NHTSA Complaint #10112056 — 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

POWER STEERING PUMP, RACK AND PINION SEALS, TRANSMISSION SOLENIOD PACK. ON DEC 16, 2003 I TOOK VAN IN FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER DID A RECALL JOB ON THE POWER STEERING COOLER HOSE. 1 WEEK LATER THE POWER STEERING STARTED GROWLING. I CHECKED FLUID AND NOTICED THE PUMP WAS DRY. APPARENTLY THE DEALER DIDN'T TOP OFF THE FLUID. I FILLED RESEVIOR AND DROVE BUT IT STILL HAD A LITTLE GROWL IN THE POWER STEERING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE SAME DEALER ON NOV 19, 2004 FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND ANOTHER POWER STEERING HOSE RECALL AND TOLD THEM THE STORY AND TO CHECK OUT PUMP. THEY SAID THE PUMP CHECKED OUT OK BUT THERE WAS A LITTLE NOISE WHEN MAKING SHARP TURNS BUT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO REPLACE THE PUMP. I TOLD THEM I WOULD BRING BACK IN COLDER WEATHER BECAUSE IT WAS STIFF TO STEER. I RETURNED ON 2/22/2005 BECAUSE THE PUMP WAS REALLY GROWLING AND IT WAS HARD TO STEER. THE DEALER CHECKED THE PUMP SAID IT WAS LOW BUT THEY DID NOTICE LEAKS FROM THE RACK N PINION AND TRANSMISSION SOLENIOD PACK. I ASKED THEM IF THIS WAS DUE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THEY SAID NO. I EXPLAIND I PURCHSED THE VEHICLE FROM THEM EXACTLY 2 YEARS AGO AND IT WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND ONLY HAD 20K ON IT. THEY SAID THEY CAN'T WARRANTY IT BUT WOULD FIX IT FOR $1600. I DECLINED AT THIS POINT.*AK