1985 DODGE CARAVAN

6 recalls, 85 complaints

SUSPENSION

Defect Description

FEDERAL MOGUL IS RECALLING 6,903 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES SHIPPED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9, 2007 AND MARCH 26, 2008, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS. THE PART NUMBERS PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS ARE: K7147, K7329, K8683, AND 104353. THESE PARTS WERE MADE FOR USE ON THE VARIOUS... Read more

Consequence

THE NUTS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGING FOR THESE BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES ARE MISSING THE INTENDED PREVAILING TORQUE (SELF-LOCKING) FEATURE. IF THE INCORRECT NUT WAS TO BECOME LOOSE, THE JOINING MEMBERS MAY LOOSEN LEADING TO A SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT. THIS MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, POSS... Read more

Remedy

FEDERAL MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL MOGUL AT 877-489-6659.

6,903 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: FEDERAL-MOGUL CHASSIS PRODUCTS

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK

Defect Description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PASSENGER MINIVANS WITHOUT REMOTE RELEASE. THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL. THERE HAS BEEN NO DETERMINATION THAT A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS WITH THE MINIVAN LATCHES. CHRYSLER IS CONDUCTING A SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE LIFTGATE LATCH ASSEMBLY OF THE AFFECTED MINIVANS.... Read more

Consequence

IF THE LIFTGATE LATCH OPENS, OCCUPANTS CAN BE EJECTED RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy

CHRYSLER DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LIFTGATE LATCH WITH A NEW STRONGER LATCH ASSEMBLY WITHOUT CHARGE. CHRYSLER BEGAN NOTIFYING OWNERS DURING NOVEMBER 1995.

411,678 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH

Defect Description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PASSENGER MINIVANS WITH REMOTE RELEASE. THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL. THERE HAS BEEN NO DETERMINATION THAT A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS WITH THE MINIVAN LATCHES. CHRYSLER IS CONDUCTING A SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE LIFTGATE LATCH ASSEMBLY OF THE AFFECTED MINIVANS. I... Read more

Consequence

IF THE LIFTGATE LATCH OPENS, OCCUPANTS CAN BE EJECTED RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy

CHRYSLER DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LIFTGATE LATCH WITH A NEW STRONGER LATCH ASSEMBLY WITHOUT CHARGE. CHRYSLER BEGAN NOTIFYING OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES DURING JULY 1996.

1,262,000 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR

Defect Description

VANS EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL SUNSCREEN REAR GLASS WHICH HAS LESS THAN 70 PERCENT LUMINOUS TRANSMITTANCE AND DOES NOT HAVE A PASSENGER SIDE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 111, REAR VIEW MIRRORS. ... Read more

Remedy

INSTALL PASSENGER SIDE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR.

10,800 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DIFFERENTIAL PROPORTIONAL VALVE

Defect Description

ROADWAY STONES MAY BECOME LODGED IN THE HEIGHT SENSING BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE. THIS MAY CAUSE THE PROPORTIONING VALVE TO FAIL. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: PROPORTIONING VALVE MALFUNCTION RESULTS IN INCREASED ... Read more

Remedy

CLEAR PROPORTIONING VALVE OF STONES AND INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER TO PREVENT STONES FROM ENTERING.

264,000 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Defect Description

THE METAL FUEL SUPPLY TUBE MAY CRACK AT THE FUEL PUMP END DUE TO VIBRATION. THE CRACK MAY RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE. (THE FUEL SUPPLY TUBE CONNECTS THE FUEL PUMP TO THE FUEL FILTER.)

Remedy

A FUEL TUBE RETAINING CLIP ASSEMBLY WILL BE INSTALLED ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES, FREE OF CHARGE. THIS WILL RESTRICT TUBE VIBRATION AND PREVENT CRACKS.

