2005 Dodge Grand Caravan Suspension Problems

RECALL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE ROTOR FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE ROTOR, STRUTS, AND HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE ROTOR, STRUTS, AND HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A LOUD NOISE EMITTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. UPON COMPLETING A TURN, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE VIOLENTLY AS THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SLIGHTLY COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT AXLE WAS FRACTURED AND THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE AXLE WAS REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RESPOND WHENEVER DEPRESSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

I HAVE AN SXT VERSION OF THIS MINIVAN. WHILE REPLACING THE DISC PADS I FOUND THAT THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE IS WORN ALMOST IN TWO. I CHECKED SEVERAL OF MY NEIGHBORS VEHICLES AND FOUND ONLY THE SXT VERSIONS WITH THE REAR SWAY BAR SEEM TO BE AFFECTED. THE SE VERSION DID NOT HAVE A REAR SWAY BAR. THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE IS ROUTED BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE SWAY BAR AND IT RUBS ON THE SWAY BAR WITH ANY MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WILL CAUSE TWO PROBLEMS; 1) THE PARKING BRAKE WILL FAIL OR ONLY BE APPLIED TO ONE SIDE. IF THE VEHICLE IS RAISED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE PARKING BRAKE HAS FAILED AND THE WHEELS ARE NOT BLOCKED, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL OFF OF THE JACK. 2) THE SEVERED PART OF THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE COULD DAMAGE THE WHEEL BRAKE LINE AND CAUSE IT TO RUPTURE RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF ALL BRAKES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK UNLESS THEY WERE MANUALLY LOCKED. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED TWICE IN THE PAST WHEN THE SLIDING DOORS MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON ONE OCCASION AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO PREVIOUSLY DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY IN ORDER TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT STRUTS WERE ALSO REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

SWAY BAR LINKS AND BUSHINGS WENT OUT AND THE CAR IS ONLY 52,000 MILES OLD. I HAVE HEARD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WASN'T DANGEROUS BUT IT SURE FEELS THAT WAY. THEY TOLD ME IT ISN'T COVERED UNDER MY SERVICE WARRANTY AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OVER $400 EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A SERVICE CONTRACT. I SEE LOTS OF PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT HAS EVEN BEEN REPORTED TO YOU SEVERAL TIMES. WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A RECALL. *TR

OUR 2005 DODGE MINIVAN HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT. THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE, NOT CORRODED, AND ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. DAMAGED TIRE. I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE EXPRESSWAY AND HAD PARKED. *TR

KNOCKING SOUND FROM UNDER FRONT-END. MECHANIC SAYS ITS TIE-ROD OR SWAY-BAR AND THAT HE HAS SEEN IN ALMOST EVERY OTHER 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. *TR

FRONT SWAY BAR BUSHING REPLACED THREE TIMES UNDER WARRANTY BUT FRONT SUSPENSION NOISE CONTINUED, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING OVER ROUGH ROAD SECTIONS OR SPEED BUMPS. DEALER INDICATED IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT ONCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED A DIFFERENT SOLUTION WAS FOUND, COST $1,000 PER SIDE. *TR

2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WHICH HAS 38500 MILES ON VEHICLE. THE FRONT SWAYBAR BUSHINGS ARE WORE OUT AND IT NOW MAKES A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE EVERY TIME IT GOES OVER A BUMP . DODGE SAYS IT IS A WEAR ITEM AND WILL NOT REPLACE IT EVEN THOUGH I HAVE AN EIGHT YEAR/80000 MILE WARRANTY. IF THEY WILL NOT FIX THIS I WILL SAY THIS IS THE LAST AMERICAN CAR I WILL BUY. *NM

REFERENCE TO CASE WITH SWAY BAR BUSHING PROBLEM REF. NUMBER 10173990 . I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2005 GRAND CARAVAN WITH 25000 MILES ON IT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPAIRED IT NO PROBLEM AT NO COST. THEN ON 23 NOV 2006 MY VAN JUST DIED. BATTERY WAS DEAD. WOULD NOT JUMP START AT ALL. TOWING SERVICE COULD NOT JUMP START IT EITHER AND SAID SOMETHING MAJOR WAS WRONG. THEY TOWED TO DEALER IN SHREVEPORT ON FLAT BED WHERE THEY SAID THE BATTERY WAS BAD. BUT THE GOOD NEWS THEY SAID IT WAS ALL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AND THEY ALSO TOLD ME EVERYTHING FROM FRONT BUMPER TO REAR BUMPER IS 100 PERCENT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY FOR THE FIRST 3 YEARS/36,000 MILES. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE DEALERS ARE SO INCONSISTENT IS WARRANTY REPAIRS. IT STATES IN THE MANUAL WHAT IS AND IS NOT COVERED AND TO SUM THAT UP ANYTHING THAT SHOWS ANY SIGN IF HITTING A HAZARD IN THE ROAD IS NOT COVERED. MAYBE WE SHOULD START A CLASS ACTION HERE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE WHENEVER IT WAS DRIVEN OVER AN UNEVEN SURFACE. THIS WAS ACCOMPANIED BY LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE FRONT SWAY LINKS AND BUSHINGS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE PARTS WERE REPLACED, WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM.

