1997 Dodge CARAVAN: complaints, problems and recalls

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. THIS POSES A SAFETY HAZARD IF CONSUMER NEEDED TO REMOVE CHILDREN FROM VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001300 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER THE DEALERSHIP METRO CHRYSLER; [phone removed]; JAMAICA QUEENS NY; DID THE RECALL FOR THE CLOCK SPRING; 02 V 293 000, VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 79,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001558 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING THE RECLINE LATCH BROKE. THE DRIVER SEAT FULLY RECLINED BACK CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001808 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES THE MIDDLE VEHICLE SEAT MOVES LEFT TO RIGHT AND BACKWARDS DUE TO THE TRACKS UNDER THE SEAT. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002153 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE HATCHBACK SPRINGS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SNAP CAUSING IT TO BE HARD FOR CONSUMER TO OPEN AND CLOSE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002185 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002235 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 50MPH HIT A DEER WITH FRONT END AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002307 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATED DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM RECALL REMEDY 02V293000 BECAUSE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002577 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-09-13 (September 13, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS BUILT WITH 3.3L AND 3.8L ENGINES HAVE FUEL RAILS WITH NITROLE RUBBER O-RING SEALS THAT CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME. FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE UNDERHOOD FUEL INJECTION FUEL RAIL COULD RESULT, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A VEHICLE FIRE.

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SEAL ON THE VEHICLE FUEL RAILS TO PREVENT EXTERNAL LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER TUBE, SHOULD THE EXISTING O-RINGS CONTINUE TO DEGRADE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2002. DUE TO THE LARGE QUANTITY OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, THE OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE PHASED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. HOWEVER, IF A VEHICLE IS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE O-RINGS, THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO A DEALER TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2002-03-08 (March 8, 2002)

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, SOME TRIM MATERIAL CAN LOOSEN AND DROP INTO THE REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRIM WITH FOAM BLOCKERS AND INSPECT AND REPLACE ALL 3RD ROW SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 3, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2002-11-07 (November 7, 2002)

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN WOUND INCORRECTLY DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION WILL MANIFEST ITSELF THROUGH ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP, AND COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A DRIVER'S AIR BAG OPEN CIRCUIT, IF THE PART IS NOT REPLACED IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY ON ALL VEHICLES WITH 70,000 MILES OR LESS. AN EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTY WILL ALSO BE PLACED ON THIS COMPONENT FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL ALSO REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE CLOCKSPRING REPLACED ON THEIR VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 18, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 1996-10-29 (October 29, 1996)

THE MASTER CYLINDER REAR SEAL, BETWEEN THE HYDRAULIC FLUID AND THE VACUUM RESERVOIR, MAY NOT SEAL ADEQUATELY ALLOWING HYDRAULIC FLUID TO BE DRAWN INTO THE POWER ASSIST VACUUM RESERVOIR.

Consequence: AS THE HYDRAULIC FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DECREASES, THE LEVEL SENSOR WILL DETECT THE LOSS OF FLUID AND ILLUMINATE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE WARNING LAMP. CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED CAN RESULT IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. ADDENDUM (4-14-97): VEHICLES INSPECTED PER CHRYSLER RECALL NO. 707 AND FOUND TO BE OUTSIDE THE LISTED SUSPECT MASTER CYLINDER DATE CODE RANGE, MUST NOW HAVE THE MASTER CYLINDER PRIMARY PISTON REPLACED (CHRYSLER RECALL NO. 714).

Reported: 1997-04-28 (April 28, 1997)

THE STEEL ROAD WHEELS WERE DAMAGED BY THE EQUIPMENT USED TO MATCH MOUNT THE WHEEL TO THE TIRE.

Consequence: A SCORE MARK WAS MADE ON THE WHEEL, AFFECTING THE DURABILITY OF THE WHEEL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE ALL ROAD WHEELS (AND FULL SIZE SPARE TIRES) WITH NEW WHEELS.

Reported: 1997-11-13 (November 13, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH P215/65R15 GOODYEAR CONQUEST TIRES MOUNTED ON STEEL WHEEL. THE TIRES CAN EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN AIR PRESSURE LOSS WITHOUT WARNING.

Consequence: SUDDEN TIRE FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF DRIVER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TIRES THAT WERE MOUNTED ON STEEL WHEELS.

Reported: 1998-08-06 (August 6, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS. THE SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINT ON THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT CAN BECOME DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT WHEN THE SAFETY BELT LATCH PLATE BECOMES CONTAMINATED.

Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN RELEASING A CHILD FROM THE RESTRAINT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CLEAN THE LATCH MECHANISM. AN EXTENDER WILL BE ADDED TO THE EMERGENCY RELEASE ANCHOR FOR THE CHILD SEAT SAFETY BELTS SO THAT THE RELEASE CLIPS ARE MORE VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE OPERATOR IN THE EVENT THAT THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM CAN NOT BE UNLOCKED. IN ADDITION, AN INSTRUCTIONAL OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT CARD WILL BE PROVIDED.