NHTSA Complaint #10196486 — 1999 DODGE CARAVAN

CORROSION OF LEFT FORWARD STRUT TOWER. DURING SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE, SAW EXTENSIVE CORROSION ON LEFT SHOCK TOWER IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CORROSION APPEARS TO HAVE DEVELOPED FROM INSIDE THE SHOCK TOWER AND ONLY BECAME APPARENT RECENTLY. CORROSION IS AFFECTING THE OUTBOARD HALF OF THE SHOCK TOWER AND AFFECTS TWO OF THE THREE BOLTS HOLDING THE STRUT TO THE TOWER. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERS BODY SHOP. THEY SAID THERE IS A FACTORY KIT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE NOT IMPRESSED WITH ITS STRUCTURAL STRENGTH OR APPEARANCE. SUGGESTED REPLACING STRUT TOWER AS A BETTER OPTION AT THE COST OF $1300.00. SAID DODGE WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY WARRANTY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS 116K MILES. ASKED SERVICE MANAGER IF THEY HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, SAID THEY HAD REPAIRED A FEW, AND THIS DEFECT SEEMS ALWAYS TO BE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF CARAVANS. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD NOT SEEN ANY STRUT TOWERS FAIL, BUT RESEARCHING THIS WEB SITE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS FAILURES AND CONSTITUTES A SAFETY DEFECT, THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO CORRECT. *TR