BOUGHT MY 2005 GRAND CARAVAN IN JULY 2006 WITH 39,000 MILES ON IT. AT 41,000 HAD THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS REPLACED, COVERED BY DEALERSHIP WARRANTY. THIS IS THE THIRD CARAVAN THAT I HAVE OWNED SINCE 2001 AND EVERY ONE HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM

HAVE 2005 GRAND CARAVAN. IT HAS 24,000 MILES. THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. I AM TAKING IT TO THE DEALER TOMORROW. ALSO, THE DRIVER INTERIOR MAP LIGHT DOESN'T WORK, EVENTHOUGH THE BULB IS OK. (AM HAVING THAT CHECKED TOMORROW, TOO.) WHEN THE LIGHT FIRST WENT OUT, THE AUTOMATIC SIDE DOORS STOPPED WORKING. THEY DIDN'T WORK FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS AND WHEN I DECIDED I HAD TIME TO GO TO THE DEALER TO GET IT CHECKED, THE DOORS STARTED WORKING AGAIN AND HAVE SEEMED FINE SINCE. THE LIGHT , HOWEVER, STILL DOESN'T WORK. THE REAR PASSENGER MAP LIGHTS ALSO COME ON RANDOMLY (USUALLY OVERNIGHT). THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT END. WE HAD SOME PARTS REPAIRED ON IT IN DEC. (THOUGH THE DEALER DID SAY THEY WEREN'T SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS), BUT THE NOISE IS STILL THERE. (AM HAVING THAT CHECKED TOMORROW AS WELL.) *NM

I HAD PURCHASED MY VEHICLE DECEMBER 26, 2004. I AM THE NOT-SO-PROUD OWNER OF A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE. THERE WERE 20 K(GIVE OR TAKE A THOUS MILES) MILES ON IT WHEN I PURCHASED IT, AND IT CURRENTLY HAS JUST SHY OF 79K. ALL OF THE LISTED COMPLAINTS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE FOR 3 MONTHS OR LESS... 1---WHEN I PURCHASED THE LEMON, I HEARD A THUDDING SOUND, WHILE DRIVING (COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER WHEEL WELL SIDE). I WAS ASSURED THAT THIS WAS ROAD NOISE. I PERSISTED SOMETHING WAS WRONG, ON THE 3RD ATTEMPT, THEY HAD TIGHTED/REPLACED A "SWAY BUSHING" (FORGIVE ME I THINK THAT IS WHAT IT WAS CALLED). I DIDN'T HEAR THE NOISE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND IT RETURNED. I HAD BROUGHT IT IN ABOUT 3 ADDITIONAL TIMES TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS, FINALLY TELLING ME THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THEIR SUGGESTION TO BE WAS TO TURN UP THE RADIO!! OUT OF PURE IT GETS ON MY !@#$ NERVES ATTITUDE, TOOK IT TO ANOTHER PLACE I 6/07, AND REPLACED THE STRUTS AND SHOCKS....STILL HEAR THE THUDDING....2.5 YEARS AFTER INITIAL COMPLAINT! 2----MY HEADLIGHTS MOST OF THE TIME, DO NOT COME ON. OR IF YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THEY GO OFF WITHOUT NOTICE...HOW IS THIS SAFE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY...AGAIN COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 3----MY WIPERS RUB FUNNY WHILE IN USE, WHICH FINALLY CAUSED MY BACK WIPER TO JUST NOT WORK ON 7/4/2005. I GO THRU AN UNREASONABLE PAIRS OF WINDOW WIPERS---ONCE AGAIN, COULD NOT DUPLICATE. THIS REPAIR IS STILL ON THE BACK BURNER FOR ME TO FIX. 4--HAD TO REPLACE THE EGR VALVE TO PASS INSPECTION/EMISSIONS....WHAT ABOUT 7/70? 5-RUST! I HAVE SEVERAL RUST BUBBLES COATING MY WHITE MINI-VAN LIKE A YOUNG CHILD COMING OF AGE! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN TO SHIFT OUT OF GEAR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OVER TEN TIMES, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE ISSUE OCCURRED WHENEVER THERE WAS AN INCLINE IN THE ROAD. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED EXTREME CONCERN FOR THE DEFECT AND THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED HER THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR FREE. THE MOST RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 100. UPDATED 05/13/08 *BF THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR, T WENT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. THERE WAS ALSO A RATTLING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE. IT TOOK SEVERAL TRIES TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF REVERSE. THE RATTLING NOISE WAS DUE TO THE SWAY BAR BEING BROKEN. UPDATED 05/13/08