2000 DODGE CARAVAN Structurebody Problems

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION- WHILE DRIVING ALONG I HEARD AND FELT A LOUD NOISE (BOOM) FROM REAR OF VEHICLE-VEHICLE THEN SWERVED WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL SPINNING AROUND AND TAKING DOWN SIGNS, MAILBOX-AFTER LOOKING AT VAN IT IS APPARENT THAT THE REAR AXLE SLID BACKWARDS IN WHEEL WELL. WHILE BODY IS RUST FREE, UNDERCARRIAGE HAS EXCESSIVE RUST IN SPRING HANGER AREA-VAN HAS BEEN PARKED ON PAVEMENT ITS ENTIRE LIFE.

9/8/2008 I WAS TRAVELING ON IR80 & I MUST OF SWERVED A BIT & THE VAN STRUCK A DOT PADDLE MARKER @ HUMBOLDT MILE MARKER 45 IN NEVADA. THE VAN BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES & OVERTURNED SIDEWAYS AT LEAST 4 TIMES. MY MOTHER & FATHER PARRISHED AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT, BURNED SO MUCH THEY COULDN'T RECOGNIZE THEIR GENDER. MY WIFE & I ESCAPED WITH HER GETTING SEVERELY BURNED ABOUT 76% & I ABOUT 68%, WE WAS TRANSPORTED TO HUMBOLTD HOSPITAL THEN AIR TRANSPORTED TO U OF U BURN CENTER SALT LAKE CITY UTAH WHERE SHE SPENT ABOUT 7 MONTHS IN CCU BURN UNIT & I ABOUT 3 MONTHS. THE MARKER POST WAS UPROOTED & STRUCK THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VAN & DETACHED THE FUEL LINE THEN PUNCTURED THE CROSS MEMBER & DEPOSITING THE FUEL LINE IN THE HOLE THE FIRE STARTED THEN WE OVERTURNED WITH A SERIES OF...

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH MY 2000 DODGE CARAVAN THE STRUT HOUSING IS VERY RUSTED OUT THROUGH AND THROUGH AND I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. *TR

2000 DODGE CARAVAN. DRIVER SIDE STRUT CAP RUSTED THROUGH. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL RUST PATTERN. STILL HAVE A 95 CARAVAN AND STRUT CAPS ARE PERFECT. THE RUST IS SUCH THAT A GOOD BUMP COULD POKE THE STRUT THROUGH THE CAP AND THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD ALSO CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A NORMAL RUST PATTERN AND DODGE IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM HAVING CREATED REPLACEMENT CAPS WHICH ARE NOT INSTALLED UNDER WARRANTY. DODGE HOWEVER REFUSES RESPONSIBILITY FOR A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND STEERS CUSTOMERS TO BODY SHOPS. *TR

THIS REFERENCES TSB NUMBER:2304402 AND NHTSA NUMBER:10000317 (TSB DATE: OCTOBER 14, 2002). FAILING COMPONENT: STRUCTURE: BODY. COSMETIC CORROSION OR PERFORATION AT UPPER DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT TOWER USUALLY BETWEEN THE STRUT AND UPPER LOAD PATH BEAM INNER PANEL (INNER FENDER). *TR

I BOUGHT THE VAN USED AND NOTHING WAS NOTED ABOUT THE STRUT TOWER ON INSPECTION HOWEVER A FRIEND OF MINE NOTED IT WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF ME BUYING THE CAR. AS HE WAS A LICENSED MECHANIC I TOOK HIM SERIOUSLY. THE DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT TOWER WAS RUSTING ON THE TOP WHERE THE BOLTS THAT HOLD IT TO THE BODY EXIST. I CONTINUED TO GET WORSE AND AFTER WITNESSING A DODGE CARAVAN SIMILAR TO MINE LITERALLY FALL APART WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK I REALIZED THAT I SHOULD GET IT FIXED. I FOUND JUNK YARD TO GET THEM TO CUT OUT A STRUT TOWER OFF A JUNKED CARAVAN AND THEN FOUND A GOOD WELDER TO REPLACE THE TOP OF THE STRUT TOWER WHICH WAS THE ONLY PART OF THE TOWER THAT WAS RUSTING. THE TOP THE TOWER WAS PAPER THIN AND WHEN HE SHOWED ME THE PIECE HE REMOVED I NOTED THAT...

ON MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN , THE LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER SUPPORT RUSTED OUT AND THE STRUT PUSHED THROUGH THE TOP OF THE SUPPORT. THIS IS A DEFECT IN DESIGN AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY CHRYSLER FREE OF CHARGE. *TR

HAVE NOTICED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOCK TOWER ON THE TOP RUSTING TO THE POINT WHERE SAFETY IS A MAJOR CONCERN. BEING THAT IT IS A POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE BEFORE HAVING ANY REPAIRS DONE WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE IS OR IS GOING TO BE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. *TR

I HAVE A NEARLY RUSTED-THROUGH STRUT TOWER (DRIVER'S SIDE) IN MY DODGE CARAVAN '00. THIS RUST PROBLEM BECAME INITIALLY VISIBLE IN '04. *TR

WHILE VISITING A FAMILY FRIEND CONSUMER DISCOVERED A WATER LEAK T IN HIS CARAVAN. THIS LEAK RESULTED FROM WATER RUNNING DOWN THE EXTERIOR ROOF GROOVES AND DOWN TO THE BACK OF THE VAN. IT HAD A CRACK IN THE WELD THAT WAS FOUND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE UPPER PORTION OF THE VAN BODY, WHERE THE REAR HATCH WAS LOCATED. THE WATER ENTERED THE CRACK AND RAN DOWN THE INSIDE OF THE VAN . ALSO, PUDDLES WERE FOUND UNDERNEATH THE CARPET, WHICH RESULTS IN A MILD WET CARPET, BUT EVEN WORSE, RUST.*AK I LIFTED THE REAR CARPET IN MY VAN AND THERE WAS WATER AND THE CARPET PAD WAS WET. I HADN'T NOTICED IT BEFORE BECAUSE WE HAVE A PLASTIC LINER TRAY IN THE BACK. I BELIEVE MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM BUT ARE UNAWARE OF IT.

THIS VEHICLE HAS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITHIN THE AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL SYSTEM, COMPONENT HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIME IN TWO YEARS. THE DEALER BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON A DESIGN FAILURE WHEREIN PLASTIC BAGS CAN BE SUCKED UP INTO THE INTERIOR A/C DRAFT SYSTEM BLOCKING THE FAN FROM WORKING. IN ADDITION, THE SUNVISORS WERE DEFECTIVE , REPORTED, AND NEVER REPLACED. DEALER HAS FOR THE MOST PART BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE TO VEHICLE PROBLEMS, HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS UNINHABITATBLE WITHOUT AN A/C