2005 Dodge Grand Caravan Wipers & Visibility Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED, THEY SUDDENLY BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. THE WIPERS TOUCHED AND WOULD SEIZE TOGETHER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER COVER HAD NEARLY DETACHED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THREE OTHER OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V067000 (VISIBILITY). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,049.

THE WIPERS WILL STOP WORKING. STOPPED FOR WHILE. STARTED UP THEY STARTED WORKING AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THEN ONCE .... HAVE HEARD OF THIS BEFORE...

REAR WIPER ARM WILL NOT REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH THE BACK WINDOW. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO USE THE WIPER, IT MAKES ONE PASS AND THEN PUSHES OUT FROM THE WINDOW RESULTING IN THE ARM BEING FROM BETWEEN 1/4" - 1/2" FROM THE GLASS. NEW BLADES, BENDING THE ARM, ETC ALL RESULT IN SAME PROBLEM. WORK AT LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE AND HAVE SEEN THIS SAME ISSUE ON THE 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. IT APPEARS A PART IS MISSING IN THE INSTALLATION THAT SHOULD KEEP THE WIPER ASSEMBLY IN PLACE AND DEPTH THROUGH THE GLASS. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE OWNERSHIP. THE VAN IS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT WITH 14,447 MILES CURRENTLY. IT HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS AND HAS NOT OTHERWISE HAD THE REAR AREA DAMAGED, INCLUDING BY HUMAN TAMPERING WITH THE ASSEMBLY. IN ITS CURRENT STATE, THE REAR WIPER ARM IS USELESS UNLESS SOMEONE RIDES ON THE BACK BUMPER TO CONTINUOUSLY PUSH IT BACK INTO CONTACT WITH THE WINDOW GLASS SURFACE. *TR

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS AND POWER WINDOWS RANDOMLY STOPPED WORKING ON MY VAN. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS FROM 1005 DODGE VAN OWNERS ALL OVER THE INTERNET. THE EQUIPMENT CONTINUES TO FAIL AND I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND A SOLUTION. *TR

I OWN A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH 52K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTION RANDOMLY FOR VARIOUS INTERVALS OF TIME. THEY EITHER FAIL TO OPEN COMPLETELY , FAIL TO CLOSE COMPLETELY, OR NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. LAST YEAR (2009) THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW FAILED TO OPEN. I HAD TO REPLACE THE SWITCH. THIS YEAR THE FRONT DRIVER WINDOW WILL NOT OPEN. I HAD THE MASTER SWITCH REPLACED AND THE WINDOW WILL STILL NOT OPERATE. THE MASTER SWITCH IS CONSIDERABLY MORE EXPENSIVE BEING THAT IT HAS INDIVIDUAL CONTROLS TO OPERATE THE FRONT DRIVER, PASSENGER AND REAR LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE VENT WINDOWS. I HAVE READ A LOT OF ONLINE FORUMS THAT THE SAME PROBLEMS EXIST FOR A QUITE A FEW OWNERS OF DODGE GRAND CARAVANS AND CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY VANS (MADE DURING APPROX. 2000 THROUGH 2007). THE REPAIRS THAT ARE MADE AT DEALERS AND PRIVATE REPAIR SHOPS ARE EXPENSIVE AND ARE NOT CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED; BEING THAT THE SAME PROBLEM REPEATS IN RELATIVELY SHORT INTERVALS OF TIME. THE FIXES SEEM TO BE GUESS WORK AT BEST. THE REPAIRS INVOLVE NOT ONLY SWITCHES BUT, POWER WINDOW REGULATOR ASSEMBLIES. IF THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW CAN NOT OPEN, THE DRIVER WILL HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR IN ORDER TO PAY TOLLS OR TRANSACT BUSINESS AT DRIVE- THROUGH WINDOWS, POSING A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT AN INVESTIGATION BE INITIATED FOR THE ABOVE VEHICLES, FOR THE PROBLEMS MENTIONED, AS TO WHETHER A DESIGN DEFECT CURRENTLY EXISTS. *TR

POWER DOOR LOCKS AND ELECTRIC WINDOWS STOP WORKING....HAPPENS APPROX EVERY TWO WEEKS. HAVE REMOVED THE IOD FUSE AND THEN EVERYTHING WORKS, FOR APPROX. 2 WEEKS, THEN EVERYTHING STOPS WORKING AGAIN. THE PROCEDURE IS REPEATED. MANY COMPLAINTS AND SAME SOLUTION AS ABOVE ON INTERNET. DODGE SHOULD HAVE A RECALL TO REPAIR. HAPPENING TO OFTEN TO MANY OF US. *TR

MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW HAS LOST POWER 2 TIMES NOW. THE FIRST TIME WE REPLACED THE MOTOR TO THE POWER WINDOW, THIS WAS LESS THAN 2 MONTHS AGO. NOW THE WINDOW HAS STOPPED WORKING AGAIN, I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING AND THE WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL UP IT IS STUCK DOWN IN THE DOOR.*TR

DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY, AND THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW OF OUR 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (63K MILES) JUST FELL OUT AT ~60 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WAS NO WARNING, THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, THE WINDOW WAS NOT VENTED, AND NOTHING WAS UP AGAINST THE WINDOW. WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT THIS HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE IN THE RIGHT LANE, AND IT WAS THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR, SO THE WINDOW PROBABLY FELL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE ARE ALSO FORTUNATE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING FALL OUT THE WINDOW THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. WE REPORTED THE INCIDENT (INFORMALLY) TO THE POLICE SO THAT THEY COULD DRIVE BY THE AREA WHERE IT OCCURRED TO ENSURE THERE WERE NO ROAD HAZARDS. WE HAVE NOTHING TO EXPLAIN WHY THE WINDOW FELL OUT. WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY CONCLUDED IT WAS NOT A DEFECT. I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY CAME TO THAT CONCLUSION, BUT THEY SEEM CONTENT THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION. CHRYSLER PROVIDED NO HELP IN COVERING THE $700 CHARGE TO REPLACE THE WINDOW. ALSO, WHEN I ASKED WHICH GOVERNMENT AGENCY I SHOULD CONTACT TO REPORT THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE, THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME AN ANSWER. THEY ONLY STATED THAT THE INCIDENT WILL BE KEPT IN OUR OWN "PERSONAL" FILE, AND IMPLIED THAT KEEPING THIS INFORMATION IN A PRIVATE FILE IS SUFFICIENT. I DISAGREE, AND FEEL THAT THIS COMPLAINT SHOULD BE KNOWN TO THE NHTSA IN CASE THERE ARE OTHER SIMILAR OCCURRENCES. *TR

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STUCK TOGETHER DURING RAIN CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. I HAD TO PULL OF THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND MANUALLY SEPARATE THE WIPERS. HAD THIS HAPPENED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH HEAVY RAIN, I WOULD HAVE BEEN BLINDED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR ON MY 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT SHATTERED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 1.5 YEARS THAT THE SIDE DOOR GLASS SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS DECEMBER 20, 2006 AND THE PASSENGER DOOR GLASS SHATTERED. BOTH TIMES WHILE DRIVING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I CALLED CHRYSLER WHO SAID THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS AND OFFERED 2 REASONS, 1) SUDDEN CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE (NEITHER TIME WAS THERE A DRASTIC CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE) AND THE SECOND REASON GIVEN WAS POSSIBLY A SCRATCH ON THE GLASS IF I HAD SCRAPPED THEM FOR SOME REASON. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT MY VAN WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I KNEW THAT AND GLASS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY ANY WAY. IT SEEMS MORE THAN A COINCIDENCE THAT 2 SEPARATE PIECES OF ORIGINAL FACTORY GLASS ON SEPARATE DOORS WOULD SHATTER IN THIS WAY. I ALWAYS USE THE AUTOMATIC OPENER AND CLOSER AND VERY RARELY IS THE DOOR MANUALLY OPENED OR CLOSED (EITHER DOORS). IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS THIS VEHICLE IS PURCHASED BY MANY PEOPLE WITH MEDIUM TO LARGE FAMILIES AND CARRY CHILDREN. WHEN THE GLASS SHATTERS AND YOU NEED TO CONTINUE DRIVING UNTIL YOU CAN GET THE GLASS SECURED PEOPLE OR CHILDREN THAT MAY BE INSIDE WILL HAVE GLASS ALL OVER THEM. IN SHORT CHRYSLER REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANY REPLACEMENT GLASS OR ACKNOWLEDGE IT COULD BE AN ISSUE AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE IS NOT BEING INVESTIGATED BY CHRYSLER/DODGE FOR A POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW EITHER OR DEFECT IN GLASS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN. ALSO, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (LOCKING SYSTEM) DOES NOT WORK. THE KEY HAS TO BE MANUALLY INSERTED TO UNLOCK OR LOCK THE DOOR. THE SLIDING DOORS ARE NO LONGER WORKING PROPERLY AND OCCASIONALLY BECOME STUCK AND CANNOT BE OPENED AT ALL. WATER IS ENTERING THROUGH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE AND CREATING PUDDLES OF WATER IN THE VEHICLE. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPAIR WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,424 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,400. UPDATED 02-06-08. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $421.56 FOR LOCKS AND WINDOWS AND OBTAINED AN ESTIMATE FOR THE SLIDING VAN DOORS AT THE TUNE OF $773.38. UPDATED 02/06/08 *TR

