NHTSA Complaint #10069813 — 1995 DODGE CARAVAN

THE AIR-CONDITIONING UNIT STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN I TOOK MY VAN TO THE MECHANIC, HE INFORMED ME THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO DETECT ANY LEAK IN THE SYSTEM AND WITH MY PERMISSION RECHARGED THE SYSTEM BACK IN SEPTEMBER. IT WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS THEN ONCE AGAIN,WITHOUT WARNING,IT STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR.I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER,AND THEY BLUNTLY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY PROBLEM SINCE THE 3 YEAR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY HAD LONG EXPIRED. I COUNTERED TO NO AVAIL THAT TWO SEPERATE INDEPENDANT MECHANICS HAD INFORMED ME THAT A NUMBER OF DODGE OWNERS WITH THE SAME AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS HAD BEEN COMPLAINING TO THEM OF THE SAME PROBLEM.IN ADDITION, I ALSO HAD FOUND OUT THAT CHRYSLER HAD EXTENDED SEVERAL MODEL WARRANTIES TO 7 YEAR/70,000 MILES INCLUDING THE GRAND CHEROKEE BECAUSE OF FAULTY AIR-CONDITIONING EVAPORATORS WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE SAME OR SIMILAR ONE PRESENTLY FAILING IN MY VAN. ON A SEPERATE NOTE,I WAS INFORMED EARLIER IN DECEMBER THAT I HAD AN OIL LEAK COMING OUT OF AN AREA WHERE A SECTION OF THE HEAD GASKET WAS SEATED. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT,I HAD ALSO INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE COST ME OVER $1000.00 TO REPLACE. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT I HAD SPOKEN TO ADMITTED OVER THE PHONE TO ME THAT THERE WAS A GASKET PROBLEM WITH A NUMBER OF 90'S MODELS AND THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED WITH A CHANGE IN 1999 SELECT VEHICLES INCLUDING THE 2.4 LITRE MINIVANS.FORTUNATELY, I WAS ONLY CHARGED A $100.00 DEDUCTIBLE BY A LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET.