Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-75, 76-90, 91-105, 106-120, 121-135, 136-150, 151-165, 166-180, 181-195, 196-210, 211-225, 226-240, 241-251
Yes it would be nice to not have had to do that, but they don't make a kit for the 3.3l. It won't be available until Jan.'07. So it had to be done.
Folks, besides the complaint that I hope you all registered with the NHTS site, we all MUST do something else. After purchasing the repair kit from Gates or Goodyear, call Chrysler customer service and put in a claim for the expense. You most assuredly will be turned down, but make sure you document the date, time and customer service rep you spoke to. Then, you must make another complaint to NHTS, re: this problem. Also, call your Congressman's office and request federal oversight!!! Why should Chrysler, WHO WAS BAILED OUT BY THE FEDERAL TAXPAYER'S IN THE PAST, get a free ride for this design flaw. It's criminal!!!
My 1999 Carvan just did it again. There is only 50,000 miles on the car. My disgust that Chrysler hasn't acknowledged this problem as a safety issue is beyond words. My understanding is it depends upon the amount of casualties to require a recall. I have issued a complaint in the Dodge website. Last Chrysler product I will own.
Well, I got my response from the Dodge website and like the last poster, I'm sure you're response will be the same..."we regret this problem and encourage you to work with your local dealer." I am heading over to the NHTSA website next. By the way, the fix that was mentioned above... I copied and pasted it in my e-mail to Dodge asking if this was truly the only repair available. They avoided that comment.
I have looked around and found the best price for the 3.0L Goodyear fix kit. $91.99. It was on the CSK website. Hope this helps. I am not sure when the 3.8L or 3.3L kit will be out. Maybe someone should contact CSK and ask them.
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.aspx?mfrpartnumber=49204K.
I have owned two Dodge Caravans, (1990 and 1996) both have had electrical, transmission and serpentine belt problems. I had several serpentine belts come off of the 1990, and was told by one garage that the official part number of the belt was inaccurate, therefore the belts I had been putting on each time were too big. Even after being told that, I had belts come off. With my 1996 I have had the belt come off 4 times, the last just last night right after it started raining. I will never ever ever (times a billion) buy another Chrysler product. I'm a single mom with 3 young kids and getting stranded with them is not any fun. Believe me, I'm lucky I've got a decent ex who will come and save me when this happens, he has become an expert in replacing the belt. I purchased my second Caravan because the price was right and I thought the 1990 was just old and worn out, boy was I naive. Did I mention I will NEVER purchase another Chrysler product? Someone is going to get hurt badly one of these days, or killed, and I hope Chrysler is held responsible when (not if) that happens!
Thanks everybody. At least I know I'm not the only one with this problem. I have a '99 Grand Caravan with almost 200,00 miles. It's been a great vehicle, except for the fortune I've spend on belts, tensioners, and mechanics. My belt slipped off again today during a light drizzling rain. I lost all power steering at a dangerous intersection with 2 18-wheelers approaching me from different directions. I'm not willing to risk my or my family's health anymore. I'm not driving this van in any rain--at least until the conversion kit for the 3.3 comes out. And I will file a complaint with the NHTSA. www.nhtsa.gov.
I am so thankful I found this website. We’ve had our used ’97 Grand Caravan a little over a year and I was in love with it -- we had no problem at all with the belt until we had the water pump replaced and put a new belt on as a preventative measure. My son said at the time that he thought the tensioner was a little weak and should be replaced, but his mechanic friend said it was okay. We did this a week before we left for our annual Colorado vacation and there were no problems until our first rain storm – and my husband drove through a couple of inches of water on the road just a mile from our motel. Fortunately, we made it to the motel parking lot with only a block to drive to our room. Since it was almost midnight, we had to wait until morning for help. My husband thought he could just pop it back on – little did we know that we needed a special tool. The belt stayed on the rest of vacation and for the next 2 months (I didn’t have a clue how lucky we were).
Last weekend it came off twice and there was no rain or snow or anything to explain it at all – caught us totally unaware. Fortunately, the first time we had just pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store we were going to visit and my husband was driving again – he barely could get into the parking spot. Since this happened on a Saturday early evening, we were stranded 40 miles from home for a couple of hours. Luckily my brother-in-law was with us and had previous experience with the Dodge minivan’s belt issues (his wife used to own one and never knew when her’s was going to go off. He blamed it on the power steering fluid being sprayed all over the place if you have to drive it any length at all after losing the belt). Problem was ours was a little different design and he couldn’t get it on without the special tool – so, one $25 cab ride and one $50 tool later we were back on the road. The second time was the next day and I was driving and it happened in the middle of a fairly busy intersection and it was SO scary that I have vowed not to drive it until it is fixed. Both of these last 2 incidents happened in DRY WEATHER. Sorry, to burst any bubbles of false security that you may be alright as long as it is not inclement weather, but I thought it VERY important that you all know this.
