1997 DODGE CARAVAN Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasolinebelts And Associated Pulleys Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, THE FAN BELT SUDDENLY FAILED, CAUSING THE STEERING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM TO ALSO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAN BELT WAS NOT IN A LOCATION AROUND THE FAN UNIT TO HOLD IT IN PLACE AND WOULD FAIL AGAIN IF WET. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 33,000.

MARCH 3,2007 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK IN THE RAIN. I DROVE FOR 30 MINUTES AND THEN THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF MY 97 DODGE CARAVAN AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. ONCE AGAIN, I WAS LUCKY AND DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT. SECONDLY, MY SMALL CHILD WAS NOT IN THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND ON THIS MODEL AND YEAR OF DODGE CARAVAN THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET OF THIS PROBLEM. I DID MISS A DAY OF WORK AND HAD TO HAVE THE BELT PUT BACK ON THE CAR, AS WELL AS HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED FOR ABOUT 25 MILES. *JB

SERPENTINE BELT KEEPS COMING OFF AFTER HITTING A PUDDLE OR BODY OF WATER. THIS PROBLEM STARTED, AFTER HAVING WORK DONE TO MY 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. A AUTOMOTIVE SHOP REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SERPENTINE BELT DUE TO BEING DAMAGE (BROKEN). THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURN TO AUTOMOTIVE SHOP FIVE TIME, SINCE THE ORIGINAL SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACE, EACH INCIDENT MY DODGE CARAVAN HIT A PUDDLE OF WATER, JUST THE CORRECT WAY IN WHICH CAUSING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO COME OFF AFTER THE SERPENTINE BELT COME OFF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE BATTERY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN THE POWER STEERING LOCKS UP IN WHICH THE CAR IS OUT OF CONTROL. DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT KNOWS THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT CONFIGURATION, BUT CHOSEN NOT TO DUE THE RIGHT THING. *JB

SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WHENEVER THERE IS INCLEMENT WEATHER -IE, RAIN , SNOW, SLUSH, MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. MY SPECIFIC CONCERN IS THAT - THIS DEFECT- MAY CAUSE AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON SOME SUPER HIGHWAY BECAUSE STEERING BECOMES ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. I THINK THE POTENTIAL FOR MANY DEATHS IS THERE IF THIS PROBLEM - WHICH APPEARS QUITE FREQUENTLY ON CHRYSLER PRODUCT MINIVANS IS NOT CORRECTED. IT IS MY OPIUNION THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON ALL THE MINIVANS WHICH HAVE SIMILAR CONFIGURATIONS AS THE 1997 3.3 SERIES ENGINES. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INJURED WHEN HER VEHICLE SLID INTO A DITCH AFTER THE SERPENTINE BELT AND OTHER PARTS FELL TO THE GROUND. *PH *JB

WHILE DRIVING OVER WATER PUDDLES CONSUMER NOTICED THE SERPENTINE BELT FROZE, CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP. *AK THE POWER STEERING HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE, THE GEARS WOULD SLIP WHEN SHIFTED, THE WATER PUMP LEAKED, THE BELT TENSIONER FELL APART, THE CONSUMER WOULD LOSE THE STEERING WHEN DRIVING THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER,THE A/C DID NOT BLOW COOL AIR DUE TO A LEAKING EVAPORATOR, AND THE BELT TENSIONER WOULD STICK AND MAKE NOISES WHEN DRIVING THROUGH WATER. *SC *JB

THE TENSION PULLEY SHEARED IT'S BOLT AND CAUSED THE PULLEY TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING. CAUSING THE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT AND NEARLY LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE BOLT SIZE WAS SUPRISINGLY SMALL FOR A PART THAT HANDLES THAT MUCH TENSION. MY FEAR IS THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN WHILE MY KIDS ARE IN IT AND AT A HIGHER SPEED. *LA

THE SERPENTINE BELT POPPED OFF, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND FUNCTION OF THE ALTERNATOR, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL.*JB

THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.*JB

MOPAR BELT TENSIONER PART 4536154 HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES, COUNTING OE PART. THE TENSIONER FAILS BETWEEN 25,000 AND 30,000 MILES DESTROYING THE BELT. THE LAST DODGE DEALER MECHANIC TO REPLACE THE PART STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT IT PERSISTS WITH MOPAR REPLACEMENT PARTS.*AK

IN HEAVY RAIN, SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL POWER. FORCED WATER REDUCES FRICTION, CAUSING BELT TO LOOSEN. THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH BELT TO BE REPLACED. *AK *TT

SERPENTINE BELT KEEPS COMING OFF WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 OR 4 TIMES ALREADY. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC SERPENTINE BELT WOULD KEEP COMING OFF WHENEVER IT GETS WET. LAST COUPLE OF TIMES BELT CAME OFF THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY RAIN.*AK

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HORN STOPPED WORKING, MECHANIC STATED CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK ALSO CONSUMER WAS HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE RADIO THAT HAS BEEN WORKED ON FIVE TIMES AND REPLACED TWICE AND STILL DOESNOT WORK TO CONSUMER'S SATISFACTION, CONSUMER ALSO HAD BRAKES REPLACED, ALSO THE TENSIONER BELT ON THE TIMING BELT, ALSO THE WATER PUMP BROKE, ALSO TRANSMISSION WENT OUT.*JB

