1998 DODGE CARAVAN Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING ON WET ROADS, THE POWER BRAKES AND STEERING FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PULLEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN AND BOUGHT A CARFAX REPORT WHEN PURCHASING WHICH WAS CLEAN SHOWING NO ACCIDENTS, NO PROBLEMS. THE ONE RECALL ALERT ON THIS YEAR AND MODEL WAS TAKEN CARE OF PREVIOUSLY. THE CAR HAS GENERALLY BEEN DEPENDABLE, OTHER THAN ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHICH FAILS INTERMITTENTLY AND ALL THE PANEL LIGHTS GO OFF. ON JANUARY 6TH, 2015 I WAS SHOPPING NOT FAR FROM HOME AND UPON EXITING THE STORE PARKING LOT TO LEAVE (2-3 MPH) TURNING THE WHEEL NORMALLY WHILE BACKING UP FROM MY SPACE, THE ENTIRE STEERING WHEEL JUST FELL INTO MY HANDS LEAVING IT ATTACHED BY ONLY A FEW WIRES. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OF THE UPCOMING FAILURE, NO SHAKING, NO WOBBLE, NOTHING.I AM A SENIOR AND WAS IN THE CAR ALONE. LUCKILY, SOME STRANGERS HELPED PUSH ME BACK INTO PARKING SPACE BY HOLDING AND TURNING THE...

THE BELT KEEPS SLIPPING OFF ON MY DODGE CARAVAN. THIS HAS BEEN CONTINUAL. THE FORUMS ARE FULL OF THESE COMPLAINTS. IT IS THE SERPENTINE BELT. I HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH TO THE MECHANIC. THEY TRY EVERYTHING, BUT WHEN IT IS WET, IT COMES OFF. I EVEN TRY NOT TO DRIVE IN RAIN, BUT AFTER THE RAINS, I DRIVE A SHORT DISTANCE AND ITS OFF AGAIN., I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THAT SEEMS TO TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. THIS IS REALLY DANGEROUS, AS IT IS VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. FORTUNATELY SO FAR, I HAVE NOT BEEN GOING AT SPEED DURING THESE INCIDENTS. I HAD THE TENSIONERS TIGHTENED AGAIN LAST MONTH, AND ITS OFF AGAIN. *TR

THE SERPENTINE BELT ON MY 98 DODGE CARAVAN KEEPS BREAKING. WHEN IT DOES, I LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. I BOUGHT THE CAR DECEMBER 17, 2009 AND HAVE HAD THE BELT BREAK 4 TIMES SINCE THEN, CAUSING ME NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS AND HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ALONG THE HIGHWAY WITH MY YOUNG CHILDREN. *TR

THE SERPENTINE BELT ON MY 98 DODGE CARAVAN KEEPS BREAKING. WHEN IT DOES, I LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. I BOUGHT THE CAR DECEMBER 17, 2009 AND HAVE HAD THE BELT BREAK 4 TIMES SINCE THEN, CAUSING ME NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS AND HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ALONG THE HIGHWAY WITH MY YOUNG CHILDREN. *TR

THE SERPENTINE BELT POPPED OFF MY 1998 DODGE CARAVAN, IT IS 02/10/10 -- THE DAY OF THE BLIZZARD. THIS HAPPENED BEFORE ON THE DAY OF THE BLIZZARD IN DECEMBER. THIS LEADS TO AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER STEERING DURING THE WORST POSSIBLE DRIVING CONDITIONS. WHEN I TRIED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN DECEMBER, TWO MECHANICS AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP BOTH IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY SAID IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WHEN ICE OR SNOW GETS UP UNDER THE CAR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. LOSS OF CRITICAL STEERING CAPABILITY DURING THE WORST POSSIBLE DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR

NO ACCIDENT. *TR

I OWN A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN 3.3L AND LESS THAN 55,000 MILES, THE TENSIONER PULLEY WENT OUT OF ALIGNMENT, THE BOLT HOLDING THE TENSIONER IN PLACE WAS SHEARED IN HALF, THE BELT FELL OFF, AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP IMMEDIATELY. THANK GOD THIS HAPPEN IN THE SHOPPING MALL PARKING LOT AND NOT ON FREEWAY, THE VAN BE IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL! HAVE THE VAN TOWED TO C&M AUTO SERVICE, HAVE THE SERPENTINE BELT, THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER REPLACED AND RE-ALIGN THE TENSIONER. THE BELT/PULLEY DESIGN ON THIS VAN IS FLAWED AND A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD! IN BRAZIL, CHRYSLER DID A RECALL BACK IN 2000 - DUE TO SEVERAL ISSUES RELATED TO BELT/PULLEY SYSTEM ON THE CARAVAN AND GRAND CARAVAN MODELS.*AK

EXPERIENCE LOST OF ENGINE POWER AND STEERING. BOLTS BROKEN AND REPLACE GASKETS. LOST STEERING WHILE DRIVING. *BF THE FRONT END APPEARED TO BE MUCH LOWER THAN USUAL AND THE BELT WAS HANGING BELOW THE CHASSIS. *SC

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, WITHOUT ANY WARNING CONSUMER LOST THE CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. DUE TO ONE SECTION OF THE STEERING PUMP IS RUSTED AND LEAKING FLUID. DEALER NOTIFIED. *LA

THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHEN SHE MADE A TURN TO THE RIGHT AND THEN TO THE LEFT. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE.*AK *PH *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ON FLAT SURFACE AND NO WARNING THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING ALL THE VEHICLES DASH LIGHTS SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING WHEEL GOT REALLY HARD TO TURN. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD FALLEN OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND MECHANIC INDICATED EXTERNAL CYLINDER GASKET WAS GONE. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VAN HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, POWER STEERING LOSS, BACK WHEELS ON FIRE, COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE AND ENGINE WOULD SEIZE AND STOP. *YH

ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ON, AND CONSUMER SAW SOMETHING HANGING FROM UNDER THE CAR, IT WAS SERPENTINE BELT. THEN, THERE WAS NO STEERING OR BRAKING.*AK

STEERING COLUMN REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS,THIRD REPAIR WAS DONE TO RACK AND PINION HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS ITH STEERING.