1996 DODGE CARAVAN Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HORN FAILED TO FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE ODOMETER DISPLAYED AN INCORRECT READING AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V293000 (AIR BAGS), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE FROM OWNER IN DEC. 2013 AND START HAVING PROBLEM THE OWNER I PURCHASE IT FROM PURCHASE IT FROM A BANK BACK IN 2006. THEY DID KNOW ABOUT AN RECALL OR ETC. ABOUT THIS VEHCLE. THE ELECTRIC HAS PROBLEM AND AIRBAGS, THE FUEL TANK IS LEAKING AND FUEL INJECTION AND ETC,. WHERE CAN I CAN GET HELP FOR THESE PROBLEMS.ETC.,. *TR

THIS VEHICLE HAS A CHRONIC DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THROWING ITS SERPENTINE BELT WHENEVER THE TENSION PULLEY GETS WET. SOON AS THE BELT IS THROWN THERE IS NO POWER STEERING, AND IT STEERS 10 TIMES WORSE THAN A MACK TRUCK. THE LACK OF STEERING IS A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD TO EVERY OTHER VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. AS IT HAPPENS SUDDENLY BY DRIVING THROUGH A WATER PUDDLE, ETC. THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO TIME TO REACT. IN ADDITION TO LACK OF STEERING THERE IS NO ALTERNATOR OUTPUT, RESULTING IN RAPID BATTERY DRAIN. ALSO THERE IS NO COOLANT SYSTEM FAN RESULTING IN RAPID ENGINE OVERHEATING. THIS DESIGN FAULT HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR WELL OVER A DECADE, NO MAKE THAT 2 DECADES, BUT CHRYSLER HAS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM DATES BACK TO ALL CHRYSLER MINI-VAN DESIGNS FROM THE EARLY 1990S TO AT LEAST 2000. IF THE LACK OF STEERING IS NOT A SAFETY...

CAR STOP HAVING ELECTRICAL OUTPUT. *TR

BCM-1, (WARRANTY) LOSS OF DASH FUNCTIONS 1996: BCM-2 ESTIMATE $1200 REPLACED CHRYSLER P/N P4686727 LOST 95,000 MILE ODOMETER FOR A WORKING BCM FROM JUNKYARD (2001), BCM-3, LOST FUEL GAUGE AND SPEEDOMETER BCM FROM JUNKYARD FIXED P/N P46867(2006) BAD WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT LEAKS WATER INTO CABIN, BCM-3, FAILED AGAIN CURRENTLY NO WIPERS, NOT ABLE TO FIND A 1996/1997 BCM ONLY 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER BCM P/N P04801062AE. WILL TRY TO VALIDATE COMPATIBILITY TONIGHT. ADEL CHRYSLER ESTIMATE $1,400 PLUS LABOR. ALREADY GAVE THEM $742 FOR TUNE UP AND TROUBLE SHOOTING WHAT THEY SAID WAS A BAD MULTI-SWITCH ($110) DID NOT FIX AND NO DISCOUNT FOR NOT KNOWING HOW TO DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM PROPERLY. THEIR NUMBER IS 515-993-4587 CORY (KARL IS THE SERVICE MANAGER-OWNER'S SON). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE HER VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A FIRE NEAR THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE CONTACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN BACK TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 192,400.

IN 2003 BCM REPLACED FOR MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT OPERATE. OVER $600 . LAST YEAR MY BATTERY CABLES AND BATTERY WERE SMOKING AND I WAS LUCKY I GOT TO THE DEALER JUST IN TIME AS BLACK SMOKE WAS GUSHING OUT FROM UNDER MY HOOD.... ANOTHER $600 REPAIR. IN JANUARY 2006 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CRAZINESS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND IT COULD NOT BE SMOGED. THEY REPROGRAMMED THE MODULE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IT SMOGED 2 DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WOULD TURN OVER AND DIE ....I RETURNED AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A PCM MODULE REPLACED $719. GETTING THE CAR BACK WAS ONE ELECTRICAL MISHAP AFTER ANOTHER....THE GAUGES WENT CRAZY...TAKEN BACK TO DEALER....REPROGRAMMED ....AND THEN TOLD THEY WERE NOT SURE HOW TO FIX IT...THEN GOT THE CAR BACK AND THE CLOCK AND RADIO INTERMITTENTLY WENT ON AND OFF.. THE COMPUTER SHUTTING...

THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. *JB

CAR KEEPS STALLING OUT WITH NO WARNING. USUALLY WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP OR TO TURN, SUCH AS COMING OFF AN EXIT RAMP. ALL THE SUDDEN NO POWER STERRING AN CAR IS DEAD. HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES SEVERAL TIMES.NOTHING DONE, CZN'T FIND PROBLEM WHEN HOOKED UP TO COMPUTER.*AK

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT EXCEED 50 MPH. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF. *AK *NM

WHEN VEHICLE WAS PARKED, PUDDLES OF GAS IS FORMED UNDER IT. THIS HAPPENED ANYTIME VEHICLE WAS PARKED. VEHICLE WAS LEAKING GAS AND NO ONE KNEW WHY. ALSO THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND WINDOW WIPERS CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. *TT

