2002 DODGE CARAVAN Steering Problems

SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY GAS TANK, IT ALWAYS STOPS ME EVEN IF IT'S HALFWAY. THE DRIVER SEAT BELT DOESN'T STAY WELL. THE HOLES WHERE THE ENGINE ALWAYS COMES OFF AND THERE'S A LOT OF SMOKE COMING OUT. THE HEADLINER IS COMING OFF AND THERE'S LIKE A SAND FALLING TO MY KIDS. THE BREAK IS NOT THAT STRONG

THE STEERING WHEEL GETS LOCK WERE EVER I STOP ,INTERNAL CONTROL FAILURE, RADIATOR HEAT CONSTANTLY WHEN I AM DRIVING ,

BACKED OUT OF GARAGE ON COLD MORNING AND COULDN'T TURN STEERING WHEEL (ESPECIALLY TO THE LEFT) UNTIL SEVERAL MINUTES OF IDLING AND FORCING TO EXTREME RIGHT AND THEN TO LEFT, SEVERAL TIMES, PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE AND EVEN AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL MILES, IT HAS HUNG UP ON LEFT TURNS REQUIRING A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN AND JANKING TO LEFT IN COLD TEMPERATURES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25-30 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. WHEN THE CONTACT REACHED HIS DESTINATION, HE NOTICED A MASSIVE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID. HE COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AS INTENDED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING HOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V386000 (STEERING;HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST;HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS), BUT IT HAS PROVEN TO BE INSUFFICIENT AND HAS NOT PREVENTED FUTURE LEAKAGE OR FAILURES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 129,000.

FOR 2002 DODGE CARAVAN: MANY DODGE CARAVANS 2002 - 2004 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR ODI DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING POWER ASSIST HOSE, PIPING AND CONNECTION. THIS IS RECALL # D37. WHY IS MY VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL? MY VAN IS HAVING THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD. I WANT MY CAR RECALLED AND FIXED, PLEASE. *TR

I HAVE HAD 2 RECALLS TAKEN CARE OF HOWEVER THE STEERING IN MY 2002 CARAVAN STILL CONTINUES TO LOCK UP WHEN MAKING TURNS. THIS HAS CAUSED ME TO ALMOST HAVE MORE THAN ONE COLLISION BECAUSE THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC AND TURNING. I AM A BUSY MOTHER WITH FOUR CHILDREN WHO DEPEND ON ME FOR THEIR SAFETY. TODAY MY SON WHO IS IN COLLEGE BORROWED MY VAN TO GO TO SCHOOL AND ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS WHY I AM DOING RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM. IF YOU FORCE THE STEERING IT WILL FINALLY BREAK AWAY AND CONTINUE TO STEER HOWEVER YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN TO EXPECT IT TO BE DEFECTIVE. I THOUGHT WHEN I TOOK CARE OF THE RECALLS THAT THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM HOWEVER, WE STILL HAVE TO BATTLE WITH THIS PROBLEM ON A REGULAR BASIS. MOST OF THE TIME IT HAPPENS WHEN...

I HEARD A "BANGING" NOISE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH. SO I CALLED MY DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPT FOR MULTIPLE OF REASONS AND THEY FOUND THE FOLLOWING ISSUES AGAIN WITH MY CAR; MY FRONT BRAKES (SHOE PADES, ROTOR'S TURNED) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN SINCE I'VE HAD THIS CAR AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT AND PREVIOUS TO THAT, THE DEALER REPLACED THE SHOE PADES AGAIN AT 19,000 MILES?? ALSO AT 19,000 MILES, THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE "BUSHINGS AND LINKS" FOR THE FRONT END AND AGAIN AT 45,000 MILES TWO DAYS AGO. I AM STRATING TO WONDER IF THERE IS A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN THE TWO PARTS GOING PREMATURELY. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES BECAUSE DUE TO THE WEAR/TEAR ON THEM BECASUE THEY WERE UNSAFE. THE DEALER WON'T WARRENTY THEM, SO I HAD TO BUY NEW SET OF...

STEERING FAILURE. WHEN TURNING THE STEERING TO THE FAR LEFT OR RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS IN THAT POSITION AND RELEASES ONLY AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. IN NORMAL STRAIGHT AHEAD OPERATION THERE IS A VERY NOTICEABLE NOISE AND COMING FROM THE STEERING APPARATUS. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER, THEY OPTED TO DO NOTHING--SUGGESTED THAT I GET IT REPAIRED. *NM

THE VEHICLE SLID ON SOME ICE AND THE FRONT AXLE BROKE IN HALF. DEALERSHIP WORKED ON THE POWER STEERING PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. *TT *JB