10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 2
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 64,534 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Driving in a rainstorm the drive belt came off while driving onto the entrance ramp of C270. The power steering, water pump, generator failed. The car was not able to drive.
- Lakewood, CO, USA
The contact owns a 2000 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated that the serpentine belt on the vehicle fell off five times last month. The contact stated the failure occurred whenever she drove through a puddle of water. The contact took the vehicle to the mechanic each time the failure occurred and was told the pulleys worked fine, but that the failure was caused because there was no shield covering the under carriage of the vehicle. The contact lost the ability to control the steering wheel and it began to overheat when the failure occurred. The failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 172,000.
- Elizabethtown, KY, USA
The contact owns a 2000 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated the serpentine belt failed twice in two months. The contact stated that the failure occurred when the weather was cold and snowy. The contact spoke with the dealer and was told that they were aware of the problem, but that there was no remedy available. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 109,000.
- Stevens Point, WI, USA
Serpentine belt came off. I have had this vehicle since 2002, problem didn't occur till mid-2010. Since then the belt has came off at least 5 times or more. Seems every time it rains. I've had the belt replaced, and everything else replaced that could possibly affect it. The mechanic told me he doesn't know what else to do. I had it repaired this past tues. And guess what yesterday it came off again (all of 5 days). I love my vehicle but I'm afraid of it. When the belt comes off everything goes off. Luckily I've been able to get off the road (so far). Looked on the internet and this is a common problem. What does it take -someone to die before a recall will happen and a solution?? this is very costly in repair bills/tow bills and so forth. Please do something.
- Cookeville, TN, USA
The contact owns a 2000 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated that the serpentine belt would continuously fracture and was replaced over ten times but to no avail. The manufacturer was not notified of the continual failure and the vehicle was not further repaired. The current and failure mileage was approximately 220,000.
- Linn Valley, KS, USA
I have 2000 Dodge Caravan with a 3.0L engine. Every time it rains or snows the serpentine belt comes off. This causes the power steering to lock up, and the alternator to stop charging. The car is almost impossible to steer. You lose control. The malfunction was corrected using the gates micro V kit. This includes a ribbed belt tensioner, ribbed idler and a double side serpentine belt.
- Jamaica, NY, USA
Serpentine belt comes off my 2000 Dodge Caravan in snow and rain often.
- Williamston, MI, USA
The serpentine belt comes off often, more when driven over a puddle of water. More often in wet weather. It's scary to drive on the highway and the belt comes off you lose power steering automatically and all your other faction. It's started about year after getting van.
- Clovis, CA, USA
The serpentine belt on a 2000 Dodge Caravan slips off when you go through a puddle of water or wet conditions such as in the rain or snow, resulting in complete loss of power steering (loss of control); water pump (overheating and possible damage to the aluminum heads); alternator (no battery charging) and ac. This was after a new belt and tensioner was installed. I have researched the problem and there are numerous incidents sited on related web sites. My wife almost wrecked because of no steering. It happened over a dozen times to her and 4 times to me. Cost of putting belt back on was around $40 each time. Tried a fix using a disc over the tensioner and idle pulley recommended by dealer, but first time through a rain puddle, it slipped off. A $200 fix is available plus $150 labor called a gates kit # 38379K also by Goodyear #49215K. They both come with a double sided grooved belt, grooved idle pulley and grooved tensioner and states that it fixes the problem of belts coming off the Dodge vans in wet weather. If this is part of the selling point of the kit, then there must be a problem with Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth vans and the consumer shouldn't have to pay for this "fix." This is extremely dangerous and should be paid for and corrected by Chrysler.
- Albany, GA, USA
The belt on my Dodge Caravan sport slipped off in the rain leaving me to drive home without wipers and or blower. Idler pulley should have keepers on the edges so the belt will not slip off.