WHILE TRAVELING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, WATER RAN DOWN INTO THE POWER ASSEMBLY WHICH CAUSED IT TO RUST. *JB

ELECTRICAL - WINDSHIELD WIPERS, RADIO, STATIC ELECTRICITY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL START OPERATION WHILE ACTIVATION SWITCH IS IN "OFF" POSITION AT RANDOM WHILE DRIVING. WIPERS ALSO WILL START OPERATING WHEN EVER TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ON-GOING SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE IN 1996. EVEN THOUGH THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY, A REMEDY WAS NEVER OFFERED BY DEALER' SERVICE DEPARTMENT. STATIC ELECTRICITY IS A PROBLEM AT TIMES. UPON ENTERING VEHICLE ONE COULD EXPERIENCE AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK FROM TOUCHING DOOR HANDLE, STEERING WHEEL, ETC., RADIO/TAPE PLAYER MALFUNCTIONING OCCURRED QUITE OFTEN DURING FIRST FEW YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. WHEN REPORTED TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WAS INFORMED THAT WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. SINCE THEN FM TUNER HAS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. *JB

INTERMITTENT STALLING DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. *AK A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE IN MOTION. THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE ON MANY OCCASIONS AND CHANGED DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL PARTS AND THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE CONSUMER FOUND THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN THIS MAKE/MODEL. *SCC *JB

THE POWER DOORS DID NOT LOCK.*JB

DASH , SPEEDOMETER, TACH. AND ALL GAUGES. IN MY 1996 DODGE CARAVAN WENT OUT .THIS HAPPEN ABOUT THE YEAR OF 2000 AND HAD TO HAVE THE DASH REPLACED WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS. THE LOSS OF THE SPEEDOMETER SHOULD BE A SAFTY ISSUE I THINK.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF. CONSUMER STATES THERE WOULD BE NO LIGHTS AND THE HORN WOULD NOT WORK. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH

ENGINE SHUTS OFF DURING DRIVING OPERATION/DEALER THINKS IT'S A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (THEY CAN'T FIND IT)/PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE1999/I'VE TALKED TO OTHER CARAVAN OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM; THEY HAVE NO ANSWERS EITHER. *AK

THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME (RADIO AND WIPERS COME ON AND OFF, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON AT TIMES WHEN OPENING THE DOORS). *MJS

ELECTRICAL PROBLEM CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED FOR A APPOINTMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

IN FUELING OUR VAN, ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WE HAVE HAD A FIRE. THE FIRE COMES FROM THE FILLER PIPE ON THE VAN! THE VAN WAS TOTALLY TURNED OFF. IT DOES EXTINGUISH ITSELF AFTER AWHILE. WE ARE EXPERIENCING SHOCK CONSTANTLY WHEN WE TOUCH THE VAN. WE HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE SHOCKING PROBLEM, BUT NOT THE FIRE. WE ASSUMED IT WAS WITH OUR PERSONAL GAS TANK. CONTACTED THE GAS CO. AND THEY INVESTIGATED AND CORRECTED WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM. NO OTHER VEHICALS THAT ARE FILLED AT THIS TANK HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS DIFFICULTY. MY SON AND I WERE INVOLVED THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A FIRE. HE WAS BURNT SLIGHTLY. THE SECOND TIME, ONLY MYSELF. WE ARE CONCLUDING NOW, THAT THE DIFFICULTY IS WITHIN THE VAN. WE ARE CONTACTING A DEALER IN THE AM BUT WOULD YOU PLEASE ASSIST. NOT ONLY WAS THE FILLER PIPE ON...

VEHICLE STALLED ON THE ROAD DUE TO ELECTICAL SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSING ALL DASH LIGHTS TO GO OUT. YH

IT TOOK THE DEALER WITH THE PRODDING AND HELP OF THE MANUFATURER MORE THAN A MONTH TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT IN THE WINSHIELD WIPER ASSEMBLY ITSELF BUT IN THE 'ELECTRICAL CONTROL BOX'.

WHILE DRIVING ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, BUT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO OPERATE WITH NO ELECTRIC COMPONENTS WORKING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED REPLACED TRANSMISSION, STABILIZER SOCKETS, BRAKES AND BATTERY, LATCHES ON DOORS, HATCH REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. AK

WHEN REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE USED THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. DEALER NOTED PROBLEM WASA FUSE FOR REAR WIPERS WHICH WAS REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM RETURNED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH IN LEFT LANE, HAD JUST PASSED ANOTHER CAR, THERE WAS A MAJOR ELECTRICAL INTERRUPTION, CAUSING CRUISE CONTROL/RADIO AND BLOWER TO FAIL, AND VAN DECELERATED FOR ABOUT 4-5 MINUTES. SUDDENLY POWER CAME BACK ALONG WITH ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.

RELAY SWITICH CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT WHICH CAUSE STEAM TO COME FROM THE ENGINE AND MAKING IT UNABLE TO DRIVE. WINDSHILED WIPERS COME OFF AND ON WITHOUT WARNING.

OWNER STATES THAT SHE HAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH HER VEHICLE WHICH CAUSES IT TO STALL, DEALER CANNOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. *AK