2002 Dodge Grand Caravan Electrical System Problems

I just bought a 2002 Dodge Grand caravan. I have noticed the seat belts do not lock when I installed the car seat and pulled the seat belt to lock the car seat in place it will not work which makes the car seat tip and fall every direction. I tried every seat in van to see if the lock and they do not unless the car is started if you pull it down fast it locks but not when it's off and will not stay locked. Speedometer and gas gage quit working.

The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that the heater blower had become inoperable and upon inspection, it was discovered that the heater blower wiring harness was burnt and the wires were melted together. The cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 185,000.

Every time I go Though a small puddle rain or snow 10 to 30 mph I loose power steering and have a battery light pop on I have to pull over turn off van and restart sometime it goes back to normal

LEAKING FUEL RAIL CAP 2002 DODGE CARAVAN IS LEAKING GAS ALL OVER THE SPARK PLUGS ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL PARTS WHEN 1ST TURNING THE VEHICLE ON IN THE MORNING.

THE DATE AND MILEAGE ARE APPROXIMATE, BUT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE LAST FALL (2014). WHEN PLACING THE KEY IN THE ACC POSITION EVERYTHING WORKS. AFTER STARTING THE MOTOR, MANY TIMES THE WIPERS, RADIO, POWER WINDOWS AND INTERNAL FAN WILL NOT COME ON FOR AS LITTLE AS A FEW SECONDS OR AS LONG AS AN HOUR. IT DOES NOT TO ALWAYS HAPPEN, BUT VERY FREQUENTLY IT DOES. IT SOMETIMES SEEMS TO BE WEATHER RELATED... HEAT, COLD, RAINING OR SNOWING WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE DANGER IS SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF ESPECIALLY ON A RAINY/SNOWY DAY, BEING AWAY FROM HOME AND THE WIPERS WILL NOT WORK WHEN RE-STARTING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD THE FUSE AND COMPUTER UNITS CHANGED (TOTAL FUSE POWER BOX REPLACED NEW ABOUT 1-1/2 YEARS AGO WHICH I WAS TOLD WAS AN UPGRADED BETTER SEALED UNIT AND THE COMPUTER ATTACHED IN FRONT OF IT REPLACED WITH A USED ONE ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO) BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. IT IS MY OPINION THIS IS A DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE SINCE IT CONCERNS THE WIPERS NOT ABLE TO WORK. I KNOW WHICH FUSE OPERATES THEM AND HAVE TRIED REPLACING IT, BUT THIS IS NOT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS, IT WILL NOT CLICK ON UNTIL WHAT EVER IS CAUSING IT NOT TO DECIDES TO LET IT COME ON. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY DODGE AND NOT BE AN EXPENSE TO MYSELF OR ANY OTHER OWNER WHO HAS THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY GRIEVANCE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V234000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON, WHEN I USE TURN SIGNAL TO TURN LEFT THE RIGHT ONE COMES ON AND VICE VERSA, ONE HEAD LIGHT WILL COME ON AND AFTER A WHILE THE OTHER ONE WILL TURN ITSELF ON, WENT OUT ONE NIGHT TO EAT AND WHEN ENTERING THE VAN WITH THE AUTOMATIC UNLOCK KEY THE SECURITY ALARM WENT OFF NOTHING WORKED WHAT WE DID SO WE HAD TO UNHOOK THE BATTERY FOR 20 MINS. I WAS TOLD THAT WEIRD THINGS HAPPEN WHEN THE CLOCK SPRING GOES BAD. I WAS TOLD THAT ALL 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN'S HAD RECALLS ON THE CLOCK SPRING AND WHEN I CALLED THE DODGE DEALER CLOSE TO ME I WAS TOLD MY VIN WASN'T IN THE SYSTEM AND THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE GOING TO PICK MY CHILDREN UP FROM SCHOOL, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED GOING OFF BY THEMSELVES AND THE RADIO STARTED CHANGING CHANNELS. THE VAN QUIT AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. UPON OPENING THE HOOD, NOTICED A FIRE ON WIRES BELOW. FIRE WAS PUT OUT BUT CHILDREN WERE IN THE VAN. *TR

