NHTSA Complaint #763066 — 1999 DODGE CARAVAN

I BEGAN TO NOTICE OIL UNDERNEATH MY 1999 DODGE CARAVAN ON MY CONCRETE DRIVEWAY. IT APPEARED TO COME FROM THE VALVE COVER. THE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS ONLY 47,000 AND THE VAN LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD. ALLSTAR DODGE SERVICE TOLD ME IT COULD BE THE VALVE COVER OR THE HEAD GASKET WHICH HE ADVISED COULD COST AROUND A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR. MY CARAVAN WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (3YR/36,000 MILES) I TOOK THE VAN TO A MECHANIC. HE REPAIRED THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND NOTICE NO OTHER PROBLEM AT THE TIME. TWO MONTHS LATER THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. I CONTACTED ALLSTAR DODGE SERVICE WHOM ADVISED ME THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CARAVAN AND NO RECALLS. I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO MY MECHANIC TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET REPAIRED. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THE ENGINE IN THIS VAN IS THE SAME 2.4L ENGINE THAT WAS RECALLED IN THE DODGE NEONS 1997 WITH FAULTY GASKETS. HE STATED THAT I MAY WANT TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE FOUND COMPLAINTS ABOUT BOTH THE VALVE COVER AND THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I PRAY OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS WOULD FILE COMPLAINTS SO THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE TO REMEDY THESE PROBLEMS AND BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR DIES. *AK