82,500 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION

Complaint Statistics

85 total complaints 8 crashes 6 fires 8 injuries

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE	5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE	4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE	4
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK	3
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT	3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL	3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION	3
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR	3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES	2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH	2

Incident date: Nov 22, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Incident date: Jun 13, 1999

MY DODGE CARAVAN MINIVAN IS ON HIGH . WHEN I DRIVE IT IT WILL REMAIN ONE SPEED UNTIL I PUT THE BRAKE ON. I KNOW THESE CARS WERE RECALLED. I WOULD LIKE A REFUND OF MY INVESTMENT. THE DOOR PANEL LIGHTS ALSO GET EXTREMELY HOT. THEY HAVE BURNT HOLES IN THEMSELVES AND HOLES ON MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS... Read more

Incident date: Jun 13, 1999

Incident date: May 12, 1995

HATCHBACK WINDOW IS RUSTING AROUND THE EDGE, AND THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP. THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE HATCHBACK WINDOW. *AK

Incident date: Sep 13, 1998

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE HOOD FLEW UP INTO THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

Incident date: Jul 4, 1998

CABLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE RUSTED AND BROKE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

Incident date: Aug 1, 1995

REAR DOOR LATCH UNLOCKS ON ITS OWN.

Incident date: Aug 1, 1995

BRAKES FAILED.

ELECTRICAL WIRING TO LIGHTS IGNITED.

Fire

Incident date: Sep 1, 1997

LEFT INNER TIE-ROD END FAILED, CAUSING WHEELS TO COME OFF IN TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

Incident date: Sep 20, 1997

PLASTIC WINDOW LATCH CRACKED/CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH.

VEHICLE RUNNING ON ITS OWN COMPRESSION EVEN THOUGH THE IGNITION KEY HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. *AK

Incident date: Feb 1, 1997

BRAKES PULSATED DUE TO WARPED BRAKE ROTORS. *AK

Incident date: Feb 10, 1997

EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE RUSTED.

WAS DRIVING HOME THE COIL SPRING BROKE AND RUBBED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE, CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT . *AK

Incident date: Dec 15, 1990

WHILE ACCELERATING AT 55 MPH, SUDDENLY RECEIVED NO ACCELERATION, GAS PEDAL DROPPED TO FLOOR, BLACK SMOKE CAME FROM REAR EXHAUST, DEALER CALLED IT PHANTOM/GHOST PROBLEM, COMMON TO THIS VEHICLE; DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, HAPPENS AT CONTINUED HIGH SPEED. *AK

Incident date: Mar 29, 1996

SEAT BELT ATTACHMENT FAILED (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)

Incident date: Jul 1, 1996

FRONT PASSENGER'S LAP/SHOULDER BELT RETRACTED AND LOCKED UP AND COULD NOT GET CHILD OUT OF THE SEAT, HAD TO CUT SEAT BELT TO GET CHILD OUT. *AK

Incident date: Jun 24, 1996

VEHICLE WAS LEFT IN AN IDLE POSITION IN PARK, JUMPED OUT GEAR, ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO ANOTHER YARD, HITTING STEPS. *AK

Incident date: Dec 11, 1995

SEAT BELT BROKE LOOSE FROM ITS ATTACHMENT TO THE FLOOR IN ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN INJURY. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *DH

Incident date: Jan 31, 1996

BALL JOINTS FAILED.

Incident date: Mar 23, 1995

DRIVER HEARS VEHICLE BOTTOM OUT ON BUMPS.

Incident date: Mar 23, 1995

SHOCKS FAILED.

Incident date: Jul 29, 1995

AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED.

Incident date: Jul 29, 1995

AIR CONDITIONER EXPANSION VALVES FAILED.

Incident date: Jan 31, 1996

MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED.

Incident date: Jul 26, 1995

TRANSMISSION SLIPPED/FAILED TWICE.

Incident date: Jul 26, 1995

RACK AND PINION FAILED. *DSH

Incident date: Mar 23, 1995

FRONT STRUTS FAILED.

Incident date: Jan 31, 1996

ALTERNATOR FAILED.

Incident date: Jan 31, 1996

SWAY BAR FAILED.

Incident date: Jan 31, 1996

CONTROL ARM FAILED.

Incident date: Mar 27, 1996

DRIVER SEATBACK BROKE AFTER BEING HIT FROM BEHIDE WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT. *AK

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Feb 28, 1996

RETRACTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE FAILED TO LOCK UP DURING A REAR END COLLISION. *AK

Crash 1 injured

THE CAR WAS PARKED AND FOR NO REASON IT WAS ON FIRER. THE INSURANCE AGENT SAID IT WAS FUEL LINE FAILUR*AKE.

Fire

Incident date: Feb 28, 1996

RETRACTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE FAILED TO LOCK UP DURING A REAR END COLLISION. *AK

Crash 1 injured

THE CAR WAS PARKED AND FOR NO REASON IT WAS ON FIRER. THE INSURANCE AGENT SAID IT WAS FUEL LINE FAILUR*AKE.

Fire

Incident date: Jan 3, 1996

WHILE DRIVING SMELLED AN ODOR, SAW A GLOW UNDER DASHBOARD FOLLOWED BY SPARKS COMING OUT OF THE HEATER VENT (HEATER WAS NOT ON ). *SD

Fire

Incident date: Jan 3, 1996

WHILE DRIVING SMELLED AN ODOR, SAW A GLOW UNDER DASHBOARD FOLLOWED BY SPARKS COMING OUT OF THE HEATER VENT (HEATER WAS NOT ON ). *SD

Fire

ELECTRICAL WIRING TO DOOR LOCKS & TO POWER WINDOWS BREAKS MAKING THEM NON FUNCTIONAL.TT BUNDLE OF WIRES TO DOOR FROM MAIN BODY THEY FLEX EACH TIME THE DOOR IS OPEN THERE ARE THREE BROKEN WIRES RENDERING POWER LOCKS AND POWER WINDOW INOPERABLE.*JB

ELECTRICAL WIRING TO DOOR LOCKS & TO POWER WINDOWS BREAKS MAKING THEM NON FUNCTIONAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Incident date: Apr 1, 1995

VEHICLE FIRE CAUSED BY AN ENGINE OIL LEAK (OHIO STATE POLICE ACCIDENT REPORT) *AK

Fire

Incident date: Jun 24, 1995

EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE DID NOT HOLD VEHICLE WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE ROLLAWAY. TT

1 injured

Incident date: Jul 10, 1994

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TW

Incident date: Mar 28, 1994

WHEEL BEARING FAILURE.

Incident date: Mar 28, 1994

STEERING WHEEL LOOSE.

WHERE STRUT ATTACHES TO BODY/CHASSIS, PLASTIC IS RIPPING THROUGH AND REAR SHOCKS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Showing 50 of 85 complaints.

NHTSA Safety Investigations, DODGE CARAVAN

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

PE, Closed , Model Year: 1997

REAR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED JANUARY 16, 2002, BASED ON SEVEN REPORTS ALLEGING THE THIRD ROW SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FAILED ON CERTAIN 1997 AND 1998 MODEL YEAR CARAVAN AND VOYAGER VEHICLES.THE REPORTS INDICATED A TAR LIKE SUBSTANCE ENTERED THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM, THUS CAUSING THE RETRACTOR TO JAM OR ... Read more

RQ, Open , Model Year: 1991

REAR LIFTGATE SUPPORT

ON MAY 7, 1997, CHRYSLER FILED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT TO RECALL 436,000 1992 DODGE CARAVAN/GRAND CARAVAN, PLYMOUTH VOYAGER/GRAND VOYAGER AND CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY VEHICLES TO REPAIR THE LIFTGATE SUPPORTS; SAFETY RECALL 97V-079.ODI HAD INVESTIGATION THE REAR LIFTGATE SUPPORT PROBLEM FOR 1991... Read more

DP, Closed , Model Year: 1989

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE

THE PETITION ALLEGES THAT THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION FAILED TO PRODUCE A QUALITY TRANSMISSION IN ITS MODEL YEAR 1989 MINIVANS, WHICH CAN FAIL IMMATURELY

PE, Closed , Model Year: 1994

AIR BAG CIRCUIT/WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR