This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2000 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated that the entire instrument panel failed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 171,000...updated 12/17/13 the consumer stated the repair was made. The instrument panel was replaced due to poor ground wiring. Updated 12/18/13
Today I was on an urban freeway in heavy downpour. The downpour was so heavy rain could be seen running off the road. Traffic was wide spread, but moving at 45-50 mph, due to the rain. My wipers, at the highest setting, slow down. Car dings. Battery light comes on. I turn off the defroster (ac and ventilation), reduce wiper speed setting, switch from headlights to running lights, all to reduce electrical load. I then notice that the power steering has failed. It was really scary. True fear. The fear which we do not often encounter. I safely got the vehicle off the freeway. No further failure of systems. I drove the vehicle to the nearest shop I knew of, with caution lights on. I there learned that the accessory belt had come off of the engine, due to the rain. The belt was still in good condition, so they slid the same belt back on. I will have my preferred mechanic install an "anti slip" tensioner, belt, and pulley this weekend. This issue, the serpentine belt slipping off the engine in rain and snow, is known to Chrysler, and known to the NHTSA. But it was not known to me until it threatened my safety, and the safety of the motorists around me. If I had begun going around a curve while switching off accessories, driving one handed with a failed power steering system before I knew it had failed, I could have wrecked. Why one handed? because I was turning off accessories because I didn't understand what was wrong, because the warning the car provided suggested that was what I should be doing to keep my car from stalling. I don't know why NHTSA decided this did not merit a recall. They were wrong. I am very thankful that money (to implement the technical service bulletin NHTSA won't share) can fix what went wrong today. Don't operate a gen III Chrysler minivan without a belt upgrade. We cannot control when it rains.
Serpentine belt slips off in the rain causing a loss in power steering, ac (for window defogging), power (no alternator when headlights are on during rain). When it slipped off, the ability to correct for loss of traction due to water was reduced due to lack of power steering and the windshield fogged up quickly due to the loss of the ac compressor. Slid of the interstate and slid down the median. Multiple other instances of belt slipping off (4 times in past 3 days), though at lower rates of speed. Dodge denies there is an issue even though there are many reports on the internet relating to this problem. It is also interesting that they now sell a upgrade kit that changes out the two non-grooved pulleys for grooved ones and add a belt with grooves on both sides. They said that they would only fix this problem when enough people reported the problem.
2000 Dodge Caravan instrument cluster stops woorking (spedometer, fuel gauge etc) rear windshield wiper also quit fuse keeps blowing I have been investigating the same complaint dating back to 1995 this is a problem that has been ignored for 15 years
- Triadelphia , WV, USA
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My 2000 Dodge Caravan speedometer stopped working, directional indicator stopped working, I believe that there should be a recall for this issue, this might lead to an fatal car crash since the driver wouldn't know the speed they would be going at.
I am having difficulties with my vehicle being on a recall list. Can a car dealership refuses to fix a part on a nationwide recall list? I have a 2000 Dodge Caravan. For the past five years, the horn, turn signals, dash lights would become inop but the car would start up. Usually I would have to turn the engine completely off and jolt the tilt wheel up and down for it to overcome this defect. It does this intermittently - would be fine for weeks and then act up. Now, a new problem is occurring - turning the ignition key is not starting the van. Again, if I play with the tilt wheel and keep on turning the key, it will then start. I took it to a automotive repair place and they told me its the 'clockspring'. they told me it is on a nationwide recall since 2004. I never got a notice about this recall. I've owned the car since 2002. So, I took it to jeff wyler's car dealership (springifield, Ohio) and they refused to replace the clockspring. "the defect is intermittent and this recall must be for the component to be a total failure before replacing", according to them. I am not going to wait for the car's clockspring to fail and also, they can't find out why it is not turning on - because this problem is not related to the clockspring. Are they permitted to refuse to replace a recall part? I think the two problems are related. I do not want the clockspring problem to be put oh hold until there is a 'total failure." My wife is the primary driver.
The contact owns a 2000 Dodge Caravan. She took vehicle to the dealership last week for maintenance. Her husband just put new brakes on the vehicle and the dealership inspected them and everything was great. She left the service department and now the master cylinder malfunctioned. The dealership would not suggest her to drive the vehicle, but she had to drive the vehicle home. ABS light has been on her vehicle for the past year and a half it has been coming on randomly. Dealership said they could not figure out what she was talking about because the light would not come on while they were test driving it and they could not duplicate. The brake failure happened the day after she picked the vehicle up from the dealership which was July 8 and that the soonest they could get her vehicle in was July 15, 2005. She had a recall on electrical system, and they would never check this. But she was experiencing this problem because inside light, stereo, windows would not go up or down, and headlights failed. The dealership stated that vehicle was not recalled. When she went back on July 15th they did not even test drive vehicle because mileage was the same when she left as it was when she took the vehicle into the dealership.
Sporadic electrical issues. Sometimes headlights won't come on, when headlights are on, the digital mileage display flashes, heater/defroster keeps blowing a fuse. Dealer says they'll look at it but if they don't find it, I have to pay fee even though it's still got the extended warranty.
Vehicle was purchased new in 11/99. On 02/28/01 oil warning light illuminated, so consumer went to dealer for service. Dealer advised that oil level was sufficient, but light was due to sensor wires being "chewed" possibly by an animal. While driving home the light came on again. Took back to dealer who turned off. One day while driving van stalled without warning, then oil light came on. Dealer could not diagnose problem, but confirmed that oil level was sufficient. Vehicle stalled again. This time took to a different dealer who advised stalling problem is electrical caused by a defective car alarm installed by the first dealer. 2nd dealer disconnected the alarm. While driving home vehicle stalled again with oil light illuminating after stall.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Burbank, CA, USA