My husband has bought a new tensioner and is ready to do that repair, but I’m not sure it will work now after reading all of these posts. ONE THING I did read yesterday at the library in a Chilton book is that one needs to be careful when replacing the belt or water pump, etc. and handle the tensioner GENTLY, pivoting it back into place -- if it snaps back in place it could be damaged internally. Perhaps this is really a case of damaged tensioners? Who knows, but whatever, it is still a DESIGN FLAW in my book. I was ready to not bother with the tensioner and get this new Gates fix for it, but now I find that it won’t be available for maybe 2-3 months. I am tempted to get my husband to do the disc fabricating/modification that the poster on October 25th mentions – it sounds like maybe it would solve the problem, wet weather or not. I would like to know if there is ever a time that a belt coming off could save a more serious situation or damage, but I ask myself what can really be more serious than the problem it solves? I often have disabled or elderly people in my car and I am slightly disabled myself so any kind of incident like this would be life threatening.
Like one of the last posters stated – how do you sell a vehicle that you feel is totally unsafe? We bought this van from a local non-profit auction place that benefits kids. (I have noticed that there have been a lot of them donated lately that are very nice and now I know why people are donating them.) I regret not reading Consumer Reports like I normally do before making major purchases.
You bet you, we have an obligation to follow this through to get someone to listen to us. Is Ralph Nader still out there? I feel that I’m not only putting myself and passengers at risk, but everyone else on the road with me. Now, that I think of it, I have to ask myself if I am even going to want to drive near other Chrysler built minivans on the highway? WOW! Chrysler needs to get these all retrofitted. How many years has this been going on? I will not be buying their stock any time soon.
After two years of thinking I was all by myself, it is both relieving and scary to find that this belt problem is so wide spread. I, too, will notify NHTSA and suggest a recall. I just got home from my dealer who has now "fixed" my problem for the fifth time in two years.
Why not get the goodyear or gates fix kit and fix it once and for all? Simply put, the kit works.
I have not been able to find the kit, and from what I have seen on this list, it isn't yet available for the 3.8 engine. So what do we do in the mean time?
My husband is in the middle of replacing the tensioner, which was supposed to be a simple thing, but he has to move the power steering pump to get into it, and that has been much more complex than he thought, too.
I recommend to park the van and start calling your local Gates distributor and see if you can get on a waiting list for the 3.8L kit. I understand it should be out Dec 1st or earlier. If you don't put the fix kit on now, your husband will only have to redo the job later this year when the belt falls off again. Why not ask for the kit for an early Christmas present?
I heard that Gates has pushed off the distribution date until mid-January for the 3.3 kit. Has anyone heard any news?
I have a 97 Dodge Grand Caravan AWD(all wheel drive) that I have fought with for a few years now with the belt falling off in the rain. At first it only happened once in a while in heavy rain, but then became so frequent that I had to carry an extra belt and a special wrench I made to change it, and of course a flash light along with me because it always seemed to happen in the rain. About 4 months ago I decided to do something about it so I made a kit that sounds similar to a post I have read on this site. The kit basically creates a stationary lip beside the tensioner pulley and the idler pulley that does not allow the belt to slip past it. I have not had any belt problems since installing it. I have made a couple extra kits that I am selling for $35.00 plus shipping. The Kits are pictured on my business website along with the instructions that will come with the kit. Go to www.atvbushings.com Click where it says Chrysler mini van belt kit on the left side of the page to view. If you would like to make this kit yourself, call and I will give you the dimensions of the parts. The kit is simple and very easy to install yourself, if you have ever had to put your belt back on yourself then you can install this kit.
That snow shield idea (used to be a TSB) has been around for a long time. However, many people have agreed that any type of snow shield does not fix the problem at all and is a complete waste of time and money.
What I have seen is, with any kind of snow shield installed, eventually the side of the belt begins to fray and eventually ruins the belt. I have been a mechanic at the dealership for many many years and have seen many people try to fix this belt jumping issue, and to the best of my knowlege there is really only one true fix that works. It's the Gates or Goodyear fix kit. Period.