MY POWER DOOR LOCKS ON MY 2005 GRAND CARAVAN STOPPED WORKING. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR MOST 2005 CARAVAN OWNERS. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK EITHER AUTOMATICALLY OR BY USING THE DOOR LOCK BUTTON. IF IN THE EVENT OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION THE PERSONS IN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE AT RISK. BEING THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT OWNERS HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES INTO THE DEALER FOR A COSTLY UPDATE TO THE SOFTWARE I FEEL THAT NOW IS THE TIME FOR A RECALL. *TR

IN OCTOBER 2007 POWER LOCKS STOPPED WORKING, I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE NOW THE LOCKS DON'T AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHEN REACH CERTAIN SPEED. CHILDREN COULD OPEN BACK DOORS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN THE UP POSITION. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE THIRD TIME, BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO MAKE THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 10,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING RECALL # 06V067000. THE CONTACT STATED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND LENGTH OF TIME OF THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT LEFT THE DEALER WITHOUT THE RECALL WORK BEING PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 31,500.*AK

I OWN A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN THAT IS APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR OLD. ON 8/18/06, I WAS DRIVING AND A COOLANT SPRAYED ONTO MY LEG CAUSING BURNING AND PERMANENT SCARING. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. DEALER TECH INDICATED THAT THE HEATER CORE TUBE BROKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE AT THE HEATER CORE. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER NUMBER AND WAS ADVISED THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE WITHIN 12 DAYS. WITHIN ONE WEEK OF THE ACCIDENT A MANUFACTURERS REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VAN. TODAY IS 9/27/06, I HAVE LEFT SEVERAL MESSAGES TO THE NUMBER PROVIDED BUT HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS OR IF THE CAR WILL BE SAFE AGAIN TO DRIVE. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP,ASIDE FROM PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC DAMAGES INCURRED, I AM CONCERNED THAT IF A SIMILAR ACCIDENT OCCURS AN EVEN MORE TRAGIC RESULT MAY OCCUR. THE VAN IS NOW AT THE DEALER THAT WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM. *NM

2005 GRAND CARAVAN WITH PRIVACY GLASS, I WAS STANDING 10' FROM CAR PARKED IN DRIVEWAY PAST 14 HRS, LEFT REAR SIDE WINDOW EXPLODED OUTWARD SENDING GLASS SHARDS 10' PERIMETER. AMBIENT TEMP WAS 67'F. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE WIPERS STUCK TOGETHER CAUSING THE MOTOR TO BURN OUT. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 06V067000, REGARDING THE WIPER/WASHER MOTOR. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

THE ELECTRONIC CONTROLS FOR THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS ARE NOT LIT MAKING THEM IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AT NIGHT. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH A PASSING CAR IN THE OTHER LANE OR HAVING A CAR CLOSE BEHIND, THEIR HEADLAMPS SHINE INTO THE DRIVERS EYES. THE DRIVER MUST USE HIS/HER LEFT HAND TO BLOCK THE MIRROR OR ADJUST THE MIRROR SO HEADLAMPS REFLECT AT A DIFFERENT ANGLE. SINCE THE MIRROR CONTROLS ARE NOT LIT, NOR IS ANYTHING IN THAT AREA, IT IS DISTRACTING TO THE DRIVER TO FUMBLE AROUND FEELING FOR THE CONTROLS. THIS DISTRACTION CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO CROSS THE CENTER LINE INTO THE PASSING VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THESE CONTROLS ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE LIT.*AK

ELECTRICAL COMPONENT FAILURE CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD. FRONT BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER BLOCK FAILED IN A 2005 GRAND CARAVAN DRIVEN ONLY 2350 MILES. THIS VEHICLE IS PRONE TO FOGGING IN DAMP CONDITIONS (RAIN/SNOW/FOG, ETC). WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING BLOWER, THE WINDSHIELD AND SIDE WINDOWS FOG UP ALWAYS. THE DISTANCE FROM DRIVER TO WINDSHIELD IS TOO LONG TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY CLEAR THE FOG CONDITIONS WITH A CLOTH WHILE DRIVING. THE REDUCED VISIBILITY CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD. VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN IN DAMP/WET CONDITIONS. *JB