1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHUTOFF AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER LITHIA CHRYSLER LOCATED AT 1421 N.E. 6TH ST GRANTS PASS, OR 97526-1253, WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT YET NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. ## VIN PASSED ## DODGE 1999 TOWN AND COUNTRY ##

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MALFUNCTIONED AND ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUNCTIONS STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY, SUCH AS THE FUEL GAUGE AND THE ODOMETER. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.

MY DODGE KEEPS ON HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH BATTERY LIGHT COMING ON AND BATTERY IS NEW LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF ON PANEL WHILE DRIVING. CONCERNING POSSIBILITY OF CHARGING SYSTEM NOT WORKING AS WELL. BUT ALTERNATOR IS NEW. CAR WONT START SOMETIMES LIKE THE BATTERY IS DEAD BUT BATTERY IS NEW BOUGHT IN 2016 OCT. IT SOMETIMES WONT TURN OVER AND FACT IS THE CARS POWER DOORS ARE NOW BEEPING AT ME AND NOT SURE WHY. THAT JUST STARTED. I GOT TO UNLOCK DOORS BUT NOW THEY BUZZ CONSTANTLY. CITY DRIVING MOSTLY BUT SCARED TO DRIVE BECAUSE IT ACTS LIKE IT WANTS TO STOP COMPLETELY .ALL THIS HAPPENS AS I TRY AND DRIVE MY CAR. ONE TIME THIS LAST WEEK CAR DIDN'T START, HAD TO JUMP IT STARTED RIGHT UP THEN. IM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR.NO ONE AT BEAR AUTO TOLD ME THIS CAR HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. REDMOND OREGON.

CLOCKSPRING ON MY 99 GRAND CARAVAN SE HAS MY AIRBAG LIGHT ON. MY GAUGES WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN HWY GOING 65MPH AND CAME RIGHT BACK ON AND MY HEAD LIGHTS FLICKER AND ITS LIKE IT JUST COMES AND GOES.

INTERMITTENT LOSS OF ALL DASHBOARD INDICATOR LIGHTS AND GAUGES. ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT WORK. SOMETIMES ALL MALFUNCTIONS WILL CLEAR THEMSELVES, SOMETIMES I MUST SLAP THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD WITH MY HAND SEVERAL TIMES TO CLEAR THE MALFUNCTION. I HAVE ONLY SEEN THIS WITH VEHICLE IN MOTION AND ON ALL ROADS.

WHILE DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL GO BLANK. INSTRUMENTS: GAS GAUGE, TEMPERATURE, AND SPEEDOMETER NEEDLES WILL GO TO ZERO. DIGITAL READOUTS GO BLANK. NORMAL FUNCTION RETURNS USUALLY IN MINUTES AND SOMETIMES FASTER IF I HIT THE DASHBOARD WITH MY HAND. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THIS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH NUMEROUS YEAR MODELS OF DODGE MINIVANS. THIS ISSUE IS DESCRIBED AS A COMPUTER COMMUNICATION PROBLEM CAUSED BY FAULTY CONNECTIONS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT INTERRUPT THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE THREE ONBOARD COMPUTERS. WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT TO THE DASH, INDICATING A CONNECTION PROBLEM, WILL MY AIRBAGS STILL WORK? THE ERROR CODE FOR THIS MALFUNCTION IS: P1698. *TR

DRIVING DOWN ROAD AS USUAL AND ALL THE DASH COMPONENTS WENT DOWN I HIT A BUMP AND THEY CAME BACK UP OR IF I SLAP THE TOP OF IT THEY WILL COME BACK ON. I LIKE KNOWING HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE,HOW FAST I'M GOING OR EVEN IF I'M OVERHEATING. AND I DO CARRY A DISABLED PERSON PLUS MY SELF SO WE DEPEND ON THIS EVERYDAY. *TR

BOTH ORIGINAL KEYS AND SPARES CAN BE REMOVED WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND IN ANY GEAR. THE VAN ALSO HAS A FAILURE TO START THAT RESEMBLES A DEAD BATTERY. I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND IS COMPLETELY RELATED TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER WINDOWS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND CRUISE CONTROL WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ALSO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE RADIO HAD ALSO FAILED IN ADDITION TO THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINING ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL REPAIRS IN 2008 UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V480000 (AIR BAGS) WHERE THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED. THE REPAIR CORRECTED THE FAILURE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH BEFORE RECURRING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVE BELT WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SERVICED FOR RECALL 04V480000 (AIR BAGS). A MONTH AFTER BEING REPAIRED, THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED THE SAME FAILURE WHICH WAS THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL, WINDOWS, RADIO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HORN, LIGHTS, DOOR LOCKS AND RADIO DID NOT FUNCTION ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 178,000.

