1997 DODGE CARAVAN Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED AFTER A FEW MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURES WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE RADIO STOP WORKING AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE, AIR BAG AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

MY WIFE PARK THE VAN INSIDE THE GARAGE, TURN OFF THE RADIO, ENGINE AND LIGHTS. SHE OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR AND SEE FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING BY THE PARKING BRAKE HANDLER. AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE VAN WERE ON. SHE REMOVE THE KIDS FROM THE VAN AND MY SON CALL 911.POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, REMOVE THE VAN FROM THE GARAGE AND CHECK IT AND FOUND POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION .CHECK THE VAN TODAY 8-24 2013 AND FOUND THAT THE FIRE START AT THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH. DIM SWITCH OK AND MIRROR SWITCH OK. THE FIRE DAMAGE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD, WINDSHIELD, SUN VISOR AND CELLING. I HAVE THIS VAN SINCE NEW, NEVER HAVE A PROBLEM BEFORE. AND NEVER SEE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. *TR

1997 DODGE CARAVAN. STARTING AT ABOUT 30,000 MILES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD MYSTERIOUSLY COME ON, MAKE 4 TO 5 WIPES AND TURN OFF. WE MADE JOKES ABOUT THE GHOST RIDING WITH US. IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, HAPPENING ABOUT EVERY MONTH OR SIX WEEKS. IT COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED ON DEMAND. FINALLY, AT 72,000, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS REFUSED TO TURN ON FROM THE STALK--EXCEPT WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WAS GIVEN A "SQUIRT" OF FLUID BY LIFTING UP ON THE TURN SIGNAL/WIPER CONTROL STALK, THEN THEY GAVE THE REGULAR THREE WIPES AND TURNED OFF. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE SWITCH UNIT. IT DID NOT HELP. THEN THEY CALLED CHRYSLER'S "SUPER TECH 800 NUMBER" AND NO HELP WAS PROVIDED. SINCE THE CAR COULD NOT BE INSPECTED WITH NO WIPER FUNCTION, THE ENTIRE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED (COMPUTER) WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM. COST: $741.00. SINCE ALL OF THE MECHANICAL PARTS OF THE WIPER...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED FROM DRIVE INTO PARK AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. TWO DAYS LATER, WHILE MAKING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND NEARLY CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE VEHICLE PERSISTENTLY STALLED AFTER THESE INCIDENTS AND WAS DRIVEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE COMPUTER AND CONTROL BODY MODULE WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT A DIAGNOSTIC WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS RELATED TO THE VEHICLE; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 135,000.

NO POWER TO INSTRUMENT PANEL 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. BAD SOLDERING JOINTS IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CIRCUIT BOARD. *TR

THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE REPAIRS WERE NOT DONE THE DEALER. *NM THE A/C WAS INOPERATIVE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE SES LIGHT. RECALL# 04V480000. *SC *JB

FUEL TANK, BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE WE BOUGHT IT, EVERY TIME WE GO TO BRING THE VECHICLE IN FOR THEM, THEN COULD NOT FIND AN ANSWER AFTER ABOUT THE 4TH TIME WE BROUGHT IT IN, WE SAID THIS IS TO MUCH AND WE BROUGHT IT IN MORE THEN 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND WE SHOULD GET REPAIRED FREE, I BELIVE BY LEMON LAW?, WELL NUTTHING YET 3 YEARS AND RUNNING, WITH SEVERAL SEVERAL PROBLEMS, SHOULD ALL BE A RECALL CAUSE THAT TOMANY PROBLEMS, SUCH AS ON ALLDATA.COM AND READ ABOUT THE 97 DODGE CARAVAN 3.3L, MY LORD EVER PROBLEM ON THAT SHEET I HAVE, REALY GETTING ON MY NERVES...

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, BOTH FANS REMAIN ON, AND THE DASHBOARD TEMPERATURE GAUGE DROPS TO C (BOTTOM). DEALER REPLACED RELAY BY THE RADIATOR AND THE COMPUTER (POWER TRAIN MODULE) BUT THE PROBLEMS REMAINS. *TT

WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FIRE THAT ORIGINATED IN THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE ONLY POSSIBLE NATURAL CAUSE FOR THE FIRE WOULD BE AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, CLAIM 13-7000-834. *SLC

STARTER CAUGHT ON FIRE, FIRE STARTED IN THE ALTERNATOR/IGNITION SYSTEM, CLAIM 18-0315-533. *SLC

WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, IT STATES THAT THE ONLY POSSIBLE NATURAL CAUSE FOR THE FIRE WOULD BE AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, HOWEVER THIS WAS NOT PRESENT IN THE EVIDENCE THAT WAS EXAMNINED AFTER THE FIRE, CLAIM 13-7000-834. *SLC

WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, IT STATES THAT THE ONLY POSSIBLE NATURAL CAUSE FOR THE FIRE WOULD BE AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, HOWEVER THIS WAS NOT PRESENT IN THE EVIDENCE THAT WAS EXAMNINED AFTER THE FIRE, CLAIM 13-7000-834. *SLC

WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FIRE THAT ORIGINATED IN THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE ONLY POSSIBLE NATURAL CAUSE FOR THE FIRE WOULD BE AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, CLAIM 13-7000-834. *SLC

STARTER CAUGHT ON FIRE, FIRE STARTED IN THE ALTERNATOR/IGNITION SYSTEM, CLAIM 18-0315-533. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS: WINDSHIELD WIPERS INOPERABLE DUE TO A SHORT IN SWITCH, RADIATOR FAN RELAY REPLACED, GROUND WIRE LOOSE IN ENGINE CAUSING DASH CLUSTER TO GO HAYWIRE, HORN, POWER WINDOWS, RADIO, SPEEDOMETER, AND AIR CONDITIONER INOPERABLE AT TIMES. *SLC

DEALERSHIP REPAIRED DEFECT OF AIRBAG/STEERING COLUMN/ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS LAST FEBRUARY. CONSUMER STATES THAT THESE DEFECTS HAVE OCCURRED AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK