2001 DODGE CARAVAN Suspensionfront Problems

2001 DODGE CARAVAN CONSUMER'S AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. WE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS, THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CLOCK SPRING NHTSA RECALL 04V480000 DUE TO VIN. *AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE CARAVAN. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CLOCK SPRING HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES ON JUNE 27 2002, SEPTEMBER 2003 , AND JANUARY 3, 2007. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT LINKAGE ON THE FRONT SWAY BAR WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A NOISE. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT A FACTOR. THE DEALER STATED THERE HAS BEEN A MODIFICATION TO THE LINKAGE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,500. *AK

FOR YOUR READERS, I HAD A PERSISTENT LOOSE WHEEL OR LOOSE SUSPENSION PHENOMENA IN THE FRONT END. MARINE CHRYSLER VANCOUVER WHO SOLD THE CAR COULD NOT DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR. DEERLAKE CHRYSLER BURNABY DISCOVERED FAULTY BUSHINGS IN FRONT END REPLACED AT 59K JUST UNDER WARRANTY COVERAGE. READERS SHOULD ASK DEALER TO REPALCE BUSHINGS IF THIS PROBLEM PERSISTS ON THEIR CAR.

THE VEHICLE'S RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT SWAY LINKS AND STABILIZER BUSHINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 56000 MILES. *NM THE CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *TC *JB

WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD THERE WOULD BE A LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THIS HAS BEEN A ON GOING PROBLEM WHICH THE MFG., TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR. THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT END AT THEIR EXPENSE ORIGINALLY, WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED TWICE AND STILL NOT FIXED. INSTALL SPECIAL ORDER STEERING RACK. *BF

I KNOW ABOUT THE BALLJOINT RECALL FROM DC. I HAVE A 2002 AND ALREADY RECEIVED MY NOTICE IN THE MAIL. I ALSO HAVE A 2001 DODGE CARAVAN THAT ALSO HAS BAD BALLJOINTS. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND, THIS IS DEFECTIVE PARTS. BALLJOINTS SHOULD NEVER GO BAD WITH ONLY 50K ON THE UNIT. THE PROBLEM IS, YOU CAN NO LONGER GREASE THESE PARTS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER NOTICED SEVERE VIBRATION UNDER HIS FEET. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS WAS THE NORMAL CHARARACTERISTIC OF THAT VEHICLE. ALSO, MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK

FRONT SUSPENSION. *AK

CONSUMER HAD THE SWAY BAR LINKS REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS. MANUFACTURER INSISTED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK *MR

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE INNER SWAY BAR BUSHINGS WERE WORN OUT, AND THE LEFT INNER TIE ROD WAS LOOSE. ALSO, RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I RECENTLY SENT THIS LETTER TO CHRYSLER IN AN E-MAIL. I AM CONTACTING THIS AGENCY TO SEE IF I CAN GET SOME JUSTICE. MY VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE. HOWEVER, I STILL DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS PERFORMING CORRECTLY. I WOULD LIKE ASSISTANCE AND DIRECTION. THANKS. RECENTLY MY 2001 NEEDED THE RACK AND PINION, LOWER AND UPPER CONTROL ARM AND COMPLETE FRONT SUSPENSION REPAIR AT ANTWERPEN DODGE IN RANDALLSTOWN, MD. THEY REALLY GAVE ME A PROBLEM WITH THE TIME TO COMPLETE THE JOB AND THEY KEPT SAYING THAT THE RACK AND PIN WAS A "STAR PART". I THEN TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THEY COULD NOT BE DEFINITIVE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO CHARGE, THEREFORE NO WORK ORDER. ALL I WANT IS A SMOOTH RIDING VEHICLE THAT'S NOT SHAKING RATTLING AND ROLLING DOWN THE STREET. I DRIVE 50 MILES ONE WAY TO WORK AND MOST OF THE DRIVE IS HIGHWAY...

STEERING VIBRATION AT LOW SPEEDS AND GRINDING NOISE FROM UNDER FRONT OF VEHICLE.*JB

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL WANDER TO THE RIGHT. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE 6 OR 7 TIMES, AND HAS TRIED TO ALIGN VEHICLE AND TIRES. AFTER DEALER FIXED VEHICLE, IT WOULD PULL TO OPPOSITE DIRECTION.*AK CONSUMER HAS FILED FOR ARBITRATION. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED.THERE IS REAR BUMPER DAMAGE. THE REAR DOOR IS INOPERATIVE WHEN USING REMOTE OR INTERIOR BUTTON. LEFT SLIDING DOOR RATTLE WHEN DRIVING OVER 40 MPH. DEALER REPLACED SLIDING DOOR PANEL MOLDING AND CLIPS THAT WERE BROKEN. DASH RATTLE IN FRONT DRIVER AREA OVER 40. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. PASSENGER FLOOR GETS WET FROM EXTENDED DRIVE WITH A/C ON. DEALER CLEANED DRAIN WITH COMPRESSED AIR. *TT

WHILE DRIVING 5-10 MPH A CONSTANT RATTLING ON FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO DAMAGED INNER TIE ROD. MECHANIC REPLACED TIE ROD. HOWEVER, RATTLING NOISE STILL OCCURRING AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF NEW TIE ROD . *AK

ALL SEEM TO BE RELATED TO A HANDLING PROBLEM. THE VAN/MOTORHOME VIOLENTLY WANDERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, 60 + MPH. IT IS EXTREMLY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE THE VEHICLE. WHEN YOU PAY $60K PLUS FOR A VEHICLE, YOU EXPECT A BETTER HANDLING VECHICLE THAN THIS VAN/MOTORHOME. I'M VERY DISAPOINTED WITH DODGE. THE REAR SWAY BAR WAS REPLACED, BUT WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN THE HANDLING. THE HANDLING IS EVEN WORSE WHEN THERE'S A SLIGHT SIDE WIND. I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE "LEMON LAW" BUT IF I COULD RETURN THE VECHICLE TO DODGE AND GET THE PURCHASE PRICE BACK, I WOULD DO IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MIGHT TAKE TO FIX THE HANDLING PROBLEM, STRONGER FRONT SPRINGS, DIFFERENT TIRES, DIFFERENT STEERING BOX, DIFFERENT STEERING RODS AND ARMS, BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO GET CHANGED AT DODGE'S EXPENSE.*AK