1996 Dodge Grand Caravan Equipment Problems

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, VIN NUMBER [XXX]. A WEEK AGO FRIDAY I HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND TIME SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE THAT I HAVE NEEDED TO CHANGE A FLAT TO MY SPARE TIRE AND ALSO USE THE SCISSOR JACK THAT THE FACTORY SUPPLIED WITH MY VEHICLE. I WAS USING YOUR FACTORY SUPPLIED JACK TO RAISE THE VEHICLE WHEN THE JACK APPARENTLY SLIPPED AND THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND. I PROCEEDED TO EXTRICATE THE JACK AND LOOKED IT OVER AND IT APPEARED TO BE IN EXCELLENT SHAPE WITH NO INDICATIONS OF ANY DAMAGE; I CONCLUDED THAT THE JACK SOMEHOW SLIPPED. I AGAIN INSERTED THE JACK UNDER THE VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO AGAIN JACK UP THE VEHICLE WHEN THE JACK COLLAPSED AGAIN. UPON GATHERING UP MY THINGS I NOTED THAT THE JACK DID NOT SLIP, BUT FAILED AND THAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FALL TO THE GROUND. THE JACK FAILURE WAS IN THE UPPER INSIDE SUPPORT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AND INSERT THE SCISSOR JACK UNDER THE VEHICLE WHEN THE SCISSOR JACK LIFTS THE JACK UP. I SHOWED THE FAILED JACK TO A WELDER FRIEND OF MINE WHO KNOWS ABOUT METALS, AND HE STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS METAL FATIGUE AND THAT THAT PART OF THE JACK WAS NOT PROPERLY MANUFACTURED BECAUSE THE METAL WAS NOT CURED AND HARDENED PROPERLY TO ACQUIRE ITS NEEDED STRENGTH. FIRST I EXPECT A NEW REPLACEMENT JACK THAT WILL FIT INTO THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT MADE FOR IT SO THAT I WILL HAVE A FACTORY JACK WHENEVER I DECIDE TO GET A NEW VEHICLE AND THE PERSON WHO BUYS MY VEHICLE NEXT WILL HAVE A GOOD, SAFE, FACTORY JACK WHENEVER NEEDED. SECOND I EXPECT TO BE REIMBURSED THE $20.00 I GAVE THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WHO HELPED ME OUT WHEN THE SCISSOR JACK FAILED AND BECAME BROKEN AND USELESS. THIRD, IT WOULD BE NICE BUT NOT REQUIRED AT THIS TIME, IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER SOME FAIR COMPENSATION FOR MY BEING LATE, TIRED, DIRTY, SMELLY AND ANGRY WHEN I WAS MEETING MY WIFE FOR DINNER. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS NOT THE MOST PLEASANT PERSON TO HAVE DINNER WITH THAT NIGHT.*AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

WHILE TRAVELING, THE DASH BOARD INDICATION LIGHTS FLASHED THROUGHOUT TRAVEL. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE AIR CONDITIONER CONTROL HEADS CONTAINED A SHORT. *JB

SINCE THE FIRST WEEK THAT I OWNED THIS CAR. WHENEVER I RUN THE AIR CONDITIONER, THE CAR WILL STALL OUT. AT FIRST, I COULD RESTART THE CAR READILY. LATER, IT TOOK SEVERAL TRIES TO RESTART IT. NOW I KNOW THAT I HAVE TO WAIT SEVERAL MINUTES IN ORDER TO RESTART IT. I MUST LEAVE THE AIR CONDITIONER OFF, IF I WANT THE CAR TO CONTINUE RUNNING. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT, AND THEY DID SOME ENGINE ADJUSTMENTS WHICH NEVER SOLVED THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A TSB ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS RUNNING, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER I'M DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC OR WHETHER I'M AT SPEED. IT WILL HAPPEN. SO, THE WAY TO AVOID THE PROBLEM IS NOT TO USE THE AIR CONDITIONER. BUT I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH AIR CONDITIONING, AND I'M ENTITLED TO HAVE WHAT I PAID FOR. MY CONSCIENCE TELLS ME THAT I HAVE TO PROTECT OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD, SO I DON'T RUN IT . CHRYSLER HAS A REGISTERED COMPLAINT FROM ME AND OTHER PEOPLE, AS WELL, ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING. I HAVE ANOTHER CRISIS OF CONSCIENCE: I'D LIKE TO GET RID OF THIS CAR AND THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM, BUT WHO WILL BUY THIS CAR? I CAN'T SELL IT WITHOUT FULL DISCLOSURE OF THE PROBLEM. AND IF I TRADE IT IN TO CHRYSLER, I'M SURE THEY WON'T DISCLOSE THE PROBLEM TO SOME UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMER. DT

LEAK AIR COND SYM CAUSED 5 MO. AND 2 YR CHILD TO BECOME SICK FROM R134 BLOW IN FACE. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER BLOWS OUT HOT AIR. CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE IN MARCH AND THERE WAS NO REASON TO TURN IT ON. ON INSPECTION LIST AIR CONDITIONER WAS CHECKED AS WORKING. CONSUMER LIVES IN A HOT CLIMATE, AND AIR CONDITIONER IS VERY MUCH NEEDED. DEALER COULDN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.*AK

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. *SLC

WE HAD TO REPLACE THE A/C COMPRESSOR, HIGH PRESSURE SWITCH, EXPANSION VALVE AND RECEIVER/DRIVER TO REPAIR LEAKS DUE TO PREMATURE WEAROUT. THIS COST US $1240.00. CHRYSLER HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS A/C SYSTEM BREAKING DOWN PREMATURELY. *AK

I WAS CHANGING A FLAT TIRE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE JACK HAS BEEN USED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON, THE JACK TWISTED AND COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE LURCHED SLIGHTLY. THE SURFACE THE VEHICLE RESTED ON WAS PERFECTLY FLAT SO THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A STRESS DEFECT IN THE JACK. I HAD TO BORROW THE JACK FROM MY BUICK TO COMPLETE THE TIRE CHANGE.

THE EVAPORATOR COIL IS PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE. I WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT OWNS 25 TO 30 DODGE CARAVANS AF VARIOUS YEARS AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON MODELS BUILT BETWEEN 1993 AND 1999. ALSO THE DEALERSHIP HAS ADMITTED TO ME THAT THEY HAVE REPAIRED 100'S OF VEHICLES (CHRYSLER/DODGE/PLYMOUTH) WITH THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. DAIMLER CHRYSLER'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE HOT LINE OFFERED NO HELP WHAT SO EVER. WHEN THE REFRIGERANT (R134A) LEAKS, IT ENTERS THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CAN BE TOXIC IF COMBUSTED, NOT TO MENTION NOT A GOOD THING TO BREATH NON-COMBUSTED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

AT THE START UP OF THE VAN, THE COMPRESSOR PULLEY WAS LOCKED UP TO THE POINT THAT IT WOULD NOT TURN AND THE BELT WAS RUBBING ON THE PULLEY CAUSING LARGE AMOUNT OR SMOKE. COST TO REPAIR WAS MORE THAN $3,000.00.

DEALER STATES THERE IS NO "GOODWILL" WARRANTY FOR THIS VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

LIGHTER NOT WORKING.

JACK FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. AFTER LIFTING VEHICLE, ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS, TO A HEIGHT ADEQUATE TO REMOVE THE WHEEL, IT APPEARED THAT THE JACK BASE BENT, CAUSING THE JACK TO KICK UNDER VEHICLE, AND THE VEHICLE TO FALL. IT APPEARED THAT THE CENTER LINE OF THE JACK BASE WAS NOT CENTERED UNDER THE LIFT POINT OF THE JACK.

RADIO AND CASSETTE PLAYER FAILED.

AIR CONDITIONER REPAIRED.

CD PLAYER INOPERATIVE.