WHILE DRIVING SERPENTINE BELT WOULD BECOME LOOSE. WOULD HAVE NO PRIOR WARNING. IT CAUSED PROBLEM WITH STEERING.*AK THE LOOSE SERPENTINE BELT CAUSED POWER STEERING LOSS AS WELL AS POWER BRAKES AND COOLING FAN. *YH

CONSUMER WAS STANDING NEXT TO VEHICLE WHEN ENGINE BELT FELL OFF, AND ENGINE STOPPED WORKING. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. DEALE COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT CAUSES BELT TO FALL OFF WHEN ORIGINAL BELT DID NOT SHOW ANY BRAKEAGE. *AK

SERPENTINE BELT PULLEY LOCKING UP AND CAUSING ENGINE TO CUT OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND MADE REPAIRS; BUT, PROBLEM WAS REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER . *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY SNOW SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF, CAUSING POWERSTEERING TO GO OUT. DEALER SAID THERE WAS A TSB OUT ON THAT COMPONENT, AND THAT BELT WOULD COME OFF AS SOON AS VEHICLE WENT THROUGH 6 INCHES OF SNOW. *AK INSTALLING A SNOW GUARD WASHER SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *YH

LEMON OF A CARAVAN - SERPENTINE BELT HAS FREYED AT THE FOLLOWING MILAGE POINTS: 14138, 14661, 47724, 48333, 51280, 97143, 105647. GHOST WHIPERS AT THE FOLLOWING MILE POINTS: 17606, 47724, 105647. TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT THE FOLLOWING MILE POINTS: 27000, 78868. LUCKLY FOR US OUR DEALER WAS UNDERSTANDING OF OUR PROBLEMS, BUT ONLY AFTER GOING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, AND GETTING ON A FIRST NAME BASIS WITH THE SHOP MANAGER (WHO WAS TIRED OF SEEING OUR VAN IN HIS SHOP EVERY FEW MONTHS IF NOT LESS). I HAVE 24 INSTANCES OF MY VAN GOING INTO THE SHOP, SOME INSTANCES HAVING SERVICE BULLETINS. OUR LATEST ADVENTURE IS YET ANOTHER SERPENTINE BELT WITH THE NEW DEALERSHIP IN BELLEVUE, WA SAYING THAT THE ALTINATOR BRACKET IS MISALIGNED. ALSO, MY DRIVERS SIDE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOLONGER OPEN. THE NEW DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP? I'VE HAD MY VAN...

WHEN THE BELT FLEW OFF, THE DEALERSHIP WE TOOK IT TO SAID THAT THEIS WAS A RECURRING PROBLEM THEY SAW EVERY DAY. AND THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL, AND WOULD PROBABLY FAIL AGIAN WITHIN A FEW MONTHS. THE LAST ONE WAS REPLACED IN AUGUST. IT IS SQUEALING AGAIN, INDICATING THAT THE ARM HAS AGAIN BEGUN TO FAIL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER PULLEY BROKE, CAUSING ALL POWER STEERING TO BE LOST. VAN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE BELT TENSIONER ASSEMBLY AND POWER STEERING PULLEY WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM,AND HAPPENED ALL THE TIME. OWNER VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF HIMSELF AND OTHERS. *AK TRANSMISSION JERKS WHILE TAKING OFF FROM STOP. A/C DOES NOT COOL ENOUGH. *YH

THE SERPENTINE BELT PULLY HAS BROKEN TWICE, RESULTING IN VEHICLE BEING TOWED TWICE, THERE IS A CONSTANT THUD FROM THE GAS TANK WHEN ACCELERATING, STOPPED DRAINS FROM THE "AC" ARE A CONTINOUS PROBLEM, CAR STUTTERS AT TURNPIKE SPEEDS AS WELL AS NORMAL CITY DRIVING, CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 22 TIMES IN 27 MONTHS, TRIED TO GET INFORMATION CONCERNING "LEMON LAW" BUT WAS ASKED TO "GIVE US THE CHANCE TO MAKE IT RIGHT" .HAVE HAD A NIAGRA FALLS FROM UNDER THE DASH TWICE SINCE THEY "FIXED THE PROBLEM" CAR VIBRATES AT TURNPIKE SPEEDS. DOOR LOCKS BREAK/FOUL SMELL WHEN THE "AC" COMES ON, ENGINE SERVICE LIGHTS COME ON FOR NO REASON, THE VAN WAS LEASED, AND TO GET OUT OF THE LEASE WOULD INVOLVE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. I WOULD TAKE MY 7 YEAR OLD BONNEVILLE ON TRIP BEFORE I WOULD TAKE MY 2 YEAR OLD VAN. WHAT CAN BE DONE...

THE PULLEY THAT KEEPS THE TENSION ON THE FAN BELT SNAPPED OFF. A SINGLE BOLT THAT HOLDS THIS SNAPPED IN HALF. WE LOST THE STEERING AND OTHER COMPONENTS ALL AT ONCE. HOW CAN SOMETHING THAT TAKES THE ABUSE OF A FAN/SURPENTINE BELT ONLY REQUIRE ONE BOLT. I FOUND OTHERS IN YOUR LISTING THAT HAD THE VERY SAME PROBLEMS. MY PARENTS ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE TOWN AND COUNTRY MINI VAN. *AK

SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, IT BREAKS AWAY FROM SERPENTINE BELT EVERY 10,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

SERPENTINE TENSIONER FELL OFF RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING.