2000 Dodge Grand Caravan Body & Structure Problems

Your van's back door alarm sounds continuously when you drive on the freeway at speeds of 65 mph or higher. The alarm keeps going off even though the door isn't actually open. The issue may be caused by a faulty door latch sensor or electrical connection that's triggered by vibration at higher speeds.

I PURCHASED A USED 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN 2005. AT TIME OF PURCHASE THE LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER HAD NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF DECAY. AS TIME WENT ON, THE STRUT TOWER HAS BEGAN TO RUST COMPLETELY THROUGH WHILE THE RIGHT TOWER IS PERFECTLY FINE. I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE CARAVANS OF THIS MODEL YEAR AND IF THE TOWER FAILS, THE STRUT CAN PUNCH THROUGH CAUSING CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF CONTROL. I HAVE A FAMILY OF 5 AND I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THEIR WELL-BEING. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG THIS VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE DESCRIBED ISSUE I HAVE MENTIONED HERE. FOR ME PERSONALLY, THIS A HUGE LAWSUIT IN THE MAKING, ESPECIALLY IF ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY IS ENDANGERED. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. REGARDLESS, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY DUE TO THIS KNOWN DEFECT WHICH I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WITH 100% PERCENT CERTAINTY THAT I WILL FIGHT THIS IN COURT. I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THIS ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I AM VERY CONCERNED OVER THIS, AND MY DECISION TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION AND WHETHER OR NOT I EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER DODGE PRODUCT AGAIN HINGES ON ANY ASSISTANCE THAT I MAY OR MAY NOT RECEIVE. I WILL PROVIDE VIN # AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION NEEDED ONCE I AM CONTACTED. *TR

WHILE CHANGING THE FRONT STRUTS OF MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, I FOUND THE FRONT LEFT STRUT TOWER TO BE EXTREMELY RUSTED. IT HASN'T RUSTED THROUGH YET, BUT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF WEEKS. I CALLED MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND THEY SAID A RECALL HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED, BUT A TSB HAD BEEN. THIS MEANS I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, EVEN THEY KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE ON CHRYSLER'S PART. I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER PRODUCT FROM THEM, AS THEY DON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. *TR

CORROSION OF STRUT TOWERS, THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE THE VAN WAS NEW. WE IT IS COSMETIC AND IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. FOR THE WARRANTY TO COVER IT, IT WILL NEED TO FAIL WITHIN 5 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES. WELL WE ARE PAST THAT NOW AND IT HAS FAILED. WHAT TO DO? THE DEALER CAN FIX IT BUT IT COSTS ME $1200 TO $1400. FOR AN ONGOING PROBLEM THIS IS NOT FAIR AND REASONABLE. NOT TO MENTION, MORE THAN HALF OF THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE ARE OF THIS EXACT ISSUE. AND IT RUNS THROUGH MANY YEARS. DO WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS INJURED BEFORE THIS IS CORRECTED. DODGE IS AWARE THEY HAVE EVEN MADE UP A KIT TO ASSIST WITH THIS ISSUE. IS THERE A CLASS ACTION? THIS VAN WAS $33,000. NEW IN 2000 WHEN WE PURCHASED IT. THIS IS NOT FAIR OR REASONABLE. WHO NEEDS TO BE TALKED TO GET THIS FIXED? IS THE SCOPE SO LARGE THAT THEY CAN NOT ALL BE FIXED? DO I NEED TO JUNK THE VAN BECAUSE THE REPAIR IS MORE THAN IT'S STREET VALUE? *TR

WATER LEAKS ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR FROM THE HVAC DURING AC USE AND IN HEAVY RAIN. *NM

A RATTLING NOISE WHEN CAR IN USE, ESPECIALLY WHEN POWER USED FROM AIR CONDITIONING AND DEFROSTER. DIAGNOSIS FROM DODGE DEALER WAS A CRACKED FLEX PLATE. TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO REPLACE PART. 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO BRINGING THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR THE FRONT END BEGAN TO SHAKE UPON ACCELERATION (ESPECIALLY UP HILL), FELT VERY UNSAFE DRIVING. BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER THEY DIAGNOSED THE SHAKING PROBLEM TO BE THE FLEX PLATE. DEALER REPLACED THE FLEX PLATE AT MY COST, BECAUSE IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. VERY EXPENSIVE WORK BECAUSE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE LIFTED. AFTER REPAIR THE MECHANIC TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE. REMARKED THE RATTLING NOISE IS GONE, BUT FRONT END SHAKE REMAINED. RE-EXAMINED CAR AND SAID THE FRAME WAS BENT ON THE LEFT SIDE AND THAT THE CAR MUST HAVE BEEN HIT AND TO CALL A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF ANY DAMAGE TO THE EXTERIOR. THE VAN IS GARAGED AND AT MOST DRIVEN APPROX 75-100 MILES P/WK. I DRIVE SAFELY WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND HAVE NOT HIT EVEN SO MUCH AS A CURB OR JACK RABBIT. HOW CAN THE FRAME OF A CAR BE DAMAGED IN SUCH A WAY, WITHOUT ANY MISUSE OR ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT A SAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE AND IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO LOSING CONTROL AT ANY TIME AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *JB

I HAD AN OIL CHANGE DONE AT A CHRYSLER DEALER THE SERVICE ADVISOR NOTED ON THE REPAIR ORDER AND TOLD MY WIFE THAT THE FRONT STRUT TOWERS WERE RUSTING OUT AND THAT THE STRUT COULD BREAK THOUGH THE TOWER CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VAN. *JB

2000 GRAND CARAVAN HAS MULTIPLE RUST POINTS. THE MOST DANGEROUS OF WHICH IS THE RUSTING AND DETERIORATION OF THE FRONT LEFT STRUT. THE TOP PORTION OF THE STRUT COVER IS RUSTED AND FALLING APART, WITH A CRACK IN IT. OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR THAT ARE SHOWING MANY RUST AREAS INCLUDE: PASSENGER DOOR (CAN PUT FINGER THROUGH RUST), HOOD (BUBBLING PAINT AND CRACKING), PAINT PEELING FROM ANTENNA HOUSING, REAR HATCH RUST, LEFT REAR WHEEL BASIN. MY LARGEST CONCERN IS THE STRUT RUST FOR SAFETY ISSUES, BUT THIS VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE RUSTING SO POORLY BEING ONLY 5 YEARS OLD! *NM

DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2000 - FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AREA LEAK CONTINUES DESPITE HAVING HAD IT "REPAIRED" AT THE DEALER TWICE. MOST NOTICEABLE IS THAT THE LEAK OCCURS WHEN THE VAN SITS IN THE DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS ROLLED UP. NO EVIDENCE OF WHERE THE WATER COMES FROM, JUST THE PUDDLE AT THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR SILL.*AK

THERE HAS BEEN A LEAK INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FROM TOP OF HATCH OPENING. LEAK WAS HIDDEN BY PLASTIC COVERING AND NOT DETECTED UNTIL NOTICEABLE SMELL, POSSIBLE CAUSED BY MOLD. WATER IS ENTERING THROUGH A FAULTY WELD ON EACH SIDE OF THE UPPER HATCH OPENING. LEAK WAS ADDITIONALLY OBSCURED BECAUSE CARPET IS RUBBER BACKED. THE UNDERLYING PADDING WAS SOAKED FROM THE REAR UP TO THE MIDDLE ROW OF SEATS. THIS HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN ONGOING FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME, BUT WAS UNDETECTABLE DUE TO IT'S LOCATION. THE VAN IS 3 1/2 YEARS OLD BUT HAS ONLY 31,300 MILES. THE WELDS SHOULD NOT FAIL IN THIS SHORT TIME. THIS IS EITHER A DESIGN FLAW OR A MFG DEFECT. MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND NOT KNOW ABOUT IT. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE AREA WHERE THE WATER IS ENTERING. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC DATE OF INCIDENT, BUT I FIRST NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF WETNESS SOMETIME LAST YEAR. I THOUGHT IT HAD DRIPPED OFF THE OPEN HATCH. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES.*AK

CONSUMER HAS WIND TURBULANT NOISE INSIDE OF VEHICLE WHEN WINDOWS ARE UP. TURBULANCE IS SO HIGH WHERE PASSENGERS HAVE TO TALK LOUD, AND RADIO HAS TO HAVE A HIGH VOLUME TO HEAR. VEHICLE IS IN ARBITRATION.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE NOISE IS ALSO HEARD IN THE REAR, DEALER STATES THEY WILL TRY TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM BY ADJUSTING THE LUGGAGE BARS ON LUGGAGE RACK. *SLC

ELECTRIC LOCKS/ DOORS WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK ON THEIR OWN. ALSO, THAT IF CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES SUDDENLY LOCKS WOULD BE TRIGGERED SOMETIMES. THIS HAPPENS ON A RANDOM BASIS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO OUT CONSTANTLY. ALSO, DOOR LOCKS DON'T WORK INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER 5 TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. DASHLIGHTS LIGHTS WENT OUT 18 TIMES WITHIN 10 DAYS.*AK

FIVE DAYS IN DEALER'S BODY SHOP AND ONE DAY IN SERVICE SHOP, UNABLE TO STOP THE WATER LEAK INTO FRONT DRIVER-SIDE CABIN. THE WATER LEAKS INTO VEHICLE WHEN IT RAINS. VEHICLE IS ALWAYS PARKED WHEN WATER COMES INTO CABIN. IT COMES IN WITH HEAVY OR LIGHT RAINS. BODY SHOP MANAGER REMEMBERS TWO OTHER VEHICLES WITH WATER LEAK PROBLEMS.

FIVE DAYS IN DEALER'S BODY SHOP AND ONE DAY IN SERVICE SHOP, UNABLE TO STOP THE WATER LEAK INTO FRONT DRIVER-SIDE CABIN. THE WATER LEAKS INTO VEHICLE WHEN IT RAINS. VEHICLE IS ALWAYS PARKED WHEN WATER COMES INTO CABIN. IT COMES IN WITH HEAVY OR LIGHT RAINS. BODY SHOP MANAGER REMEMBERS TWO OTHER VEHICLES WITH WATER LEAK PROBLEMS.