2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Steering Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and turning, the vehicle made an abnormal growling sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the power steering fluid was leaking. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the vehicle had been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V386000 (Steering) in 2004. The failure mileage was approximately 329,281.

THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS THAT ARE VERY SERIOUS. FIRST, IN 2017 AS I WAS EXITING THE INTERSTATE, I DROVE THROUGH A PUDDLE. AS I ATTEMPTED TO TURN LEFT ONTO THE ROAD, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND IT WAS ONLY WITH EXTREME FORCE AND SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES THAT I KEPT FROM RUNNING THROUGH THE GUARDRAIL, AND DROPPING DOWN TO THE INTERSTATE BELOW. I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE TURN AND STOPPED ON THE OVERPASS UNTIL MY STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKED. YES, MY ENGINEER HUSBAND KEEPS UP WITH ALL OF OUR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING THE BELTS. NEXT, WITH AN UNUSUALLY HEAVY RAIN THIS PAST WEEK, MY BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER PARKING FOR AN HOUR, MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN WHEN I ATTEMPTED GO AGAIN. I RESTARTED THE CAR FIVE TIMES BEFORE THE STEERING UNLOCKED. ALL WEEK, DURING THAT HEAVY RAIN, THE STEERING LOCKED REGULARLY. THESE PROBLEMS ARE ALL OVER THE...

I AM THE VICTIM OF A FRAUDULENT CLOSE OUT OF A FACTORY RECALL. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET CHRYSLER TO FIX ONE OF THEIR OWN RECALLS ON A 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THREE DEALERSHIPS TO TRY TO GET SATISFACTION. TWO OF THOSE HAVE SINCE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. THE THIRD REFUSES TO HELP IN ANY WAY. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT SOME DEALERSHIP HAS ALREADY CLOSED OUT THE TICKET FOR FIXING THE POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE ON MY 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CAR WAS NEVER FIXED: IT STILL HAS THE FACTORY HOSE. FINALLY I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE WHERE A FORMER CHRYSLER TECHNICIAN WORKED WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM.. HE SAID THAT NOT ONLY HAD THE RECALL NEVER BEEN DONE, BUT THE DESIGN WAS FAULTY. THE POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE IS SO SHORT THAT THE SYNTHETIC ATF THAT IS USED...

POWER STEERING IN 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IS FAILING FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW. I HAVE TWICE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP. IT FAILS DURING WINTER MONTHS. *TW

THIS MODEL HAS STEERING ISSUES. WITH ONLY 60K MILES I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION 2 SEPARATE TIMES ALREADY AND NOW THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS GOING OUT. *TR

I OWN A 2003 GRAND CARAVAN CURRENTLY WITH 43,000 MILES ON IT. AT A LITTLE LESS THAN 40,000 MILES THE POWER STEERING PUMP STARTING MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE, DIDN'T MATTER IF YOU WERE TURNING THE WHEEL OR NOT; MORE OFTEN ON A RAINY OR COLD MORNING, NOW ITS ALL THE TIME. I CONTACTED DODGE SINCE I HAVE AN EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN, TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE NO COVERAGE ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP OR RACK AND PINION, BUT IM COVERED ON THINGS THAT MY HUSBAND COULD DO IN THE BACKYARD. WHAT A STORY I WAS FED, WHEN I BOUGHT THIS $900 COVERAGE. I WAS TOLD TO GO TO A CERTIFIED SERVICE CENTER AND PAY $65 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, UMMM IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, IT REQUIRES 30 SECONDS OF LISTENING. THEN AND ONLY THEN WOULD THEY CONSIDER POSSIBLY HELPING ME WITH THIS REPAIR. WHEN I BOUGHT THE SERVICE...

POWER STEERING MAKES TERRIBLE WHINING NOISE AND STEERING WHEEL SHUDDERS AND IS HARD TO TURN - WORSE IN COLDER TEMPERATURES. PROBLEM STARTED WHEN VAN HAD LESS THAN 30K, IT NOW HAS 58K MILES. VAN HAS EXT. WARRANTY THROUGH DODGE COVERING EVEN SEALS & GASKETS, BUT SINCE DEALER CALLS THIS A "NUISANCE" PROBLEM - IT'S NOT WARRANTY. WE ARE VERY, VERY FRUSTRATED WITH DODGE. *TR

THE 2203 GRAND CARAVAN HAS HAD A RECALL ON THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE AND WAS SERVICED. A RECURRING NOISE STARTED. UNDER A EXTENDED WARRANTY THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND THE RACK ONCE. 6 MONTHS AFTER THE LAST SERVICE THE NOISE CAME BACK AND LOWER POWER STEERING HOSE INTO THE COOLER BLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. (NO CRASH) REPLACED HOSES WITH BETTER CLAMPS AND BACK FLUSHED POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. INTERNET SOURCES HAVE INDICATED A FILTER SCREEN IN THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. COULD THIS BE CAUSING THE LARGE LISTING OF SAME PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET? *TR

ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, MY WIFE'S VAN HAS BEEN MAKING A WHINING SOUND FROM THE STEERING PUMP. THE NOISE INTENSIFIES ONCE THE STEERING WHEEL IS BEING TURNED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING PUMP MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED. EVENTHOUGH THIS VAN IS 6 YEARS OLD, IT WAS IN STORAGE FOR 3 YEARS. THE CAR WAS OPERATED ONCE A MONTH IN STORAGE. THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILS ON 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ON MORNINGS WHEN IT RAINS. HUGE SAFETY RISK SINCE VEHICLE CANNOT BE TURNED WITHOUT EXTREME MANUAL EFFORT...IMPOSSIBLE FOR MY WIFE! DEALERSHIP SAYS RACK AND PINION IS BAD AND NEEDS REPLACING ($1400). INTERNET SAYS THIS IS VERY COMMON IN THESE VEHICLES FROM 2002-2006! WHY HAS IT NOT BEEN RECALLED FOR A SAFETY RETROFIT? *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP WAS VERY NOISY AND STEERING WOULD BECOME STIFF UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. MECHANIC SAYS IT IS A POOR DESIGN OF FILTER IN POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. *TR

