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2000 DODGE CARAVAN — STEERING

crash · 920463 · 2012-05-29

Vehicle

Make
DODGE
Model
CARAVAN
Year
2000
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
STEERING
Miles at failure
140,000
Speed
60 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF IN THE RAIN CAUSING A LOSS IN POWER STEERING, AC (FOR WINDOW DEFOGGING), POWER (NO ALTERNATOR WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON DURING RAIN). WHEN IT SLIPPED OFF, THE ABILITY TO CORRECT FOR LOSS OF TRACTION DUE TO WATER WAS REDUCED DUE TO LACK OF POWER STEERING AND THE WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP QUICKLY DUE TO THE LOSS OF THE AC COMPRESSOR. SLID OF THE INTERSTATE AND SLID DOWN THE MEDIAN. MULTIPLE OTHER INSTANCES OF BELT SLIPPING OFF (4 TIMES IN PAST 3 DAYS), THOUGH AT LOWER RATES OF SPEED. DODGE DENIES THERE IS AN ISSUE EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MANY REPORTS ON THE INTERNET RELATING TO THIS PROBLEM. IT IS ALSO INTERESTING THAT THEY NOW SELL A UPGRADE KIT THAT CHANGES OUT THE TWO NON-GROOVED PULLEYS FOR GROOVED ONES AND ADD A BELT WITH GROOVES ON BOTH SIDES. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD ONLY FIX THIS PROBLEM WHEN ENOUGH PEOPLE REPORTED THE PROBLEM. *TR

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10459861
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown