NHTSA Complaint #10049148 — 1996 DODGE CARAVAN

WE PURCHASED OUR 1996 CARAVAN NEW AND WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES (OF THOSE 1 TIME WAS REBUILT UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY) THE LAST TIME WE HAD REBUILT WAS IN MAY 2003 AND IS ALREADY STARTING TO ACT UP AGAIN, IT IS SLIPPING IN FIRST GEAR (BETWEEN 10-35 MPH). WE HAVE HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED TWICE; WE ARE NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH GASOLINE SMELL COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. THE TIMING BELT JUST BROKE THIS WEEK. WE HAVE NUMEROUS OIL LEAKS; WE ARE AVERAGING 3-4 QUARTS OF OIL PER WEEK; WE HAD ONE MECHANIC PUT DYE IN THE OIL AND HE HAD US DRIVE IT FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN CHECKED IT AND STATED THERE WAS 4-5 OIL LEAKS AND WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF TO BUY A NEW CAR; AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS BY SEVERAL MECHANICS DUE TO THE MULTPLE PROBLEMS WE HAVE HAD. WE HAVE ALSO HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH AIR CONDITIONER; AND THE SERPENTINE BELT BROKE SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANTY AND JUST HAD TO REPLACE IT AGAIN THIS WEEK ALONG WITH THE TIMING BELT AND CAM SEALS. WE HAD ABOUT 2 PAGES OF OF WARRANTY WORK DONE AND RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT IT WENT DOWN HILL FROM THERE. WE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CLOCK SPRING AND 6 MONTHS LATER THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CLOCK SPRING AND NOW I CANNOT FIND MY RECEIPT. WE ARE VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS MORE PROBLEMS THAN WE CAN COUNT AND WE VERY DISSAPPOINTED THAT WE PAID OVER $18000 FOR A VEHICLE AND HAD TO PUT APPROX MORE THAN $4000 IN UNNECCESARY REPAIRS THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT THE TRANSMISSIONS IN THESE CARAVANS ARE JUNK AND THERE AER ALWAYS PROBLEMS WITH THEM AND THIS DOESNT SEEM VERY FAIR TO US AS CONSUMERS BECAUSE WE PUT OUT TRUST INTO DODGE/CHRYSLER CORP AND WE ENDED UP WITH A LEMON. LAST YEAR I SENT AN EMAIL TO CHRYLER AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEMS AND THEY BASICLY JUST BLEW US OFF, OF COURSE BECAUSE IT WASNT THERE PROBLEM NOW SINCE THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED, I WILL SAY THIS I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN.