURN INTO DRIVEWAY, VEHICLE STALLED, DEALER STATED THE AUTOMATIC IDLE SPEED MOTOR THAT REGULATES THE IDLE OF THE MOTOR WAS CARBONED AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. *SLC

NHTSA ID

564001

LOW SPEED WOBBLE - TSB 22-02-99. *AK

NHTSA ID

738582

Incident

Dec 1, 2000

FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. ALSO, DEALER PREVIOUSLY REPLACED TWO OTHER FAULTY FUEL TANKS WHICH LEAKED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

862317

AS OF THIS DATE, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS AT 8,000 MILES, REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS, CALIPERS, AND BRAKE PADS. THE SECOND INCIDENT, I HAD THE VEHICLE BACK IN 4 MONTHS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS DATE, 05-18-00, I AGAIN HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND HAS ONLY JUST TURNED 20,000 MILES. I FEEL THERE IS SOME KIND OF DEFECT IN THE PARTS OR IN THE MANUFACTORING OF THE PARTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

722901

Incident

May 18, 2000

FUEL LEAKAGES HAVE OCCURRED ON AT LEAST THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ON EACH OCCASION, PROBLEMS WERE "FIXED" BUT LEAKAGES SUBSEQENTLY OCCURRED.*AK

NHTSA ID

722852

Incident

Apr 10, 2000

WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL QUIT WORKING DURING OPERATION, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY . DEALER HAS REPLACED MOTOR TWICE, BUT DEFECT KEEPS REOCCURRING. *AK

NHTSA ID

847201

INTERIOR LIGHTS.

NHTSA ID

609797

Incident

Apr 1, 1998

DOOR LOCK.

NHTSA ID

609565

CONSUMER APPROVED FOR THE ON/OFF AIR BAG SWITCH, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP WILL NOT PERFORM WORK. MJS

NHTSA ID

545419

Incident

Mar 16, 1999

REAR DOOR LOCK FAILED. NM

NHTSA ID

608133

SEAT BELTS ARE PLACED IN THE WRONG SPOT. WHEN PULLING THE RESTRAINT ACROSS THE SHOULDER, THE LAP PART OF OF THE BELT IS POSITIONED UP AROUND THE WAIST INSTEAD OF THE HIPS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

833916