THREE TIMES IN SIX WEEKS, THE SERPENTINE BELT (WHICH POWERS THE POWER STEERING, ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP) HAS SLIPPED OFF THE PULLEYS. IN ONE OF THE THREE INSTANCES, THE DRIVE BELT WAS SHREDDED. AFTER A QUICK SEARCH OF THE INTERNET, LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS WERE FOUND. FORTUNATELY, IN OUR CASE, THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INJURY TO DATE, HOWEVER A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT THE WRONG MOMENT COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. LIKEWISE, LOSS OF ACCESSORIES SUCH AS THE ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP COULD LEAVE SOMEONE STRANDED. ON THIS VEHICLE, THE BELT TENSIONER HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN 1,000 MILES. *TR

I HAVE A 99 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WHEN I FIRST GOT IT EVERY THING WAS WORKING FINE. I HAVE HAD IT FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND NOW THE HORN DOESN'T WORK, THE BLINKERS ONLY WORK SOMETIMES, THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON WHICH MEANS IT ISN'T WORKING. THESE PROBLEMS ARE DANGEROUS IN ALOT OF WAYS AN AIRBAG FAILING CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. ALSO MY BLINKERS ONLY WORKING SOMETIMES HAVE CAUSED ME TO GET A TICKET AND THE HORN NOT WORKING MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET MY CAR INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED TO THE WIRING IN THE DASH. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE THE WHOLE THING REWIRED SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO IT YET. *TR

INSTRUMENTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS BECOME INOPERATIVE WITH NO WARNING. IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WHILE DRIVING THE 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF AND ALL GAUGES WOULD QUIT WORKING. USUALLY, A SMACK ON THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD WOULD BRING IT BACK, HOWEVER, LATELY THIS DID NOT WORK. THE LATEST INCIDENT WAS ON A COLD, DARK, WET EVENING WITH MY WIFE DRIVING AND THE CHILDREN IN THE VAN. THIS PROBLEM RESULTS IN NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER NOR THE GEAR SELECTION. I FEEL THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BY THE MANUFACTURER. IN PERFORMING AN INTERNET SEARCH ON THIS SUBJECT, IT APPEARS THERE MAY BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE SOLDERING OF SOME CONNECTORS FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THANK YOU. *TR

D/C REFUSED TO PAY FOR MY LABOR ON A CLOCKSPRING REPAIR. *AK

WE NOTICED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE TAKEN TO FIRESTONE. PROBLEM DUE TO BAD LEAK DETECTION PUMP. LDP ON ORDER BUT VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE. VEHICLE IS DRIVEN THREE DAYS. THE DAY LDP ARRIVES SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER QUITS. COMPUTER BURNED OUT. ORDERED REBUILT COMPUTER, SINCE NO NEW COMPUTERS AVAILABLE, FROM DODGE. VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN 14 DAYS WAITING FOR COMPUTER. FIRESTONE INSTALLS COMPUTER. THREE DAYS LATER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES. FIRESTONE SAYS PROBLEM DUE TO BAD LDP. OBTAIN NEW LDP FROM DODGE BUT INSTALLED BY FIRESTONE. TWO DAYS LATER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES. FIRESTONE RESETS COMPUTER BUT CODES KEEPS DISPLAYING. FIRESTONE SAYS PROBLEM BEYOND THEIR EXPERTISE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DODGE. DODGE INSPECTS VEHICLE SAYS COMPUTER BURNED OUT. DODGE HAS VEHICLE FOR 10 DAYS WAITING REPLACEMENT COMPUTER UNDER WARRANTY. DODGE REPLACES COMPUTER AND CHECKS WIRING HARNESS FOR LOOSE CONNECTIONS. TWO DAYS LATER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES. DODGE SAYS COMPUTER BURNED OUT....

