23 problems related to engine belts and pulleys have been reported for the 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
1999 Dodge Grand Caravan 3. 3l. Serpentine belt slips off pulleys when driving in wet conditions, even slightly. This produces an immediate loss of power steering, water pump, etc. , and within 15-20 seconds the vehicle overheats. This creates severe safety hazard with impaired steering ability along with attempts to remove vehicle from traffic before it overheats, stalls, or engine catches fire. This slippage occurs consistently to the point we must avoid driving when raining (even drizzling) or even if roads are still moist after a rain. We found hundreds of the same complaint affecting numerous model year Dodge caravans, as well as Chrysler town & country van. Two independent mechanics stated the cause is poor design of the pulley system. Two of the pulleys are smooth-surfaced and one side of the serpentine belt is smooth. When a liquid (rain/snow/lubricant, etc. ) is introduced to the pulley system, these smooth surfaces allow the belt to easily slip off. Dodge offers to replace the two smooth pulleys with grooved pulleys, as well as provide a serpentine belt with dual sided grooves for around $400. This is not a matter of normal wear and tear, but rather a poor design that has continued for over a decade despite early complaints. Consumers have spent hundreds if not thousands in towing and repairs for this problem. Consumers should not be required to pay to fix the manufacturers' safety defects and add to their profits in doing so. Was it an intentional defect to boost service dept profits? this problem needs to be addressed immediately and should warrant a recall to replace the two pulleys and serpentine belt.
The serpentine belt fell of during wet road conditions. I drive a 3. 3l Dodge Grand Caravan. I had no idea how popular this problem is. Chrysler could fix it with a tensioner with a sidewall or a ribbed tensioner.
The serpentine belt came off several times in the rain , on our 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan, resulting in loss of power steering. I had gone through a puddle and as I turned a corner I lost power steering. I made it onto the side grass as I was unable to complete the turn. I was only a couple feet away from hitting a brick building. This was a very unsettling experience. I should not have to be terrified to drive in the rain.
1- noise serpentine belt. 2- sudden temporary loss of power steering while driving in rain. Occurs everytime it rains. Resulting in temporary extremely dangerous situation as I am unable to steer even though I am a strong 350lbs. 3- have changed serpentine belt several times but problem persists.
Driving home in ice storm our 1999 Dodge caravan lost power steering, lights dimmed, overheated. Apparently this is a recurring problem with the caravans and the serpentine belt and tensioner.
The contact owns a 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan. While driving 30 mph in the rain, the serpentine belt detaches. The mechanic replaced the belt eight times; however, the failure recurred on January 25, 2008. The mechanic advised that the dealer should perform a diagnostic. The dealer replaced the pulley bracket, the bolts, and the serpentine belt according to the manufacturer's technical service bulletin. The failure recurred on January 27, 2008. The current mileage is 160,669 and failure mileage was 605. Updated 02/14/08. Updated.
The serpentine belt has come off three times to date. Once in 3 inches of snow, once on a sunny day and once when on slick roads but no puddles. Almost caused accidents twice with three children in the car! the belt has been replaced as has the tensioner and this has not solved the problem.
Continual serpentine belt issues with Dodge Grand Caravan. We purchased this vehicle new in 1999, it has less than 100,000 miles and has required replacement of the serpentine belt at least 4 times. Additionally, the belt has come off on 2 occasions when vehicle was driven through a puddle. This seems extremely excessive.
1999 Grand Caravan - serpentine belt comes off when it rains or vehicle is driven through water, even minor amounts. Causes sudden loss of steering ability, especially if it occurs without warning during a turn. I have owned this vehicle for 6 years and 125,000+ miles without incident. During the last 25,000 miles belt has come off unpredictably 6-8 times in wet weather. Occurrences started following replacement of front tires and a wheel alignment. Dealers and service stations have blamed the tensioneer, a pulley, the belt itself, and water. Replacement of these parts does nothing to resolve the problem which occurs again with the next rain storm. Something changed at 125,000 miles that causes the belt to disengage the pulleys and /or tensioner when water is sprayed up by the tires in wet weather. I changed tires to a different tread design and this helped for a time, but with wear the problem recurred.
In Feb 2007, a new mopar serpentine belt was installed on my 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan (89,000 miles) by a local Dodge dealer. After one week belt started a loud squeal. At the suggestion of mechanics I tried belt dressings, sprays and wire brush, all with no help to the problem. One mechanic suggested I replace the plastic pulley on my properly working tensioner with a metal pulley. This I did with no help. All pulleys were checked and found o. K. Dealer installed another belt in June of this year. Same problem after one week. Ended up going to local independent repair shop (not dealer) and they installed "kit", which corrected problem. "kit' consisted of belt with grooves on both sides and idler pulley and tensioner pulley with grooves. Problem solved. The Dodge dealer never heard of this "kit". . . . Come on Dodge boys, get with it!!!!.
