2006 Dodge GRAND CARAVAN: complaints, problems and recalls

AT 3851 MILES ON MY 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, THE MOTOR ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING, IN THE MIDDLE OF A TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR, WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL. I WAS ABLE TO, VERY SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY, DRIVE THE CAR BACK HOME. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 3,851 miles reported. Look up ODI 10149600 at NHTSA ↗

ON JANUARY 12, 2006 MY VAN STARTING MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND FROM THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE AND THEN WOULD SUDDENLY JERK AND PULL THE VAN TO THE RIGHT. I SCHEDULED A SERVICE APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY. WHILE IN ROUTE TO THE DEALERSHIP THE VAN CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP AS WELL AS WHILE TRYING TO STOP THE VAN THERE WAS NO CONTROL IN THE STEERING. THE VAN SLID UNTIL STOPPING. FORTUNATELY I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 15 MPH AS I HAD JUST STARTED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. THE OUTCOME WAS THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE CONTROL ARM IN PLACE BROKE IN HALF. …

Owner-reported narrative. 5,089 miles reported. Look up ODI 10149615 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE RETURNING FROM A TRIP, MY DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE GAUGE CLUSTER ON MY 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT ILLUMINATED WITH OUT WARNING. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 20,542 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156671 at NHTSA ↗

DURING A RECENT ACCIDENT IN MY 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE KNEE AIRBAG CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL BRUISING AND ABRASIONS TO MY SHINS, AND I EXPECT TO BE PERMANENTLY SCARRED AS A RESULT. WERE IT NOT FOR THE KNEE AIRBAG, I WOULD HAVE WALKED AWAY FROM THE ACCIDENT WITHOUT A SCRATCH. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10159289 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE PULLING THE LIFT GATE DOWN MANUALLY, THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND PUSHED THE BUTTON THAT AUTOMATICALLY BRINGS THE LIFT GATE DOWN UNAWARE THAT HIS WIFE WAS PULLING THE LIFT GATE DOWN MANUALLY. THE LIFT GATE JERKED UP HITTING THE CONTACT IN THE FACE CAUSING THE CONTACT'S FOUR BOTTOM TEETH TO GO THROUGH THE BOTTOM LIP. THE CONTACT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL RESULTING IN THREE STITCHES TO THE BOTTOM LIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN ALERTED.

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164296 at NHTSA ↗

NOISE SIMILAR TO "BOTTOMING OUT" CAN BE HEARD COMING FROM DRIVERS SIDE REAR OF VEHICLE WHEN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IS FULLY OCCUPIED. ANY DIP IN THE ROAD EXACERBATES THE NOISE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 11,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10167528 at NHTSA ↗

12-13-06 FRONT CAR COLLUSION WITH NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. APPROXIMATE SPEED OF VEHICLE LESS THAN 40 MPH. APPROXIMATELY 24 INCH INTRUSION INTO MIDDLE OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR BY PASSENGER SIDE FENDER AREA OF CAR THAT CAUSED COLLUSION. DAMAGE TO CAR WILL REQUIRE COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING AIR BAG SENSORS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10176102 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE GAS TANK IS FILLING UP, THE GAS NOZZLE CONTINUES TO SHOOT GAS OUT OF THE TANK. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERY TIME WE HAVE FILLED OUR TANK UP REGARDLESS OF WHAT STATION WE WERE USING. LOCAL DODGE DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE VEHICLES FUEL SYSTEM OR DESIGN. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE VEHICLE BUILDS UP A HIGH STATIC CHARGE DUE TO THE FABRIC SEATS ETC. CAN BE QUITE A SHOCK WHICH IS NOT GOOD TO MIX WITH THIS GASOLINE PROBLEM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184963 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2006-03-08 (March 8, 2006)

ON CERTAIN VANS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR ARMATURE SHAFT MAY BREAK.

Consequence: DURING CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS, LOSS OF FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPING CAPABILITY COULD OCCUR, AND THE DRIVER'S VISION COULD BE OBSCURED WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2006, TO DODGE DURANGO OWNERS. MINIVAN OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2010-01-11 (January 11, 2010)

CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 DODGE CARAVAN, GRAND CARAVAN AND CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, ALASKA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT CRASH SENSORS MAY CRACK UNDER CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND ALLOW WATER TO ENTER INTO THE SENSOR. THIS CAN CAUSE THE SENSOR TO BECOME INOPERATIVE AND ILLUMINATE THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT. THESE SENSORS WERE ADDED TO ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IN CERTAIN FRONTAL CRASHES.

Consequence: IF THE FRONT CRASH SENSORS BECOME INOPERATIVE, THE DRIVER IS IMMEDIATELY ALERTED BY ILLUMINATION OF THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE PROMPTLY SERVICED. UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS REPAIRED, THE AIRBAGS MAY NOT PROVIDE THE ENHANCED PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: CHRYSLER WILL REPLACE THE FRONT AIRBAG SENSORS WITH A NEW DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN WILL BEGIN DURING JUNE 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2010-07-27 (July 27, 2010)

DRIVING SPECIALTIES LTD IS RECALLING 2 MODEL YEAR 2006 AND 2007 CONVERSION VANS EQUIPPED WITH VMI/RICON 6-WAY POWER SEAT BASES. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF A DEFECTIVE WELD AT THE JOINT BETWEEN THE PIVOTING PLATE AND THE PIVOTING PLATE PIN.

Consequence: THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY BE INJURED IF THE SEAT BASE PIN WERE TO BREAK.

Remedy: DRIVING SPECIALTIES WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE VEHICLES WILL BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DRIVING SPECIALTIES AT 1-707-553-1515.