I HAVE HAD MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OVER THE YEARS. MY DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. I'VE HAD PROBLEMS IN THE ENGINE AND DASHBOARD AREAS. I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW. NOW, SINCE EARLIER THIS YEAR, MY FRONT AIR FANS AND MY REAR BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. NOTE, MY REAR RUNNING LIGHTS WORK, BUT THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS THE CIRCUIT BOARD. I WAS LOOKING ON-LINE AT VARIOUS SEARCH SITES AND SEE NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH THE CIRCUIT BOARDS GOING BAD AND CAUSING MANY ISSUES. WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS GOING OUT (I HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY WERE NOT WORKING UNTIL SOMEONE CAME UP TO ME AND TOLD ME SO), I COULD BE REAR-ENDED AT ANYTIME BECAUSE OTHER VEHICLES DO NOT KNOW I AM BRAKING. I SAW MANY OTHER SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING OTHER DODGE CARAVAN & CHRYSLER TOWN&COUNTRY VEHICLES THAT SOUND LIKE THE CIRCUIT BOARD. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WE HAVE NOTICED THIS FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES. BUT THE OTHER ISSUES, WHEN RESOLVED, NEVER TAKE CARE OF THIS MAIN ISSUE. ON YOUR REQUEST FOR INCIDENT DATE, I AM JUST GOING TO PUT DOWN THE MOST RECENT ISSUE DATE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING I SMELLED SMOKE. I COULDN'T SEE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM SO I CONTINUED DRIVING. THEN I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM BEHIND THE PANEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SLIDING DOOR. I THEN PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. I COULDN'T SEE A FIRE FROM INSIDE AND THE DOOR DIDN'T FEEL HOT. I WALKED AROUND TO THE OUTSIDE AND TOUCHED THE DOOR, WHICH WAS HOT. I THEN NOTICED BURN MARKS THROUGH THE PAINT. I WENT BACK INTO THE VAN AND PULLED PART OF THE PANEL AWAY AND SAW FLAMES INSIDE THE DOOR. I THEN TOOK A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. I CALLED 911 AND ASKED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. *TR

ALL OF A SUDDEN THE INTERNAL INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CONSOLE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN MY 2002 GRAND CARAVAN. MY MECHANIC SAID THE BODY CONTROL MODULE IS FAULTY/HAS A SHORT AND IT'S AN APPROX $800 REPAIR. I HAVE 128,000 MILES ON THE CARAVAN. I ALSO HAVE A 1996 CARAVAN AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO THAT VAN, EVEN THOUGHT IT'S 12 YEARS OLD. *TR

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AND THE HORN QUIT WORKING. I HAD TO HAVE CLOCKSPRING AND PASSENGER AIRBAG JUMPER WIRING REPLACED COSTING $524.00. THESE ARE PARTS PREVIOUSLY RECALLED ON EARLIER MODELS, SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS "WEARABLE" PARTS, AND INVOLVE THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND THEREFORE SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED FOR RECALL FOR THIS YEAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ACTIVATED, THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BECOMES DAMP. ALSO, THE LCD SCREEN ON THE RADIO NO LONGER OPERATES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 96,000.

1) 2002, DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, "SPORT" EDITION WITH V6 3.3L ENGINE, 76,600 MILES. WIFE WENT TO WORK AND PARKED VAN AS USUAL. 2A) CO-WORKERS NOTICED THE VAN'S WIPERS WERE ON; VAN HAD STARTED ALL BY ITSELF AFTER BEING PARKED WITH IGNITION TURNED OFF, KEY REMOVED, AND DOORS LOCKED. TO GET THE ENGINE STOPPED AGAIN, VAN WAS PUT INTO GEAR AND TURNED OFF, THEN PUT INTO PARK TO REMOVE KEY. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY. 3A) WIFE TOOK VAN TO CHRYSLER DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. DEALER CHARGED 3 HOURS OF TROUBLESHOOTING LABOR AND ONLY FOUND THAT THE ABS CAB WAS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. DEALER ORDERED ABS CAB. DEALER COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF THE STARTUP/RUNNING WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION. 2B) 6 DAYS LATER (DEC. 21, 2006) VAN WOULD NOT TURN OFF AFTER DRIVING ~300 MILES. ALSO, THIS TIME ALL THE ACCESSORIES SUCH AS THE CABIN FANS, RADIO, WIPERS, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON EVEN AFTER THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. ALL ACCESSORIES EXCEPT INTERIOR LIGHTS COULD BE TURNED OFF WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE SWITCHES. +BATTERY CABLE WAS DISCONNECTED TO GET LIGHTS OFF. VAN WORKED FINE FOR THE NEXT 3 DAYS. DEC. 24, 2006, VAN WOULD NOT STOP RUNNING ONCE ON THE RETURN TRIP AFTER KEY WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER ARRIVING HOME AND VAN WAS PARKED WITH ENGINE OFF, ALL ACCESSORIES CAME ON, BY THEMSELVES, AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. +BATTERY CABLE WAS ONCE AGAIN DISCONNECTED TO PREVENT FURTHER MALFUNCTION. 3B) ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WAS MADE FOR JAN. 4, 2007 TO REPLACE THE IGNITION AND/OR THE KEY CYLINDER SWITCH AT THE DEALER. *NM

