NHTSA Complaint #10209960 — 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

WE HAVE HAD OUR VAN IN FOR SERVICE AND OIL CHANGES IN THE PAST. THE ENGINE HAD LESS THAN 40,000 MILES AND WAS USING ALMOST 4 QUARTS OF OIL IN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS. THE LAST TIME IT WAS SERVICED, THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY REASON WHY IT WAS USING OIL. THEY SAID TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT BY CHECKING IT FREQUENTLY, AND THEY COULD TRY TO MONITOR IT TO SEE WHY WE WERE LOOSING OIL. WE COULD ALWAYS FIND SMALL SPOTS OF OIL IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND ON PARKING AREAS/GARAGE FLOOR. THE DEALER DID CHECK THE VEHICLE AND SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY OIL LEAKS. THEY DID HOWEVER FIND A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION LINE, WHICH DID NOT EXPLAIN WHY WE WERE HAVING TO REPLACE OIL ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE HAD JUST PLACED 4 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE VAN TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THE VAN WAS TOTALED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT THE NEXT MONTH, SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OIL LEAK PROBLEM BUT FELT THAT WE SHOULD REPORT THIS PROBLEM SINCE OTHER DODGE CARAVAN OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WHERE THEY HAVE LOW MILEAGE ON THEIR VEHICLE, AND OIL LOSS FOR NO KNOWN REASON. *TR