2003 DODGE CARAVAN Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTED TO CHOCK LIKE IT WAS GETTING NO GAS I DECIDED TO TURN AROUND TO GO HOME BECAUSE I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA WITH NO CELL SERVICE WHEN I STOPPED TO TURN AROUND A MAN THAT WAS BEHIND ME CAME RUNNING OVER TO GET ME OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE HE SAID IT WAS ON FIRE UNDER THE BACK DRIVERS SIDE I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS ON FIRE IF IS WAS NOT FOR HIM I COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED OR EVEN DIED THE CAR BURNED UP AND EXPLODED WITH IN TWO MINUTES OF ME GETTING OUT. THE CAR WAS FINE WHEN I STARTED IT THAT MORNING AND THE DAY BEFORE I DROVE IT ABOUT 100 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS CAN BE A CAT SHOULD JUST NOT GO ON FIRE LIKE THAT....

I HAVE A USED 2003 DODGE CARAVAN WHICH I RECENTLY PURCHASED IN DECEMBER 2008 FROM A USED CAR DEALER IN WEST BURLINGTON, IA. DURING THE 3RD WEEK OF JANUARY, I WAS DRIVING AND THE VAN COMPLETELY STOPPED AND WAS NOT DRIVABLE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET AND HAD TO HAD PEOPLE HELP PUSH IT INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND WHEN THEY WENT TO LOOK AT IT, THEY WERE ABLE TO START IT UP, KEEP IT RUNNING AND PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON IT AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE EXCEPT FOR TODAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN A DIRT ROAD AND IT COMPLETELY STOPPED JUST LIKE THE FIRST TIME. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY HOUSE BECAUSE SINCE IT'S A SATURDAY IN THE LATE AFTERNOON, THERE AREN'T ANY SHOPS OPEN...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE AT 5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A SOUND FOR THE FIRST TEN MINUTES OF DRIVING, AND THEN IT WOULD STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,380. UPDATED 05/20/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING, TRANSMISSION, REAR LIGHTS THAT WERE HANGING, THE REAR WIPER CAME OFF, THE SLIDING DOOR DID NOT SHUT PROPERLY. THE CLOCKSPRING WAS REPLACED. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, THE WATER PUMP WAS COMING APART THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND OIL PAN GASKET WERE LEAKING. UPDATED 05/20/08. *JB

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, 56,432 MILES, ORIGINAL OWNER THE FIRST TIME IT WOULDN'T START BACK UP AFTER HAVING IT OFF FOR 5 MINUTES. ONCE IT WAS TOWED IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP (ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, IN THE DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT). THE NEXT DAY AFTER DRIVING IT ABOUT 10 MILES TWO DIFFERENT TIMES AND HAVING IT ON/OFF NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEN HAVING IT PARKED FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES, I GOT IN AND STARTED IT NO PROBLEM. TWO BLOCKS LATER IT DIED COMPLETELY. AGAIN EVERYTHING WORKED INCLUDING THE A/C, RADIO AND LIGHTS WITH NO SURGE IN POWER. ABOUT 1/2 HOUR LATER WHEN THE TOW TRUCK SHOWED UP, IT STARTED WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. WEIRD THING IS THE LIGHTS, AC AND EVERYTHING ELSE WORK JUST FINE!! IT DOESN'T EVEN SEEM AS IF THERE IS A DRAIN ON THEM. WHEN I TURN THE IGNITION, IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING, NO CLICKS, NO "STARTING", NOTHING!!! ALSO BOTH TIMES...

2003 DODGE CARAVAN BROKEN WHEEL STUDS/BOLTS CUSTOMER WANTS SOMEONE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ONGOING PROBLEM**NAR**CC THE CONSUMER STATED LAST JULY HE PURCHASED REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM COSTCO FOR HIS VEHICLE AND THEN HAD THE TIRES ROTATED IN DECEMBER FOR THE SAME VEHICLE. THEN THIS SPRING THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD THE FRONT BRAKE PADS REPLACED AND ONE WHEEL STUD, ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AGAIN AND THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC OF THE PREVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE STUDS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THEY COULD ONLY ROTATE 3 OF THE TIRES DUE TO THE FACT OF A POSSIBILITY THE STUDS WOULD BREAK AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE ROTATED THE REMAINING TIRE WHICH THE STUDS DID INFACT BREAK AND WERE REPLACED BY THE CONSUMER. THE CONSUMER STATED LAST MONTH CHRYSLER WAS REPLACING A WATER PUMP...

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE STALLED EVERY TIME THA HE APPLIED THE BRAKES IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

HEADING OFF TO THE MALL ONE EVENING, I DROPPED OFF MY WIFE AND MY SON, KEEPING MY OTHER SON AND HIS FRIEND WITH ME. AS I PULLED AWAY, I HEARD A LOUD POP AND SMELLED AND SAW SMOKE. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, I COULD SEE MELTING PLASTIC AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE SMALL FIRE BALLS DROPPING TO THE GROUND UNDER THE HOOD. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND GOT THE KIDS OUT OF THE CAR . CALLED 911 AND BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE FLAMES WERE 10-15 FEET IN THE AIR. THERE WAS A RE-CALL ON THIS CAR ABOUT A STEERING HOSE I BELIEVE THAT I HAD DONE. OTHER THAN THAT I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. IT WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND HAD ONLY 17,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED.*JB

THE CONSUMER HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH HIS 2003 DODGE CARAVAN; SUCH PROBLEMS WERE A KNOCK IN THE TRANSMISSION AND 2 BRAKE JOBS. *JB THE TWO BRAKES JOBS OCCURRED WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE STEERING WHEEL KNOCKED (RECALL CAMPAIGN #04V386000), THE VEHICLE HAD BROKEN DOWN AT 8K MILES, THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS OFF, THE GEAR PANEL ILLUMINATED, AND THE WINDOW HAD BECOME LOOSE. 80% OF THE VEHICLES PROBLEMS WAS UNDER 10K MILES. THE ROTATION NOISE CONTINUED AND THE RUBBER LINING AROUND THE SLIDING DOOR WAS COMING OFF. OTHER PROBLEMS: WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF PARK TO DRIVE, ALL OF THE LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE, THE FRONT RIMS/HUB CAPS WERE DIRTY DUE TO EXCESSIVE LEAKAGE AROUND THE BRAKES, EVEN DURING NORMAL WASHING, THERE WAS A MILD RINGING NOISE IN THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT DOOR RATTLED, THE REAR TAIL LAMP WAS DAMAGED, THE BRAKE LIGHT AND BACK-UP LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT, THE...

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED.

2003 DODGE CARAVAN STALLING PROBLEM. *MR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME STUCK. INCIDENT DATE: JULY 29, 2004. *SC *JB