HEAD LIGHTS, RUNNING LIGHTS WILL ONLY WORK ONE AT A TIME. ONE SIDE ON HIGH THE OTHER ON LOW. HAVE READ MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS OF THIS DODGE CARAVAN. TRIED CHANGING BULBS, DISCONNECTED PLUG AT MODULE WORKED ONE TIME . FIND THIS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE IT IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THIS IS A 02 . *TR

GRAPHIC ILLUMINATION BULBS ON THE 3 ZONE CLIMATE CONTROLS FOR THE 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN BURN OUT AND ARE NOT REPLACEABLE. THE ENTIRE CLIMATE CONTROL MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $500 BECAUSE A $0.50 BULB HAS BURNED OUT. LOSS OF ILLUMINATION ON THE CLIMATE CONTROLS RESULTS IN NOT BEING ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CONTROL SETTINGS. SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THE INSTRUMENTS ARE NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. NOT TOO MANY CONSUMERS ARE GOING TO PAY $500 TO RESOLVE A BURNED OUT INSTRUMENT LAMP. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY. THIS APPEARED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL 02V293000 FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL, BUT NOT FOR THE MODEL YEAR. *AK UPDATED 11/16/2005 - THE HEADLAMPS CUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE FCM WAS REPLACED BUT NOW THE PROBLEM IS MORE CONSISTENT WITH FLICKERING. *NM

I PURCHASED A 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN NEW. OVER THE LAST YEAR I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BASICALLY TWO EFFECTS. THE FIRST ONE WAS THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF AND EITHER NOT START OR HAVE DIFFICULTY STARTING. THE SECOND WAS THAT EVERY TIME YOU STEP ON THE BRAKES, THE WIPERS, HEAT, AND RADIO WOULD QUIT.AT FIRST THE DEARLER BONNEVILLE & SON COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM EVEN AFTER PUTTING A SCOPE ON IT AT THE EXACT TIME THE TROUBLE OCCURRED. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP AND THEY FOUND A GROUNDING STUD IN THE DOOR JAM ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WAS VERY LOOSE, $250.00 LATER IT WAS OK. AFTER A MONTH THE TROUBLE CAME BACK. THIS TIME THE DEALER, BONNEVILLE & SON FOUND THAT ONE OF THE WIRES IN THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS WAS ROTTED, $215.00 LATER IT WAS OK. ANOTHER MONTH GONE BY, HAVING THE SAME TROUBLE AGAIN. BONNEVILLE SAYS THE ONLY WAY TO BE SURE TO FIX THIS COMPLETELY IS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE MAIN WIRING HARNESS AT A MATERIAL COT OF $1400.00. I'VE TRIED TO GET CRYSLER AND THE DEALER TO FIX THIS WITH OUT ME SPENDING MORE MONEY ON ROTTING WIRES IN A VEHICLE THAT'S JUST THREE YEARS OLD. THEY WOULD NOT. I WILL NEVER BY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN!!!*AK

THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, WHICH INCLUDES THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, AND ODOMETER, KEEPS SHORTING OUT. THE TURN SIGNALS ARE ON THE SAME CIRCUIT. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. INITIALLY THE SHOP REPLACED THE FUSE. THE SECOND TIME, THEY STATED THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE CIRCUIT THAT HAD TO BE REPAIRED. A NEIGHBOR OF OURS WHO OWNS A TOWN & COUNTRY HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE TURN SIGNALS, NOT TO MENTION NOT KNOWING THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE.*AK *JB

HI, I OWN A 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH A 3.8L, I HAVE HAD MY VAN IN ON TWO SEPERATE OCCASIONS TO CENTURY DODGE IN TAYLOR, MICHIAGN. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS THAT APPEAR TO FLICKER ALL THE TIME, I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM SO THEY COULD NOT FIX IT, AMAZING THAT A POSSIBLE RECALL NOW MAY HAPPEN FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON. ON ONE FINAL NOTE, AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME 2004 I THOUGHT I WAS OVER TIRED FROM WORK, I COULD SWEAR MY LIGHTS COMPLETELY WENT ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES (VERY QUICKLY). P.S. I AM A CHRYSLER EMPLOYEE @ TRENTON ENGINE SIGNED, CARRYING A FLASHLIGHT (JUST IN CASE) *AK