NHTSA Complaint #10153869 — 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SPORT WITH 35,000 MILES. RECALLED TWICE FOR STEERING FLUID HOSE REPLACEMENTS IN 2004. AFTER FIRST HOSE WAS REPLACED, MINIVAN STARTED LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE FOR ANOTHER STEERING HOSE REPLACEMENT. TOOK IT IN TO HAVE THAT REPLACED, TOLD THEM TO LOOK INTO THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK, THEY SAID THEY WOULD. THEY FIXED THE RECALL HOSE, MADE NOT MENTION OF LEAKING FLUID. FLUID DID NOT LEAK FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, THEN STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. TOOK IT BACK IN FOR 3RD RECALL (RADIO VENT SLOTS), AS WELL AS SMOKING ENGINE AND AGAIN MENTIONED LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY'D LOOK INTO IT. DEALERSHIP CONDUCTED 27 POINT INSPECTION ON OWN WILL, DID NOT FIND LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID (AUG. 2005). FLUID HAS BEEN LEAKING SINCE THEN. NOISE IN POWER STEERING CONSISTENTLY AUDIBLE, AND INCREASINGLY LOUDER AT ALL TIMES. NOW, DEALERSHIP SAYS THE RACK AND PINION ARE CRACKED AND NEED REPLACING. DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS IN NO WAY RELATED TO POWER STEERING HOSE RECALLS OR NEGLECT TO ADDRESS POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE. AM TAKING MINIVAN TO INDEPENDENT TECHNICIAN FOR REVIEW OF RACK AND PINION AND OPINION ON NEXT STEP. *JB