The serpentine belt on my 1999 Dodge caravan keeps coming off. Especially when it rains. The belt has been replaced several times. The idler pulley has been replaced. The belt tensioner has been replaced. An engine bracket for the idler pulley has been replaced. When the belt comes off , power steering is lost which makes it hard to control the van. If I was not a fairly strong person I would have hit a semi-truck at the last incident. My wife could not have controlled it. There is an after market fix for the problem through goodyear or gates. Chrysler does not have a fix for it. Below is the latest incident. It has happened five times in the last two years.
1999 Dodge Grand Caravan,3. 3 liter engine, started out about once a year the serpentine belt would slip off and have to be reinstalled. Then started every 6 months, usually during wet weather, came off with my wife, she would lose steering almost causing a wreck. I would have to leave work and go where ever she was and put belt back on. Finally noticed the tensioner pulley leaning to the left allowing belt to slip off. Replaced pulley thinking problem solved, but once again belt would slip off during a rain and wipers on. Very dangerous situation for my wife again, no steering. Tried a better quality belt, same thing, belt would slip off during rain. 2 weeks ago it slipped off with my wife on major freeway in birmingham, al , I had to go about 50 miles and put belt back on with traffic speeding by and all during a rain storm of course. Yesterday I drove the van to my job and on the way home ran into a rain storm and guess what, it came off again, luckily on the street I live on. I've read about thousands of people with same problem with this type of van. I've owned the van since the beginning, loved it except for this problem, even bought a new 05 Grand Caravan because they are good vans. I just wish Dodge would admit the 99 and similar years had a recall issue on this serpentine belt. Or why can't they tell us, the owners how to fix this problem?.
I have repeatedly had the serpentine belt come off while driving in my 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan. This is unsafe. I lose power steering, a/c or defroster, the van overheats unless you park it instantly. This has happened at least a dozen times and I have replaced the tension pulley and it still didn't help. This needs to be recalled.
The serpentine belt tensioner has a broken spring there fore not putting tension on the serpentine belt causing water pump and altinator and later battery problems. Ive done some research on this and it seems to be a problem all over the country to which belts are falling off etc. . . . . The vehicle has been taken to the dealership before and we were told that all was well. Ive heard the belt slipping for a while now usually at start of vehicle. This seems to be a proplem with many more 99 Grand Caravans at or around 40-50,000 miles. This should be a warrenty fix but is not!.
When driving at 30 mph and without warning, the serpentine belt disconnected from vehicle, which causing the vehicle to lose power steering and all other functions controlled by the belt. . The consumer stated a new belt and tensioner was installed at 26,215 miles and less than 10,000 miles later the belt fell off again.
Surpentine belt keeps coming off randomly causing a very dangerous condition of not being able to steer the car. The dealer has repaired many times and says there is no known fix. Because the vehicle in not safe I can no longer have my family in the vehicle. I look at the web site for other complaints on this minivan and I see many othe people have the same un-safe problem with this model.
The fan belt and tensioner have failed twice, and after doing research, it appears that this is a very common occurrence. I even found a web site of people who have had the same problem, some more than six times on the same van.
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Vehicle stalled at 20 mph. Consumer noticed a belt hanging from undercarriage of vehicle. Vehicle is at dealership at this time.
The engine gave no signs or symptoms of an impending failure. The vehicle had been inspected by my mechanic 1200 miles earlier and the tensioner replaced. The main bearing failed sending metal fragments throughout the engine. The side-effects of the bearing blowing apart destroyed the engine and necessitated that a new engine be installed. This will cost approximately $3500 and take about 2 weeks. This type of failure is absolutely unacceptable for a vehicle that is only 3 years old and has only 55k miles on it. Dodge should be ashamed that a failure like this would occur in such a late model vehicle.
While pulling away from mailbox and belt tensioner sheared off. The power steering failed when the tensioner pulley sheared off.
A worn bushing/bearing in the tensioner pulley allowed the drive belt to slip off while cornering. The loss of power steering assist nearly caused the vehicle to drive off the road. The vehicle then quickly overheated leaving my wife and children stranded on a county road in a potentially life threatening situation. The actual temp was +5 f with a wind chill of -30 f. They were thankfully rescued within about 20 minutes thanks to her cellphone. I understand Chrysler has issued a TSB for belts that slip off when driving through snow or water due to pulley failure. This is an extremely dangerous situation and should be subject to a recall. Thank you. Roger stites.
Serpentine belt falls off tensioner repeatedly and have replaced several tensioner pulleys and serpentine belts without any remedy to the problem.