1998 Dodge CARAVAN: complaints, problems and recalls

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING COOLANT FLUID TO LEAK. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001297 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE APPLYING THE GEAR THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP AND WILL NOT MOVE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001348 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SEAT BELTS BECAME UNBUCKLED WITHOUT NOTICE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001761 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE DIFFERENT FROM DRIVER'S SEAT TO PASSENGER'S SEAT. BOTH HAVE TROUBLE GETTING THEM RELEASED, WHEN EXITING VEHICLE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT UNLOCK AND CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO SLIDE OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS...*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002179 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES THAT FUEL IS LEAKING FROM VENT TUBE THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE FUEL TANK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002258 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT AND CONSUMER WILL BE FORCED TO SLIDE OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS *TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002332 at NHTSA ↗

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. EXTENT OF REBUILD/REPAIRS BEING ASSESSED BY BENCHMARK TRANSMISSION, WILMINGTON DE. PROBABLE FAILURE OF SHIFT GOVERNOR DUE TO INTERNAL FAILURE OF PART/PARTS WAS PRELIMINARY DIAGNOSIS OF BRANDYWINE CHRYSLER, WILMINGTON DE AND BENCHMARK TRANSMISSION, WILMINGTON DE. PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE OF REBUILD IS $1400, BUT DEPENDENT ON EXTENT OF INTERNAL DAMAGE. BENCHMARK REPORTED NO ELECTRONIC FAILURE OR CAUSE. MILEAGE IS 56,111. VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW IN JULY 1998 AND STILL OWNED BY ORIGINAL OWNER.

Owner-reported narrative. 56,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002626 at NHTSA ↗

CLOCKSPRING FAILED, CAUSING CRUISE CONTROL/HORN, AND AIR BAG TO MALFUNCTION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*JB....*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003657 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: 2004-10-06 (October 6, 2004)

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MAY BECOME DISABLED DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE CLOCKSPRING, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE HUB OF THE STEERING WHEEL.

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 COVERED VEHICLES WITH 70,000 MILES OR LESS. FOR THOSE VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 70,000 MILES, DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL OFFER AN EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTY UNDER WHICH IT WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING AT NO CHARGE IF IT FAILS. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL ALSO REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE CLOCKSPRING REPLACED ON THEIR VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 12, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 1997-12-15 (December 15, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS. THE SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINT WEBBING WAS INCORRECTLY ROUTED AROUND THE METAL REINFORCEMENT BAR ON THESE SEATS.

Consequence: THE CHILD SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ROUTING OF THE SHOULDER BELT WEBBING AND ANY FOUND INCORRECT WILL BE PROPERLY ROUTED.