2006 Dodge Grand Caravan Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD NOISES COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN AN UNKNOWN RECALL; HOWEVER, NO RECALL WAS FOUND. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

WHEN DRIVING IN RAINY CONDITIONS (NOTE: WET ROAD, NOT HIGH WATER), POWER STEERING FAILED AND VAN WAS UNCONTROLABLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2X IN THE PAST YEAR. DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL, AS WATER CAN GET TO THE POWER STEERING BELT. THEY OFFERED NO SOLUTION. I NEARLY RAN INTO A DITCH AS I WAS UNABLE TO STEER. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, BUT THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. BOTH TIMES THIS HAPPENED I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET IN RAINY CONDITIONS.

REFUELED VEHICLE NORMALLY. DROVE 1 MILE, WHILE TURNING CORNER THE ENGINE STALLED COMPLETELY, STEERING BECAME SLUGGISH. THIS HAS HAPPENING APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE TIME AFTER WE REFUEL THE CARAVAN. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS WE LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS MY 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH A 3.8 LITER ENGINE WILL STALL OUT SEVERAL TIMES AFTER REFUELING. IT WILL RESTART & STALL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO RECTIFY ITSELF. ALL POWER ASSISTED STEERING IS LOST AND THE VEHICLE BECOMES DIFFICULT TO STEER SAFELY. POWER BRAKING IS ALSO AFFECTED. THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS WHERE I HAVE BEEN TURNING INTO TRAFFIC AND HAD THE VEHICLE STALL. ONE TIME I WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN AND STAY IN MY LANE. ON ONE OCCASION I BREACHED THE LANE TO MY LEFT. WHILE TRAFFIC WAS TRAVELING IN THE SAME DIRECTION I WAS, ANOTHER MOTORIST HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING ME. *TR

VAN STALLS AFTER FILLING THE GRAND CARAVAN WITH FUEL. LOSES STEERING AND SPEED. *TR

WHEN IT RAINS OR THE STREET IS WET THE POWER STEERING RANDOMLY GOES OUT. THE HAPPENS WHEN TURNING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY, TURNING A CURVE OR GETTING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. IT HAS HAPPENED ON THE ROAD A FEW TIMES, BUT USUALLY HAPPENS JUST AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND BEGINNING TO MOVE. IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT HAS BEEN RAINING OR I GO OVER A LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CONSISTENT FOR ABOUT A YEAR. I HAVE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VAN, CARMAX. THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT DID REPLACE AN UNDERCARRIAGE SHIELD. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AFTER THE SHIELD REPLACEMENT. CARMAX THEN DIRECTED ME TO THIS WEBSITE. *TR

VEHICLE QUITS WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND LOSES ABILITY TO STEER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, SHE NOTICED A LEAK FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING AND THE STEERING RACK WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED IN AUGUST, AFTER READING REVIEWS I DISCOVERED THE RACK AND PINION WAS AN ISSUE ON THIS VAN, SO I ASKED THE PREVIOUS OWNER WHETHER THEY HAD ANY ISSUES AND THEY REPLIED THEY HAD JUST REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION DUE TOO A SEVERE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK. AFTER HEARING THIS I FIGURED THAT MEANT PROBLEM SOLVED. UNFORTUNATELY ITS NOW NOT EVEN A MONTH AND A HALF LATER AND AM NOTICING A SEVERE POWERSTEERING LEAK, MY MECHANIC IS TELLING ME THE RACK AND PINION HAS FAILED ONCE AGAIN AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. USUALLY THIS PART LAST THE LIFETIME OF ANY OTHER VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED AND VERY DISPLEASED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR MY FAMILY AND I AS WELL AS OTHER MOTORIST ON THE ROAD. I ALSO SUSPECT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS REPEATEDLY. IS THERE A RECALL IM UNAWARE OF, WHAT CAN I DO? I WAS QUOTED BETWEEN $700-800 FOR THIS JOB BY THREE MECHANICS. IS THIS SOMETHING DODGE MAY BE LIABLE FOR? *TR

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN 2011 AND ABOUT THREE MONTHS LATER I TOOK INTO THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY SAID I NEED TO CHANGE OUT MY RACK/PINION/STEERING SINCE IT HAD A SMALL LEAK. NOW I HAVE A LARGER LEAK UNDERNEATH THE VAN WHEREVER I PARK. I CHECKED MYSELF TO SEE THAT THE SMALL PLASTIC CLAMPS HAVE COME LOOSE AND TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT. THAT DID NOT FIX IT SINCE IT IS NOW LEAKING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. ALSO I HAVE A SUNROOF THAT LEAKS WHEN WE WASH THE VAN AND WHEN IT RAINS, I HAVE CLEANED OUT THE DRAINS BUT THE SEAL IS WORN DOWN AND I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT $500 FOR THE PART DOES NOT INCLUDE LABOR? I AM HAPPY WITH THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE LEMON PART OF THE AXLE GOING BAD. *TR

THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE SIX MONTHS SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. ANY TIME IT RAINS, ESPECIALLY IF MY VEHICLE GOES THROUGH A PUDDLE, THE POWER STEERING IS GREATLY AFFECTED. THE MOST RECENT TIME, THE POWER STEERING WAS COMPLETELY LOST AND I HAD TO USE ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO MANEUVER THE CAR INTO A SAFE LOCATION, OUT OF TRAFFIC. THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR ACTED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL. THE BELT SQUEALED AND THEN EVERYTHING RESUMED... UNTIL I HIT ANOTHER PUDDLE. IN THE TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, IT WAS NOT NEARLY AS LONG OF A LOSS OF POWER STEERING, NOR DID THE BATTERY LIGHT COME ON; THE BELTS SQUEALING ALWAYS SIGNALS THAT THE STEERING HAS RESUMED. MY MECHANIC IS BAFFLED AND WE ARE SCARED TO DRIVE OUR VEHICLE, SPECIFICALLY IN THE RAIN. FROM MY RESEARCH, THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY AND WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 8/14/14*CN UPDATED 8/27/2014 *JS

MY SON WAS DRIVING MY VAN ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN SUDDENLY EVERYTHING ON THE VAN SHUT OFF. LUCKILY, THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IMMEDIATELY BEHIND US .HE SAID THAT HE BUMPED THE IGNITION WITH HIS KNEE. *TR

MY 2006 GRAND CARAVAN HAS HAD PROBLEMS ALMOST SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN 2007 (IT HAD 18,000 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT). IT NOW ONLY HAS 68,000 MILES ON IT. MY DRIVERS SIDE ELECTRIC DOOR DOES NOT OPERATE WHEN IT IS WARM OUTSIDE (29,000 MILES). THE PASSENGER SIDE AXLE BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED (65,000 MILES). WHEN IT RAINS MY POWER STEERING GOES OUT PERIODICALLY (65,000 MILES) . MY ENGINE LIGHT IS ON (HAVEN'T TAKEN IT IN TO CHECK IT YET) (66,000 MILES) AND NOW MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON (68,000 MILES). ALSO I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY AND STILL HAVE PROBLEMS STARTING IT. IT CLICKS CLICKS CLICKS LIKE A HUNDRED TIMES THEN EVENTUALLY IT STARTS. *TR

WHILE LEAVING A PARKING LOT I FELT A SNAP IN THE STEERING. COMPLETED THE TRIP WHILE FEELING HEAVY STEERING TO THE RIGHT. STEERING SEEMED OK. GOT HOME AND TRIED THE STEERING FULL LEFT TO FULL RIGHT AND THE STEERING LOCKED IN THE LEFT TURN POSITION. THOUGHT THE PARKING STEERING LOCK WAS THE PROBLEM AND WHILE TRYING TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER IT LOCKED IN THE D2 POSITION AND AFTER MORE JIGGLING THE LEVER LOCKED IN THE LO POSITION. THE MOTOR WAS RUNNING ALL OF THIS TIME. *TT

ON 6/27/11 THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED IN OUR 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN FOR NO REASON WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT ABOUT 25 MPH. THE DRIVER HAD MINOR INJURIES. CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THEIR COST AND HAVE GIVEN US A REPAIR QUOTE OF ABOUT $4000.00. CHRYSLER TOLD US THAT THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ON FOR 250 DRIVING HOURS BEFORE THE INCIDENT, BUT THAT IS COMPLETELY FALSE. THEY WILL NOT RELEASE THE REPORT TO US. AT THIS POINT, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. AFTER THE INCIDENT, WE WERE TOLD ABOUT A PREVIOUS AIRBAG RECALL ON SOME 2006 GRAND CARAVANS. AFTER THE INCIDENT, THE 2008 GRAND CARAVANS WERE ALSO RECALLED FOR UNEXPECTED AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. ALSO THE STEERING GEAR WAS LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 10/25/11 *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A CURB WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2006 DODGE CARAVAN SXT. ONE WEEK LATER THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS REPLACEMENT

AFTER HAVING MY 06 DODGE GC SERVICED AT THE LOCAL DEALER FOR A CATALYTIC CONVERTER AT 72,000 MILES, I WAS INFORMED MY RACK AND PINION WAS BAD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR $1100. JUST THE RESPONSE FOR THIS SITE ALONE LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THIS IS A BIGGER PROBLEM AND DODGE SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

2006 GRAND CARAVAN RACK & PINION WENT BAD. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH ALL CHRYSLER VANS. *TR