2000 Dodge Grand Caravan Brakes Problems

REAR BRAKE LINES HAVE RUSTED AND FAILED. THEY HAVE RUSTED AND FAILED IN THE AREA JUST BEHIND THE ABS MODULE WHERE THE BRAIDED LINES ARE CONNECTED TO THE RIGID LINES. THE REST OF THE BRAKE LINES ARE IN FINE SHAPE. THE ONLY AREAS WHERE THEY ARE BAD IS WHERE THE BRAIDED SECTIONS CONNECT TO THE RIGID SECTIONS. *TR

MILEAGE AT TIME OF INCIDENT: 123860 MILES. WHILE DRIVING THIS LOANER VEHICLE OF A FRIEND. I ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED HYDRAULIC BRAKE FAILURE WHILE STOPPING. LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. MECHANICAL BRAKING WAS AVAILABLE. ASSESSMENT OF SYSTEM SHOWED NO LEAKS ON OR AROUND BOOSTER, MASTER CYLINDER OR ABS DISTRIBUTION MODULE. APPROXIMATELY 50MM OF SEVERE CORROSION OF THE TWO, RIGID STEEL BRAKE TUBING SECTIONS, ORIGINATING FROM THE SECOND JUNCTIONS OF THE FLEXIBLE HOSES TO THE RESPECTIVE RIGID STEEL BRAKE TUBING, THAT RUN ALONG THE DRIVER SIDE FRAME. WHEN THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS USED TO STOP, THE SUDDEN INCREASE OF HYDRAULIC PRESSURE CAUSED A STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE DEGRADED TUBING. THIS FAILURE CAUSED THE CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID AND LOSS OF THE HYDRAULIC BRAKING SYSTEM. THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN A NEAR COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN OF THE BRAKE LINE TUBING AND JUNCTION AND SHOW THE SEVERITY OF THE CORROSION. THIS COMPLAINT IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR THIS MODEL AND VEHICLE AND MODEL YEAR AS POSTED ON THE NHTSA.GOV WEBSITE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING @ 35 MPH I TRIED TO APPLY MY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR STOPPED AND OFF THE ROADWAY. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER MY VAN I HAD LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID. I WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND INFORMED THE BRAKE LINES BURST. THIS VAN HAS BEEN IN THE FAMILY SINCE 2003. EVERY YEAR THE BRAKE LINES MUST BE REPLACED. THIS SHOULD NOT BE. THANKS TO MY EXPERTISE I WAS ABLE TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT TODAY. WAS I LUCKY??? *TR

ANTI LOCK BRAKES WOULDN'T TURN ON, AS A RESULT I GOT INTO A FENDER BENDER. *TR

FAILURE OF MY BRAKE LINES. THIS IS THE TWO BRAKE LINES LEADING TO THE REAR BRAKES AS THEY LEAVE THE "DISTRIBUTION BLOCK". THE CORROSION WAS NEAR THE JUNCTION AT THE HARD TUBING AND FLEXIBLE TUBING. THE PLASTIC CLAMP ACCUMULATES DIRT AND SALT AND CORRODED THE LINES. REMAINDER OF THE TUBING LOOKS OK. POOR ENGINEERING, A DEFINITE DESIGN FLAW. WERE IS THE RECALL? FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING. MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS USING A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE GRAN CARAVAN SPORT. THE CONTACT WAS BRAKING FROM APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME ABNORMALLY DIFFICULT TO STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT, AS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE POWER BOOSTER YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS THE EXACT SAME AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06E022000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) ON THE 2000 DODGE CARAVAN BUT NOT FOR THE GRAND CARAVAN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,242.

