Whats the point of being anal about type and interval of oil change, preventative maintenance via trans fluid, water pump, belts and hoses, when the strut mount on a 99 Caravan rusts out to the point where the strut pops through? Estmated repair $1500.00 +, and Dodge wont touch it because it's outside it's "generous" 36K warranty. Can you say Honda?
Dodge Caravan CORROSION!!!!!
- Thread starter 1bioguy
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Got pictures??
Would love to see??
I have a 89 Shadow with 203K miles, is my winter car, only driven in winter months, no issues at all with corrosion. Strut towers are fine, just installed some nice Bilstien struts and KYB strut mounts and bearing kits.
Would love to see??
I have a 89 Shadow with 203K miles, is my winter car, only driven in winter months, no issues at all with corrosion. Strut towers are fine, just installed some nice Bilstien struts and KYB strut mounts and bearing kits.
Wow. I can't imagine that it's a very common occurence.
I think it could be fixed for a lot less than that. I'm guessing a shock tower could be cut out a wrecked van and welded in.
I think it could be fixed for a lot less than that. I'm guessing a shock tower could be cut out a wrecked van and welded in.
Only newer Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Mazda have good corrosion protection. Here you can find a lot of old German cars(>15 yrs) but there are very few old Japonese cars left because of corrosion. Roads here are sprayed with hot salt slush in winter.
Isn't there a "rust through" warranty which is usually 5 years, 50K?
It sounds like that should count.
It sounds like that should count.
njc, this is actualy a commom problem in the 3rd generation of the Caravan.
1bioguy,
here is a link to an allpar.com thread that will answer many of your questions. It includes info about the TSB, Chrysler repair kits, and DIY fixes with pictures. Good luck. One guy said that he got compensation from Chrysler with a little bit of fist pounding. Most people accept what they are told. Others push very hard and get results.
http://www.allpar.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=39786&hl=
I know a good auto lawyer in Ann Arbor that would (and has) bring Chrysler to it's knees. This is an admitted manufacturing flaw.
here is a link to an allpar.com thread that will answer many of your questions. It includes info about the TSB, Chrysler repair kits, and DIY fixes with pictures. Good luck. One guy said that he got compensation from Chrysler with a little bit of fist pounding. Most people accept what they are told. Others push very hard and get results.
http://www.allpar.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=39786&hl=
I know a good auto lawyer in Ann Arbor that would (and has) bring Chrysler to it's knees. This is an admitted manufacturing flaw.
doitmyself, please pm me your killer atty in ann arbor. this IS a common problem on the 96-99 vans, including mine. i will have a body buddy fix mine this spring.
btw, the manufacturer is required to warrant rust up to 70k, but it is for something like "inside to out" rust and chrysler will call this "outside to in" rust. mine went to the dealer just before 70k. my brother-in-law does alot of inside business with this dealer and knows the son personally. this connection made no difference, and i know he tried-this mandate on not paying this within the 1 year or 3/36 is mandated from home office.
the NTSB also knows well of this problem but cannot recommend/enforce a recall unless there is a safety issue, i believe. i think it IS a safety issue, but know of none that have popped through while driving causing injury. i will not wait for that to be on my kids, so i am getting it fixed. would love to see class action on this, though.
in spite of this my van has served me well and i would likely buy another. it is the most practical vehicle that i have ever owned and has been as reliable as anything but my recently departed integra. allpar has LOTS on this subject.
btw, the manufacturer is required to warrant rust up to 70k, but it is for something like "inside to out" rust and chrysler will call this "outside to in" rust. mine went to the dealer just before 70k. my brother-in-law does alot of inside business with this dealer and knows the son personally. this connection made no difference, and i know he tried-this mandate on not paying this within the 1 year or 3/36 is mandated from home office.
the NTSB also knows well of this problem but cannot recommend/enforce a recall unless there is a safety issue, i believe. i think it IS a safety issue, but know of none that have popped through while driving causing injury. i will not wait for that to be on my kids, so i am getting it fixed. would love to see class action on this, though.
in spite of this my van has served me well and i would likely buy another. it is the most practical vehicle that i have ever owned and has been as reliable as anything but my recently departed integra. allpar has LOTS on this subject.
I second that post, on that "most practical vehicle that I have ever owned, and has been as reliable as anything". I've got a 97 but I'm not in the rust belt, and no corrosion anywhere on mine.
I also give Kudos to the Allpar site. I post there, too. The only snafu I've heard on the rusted strut mount, is that the replacement parts were hard to come by. Guess it's too common a fix.
I also give Kudos to the Allpar site. I post there, too. The only snafu I've heard on the rusted strut mount, is that the replacement parts were hard to come by. Guess it's too common a fix.
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