2003 GRAND CARAVAN SPORT, STEERING WHEEL IS STIFF DURING WINTER FOR THE FIRST 5 TO 10 MINS IN THE MORNING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY LOSE POWER STEERING ABILITY. THE RISK OF A CRASH OR SERIOUS INJURY WERE INCREASED. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. AS OF OCTOBER 6, 2008, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. IN DECEMBER 2003, FOUR MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AT 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND NO FAILURES COULD BE FOUND. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON APPROXIMATELY TWELVE OCCASIONS. THE MECHANIC TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, HEARD THE NOISE, AND STATED THAT IT WAS A COMMON FAILURE AMONG THE 2003-2005 GRAND CARAVANS. ALTHOUGH THE MECHANIC COMPLETED OTHER RECALL REPAIRS, HE FELT THAT HE COULD NOT REMEDY THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MECHANIC MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE TO WORSEN. THE CONTACT HAS DOCUMENTATION OF ALL THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 23,100 , AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,025.*AK

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN THAT WAS PURCHASED IN DECEMBER OF 2004. I NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS MAKING A HUMMING NOISE. TURNING, AND IDLING. I ALSO NOTICED THAT IT WAS SPORADIC AND WOULD GO ON FOR DAYS AND THEN ONE DAY WOULD NOT MAKE A SOUND. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW. I CHECKED IT MANY TIMES AND IT WAS FINE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED AND THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR POWER STEERING TO BE FLUSHED. I AM SERIOUSLY CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THIS ISSUE. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THE DEALER SAID THAT IT IS NOT ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS AT ALL!!! WE ARE ABOUT AT 54,000 MILES AND THIS STARTED HAPPENING...

I HAVE A 2003 GRAND CARAVAN THAT I PURCHASED NEW. THERE WAS SPORADIC SHUDDERS IN THE STEERING SYSTEM WHEN NEW AND AT LOW(PARKING LOT) SPEEDS. NOW AT APPROX 62000 MILES I HAVE TO REPLACE THE STEERING RACK AND POWER STEERING PUMP TO THE TUNE OF APPROX $1100 (NOT COMPLETED AT THIS TIME) THERE IS NO WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THIS FAILURE. THIS FAILURE AT THIS LOW MILEAGE CANNOT BE NORMAL WARE AND TEAR. THANK YOU. *NM

DT: BEGINNING LAST YEAR OWNER WAS HAVING REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END, TWO OR THREE PEOPLE LOOKED AT IT AND COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. THEN ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FOUND THE PROBLEM WHICH WAS THE BUSHINGS HAD NOT BEEN GREASED, AND ALL FRONT END SUSPENSION BOLTS WERE LOOSE. NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AS FAR AS OWNER KNOWS. AS OWNER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THERE HAS BEEN A CRACKING NOISE AND A SNAPPING NOISE THAT SEEMED TO COME FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED EVERYTIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THERE ARE NO OTHER PROBLEMS, PROBLEM WITH FRONT END SEEMS TO BE FIXED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED 15 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. THESE REPAIRS HAVE HAD TO DO WITH STEERING AND SUSPENSION NOISE. THERE HAVE BEEN BUSHINGS REPLACED, STEERING FLUID REPLACED, AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD...

THE POWER STEERING HOSE FAILED. THE POWER STEERING LEAKED AND REPLACED UNDER RECALL 037. *BF THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING AND HAD NO POWER STEERING. THE POWER STEERING HOSE BLEW OFF THE RACK CLAMP WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE GARAGE WAS SMOKE-FILLED AND A POOL OF FLUID WAS ON THE FLOOR. THE REMOTE WAS INOPERATIVE. *SC

STARTED THE CAR AND NOTICED A HIGH PITCHED NOISE WHICH INCREASED WHEN THE WHEEL WAS TURNED AND THE CAR ACCELERATED - THE STEERING WAS STIFF AND THE IDLE WAS REALLY LOW. AFTER LETTING THE CAR WARM UP FOR ABOUT 1/2 HOUR THE SOUND WAS GONE, BUT THE IDLE REMAINED LOW. ABOUT A YEAR AGO SOMETHING SIMILAR HAPPEND AFTER STARTUP - WE HAD BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES, AND THIS TIME THE CAR'S STEERING WOULD NOT MOVE AND THE CAR WOULD STALL - IT WASN'T UNTIL ABOUT AN HOUR OF RUNNING TIME UNTIL THE CAR'S STEERING WHEEL WAS ABLE TO MOVE.*AK

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE STEERING, AND THEN HAVING THE TIMING CHAIN REPLACED, THE WHEEL BEARING REPLACED AND NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS, I DON'T FEEL THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER ARE LISTENING TO MY CONCERNS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND A LEMON LAW ATTORNEY, AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT CHRYSLER HAS IT'S OWN MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS FAIR, SINCE IN THE LAST 7 MONTHS, MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE 15 DAYS.

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, BUT MY STEERING IS UNSAFE. AFTER OVER 5 ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE STEERING PROBLEM, AND 2 NEAR ACCIDENTS, I FEEL CHRYSLER HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS. IF I WAIT UNTIL I DO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THEY TAKE MY CONCERNS SERIOUSLY, IT WILL BE TO LATE. *LA