general problems of the 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan

In January 2011, I had to replace the catalytic converter in my vehicle and it has been running fine until now. Last week, my check engine light came on and I made a service appt. With mckinney Dodge in easley SC to get it checked out. I was called today (04/02/2013) and was advised the same part needed to be replaced again. The service department advised the part only had a 12 month warranty. I told him this was unacceptable for a part that was very expensive to only have a 12 month warranty. He provided the Chrysler customer service # (1-800-992-1997). I called them and the lady reviewed the record, and restated they could not assist, as it only had a 12 month warranty. The vehicle mileage is now a little over 156,000. I have put around 45,000 miles on the car since January 2011. I have had this van for years, and how could the original part on the vehicle last for many years, and then a replacement part only last a little over 2 years. I asked had the quality of their vehicle parts gone down from when the original vehicle was made. She had no response, but provided your website and to find out if there were any similar complaints on the catalytic converters on other Chrysler or Dodge vehicles. I told them I would not be purchasing another Chrysler or Dodge product. Thank you. Virginia.

Periodically, the engine of our 2004 Grand Caravan sputters and dies without warning. Typically this happens right after filling the gas tank. Upon leaving the gas station, the van runs normally for a minute or two, then cuts out all together. Usually this happens just as we are pulling out of the station into traffic. Once the van is re-started, it runs roughly for a minute, then quite normally. This first occurred in late 2009 and happened infrequently for a time. The older the van becomes, the more frequently it happens - now on almost every fill-up. Related to this issue, periodically after starting the van at home, with a nearly full tank of gas, it runs fine for a minute or two, then the engine seems to go into idle and completely fails to respond to the gas pedal. Typically this happens after stopping at a stop sign near home. The engine runs, but there is no acceleration. We drift to the side of the road, brake to a stop, wait a minute (sometimes shift to park), then try the gas pedal again. The van will respond normally at that point and run for the rest of the day without further trouble. (this seems to happen more often when outside temperatures are between 50 and 65 degrees. ) we have had the vehicle examined a number of times by several very reputable auto services and none have been able to identify or correct the problem.