NHTSA Complaint #700745 — 1997 DODGE CARAVAN

THE FIRST INCIDENT INVOLVES THE AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM, I REPORTED A WHINING NOISE TO THE DEALER AND ON THE FIRST INSPECTION THEY INDICATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, ON THE SECOND VISIT I INSISTED THAT THE SERVICE ADVISOR RIDE WITH ME AT WHICH TIME HE DID INFACT HEAR THE NOISE,THEY INSPECTED THE VAN AND SAID THAT IT WAS LEAKING FREON.THE NOISE STILL PREVAILED AND WHEN I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO THE DEALER THEY REINSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INDICATED THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPRESSOR,A MOVE TO A NEW LOCATION BY THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER REQUIRED ME TO WAIT OVER A MONTH, AND CAUSED MY VAN TO GO OUT OF WARRANTY, WHICH THE DEALER TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY THAT THEY WOULD HANDLE ANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD WITH NO CHARGE. I RETURNED THE VAN TO THE DEALER ON WEDNESDAY NOV. 18,1998 TO HAVE THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT AGAIN, AND INFORMED THEM THAT IT STILL MAKES NOISE AND IN FACT IT MAKES OTHER NOISES, POSSIBLY THE FAN BELT WAS LOOSE ETC. THEY REPLACED THE FAN BELT AND CHARGES ME $71.00 TO DO SO AS IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY.I HAVE PURCHASED A MAX WARRANTY FROM CHRYSLER FOR $1200.00, IN OCTOBER BEFORE IT WENT OUT OF WARRANTY. THE SECOND PROBLEM I HAVE BEEN HAVING IS THAT THE VEHICLE IS BURNING OIL, AND I HAVE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCATIONS TO HAVE THIS LOOKED AT. THEY DID A MILAGE CHECK TO SEE THE CONSUMPTION OVER A GIVEN TIME PERIOD.IT WAS FIRST DONE OVER A 3000 MILE PERIOD AT WHICH TIME IT BURNED A HALF QUART OF OIL,WHICH THE DEALER SAID WAS ACCEPTABLE, THE SECOND TEST WAS OVER A 6000 MILE PERIOD AND THE VEHICLE BURNED A HALF A QUART OF OIL, THE THIRD TIME WAS OVER A 3000 MILE PERIOD AND NOW THE VEHICLE BURNS A FULL QUART OF OIL, AND WHEN I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THAT WAS STILL ACCEPTABLE. I AM CONFUSED, THIS DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT I THINK THAT I MAY HAVE A LEMON, PLEASE RESPOND, AS I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT.