2004 DODGE CARAVAN Steering Problems

MY FIRST GAS TANK FILL AFTER PURCHASING THE USED VEHICLE RESULTED WITH CONSTANT STALLING FOR THE NEXT 1/2 MILE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS. I DO NOT OVERFILL THE TANK. THE VEHICLE NOW STALLS ABOUT 80% OF THE TIME AFTER I FILL THE TANK. AFTER ABOUT 6/10TH OF A MILE ,THE PROBLEM CORRECTS ITSELF. ONE TIME I COME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING AN ACCIDENT WHEN AFTER LEAVING THE GAS STATION I WAS GOING DOWN A HILL AND HAD TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT & I HAD TO PUT THE GEAR SELECTOR IN NEUTRAL TO TRY TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS MOVING & MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT THE SAME TIME ! I AM NOW FORCED TO PARK THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES AFTER FILL UP BEFORE I CAN SAFELY TAKE IT BACK ON THE ROADWAY....

NOT 100% BUT PROBABLY 40% - 60% OF THE TIME I REFUEL - ESPECIALLY A FULL TANK - THE CAR WILL TEND TO HESITATE AND STALL WITHIN THE FIRST 90 SECONDS OF GETTING BACK ON THE ROAD. SEEMS LIKE IT HAS NOT DONE IT A LOT LATELY BUT I JUST HAD SOME WORK DONE BY THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER INCLUDING NEW WIRES AND PLUGS. WHEN I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP IT RAN FINE. I PUT IN PROBABLY 3/4 TANK OF GAS IN IT AND IT BEGAN HESITATING AND STALLING WORSE THAN IT HAD IN SOME TIME. THE WEATHER WAS ALSO QUITE A BIT COOLER THAN IT HAD BEEN IN 6 MONTHS. I ALSO READ AN ARTICLE IN USA TODAY ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHICH I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SINCE 2007 WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR USED. I HAVE HAD THE DEALER LOOK AT IT IN THE PAST AND THE COULD IDENTIFY NOTHING...

POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE LEAKING - REPLACED TWO TIMES IN THREE YEARS - NO RECALL ON THIS ITEM, ADVISED BY DEALER THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT REPAIR AND IS SERIOUS. *TR

2004 DODGE CARAVAN SXT. ' WHINE' NOISE AND HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. NOISE IS MOST NOTICEABLE IN COLD WEATHER AND WHEN WHEEL IS TURNED RIGHT OR LEFT. VEHICLE HAS 54 THOUSAND MILES NOW. DEALER DID A FACTORY BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE AT ABOUT 30 THOUSAND, DID NOT FIX PROBLEM AND RESULTED IN THE SMELL OF FLUID/CHEMICAL IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THAT WAS VERY SLOW TO GO AWAY. DISGUSTING ! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE ALSO BEGAN TO JERK BACK AND FORTH. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE DIAL FOR THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS EXTREMELY HIGH. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS ON FIRE. HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITHOUT INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 73,000.