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE ELECTRICAL DEVICES FAILED TO COME ON. THE DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT A ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE WAS INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO BE PLACED ON A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANEL, AIR BAG SENSORS AND ASSOCIATED PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD MODULES. *MR THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE PCM, THE SENSOR FAILED, THE ENGINE STALLED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON ALONG WITH THE MALFUNCTIONING INDICATOR LIGHT, THE SHIFT INDICATOR LIGHT HAD GONE OUT, THE DASH LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT, AND THE ODOMETER MALFUNCTIONED. THE CIRCUIT BOARD HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE AND THE AIR BAG AND AIR BAG LIGHT RETURNED. THE CLOCK SPRING AND AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB

WELL A FEW MONTHS AGO WE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH OUR 1999 GRAND CARAVAN. THE MILEAGE, GAS GAUGE, ODOMETER, SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS IN THE VAN WITH IT RUNNING IN PARK . IT TURNED OUT BY A CERTIFIED TECH TO BE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT BECAUSE IT WAS A WIRE WAS RUBBING ON A MANUFACTURER'S WELD LOCATED IN THE OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT AREA. SO WE PAID FOR IT TO BE FIXED $500 AND NO PROBLEM SINCE. SO CURRENTLY WE HAD OUR AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON ALONG WITH NO HORN OR CRUISE CONTROL. SO I CONTACTED DODGE LIKE SOME OF THESE SITES I READ SAID TO DO BECAUSE SOME OTHER PEOPLE HAD THEIRS WORKED ON FOR FREE AND I GOT A EMAIL WHICH STATES THEY WILL NOT WORK ON EITHER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE ONE AND NOT EVEN FOR THE AIRBAG LIGHT. I AM CURRENTLY NOT DRIVING THE VAN BECAUSE I WAITED...

THE RED LIGHT AIR BAG IS ON,ALSO THE HORN DO NOT WORK,AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DO NOT WORK.

RE: 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAD INTERMITTENT AND THEN CONSTANT AIR BAG LIGHT FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY SIMULTANEOUS LOSS OF CRUISE CONTROL & HORN. *LA

INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED TO WORK AND CAUSED A DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER. *AK THE CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE PROBLEM. *SCC *JB

MY 1999 DODGE CARAVAN "AIR BAG" LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL DO NOT WORK. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT MY CLOCKSPRING NEEDED REPLACEMENT, BUT THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED BY THE CURRENT RECALL. I FIND THE EXPLANATION THAT MY PROBLEM IS "COINCIDENTAL" TO THE RECALL OF THE 1996-1998 VEHICLES SOMEWHAT DUBIOUS. IF THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE CLOCKSPRING WAS INSTALLED OFF CENTER ON THE EARLIER VEHICLES CAUSING A SUBSEQUENT FAILURE, IS IT NOT LIKELY THAT MY PROBLEM WAS SIMILARLY CAUSED, WARRANTING A REPAIR AT CHRYSLER'S EXPENSE?

TO: WHOM IT MAY CONCERNS: I AM WRITING TO YOU AS A DISSATISFIED DODGE CARAVAN OWNER. I PURCHASED MY VAN BRAND NEW ON MARCH 1999. I HAVE HAD CONSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, SINCE THE DAY I PURCHASED IT: A) ON JANUARY 24, 2000 WE REPLACED THE , SENSOR, TRANSAX LE, TURBIN INPUT IN THE TRANSMISSION. B) FEBRUARY 17, 2000 WE REPLACED THE BATTERY. C) FEBRUARY 20, 2001. WE REPLACED THE EVAPORETOR, SUCTION LINE, LIQUID LINE AND THE COIL IN THE AIR CONDITION UNIT. D) REPLACED THE WINDOW LIFT MOTOR. E) JANUARY 8,2002 REPLACED SOP BELT TENSIONER COIL . F) JANUARY 4,2002 REPLACE THE BATTERY. G) MARCH 2, 2002 REPLACED WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP. H) JUNE 2, 2002 REPLACED FUEL SEAL. I) NOVEMBER 13, 2002 REPLACED THE HIGH PRESSURE VALVE OF THE A/C NOW THEY ARE ASKING US TO REPLACE THE EVAPORETOR AND THE COMPRESSOR WHICH WAS REPLACED BY MAROONE DODGE...

THE SENSOR OUTPUT WAS INOPERATIVE CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TRAVEL OVER 30 MPH. NLM

CONSUMER HAD PARKED VEHICLE AND NOTICED FIRE 6 HOURS LATER, WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW, AN ENGINE BATTERY HEATER WAS INSTALLED, IT WAS PLUGGED IN AT THE TIME OF LOSS, POSSIBLY SHORTED OUT AND CAUSED THE FIRE, CLAIM 13-7233-513. *SLC

CONSUMER HAD PARKED VEHICLE AND NOTICED FIRE 6 HOURS LATER, WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW, AN ENGINE BATTERY HEATER WAS INSTALLED, IT WAS PLUGGED IN AT THE TIME OF LOSS, POSSIBLY SHORTED OUT AND CAUSED THE FIRE, CLAIM 13-7233-513. *SLC

POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSES HEAVY SPARK NOISE IN RADIO WHEN VEHICLE TURNES. YH