1999 DODGE CARAVAN Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE MAKES CONTACT WITH WATER, THE SERPENTINE BELT, WHICH CONTROLS THE STEERING, DETACHES. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WILL CHARGE A SERVICE FEE TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 6/4/09 *CN UPDATED 06/09/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT EVALUATED THE ENGINE AND NOTICED THAT THE OIL WAS LOW; HOWEVER, THE LOW OIL INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE AND HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH THROUGH PUDDLES IN THE ROAD, THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR SIX MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE IN THIS VEHICLE MODEL. AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED, SHE CONDUCTED RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED A TSB. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON HER VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

ENGINE RACES, THE TRANSMISSION WHINES AND CHANGES GEARS WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION. THE CONSUMER ALSO COMPLAINED OF ANOTHER VEHICLE SHE OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER CIRRUS. THE KEY LOCK WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES AND IT ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. *JB

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND THEN ENGINE FAILED. THE CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB *TC

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 44,000 MILES. *LA

WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE ENTERED THE CABIN WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE HEAD GASKET BLOWING OUT AND LEAKING OIL ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET. THE MANUFACTURER REDESIGNED AN UPGRADED THE HEAD GASKET. THE VAN HAD 4 CYLINDERS, AND 2.4 LITER ENGINE. *AK THE FUMES AND SMOKE MADE THE CONSUMER AND HIS WIFE SICK. (SINUS AND COUGHING WHICH EXISTED TWO WEEKS AFTER) *SCC *JB

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE ENGINE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. DEALER STATED, HEAD GASKET BROKE, VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN OIL LEAK. *JB

OIL LEAKING AT HEAD GASKET AT 43,000 MI (3YR 36K WARRANTY) WANTED A SECOND OPINION AS I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. MECHANIC WHO LOOKED AT IT THEN WASN'T SURE BUT KEPT AN EYE ON IT. JUST BROUGHT IT TO A NEW MECHANIC NOW HAVE 60,000 MILES ON IT. NEW MECHANIC SAYS HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM MULTIPLE TIMES IN THIS MODEL AND THE NEON. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW. UPON DELIVERY IT HAD A DENT WHICH HAD TO BE REPAIRED ON MY TIME, WE HAD A/C REPAIRED TWICE, POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE REPLACED(KEPT STALLING WHILE DRIVING),AND VISOR BROKE, ALL DURING FIRST 6 MONTHS. NOW THIS. CHRYSLER SAYS THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS. I PLAN TO KEEP FIGHTING THIS ONE. *NLM

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND KEPT IN THE GARAGE.*JB

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *JB

MY DODGE CARAVAN 99, STALLS. I CAN BE TURNING A CORNER, PUTTING ON THE BRAKE, SLOWING DOWN AND THE CAR STALLS. THIS HAS PUT ME IN VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. MY VAN HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP TWICE NOW. I HAD TO ASK FOR A MONITOR TO BE PUT ON THE ENGINE TO DETECT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THIS WAS NOT OFFERED TO ME, BUT SOMEONE I WORK WITH HAD A DODGE VAN WITH THE VERY SAME PROBLEM AND THEY HAD A MONITOR PUT ON THEIRS. CURRENTLY THE VAN IS STALLING, I AM PUSHING THE BUTTON ON THE MONITOR HOPING THE PROBLEM WILL BE DETECTED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE VAN HAS BEEN IN FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT THEY CAN NOT FIGURE OUT. AS SOMEONE I WORK WITH HAD A DODGE VAN, AN OLDER ONE, BUT SAME VAN, WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS IT MAKES ME CONCERNED THAT MY VAN HAS SOME...

WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH, THE TIMING BELT BROKE WHICH RESULTED IN TOTAL SHUT DOWN OF ALL MOTORIZED FUNCTION(S) ASSOCIATED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *MR

OWNER HEARD NOISE WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH. WHEN DRIVER MADE ATTEMPT TO TURN THE STEERING FAILED TO RESPOND DUE TO THE SERPENTINE BELT COMING OFF. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *MR

I BEGAN TO NOTICE OIL UNDERNEATH MY 1999 DODGE CARAVAN ON MY CONCRETE DRIVEWAY. IT APPEARED TO COME FROM THE VALVE COVER. THE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS ONLY 47,000 AND THE VAN LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD. ALLSTAR DODGE SERVICE TOLD ME IT COULD BE THE VALVE COVER OR THE HEAD GASKET WHICH HE ADVISED COULD COST AROUND A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR. MY CARAVAN WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (3YR/36,000 MILES) I TOOK THE VAN TO A MECHANIC. HE REPAIRED THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND NOTICE NO OTHER PROBLEM AT THE TIME. TWO MONTHS LATER THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. I CONTACTED ALLSTAR DODGE SERVICE WHOM ADVISED ME THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CARAVAN AND NO RECALLS. I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO MY MECHANIC TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET REPAIRED. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THE ENGINE IN THIS VAN IS THE SAME 2.4L ENGINE THAT WAS RECALLED IN THE...

CONSUMER NOTICED LACK OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. DEALER DETERMINED HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

I WAS TOLD BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT FIRST DIAGNOSED THE LEAKING HEAD GASKET THAT HE HAD REPAIRED QUITE A FEW OF THESE AND THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL. WE TOOK THE VAN TO THE DEALER AND ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS ONLY 8K OUT OF WARRANTY AGREED TO ONLY PAY FOR PART ($5 GASKET) WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR LABOR ($600). IF ONE MECHANIC AT A SMALL SHOP HAS REPAIRED MORE THAN 1 OR 2 HEAD GASKETS ON A 1999 VEHICLE I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS.*AK

HEAD GASKET AND TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIOUNED. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 74000 MILES. PROBLEM STARTED ALSO IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE PURCHASED VEHICLE. *AK

WARRANTY 36,000 MILES/3YEARS. DROPPING VAN OFF FOR ROUTINE BRAKE JOB, VAN DIED IN GARAGE PARKING LOT, TEMP GUAGE HAD NO INDICATION ANYTHING WRONG,TAILPIPE SMOKING, , HAD POLICE STOP BY TO SEE, GARAGE LOOKED AT ENGINE FLY WHEEL FELL OFF AND HEAD GASKET MELTED. CAR ONLY HAS 54,000 MILES ON IT. CONTACTED CHRYSLER NOTHING THEY WOULD DO. THE GARAGE I HAVE IT AT IS NOT MORE THAN 5 MINUTES FROM A DODGE DEALER, THEY WOULD NOT EVEN SEND ANYONE TO LOOK AT THE ENGINE TO AGREE OR DISAGREE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. CANNOT GET THE CAR TOWED BECAUSE THE ENGINE IS APART AND WILL COST $800 TO PUT THE BROKEN ENGINE BACK IN THE CAR AND THAT AGAIN TO HAVE DODGE TAKE IT APART. IT IS AMAZING THAT THE TEMPRATURE GUAGE WOULD NOT INDICATE THAT MY ENGINE HAD GOTTON SO HOT THAT THE HEAD GASKETT MELTED AND THE FLY WHEEL FELL OFF....

ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS DEFECTIVE THERE IS OIL LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER HAS TIGHTENED UP SOME OF THE PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

WE WERE ADVISED THAT COMPONENT WAS REDESIGNED DUE TO THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKET SEAL BREAKING AND LEAKING OIL. *AK

HEAD GASKET STARTED LEAKING IN OCTOBER 2000. CURRENTLY, IT NEEDS REPLACEMENT. *AK THE DEALER HAD ALREADY REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET. *YH

BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 48,000 MILES/NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY??!?!*AK

ENGINE PRESSURE BUILT UP DUE A FAULTY PCV VALVE, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK , ALSO, CRANKSHAFT AND VALVE COVER TO BLOW OUT. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK

MY DODGE CARAVAN HAS 47,000 HIGHWAY MILES ON IT AND IS TWO YEARS OLD. I JUST BROUGHT IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDS A NEW HEAD GASKET. MY MECHANIC TELLS ME THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND THAT HE HAS SEEN AT LEAST TWENTY OTHER CASES OF THIS PROBLEM IN CARS WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. I AM CERTAIN THAT THIS IS WORTHY OF REVIEW FOR A RECALL IF IT CAN BE ASSUMED THAT EVERY MECHANIC HAS SEEN TWENTY SUCH INSTANCES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING, THIS PROBLEM ALSO OCCURS WHILE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS. DEALER REPLACED THE IAC MOTOR AND CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK