NHTSA Complaint #10294665 — 2000 DODGE CARAVAN

THE SERPENTINE BELT ON A 2000 DODGE CARAVAN SLIPS OFF WHEN YOU GO THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER OR WET CONDITIONS SUCH AS IN THE RAIN OR SNOW, RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING (LOSS OF CONTROL); WATER PUMP (OVERHEATING AND POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE ALUMINUM HEADS); ALTERNATOR (NO BATTERY CHARGING) AND AC. THIS WAS AFTER A NEW BELT AND TENSIONER WAS INSTALLED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS INCIDENTS SITED ON RELATED WEB SITES. MY WIFE ALMOST WRECKED BECAUSE OF NO STEERING. IT HAPPENED OVER A DOZEN TIMES TO HER AND 4 TIMES TO ME. COST OF PUTTING BELT BACK ON WAS AROUND $40 EACH TIME. TRIED A FIX USING A DISC OVER THE TENSIONER AND IDLE PULLEY RECOMMENDED BY DEALER, BUT FIRST TIME THROUGH A RAIN PUDDLE, IT SLIPPED OFF. A $200 FIX IS AVAILABLE PLUS $150 LABOR CALLED A GATES KIT # 38379K ALSO BY GOODYEAR #49215K. THEY BOTH COME WITH A DOUBLE SIDED GROOVED BELT, GROOVED IDLE PULLEY AND GROOVED TENSIONER AND STATES THAT IT FIXES THE PROBLEM OF BELTS COMING OFF THE DODGE VANS IN WET WEATHER. IF THIS IS PART OF THE SELLING POINT OF THE KIT, THEN THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER, DODGE, PLYMOUTH VANS AND THE CONSUMER SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS "FIX." THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE PAID FOR AND CORRECTED BY CHRYSLER. *TR