LOST BRAKES ON 2000 DODGE CARAVAN WITH 58K MILES. ALL THE BRAKE LINES WERE BADLY CORRODED AT THE JUNCTURE OF THE FLEX TUBING AND THE SOLID TUBING. IT LOOKS LIKE DISSIMILAR METAL TO ME. THE BRAKE LINES SHOULD NOT RUST OUT IN THAT SHORT OF A TIME AND LOW MILEAGE ALL LINES WERE REPLACED. NOT BY A DODGE DEALER. *JB

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, BRAKES AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.*MR THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM CAUSED THEM THE REPLACE THE BATTERY THREE TIMES AND THE ALTERNATOR TWICE IN FOUR YEARS. THE SERPENTINE BELT BROKE AND LEFT THE DRIVER STRANDED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE BRAKES FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENTS. MULTIPLE BRAKE COMPONENTS HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. *NM

WHILE BRAKING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THERE WAS A CRACK INSIDE THE FRONT MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER. WHEN BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE WHEEL ROTORS RUSTED.*MR THE FRONT WHEEL ROTORS WERE "PITTED AND RUSTED" PREMATURELY, AND CONSUMER RECEIVED CONTRADICTING ANSWERS AS TO WHY AND HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN WITH 27121 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *PH *JB

THE FRONT ROTORS RUSTED AND THE PADS WORE OUT BEFORE 50000 MILES. *NLM THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO NORMAL USE. PH *JB

BRAKE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON, BUT ONLY WHEN TURNING LEFT. TOOK VAN TO DEALER WHERE BOUGHT NEW IN SEPT. 2000 - GUPTON MOTORS IN SPRINGFIELD, TN. SERVICE REP SAID THAT'S NORMAL AND IT MEANS BRAKES NEED REPLACING. REPLACED BRAKES. ALSO, TIRES DON'T LAST AS LONG AS THEY SHOULD, EVEN UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. RIDING ON 3RD SET WITH LESS THAN 65,000 MILES. DEALER HELP? YEAH, RIGHT. WHAT A JOKE! LOCAL INDEPENDENT GARAGE DIAGNOSED CURRENT PROBLEM AS BEING MASTER CYLINDER LEAK. NEEDS REPLACING. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY SAY THEY KNOW OF NO PROBLEMS RELATING TO THIS. PARTICULAR DEALER DOESN'T CARE EITHER. TYPICAL, BUT THEY SHOULD THINK ABOUT FUTURE SALES TO ME OR ANYBODY I TALK TO. *LA

I HAD THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE REPAIRED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME MY CAR HAD APPROX 40,000 MILES AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO THE WAY I DRIVE THE CAR. NOT MORE THAN 6 MONTHS LATER THE BRAKES STARTING VIBRATING AGAIN AND I TOOK IT BACK TO BURLINGTON DODGE - WERE THEY TOLD ME, ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS DUE TO THE WAY I DROVE THE CAR AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD EXCEPT REPLACE THEM AGAIN. MY MOST RECENT PROBLEM WAS THE AIR CONDITIONING TOTALLY MALFUNCTIONED. I SAW SMOKE COME OUT OF THE DASH AND WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR THEY TOLD ME THE ENTIRE SYSTEM HAD COMPLETELY FAILED AND I HAD TO PUT IN A NEW A/C. *JB

BRAKES ON OUR 2000 GRAND CARAVAN GO OUT ON US ABOUT ONCE EVERY 3-6 MONTHS SINCE WE PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW IN JULY 2000. MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE, BRAKES HAVE BEEN BLED, ABS PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND WE ARE NOW LEAKING FLUID AND READY TO HAVE IT SERVICED AGAIN. THIS IS A FAMILY VEHICLE THAT I DON'T ALWAYS FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN. WE ONLY HAVE 17,800 MILES ON THE VAN, I WONDER IF WE DROVE IT MORE OFTEN IF WE WOULD BE IN THE SHOP EVEN MORE FREQUENTLY.THREE TIMES I HAVE GONE TO PULL OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND HAVE ALMOST ENDED UP IN THE NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREETS YARD. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE VAN WAS PURCHASED HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO ACCOMODATE US AND WON'T EVEN GIVE US A GOOD DEAL ON A TRADE-IN SO THAT WE CAN GET RID OF IT.

MY 7 YEAR-OLD SON WAS KILLED ON 12/21/02 BECAUSE MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WENT INTO GEAR WITH OUT STEPPING ON THE BREAK. THE VAN ROLLED DOWN A DRIVEWAY AND MY SON HAD HIS HEAD OUT THE WINDOW AND HE HIT A TREE AND WAS KILLED. GRANTED I AM PARTIALLY AT FAULT FOR LEAVING CHILDREN UNATTENDED FOR LESS THAN 2 MINUTES BUT THE VAN SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GO OUT OF GEAR WITH OUT STEPPING ON THE BREAK. THIS IS NOT A FAMILY SAFE VEHICLE. I KNOW FOR A FACT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS RAN INSIDE BECAUSE THEY FORGOT SOMETHING AND THE CHILDREN WERE LEFT IN THE VEHICLE. I JUST WANT DODGE TO BE MADE TO PUT THE SAFETY DEVICE ON THEIR VEHICLES SO NO OTHER CHILDREN ARE NOT HURT OR KILLED. THE 2003 DODGE NEON ARE ALSO THE SAME WAY. INSERT THE KEY ONLY AND THE CAR WILL SHIFT THRU ALL THE GEARS THANKS JILL

WHILE VEHICLE WAS AT DEALER FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT, MECHANIC NOTICED THE FRONT ROTORS WERE RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. TS

2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN - NEED BRAKES FOR THE THIRD TIME - JUST LOST JOB OF 27 YEARS, CANNOT AFFORD. IS THERE A LITIGATION GOING ON? *TR

WHEN TRYING TO APPLY BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

1ST INCIDENT: JOHN ELWAY DODGE SERVICE ON 12/27/2000 FOR FINAL INSPECTION FROM THE SALE. ASKED TO CHECK RATTLE IN THE FRONT RIGHT DASH AND THE BRAKES, WHICH ACTED SOFT. NO PAPERWORK WAS GIVEN. 2ND TIME OCCURRED 11/13/2001: THE BRAKE PROBLEMS REPORTED TO JOHN ELWAY DODGE SERVICE, UNABLE TO GET IN BEFORE 2+ WEEKS. BROUGHT TO CHRISTOPHER'S DODGE WORLD, INC. 16655 W. COLFAX AVE. GOLDEN, CO 80401 303-238-7311. STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN TRIED TO STOP (PETAL FELT LIKE IT WENT TO THE FLOOR, BUT YET THE VAN DID NOT STOP.) ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT THE RATTLE IN THE DASH AND ENGINE VIBRATION AT IDLE. INVOICE #24497 WHICH STATES EACH COMPLAINT AND THE FINDINGS A) ENGINE VIBRATION - UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CUSTOMERS COMPLAINT. B) RATTLE NOISE IN R/DASH - CAUSE: REPLACED BELT AND TENSIONER AND REPOSITIONED FUEL LINES. C) BRAKES - CLEAN, INSPECT, AND ADJUST REAR BRAKES. D) THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE SERVICED- BUT MY WIFE DECLINED. THE BILL WAS $62.00 AND THE MILEAGE WAS 13362. THE 3RD TIME @ A WEEK PRIOR TO 1/10/2002. COMPLAINED THE BRAKES WHEN DRIVING ON DRY GROUND WILL ACT AS IF THE ABS IS WORKING, THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO HAVE A SOFT PETAL AND NOT STOP THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. FINDINGS: A) TRANSMISSION - NOT DUE FOR SERVICE UNTIL 40K (FLUID CONFIRMED BY SERVICE MANAGER AT MY WIFE'S REQUEST DUE TO LAST SERVICE AT CHRISTOPHER' DODGE.) B) BRAKES- FOUND TO BE OPERATING NORMAL. MILEAGE WAS 15747. THE FOURTH TIME JUNE 2002- PUSHED ON BRAKES BUT WENT THROUGH STOP SIGN. THE 5TH TIME 7/1/02 UNDER 15 MPH PRESSED ON BRAKES, FOOT FELT LIKE IT WENT TO THE FLOOR NOT STOPPING, PUMPED BRAKES TWICE THEN PUSHED AGAIN FELT LIKE FOOT TO THE FLOOR HIT FROM BEHIND. DRIVER STATED THAT THE BRAKE LITE FLICKERED ONCE, VAN STILL GOING THEN BRAKE LITE ON WHEN HIT. NO DAMAGE, NO MAJOR INJURIES (WIFE'S RIGHT COLLAR BONE RED) 2 TODDLERS AND 2 ADULTS IN VAN. CALLED JOHN ELWAY- VAN IN NEXT DAY. MILES 22772. FINDINGS: COULD NOT VERIFY CONCERN AT THIS TIME. CHRYSLER INSPECTS SAME FINDINGS. VAN AT JOHN ELWAY.*