2007 Dodge Grand Caravan

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE SLOWING DOWN THE VEHICLE TO STOP, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER EACH FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

SHORTLY AFTER FUELING VAN IT STALLS STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND I LOOSE ALL POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES INCLUDING BEING ON BUSY ROADWAYS, WHEN I LOOSE FULL CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. EVERY INCIDENCE HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN I HAVE HAD MY THREE CHILDREN IN THE VAN.I HAVE RESEARCHED AND THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEM. WHY HAS SOMETHING NOT BEEN DONE? DO MY CHILDREN AND I HAVE TO BE KILLED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT.

AFTER REFUELING THE CAR WILL STALL FOR SHORT PERIOD. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS IT MAY STALL WHILE PULLING INTO HE ROADWAY. NHTSA WORKED WITH DODGE ON OTHER MODELS TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY TO LIFETIME. MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND THE REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $700. DODGE SHOULD HAVE REDESIGNED THE FUEL SYSTEM TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE AS THE SAME ISSUE WAS LIFETIME WARRANTIES IN PRIOR YEAR MODELS.

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINED DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OF AND THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. MY DAUGHTER PULLED THE COLUMN SHIFTER WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS OPEN. THE DOOR STRUCK A TREE AND STOPPED THE ROLLING VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V373000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

MY STEPDAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY VAN AFTER WE WERE RETURNING FROM A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA. WE GOT TO HER HOUSE TO DROP HER OFF WHERE SHE PUT THE VAN IN PARK . I THEN WALKED (BEHIND) FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE TO THE DRIVERS SIDE WHILE SHE WENT TO HER MAIL BOX TO GET HER MAIL. I OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, THAT'S WHEN THE VAN STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS DOWN HER DRIVEWAY. I COULDN'T SEE HER SO I SCREAMED HER NAME SO IT DIDN'T RUN OVER HER, SHE WAS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE VAN LOOKING DOWN AT HER MAIL. SHE GOT OUT OF THE WAY IN TIME TO SEE THAT THE VAN DOOR HAD CAUGHT ME, WAS ABLE TO REACH ME, LUCKILY, TO GRAB AND YANK ME FROM BEHIND IT. THEN WE WATCHED AS IT ROLLED DOWN HER DRIVEWAY INTO THE STREET. LUCKILY WHEN IT HIT THE BOTTOM OF HER DRIVEWAY THE WHEELS TURNED OR IT WOULD HAVE GONE DOWN HER STREET AND CROSSED A SIDE ROAD. THE DOOR CAUGHT A LARGE RECYCLE BIN CAUSING FRONT END DAMAGE AND BENT THE DOOR BACKWARDS ENDING UP WITH THE REAR END HITTING A LARGE SNOW BANK WHERE IT CAME TO REST. THIS WAS A FRIGHTENING INCIDENT, ONE OR BOTH OF US COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! EVEN WORSE OTHERS COULD HAVE BEEN IF THE VAN HAD GONE INTO THE STREET(S). THE VAN WENT INTO NEUTRAL, I PHYSICALLY SAW IT AND HAD TO SHIFT IT INTO DRIVE TO GET IT OFF THE CURB. SINCE THEN, NUMEROUS TIMES, WHEN I HAVE BEEN BACKING UP OR JUST STARTING TO DRIVE, IT WILL POP INTO NEUTRAL. EACH TIME I HAVE TO PUT IT BACK INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. THIS IS DANGEROUS!!! WHAT IF IT HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY OR PULLING OUT ONTO A STREET ETC? MY HUSBAND HEARD A STORY TODAY THAT OTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLES ARE HAVING THE VERY SAME ISSUE. I THINK THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE HAD FOR MANY MANY . IT NEEDS TO CHANGE. WHO ELSE CAN I COMPLAIN TO? I INFORMED CHRYSLER/DODGE WHEN IT HAPPENED AND HEARD NOTHING BACK.

AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK WITH GAS, THE CAR, ALMOST ALWAYS, STALLS, A FEW MINUTES INTO DRIVING. I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, SINCE MY WIFE MOSTLY USES THIS CAR, AND HAS STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES.I HAVE HAD IT STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION.OF COURSE, THE POWER STEERING ALSO CUTS OUT WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WHICH COMPOUNDS THE DANGER. WHEN I "GOOGLED" THE WORDS "2007 GRAND CARAVAN STALLS", A VERY LONG LIST OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT IMMEDIATELY CAME UP.APPARENTLY, THE SMALL PART CAUSING THIS MALFUNCTION IS PART OF THE ENTIRE GAS TANK AND CANNOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT REPLACING THE ENTIRE GAS TANK. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR, AND NOT AFFORDABLE TO MANY. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE RECALLING THESE VEHICLES AND REPAIRING WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW, BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. THIS IS NOT A DEFECT IN SOME INNOCUOUS INTERIOR PART OF THE CAR, IT AFFECTS THE SAFE OPERATION OF A MOVING VEHICLE!