1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasoline Problems

WE BOUGHT OUR 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE (3.3 LITER) USED FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER IN 2000. AT THAT POINT, THE TENSIONER HAD BEEN REPLACED ONCE AT LEAST. SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD THE UNFORTUNATE AND DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCE OF BEING STRANDED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WITH OUR 3 CHILDREN BECAUSE OF THE TENSIONER BELT FALLING OFF, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE. IT COINCIDED WITH RAINY WEATHER BOTH TIMES. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER REPORTS ON THE INTERNET WITH OTHER CONSUMERS HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THEIR DODGE GRAND CARAVANS. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THIS COULD LEAD TO DEATHS VERY EASILY. WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET ACROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC, WITH NO STEERING OR POWER, AND PARK IN THE BREAK DOWN LANE WHILE TRAFFIC PASSED BY US AT 75 MILES AN HOUR. WE WERE NEARLY REARENDED A COUPLE TIMES, WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT OUR CHILDREN WOULD HAVE BEEN...

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE ENGINE WAS OFF. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED HAS GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. TS

I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE EXPERIENCING OIL LEAKAGE FROM THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. DT

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 20-5406-593. *SLC

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 20-5406-593. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE AND CALLED FIRE DEPT, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 35-W772-194. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 05-4542-179. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH A PARKING LOT, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 22-V298-813. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE, CLAIM 75-A337-158. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE, CLAIM 13-7276-388. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO PUT OUT THE FIRE, CLAIM 35-W772-194. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, CLAIM 05-4542-179. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH PARKING LOT, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, THERE WAS ONE INJURY, CLAIM 22-V298-813. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE, CLAIM 75-A337-158. *SLC

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, CLAIM 13-7276-388

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO PUT OUT THE FIRE, CLAIM 35-W772-194. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, CLAIM 05-4542-179. *SLC

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 20-5406-593. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH PARKING LOT, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, THERE WAS ONE INJURY, CLAIM 22-V298-813. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE, CLAIM 75-A337-158. *SLC

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, CLAIM 13-7276-388

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE AND CALLED FIRE DEPT, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 35-W772-194. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 05-4542-179. *SLC

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 20-5406-593. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH A PARKING LOT, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 22-V298-813. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE, CLAIM 75-A337-158. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE, CLAIM 13-7276-388. *SLC

WE HAD TO TRADE IN OUR 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ON 01-05-02 AS THE ENGINE WAS WORTHLESS. WE LOST OVER $7500.

HAD JUST FILLED FUEL TANK, GOT INSIDE VEHICLE, AND SMELLED AN ODOR OF GASOLINE FUMES. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON & STAYED. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND RAN DIAGNOSTIC TEST. MECHANIC RESET THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT, AND IT CAME BACK ON.*AK CONSUMER STATES ENGINE LIGHT IS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED AND THERE IS A STRONG ODOR COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK DOOR. *SLC

CONSUMER HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE 3 MONTHS AFTER VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. A VALVE HAD TO BE CHANGED AT 24,000 MILES LATER WHILE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE EMITTS BLACK SMOKE. THERE HAS BEEN NO REMEDY THUS FAR FOR PROBLEMS. SLIDING DOOR RATTLES, DEALER MADE AN ADJUSTMENT, FRONT PASSENGER DOOR RATTLES WHEN CLOSING. ENGINE HESITATES, MISSES, AND SQUEALS, DEALER REPLACED BELTS FOR THE SQUEALING. WHILE TURNING STEERING WHEEL, THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE IN THE FRONT END, DEALER PERFORMED TSB 19-05-98. SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED DUE TO BEING WORN. GEAR LEVEL WAS HARD TO GET OUT OF PARK. THE LEFT VISOR WOULD NOT STAY UP, DELAER FOUND A BROKEN CLIP. *SLC

THE BELT TENSIONER FROZE ON MY GRAND CARAVAN. AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE STEERING THIS PART NEEDS TO BE GIVEN MORE CONSIDERATION. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET WWW.ALLPAR.COM . THE DAMAGE THAT CAN BE DONE TO DRIVE PULLEY'S POWER STEERING UNITS CAN BE QUITE EXPENSIVE AND CHRYSLER WILL NOT INCLUDE THIS PART IN THEIR WARRANTY'S. ONLY AFTER TELLING THEM I WOULD REPORT THIS TO THE NHTSA DID THEY OFFER TO PAY 1/2 THE REPAIR. IT STILL DID NOT MAKE ME FEEL THAT THE PROBLEM WAS LOOKED AT PROPERLY THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY CARAVANS ON THE ROAD TO HAVE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING.

I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REQUESTING THEM TO STATE IN WRITING THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THEY WILL NOT TELL ME THE CAUSE; HOWEVER, THEY ARE REAL QUICK TO STATE THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THIS IS A NEWER VEHICLE WITH ALL ORIGINAL COMPONENTS INSTALLED DIRECTLY FROM THEIR ASSEMBLY PLANT. ALL I KNOW IS THAT WE WERE DRIVING THE VEHICLE A FIRE STATED IN THE ENGINE AND I WAS WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR OVER TWO WEEKS. I AM GETTING NOTHING BUT THE RUN AROUND FROM THIS COMPANY. THEY ARE TRYING TO AVOID MY REQUESTS. I HAVE CONTACTED YOUR OFFICE THREE TIMES ONCE VIA PHONE AND ONCE VIA INTERNET AND HAVE YET TO HEAR ANYTHING. IT HAS NOW BEEN 30 DAYS SINCE YOUR AGENCY WAS ORIGINALLY CONTACTED. KINDLY HELP IN A TIMELY FASHION. *AK

CHRYSLER AND THE DEALERSHIP ARE UNABLE TO TELL ME WHAT STARTED THE ENGINE FIRE ONLY THAT THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THIS TYPE OF FIRE BEFORE. THEY ARE QUICKLY TO STATE THAT THEY DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING OR ASSEMBLY ERROR. HOW CAN THAT STATEMENT BE MADE WHEN THEY ARE UNABLE TO STATE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE? THEY WILL NOT COMMENT ON A DEFECTIVE PART. I HAVE ALL DEFECTIVE (BURNT) PARTS IN MY POSSESSION. HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE WHEN THEY CAN'T TELL ME IF THEY FIXED THE PART THAT STARTED THE FIRE BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW. IN A LETTER DATED 5/2/200 FROM THIER COMPANY THEY APPOLOGIZED OVER THE FIRE BUT HAVE WASHED THEIR HANDS OF THE INCIDENT WITHOUT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE AS TO HOW THIS HAPPENED. *AK

REAR CYLINDER HEAD FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO USE EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF ENGINE OIL. NLM

INCIDENT 1 - 08/1998 - WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, TURNED A CORNER AND DROVE THROUGH A PUDDLE. ALL CONTROL WAS LOST TO VEHICLE, WHICH HAD TO BE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS HANGING VISIBLY FROM THE VEHICLE AND AFTER TOWING TO THE DEALER, WAS REPLACED AS DEFECTIVE UNDER WARRANTY. INCIDENT 2 - 01/02/99 - WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, TURNING A CORNER THROGH A PUDDLE, ALL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS CHECKED AND FOUND BY THE OWNER TO BE DISCONNECTED. THE DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED FOR WARRANTY REPLACEMENT ON THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS DANGEROUS LOSS OF CONTROL PROBLEM BEFORE A THIRD OCCURANCE AT HIGHER SPEEDS.

WE BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW. IT VIBRATED WHEN WE TEST DROVE IT.THE DEALER SAID IT JUST NEEDED THE TIRES BALANCED. WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN THE SHOP MANY TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. IT VIBRATES TERRIBLY AT 45 MPH. THE DISTRICT MANAGER FOR ORLANDO ZONE CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH DROVE THE CAR AND VERIFIED THE VIBRATION. SHE HAS DOCUMENTED THIS PROBLEM AND OPENED A FILE NUMBER. HOWEVER, WE ARE STILL IN LIMBO AS TO WHAT COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE OR WHAT CHRYSLER WILL DO TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. WE RENTED A 1998 GRAND CARAVAN IN ANOTHER STATE. IT VIBRATED TERRIBLY AT 45 MPH. THEN ONE DAY IN A PARKING LOT, A WOMAN STOPPED ME(SHE HAD JUST BOUGHT A CAR LIKE OURS) AND SHE ASKED ME IF I HAD VIBRATION AND CHUGGING PROBLEMS. I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION OF THESE CARS. I WOULD LIKE...