August 12, 2004 re: dangerous runaway-vehicle 1997 dodge grand caravan VIN [xxx] this is to document a very dangerous situation that occurred on july 22, 2004 with the above vehicle. The minivan has been very well maintained and at the time of the incident had about 124,800 miles on it. My wife, [xxx], was driving the vehicle in a northwest direction on I-40 from wilmington to chapel hill . She was using the cruise control and is not clear exactly what the situation was prior to the incident although it is likely that she had accelerated to pass another vehicle. Suddenly the car was going over 90 MPH and wouldnt stop although she used the brakes with all her force. She turned off the ignition and braked to a stop on the shoulder, with the brakes smoking and in flame. In trying to restart the car, the engine speed took off and she shut it down and called aaa for a tow. The aaa service station mechanic disconnected the cruise control cable from the throttle. The cable was stuck fast and had kept the throttle open. We were very fortunate that my wife had been able to control the van without colliding with another vehicle or running off the road before bringing it to a halt. The cable appeared to have a broken strand that stuck into the outer sheath. It is only about 20 inches long and makes a 180 degree u-turn between the cruise control vacuum servo and the throttle. That design places more stress on the cable than if it were a straight run. The defective cable is available for examination. I am an mit graduate mechanical engineer and former assistant director of technical operations for consumers union and I believe action should be taken by the federal safety agency to address this problem. Chrysler corporation and the local dodge dealer did not offer me any remedy except repair at my own expense. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
1997 Dodge Grand Caravan: adaptive cruise control problems
49 of the 572 complaints about the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan describe adaptive cruise control problems.
- owner complaints
- 49
- of this car's complaints
- 9%
- typical repair cost reported
- $250
- typical mileage
- 82,456
- recalls
- 0
Adaptive cruise control problems by model year
What owners say
The air bag light in our '97 dodge caravan has started coming on intermittently. Indications are that it is due to an intermittent clockspring wiring harness in the steering column, meaning that the horn and cruise control would not work as well as the driver's side airbag. It appears this clockspring failure mode is being investigated by the federal safety agency, but there is no recall. I will probably have to pay the dealer to fix it (around $200).
Horn and cruise control suddenly quit working and airbag light is on.
Fan belt kept sliding off got broken. *ph this problem would occur when it would rain or snow. The part was replaced four times. The cruise control had become inoperative and the air bag light had come on.
Several months ago, we had problems involving the cruise control, and air bag light. We found out about a recall in regards to this problem, and it was corrected by the dealer. Within a short period after this recall, our horn went out and was replaced by the same dealer,(cost almost $200.00). Three months after the horn replacement, it went out again, but this time there was no charge. I'm not a mechanic, but it sounds too coincidental that we had horn problems after the recall work. Our van has 61,412 miles on it.
Horn doesn't work, cruise control doesn't work, airbag warning light is always on. Dt
Air bag light stayed on horn wouldn't work cruise control wouldn't work dealer knew right away what problem was. Dt
Consumer called complaining about having problems with the clock springs which it affects her cruise control the air bag and horn consumer also stated that she knows that a recall may come out soon and just wants to make sure her vehicle is included on the recall. Manufacture stated that this is not a oficcial recall yet. Ts
My horn does not work. My cruise control does not work. Intermittently, my windshield wipers turn on all by themself. I have no way of knowing if the driver side air bag is functional or not. Dt
Our horn and cruise control are inoperative. Our airbag light is lit. I understand that there is a problem with the clockspring assembly. Mr
Was told that horn needed fuse. Discovered later that cruise control didn't work. Web research points to failed clock spring mechanism. *nlm **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis*767682
Airbag light appears on dashboard, and horn / cruise control operate poorly. Dealership is aware of problem.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan adaptive cruise
Is adaptive cruise control problems a common problem on the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan?
49 of 572 owner complaints about the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan (9%) mention adaptive cruise control problems. The model year with the most reports is 1996.
How much does it cost to fix adaptive cruise control problems on the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $250 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan?
There is no recall or service bulletin for this area of the car on record.
Other symptoms on the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan
Airbag light 67Wipers 58Power steering loss 26Stalling 24Fire or smoke 21Loss of power 21Headlights 19ABS 15Transmission failure 15Check engine light 13Brake failure 12Fuel leak 11Door locks 10Overheating 9No deployment 7Grinding brakes 7Fuel gauge 7Tire blowout 7Fuel pump 6Won't shift 6Coil spring 5Slipping 5Won't start 5
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