- Lafayette, IN, USA
I have a 2000 Dodge Caravan that I have now replaced the serp belt 8 times and the tensioner 3 times and the belt just came off again 2 weeks ago. Every time I take it to a different place to be fixed because they always tell me that there is nothing that they can do. They installed a shield to keep the belt dry and after that it held for almost 2 years, but then broke again. The belt keeps moving over and getting "cut" and then breaks. The mileage on the van is about 119,000 now but I don't know what to do because even though they give me a warranty on the work, it is the same problem and no one seems to know how to fix it. I see that there are numerous complaints about this, is there anything that I can do"??"
- Marietta, GA, USA
I purchased a 2008 Dodge Caravan about 2 years ago from elite motors in victorville. The car was not smoked at the time of purchase and had to be done so about 1 month later. They said they had a hard time getting it to pass and then it passed but when I got it back I smogged it and it failed. Elite motos said they would work with me on resolving things but they never did. Since I've had the vehicle there has been a loud slapping noise coming from the air conditioner, the fuel pump has been replaced, two tires have blown, several sets of front break pads have been replaced, 2 battery's have been replaced, and within the last month both front and rear brakes/master brake cylinder/calipers/water pump/radiator has been replaced. My car is again in the shop because my engine light and air bag lights have come on, there are no brake lights, and my car was hesitating and loosing power intermittently with a clunking coming from the engine. My mechanic tells me that I will need a new engine. Also, the vehicle was involved in an accident a few months ago. I had asked geiko if when they did the body work - would they also look for things mechanically wrong just to make sure everything was O.K. they said they would, the shop (performance in victorville said they would and gave me a business card of the guy they refer things out to but they never did? point of impact is listed at 6. rear.
- Victorville, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2000 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated that the serpentine belt detaches each time he makes a right turn or drives through a puddle at 5 mph. The mechanic stated that the cause of failure was due to a defective pulley. The current mileage is 60,000 and failure mileage was 20,200.
- Stockbrige, GA, USA
Bought new in 2000 (failure)serpentine belt replaced @ 39199 4-12-02 (failure)serpentine belt & tensioner replaced @ 64389 8-20-03 (failure)serpentine belt replacedlate summer 2004 (failure)serpentine belt & tensioner replaced @112,000 Jan 2006 timing belt replaced @ 64389 8-20-03 timing belt & tensioner replaced @110,646 11-25-05 multiple sensor failures past 4 years, as well as valve cover gaskets, cam seals, cam packings, crank seal, oil pan leaking. Nov 2005 engine light kept coming on, & a slight knocking, dealer couldn't find any real reason, but lugging was present during drives. Had to replace leaky transmission solenoid pack & sensor 11-25-05 only to turn around and replace the whole transmission 9 weeks later due to multiple engine failures, @114,043 1-30-06 (with another serpentine belt failure 2 weeks prior to tranny replacement. 3 tows in 2 months!( and over $6,000 out of pocket) virtually all repair work done at dealer tow truck driver noted that he hauls Caravan in the most of any vehicle, and mostly for the serpentine belts, many times a "repeat customer in need of another belt" I was one of his many! how many problems have to be reported before any action is taken?
- Hubbard, OR, USA
The serpentine belt has come off my van 5 times in the last 6 months. This is a family van and driven daily with 5 children in it. This is a complaint of many Caravan owners. There are sites all over the internet complaining about this problem.
- Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
While driving at any speed vehicle stalled. Consumer restarted the vehicle. Dealership was unable to resolve the problem.
- Savannah, GA, USA
While driving, there was a lot of smoke coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle continued to run. The consumer was advised by the mechanic not to drive the vehicle, because all the fluids had leaked out. The transmission failed in the consumers vehicle. Fluid leaked out a hole blown in the casing but the consumer was still able to drive serveral miles.
- Liverpool, NY, USA
The vehicle stalled while driving. The check engine light came on prior to the vehicle stalling. A diagnostic test was performed, but no failure code was found. The cause of the vehicle stalling was not determined. On other occasions the vehicle would stall when making turns.
- Silver Spring, MD, USA
While driving a fire started in the front end underneath the vehicle. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.
- Ontario, 00, USA
- San Jacinto, CA, USA