1997 DODGE CARAVAN Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, THE ALTERNATOR AND AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. THE VEHICLE MERGED ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND NOTICED THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY AND WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. THE CONTACT CONNECTED THE BELT BACK ONTO THE PULLEY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THERE WAS NO FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE PULLEY COULD BE REPLACED FOR $1000. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 210,000.

BELT SLIPPED OFF MY 1997 DODGE CARAVAN.... ALSO WHEN I GOT HOME FELL FROM TOW TRUCK BECAUSE OF ICE !~! BUT WOULD NOT OF HAPPEN IF A RECALL WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ALREADY LOOK AT ALL THOSE COMPLAINTS OUT THERE.. *TR

BOUGHT A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN 1997. THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF NUMEROUS TIMES, USUALLY WHEN GOING THROUGH PUDDLES OR SNOW. WHEN THE BELT COMES OFF, ALL POWER TO STEERING, BRAKES, ETC. IS GONE. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THESE VANS, YET DODGE/CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED TO ADMIT IT AND RECALL IT. I FINALLY GOT TIRE OF IT AND TOOK A LOOK AT WHY IT WAS HAPPENING. I NOTICED THAT THE IDLER WHEEL CLOSEST TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IS SHAPED AND MOUNTED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE BELT TO COME OFF EASILY. THE IDLER WHEEL IS TOO FAR IN AND IS BEVELED OUTWARD, CAUSING THE BELT TO COME OFF WHEN IT BECAME WET OR GOT SNOW OR ICE PIECES ON IT. THE CURE? A 5 CENT WASHER PLACED BEHIND THIS IDLER WHEEL, BRINGING IT OUT EVER SO SLIGHTLY, BUT ENOUGH TO PREVENT IT FROM COMING OFF...

ON RAINY DAYS WHEN MAKING SHARP LEFT TURN, THE 97 DODGE CARAVAN (3.0 V6) LOOSES POWER STEERING AND GOES OUT OF CONTROL. THE SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT SLIPPED OUT OF THE TENSIONER PULLEY CAUSING THE POWER STEERING LOSS LEADING TO THIS HAZARDOUS CONDITION WHILE DRIVING IN ADDITION TO THE ROAD BEING WET AND SLIPPERY. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH OR DEADLY ACCIDENT IF THIS CONDITION HAPPENS. THIS CONDITION HAPPENED FOUR TIMES IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 15 MINUTES THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC TO DETERMINE WHERE THE FIRE STARTED OR THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE.

CONSUMER WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE THAT SHE HAD ONE YEAR AGO, BUT HAD IT REPAIRED VIA RECALL NOTICE. VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO START IN THE MORNING. CONSUMER COULD NOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT, AND DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR IT AGAIN. IT WAS REPAIRED ONE YEAR AGO. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. HAD THE VEHICLE TO TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK

A BANGING NOISE WAS HEARD EITHER FROM THE TRANSMISSION OR ENGINE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THE NOISE OCCURED WHILE DRIVING OR IDLING. DEALERSHIP WASN'T PROVIDING ANY ASSISTANCE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE NOISE COULD NOT BE CORRECTED.*AK

WE BOUGHT THIS VAN ONE YEAR AGO AND SO FAR WE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH OXYGEN SENSOR, SPEED SENSOR, HEAD GASKET, WATER PUMP, THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, DOORS LOCK AND UNLOCK WHENEVER THEY WANT NOT JUST THE 16 MPH THING, BALL JOINTS ARE CLUNKING, THE CD PLAYER QUIT AND THEN SOON AFTER FM RADIO ONLY AM WORKS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE ENGINE WAS CLUNKY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *JB

THERE HAS BEEN 5 REPLACEMENT TORQUE CONVERTERS SINCE PURCHASE. VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN DUE TO THE DEFECT IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER. *MR THIS PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, EVERY YEAR THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT, ALSO THE BRAKES. THE TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED TWICE, THERE WAS AN OIL PAN LEAK, THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON, AND THE AC NEEDED A NEW CONDENSER. *SCC

WHILE DRIVING OR STOPPING VEHICLE , THE SERVICE LIGHTS WILL SUDDENLY COME ON. THIS IS A RESULT OF THE SERPENTINE BELT COMING OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE BELT. PH

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING. THE DRIVER HAD VEHICLE TOWED, WHO INDICATED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE WAY THE HEAD GASKET WAS DESIGNED. THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED TWICE. TS

RADIATOR WAS LEAKING, FLUSHING COOLANT INTO THE TRANSMISSION, BUT TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN DASH NEVER SHOWED A HIGH READING. ALSO-SHOOK AUTO WAS WHERE I BOUGHT THE VAN, BUT I HAD THE REPAIRS DONE AT A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. NED ADAMS CHRYSLER-JEEP, 544 E LIBERTY ST,

VEHICLE STALLS, ON ONE OCCASION VEHICLE HIT A POT HOLE AND VEHICLE STALLED ALONG WITH THE FAILURE OF ALL POWER ACCESSORIES, DEALER REPLACED OXYGEN SENSOR AND CAM SENSOR, TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ HOT, BELT TENSIONER MADE HUMMING NOISE, AND FLYWHEEL WAS REPLACED. *SLC

WATER LEAKED INTO AIR BREATHER INTAKE WHEN CONSUMER DROVE THROUGH WATER, WATER WENT INTO THE ENGINE, CAUSING ENGINE TO SEIZE/FAIL.