We had an internet article from march on this issue. A recall was being considered. The airbag light is on and the horn and cruise don't work, identical to the description in the article.
1996 Dodge Grand Caravan electrical complaints
Page 4 of 8: complaints 71 to 100 of 197, newest first, as owners wrote them.
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In october of 1999, our van was overheating and we had to have the radiator fan relay replaced. Two weeks later we received a recall notice and were reimbursed by daimler chrysler. In february 2001 our airbag indicator light came on and the horn stopped working. We replaced the clock spring. In june 2001 we had to replace our fuel tank because it was cracked. We continued to smell gas and had to have our fuel rail replaced because it was leaking fuel onto the engine. We were told not to drive it because it could catch on fire.
Daimlerchrysler reference # 08756857 - battery has failed 4 times chrysler has reimb. Twice and still refused to send me known service bulletins #082995 &08195 relating to problems with dead batteries. Also requested info on fluid bubbling over onto engine from june 97 and sept. 99. I have written to chrysler and have been told that "the information you are seeking is either unavailable from daimlerchrysler motors corporation or considered proprietary" and was signed by glenn s. Cameron, senior staff.
Local chrysler was contacted to investigate reason air bag light remains lit constatly, cruise control does not work, and horn does not work. Cost was $80 to trouble shoot, and additional $250 estimated to repair - I refused repair
Clockspring assembly failure/ airbag, horn failed to work. Dealer advised recall on same assembly for trucks, not effecting mini-vans.
Ea o1 007/air bag clockspring: air bag sensor light remaining on while driving. Also, inoperative horn. Dealer notified. Feel free to provide any further information.
Clockspring failed - airbag, horn, cruise control will not operate. Very serious safety problem. Part should be recalled.
Battery cracked and leaked acid into wiring cover and air cleaner housing causing vehicle not to start, battery was replaced and began to leak again approximately four months later, seven months later the battery had to be boosted to start vehicle, again dealer replaced the battery, battery was replaced a fourth time along with a faulty starter.
The clockspring assembly failed . The airbag light stayed on, the horn failed to work, and the cruise control would not work. I read a report in the newspaper on march 20, 2001 stating the federal safety agency was looking at this problem in 96-2000 chyr. Vans. The vehicle was repaired at my expense.
Was driving vehicle when air bag would flash on/off before becoming solid. This problem affected the horn and cruise control. Have taken to dealership, and was informed by mechanic that clockspring was broken.
Clockspring failed causing airbag, horn, cruise control to be inoperable.
An electrical short was causing airbag light to stay on. Dealer has replaced clock spring assembly, and not horn. However horn touch pad had a short causing the horn not to function. Dealer was looking into the problem.*ak dealer had to disconnect the horn to make it inoperative because the cost was 649 dollars, consumer feels this failure is because of the faulty clockspring assembly that shorted.
Can this cause a fire ? It melted the relay . They had a tsb on this lots of problems.
Airbag light stays on at all times which is effecting cruise control and horn. Neither item works because of air bag light. Have not contacted dealer. Please add VIN.
Horn ,cruise control,does not work and the gas light will come on and make a beeping sound for no reason.
Ea 01 007/air bag clock spring failure: horn / cruise control are inoperativ, and air bag sensor light remains on while driving. Dealer / manufacturer have not been notified at this time. Provide any further information .
Air bag light has come on, and horn has failed to function. Dealership has not examined vehicle. Please provide any additional information/attachments.
Intermittently while driving lighting on the dash will go out. When this happens, consumer does not know how fast vehicle is going. Delaer has replaced control panel module, however , problem has not been corrected.
Air bag light stays illuminated while driving. Also, cruise control and the horn assemblies are inoperable. Dealer has inspected vehicle, and determined that clock spring was defective. Please provide additional information.
Air bag light on dash has come on. Horn has failed to operate, and cruise control no longer works. Dealer informed consumer that clock spring assembly would need to be replaced. Please provide any additional information/attachments.
Wire harness shorting out in steering assy poss. Setting off airbags while driving.
While driving the air bag light could come and stay on for while. Horn did not work, stopped working without prior warning. Also, cruise control did not work.
Body control computer went out at 64000 and this controlled windshield wipers. At 69000 miles it went out again.*ak now at 71000 miles it has failed again.
Ea 01 007/air bag clock spring:inoperative horn operation. Also, air bag sensor light remained on on. Dealer notified and informed consumer that they are unaware of any recall, and any repairs would be at consumer cost.*ak consumer also states cruise control failed.
I've read about investigation on the air clock springs .... These should be recalled.
Air bag light has come on and will not go off. Also, horn and cruise control systems have failed. Dealership has not examined vehicle.
Airbag light remained on; horn &cruise control stopped; clockspring replaced at cost of $250. This vehicle has repairs every 2-3 months at cost of $200-400. In addition to regular maintainance. Will never buy a chrylser product again.
The airbag and horn are no longer fundtional. The airbag failure light remains on most of the time. An intermittant wiring problem in the dash is suspected. I understand that this is a common problem.
I am aware that some dodge grand caravans have had a problem related to a spring located inside the steering wheel that prevents the airbag from deploying in case of an accident, as well as preventing the horn from operating. I've contacted the dealership and was told that such recall didn't apply to my van, and after checking the VIN, it was confirmed that I was not part of that recall. However, when I hear that something that has gone wrong with my van is a recall in other vans, I tend to get a little suspicious.
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