Driving during heavy rain/snow or going through standing water, the serpentine belt slips off of the pulleys. This leads to a loss of power steering, power brakes and engine cooling. Mileage and date are approximate. Multiple occurrences.
1998 Dodge Caravan: loss of power steering
17 of the 628 complaints about the 1998 Dodge Caravan describe loss of power steering.
- owner complaints
- 17
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- typical mileage
- 86,500
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 8 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below
Loss of power steering by model year
What owners say
The serpentine belt popped off my 1998 dodge caravan, it is 02/10/10 -- the day of the blizzard. This happened before on the day of the blizzard in december. This leads to an immediate loss of power steering during the worst possible driving conditions. When I tried to find out what had happened in december, two mechanics at the dodge dealership both immediately knew what had happened. They said it happens all the time when ice or snow gets up under the car. I believe this is a very dangerous manufacturer's defect. Loss of critical steering capability during the worst possible driving conditions.
Serpentine belt comes off of accessory pulleys, resulting in loss of power steering and other vehicle functions, possibly at any speed. Wet weather is a constant contributing factor, although is not required for this defect to occur.
My 98 dodge caravan sport is having repeated problem with the serpentine belt and belt tensioner. From a quick search on the web it appears to be a common problem, that the belt would slip off when it gets wet. I have experienced this problem 3 times so far, twice in jan 2006 and another one just today (nov 06). I cannot trust the van anymore, I cannot tell when this problem is going to happen again and when it does, the van lost power steering and would overheat. Lost of power steering can be extremely dangerous especially when trying on a freeway, and being easily overheat would leave me stranded at possibly isolated places. This is a problem that takes repeated fixing yet would not resolve.
Dt: the consumer owns a 1998 dodge caravan. Serpentine belt failed five times. When this occurred there was a loss of power steering as well as the charging of the battery. This only happened in wet or rainy conditions. The consumer took vehicle to a dealer, who said they could again replace the serpentine belt, but it would fail again in wet conditions or rainy weather. There was no guarantee. The last trip to the dealer resulted in the replacement of the serpentine belt. No accident or injury was reported. The consumer contacted the manufacturer and filed a complaint also. The local dealer said nothing could be done about. *ak updated 02/07/06.
Experience lost of engine power and steering. Bolts broken and replace gaskets. Lost steering while driving. *bf the front end appeared to be much lower than usual and the belt was hanging below the chassis.
Air conditioner evaporator failed twice within a two year period. Also, serpentine belt was replaced 6 times. When the serpentine belt failed vehicle had no power steering or power brakes.
On my wife's 1998 dodge caravan, the idler serpentine belt tensioner arm completely broke off causing alot of noise under the hood, loss of power steering, and loss of alternator battery recharge. It also caused some damage to the other pulleys. I've owned many cars and this has never happened on other makes. This is a safety hazard that can leave anybody in the middle of no where.
The serpentine belt became disconnected, which caused the vehicle to lose power steering.
Intermittent power steering assist failure. Especially at low speeds and tight turns, like entering/exiting parking spots.
Engine warning light was on, and consumer saw something hanging from under the car, it was serpentine belt. Then, there was no steering or braking.
Serpentine belt came off while driving during a rain storm, causing loss of power steering/brakes and lights. Apparently, manufacturer sent out tsb which stated serpentine belt will slip off when it gets wet.please provide furtehr information.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Pop/tick sound in steering wheel area
- Experiencing a pop/tick sound heard coming from the steering wheel area while the vehicle is in motion
- A condition where a click / rattle sound may be heard coming from the area of the steering wheel while the...
- A "honk" or squeal noise during parking lot maneuvers
- This bulletin involves intermittent popping on front end
- Concerns with "honk" noise during parking lot maneuvers
- Some vehicles experience a momentary loss of power assist for the steering when turning corners with the...
- During high humidity climate conditions, some vehicles may experience a momentary loss of power assist for...
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 1998 Dodge Caravan power steering loss
Is loss of power steering a common problem on the 1998 Dodge Caravan?
17 of 628 owner complaints about the 1998 Dodge Caravan (3%) mention loss of power steering. The model year with the most reports is 1993.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1998 Dodge Caravan?
There are 0 recalls and 8 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1998 Dodge Caravan
Airbag light 48Transmission failure 34Adaptive cruise 27Headlights 26Stalling 22Fire or smoke 18Loss of power 18No deployment 15Fuel leak 13Tire blowout 13Wipers 13Brake failure 12Grinding brakes 10ABS 9Slipping 9Overheating 8Door locks 6Jerking 6Won't start 6Check engine light 5Engine failure 5Knocking 5Fuel gauge 5Fuel pump 5
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