2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUSE PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HILLER COMPANY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM LOCATED AT ( 635 MILL STREET, US-6, MARION, MA 02738, (508) 748-0019) AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED.

VEHICLE WILL EITHER NOT START OR TAKES 6-12 TIMES TO START, NOT A BATTERY ISSUE. ALSO POWER DOOR WILL RANDOMLY NOT OPEN. TRUNK WILL NO LONGER OPEN WITH THE PRESS OF THE BUTTON ON THE KEY. I'VE SEEN THE NOT STARTING AS AN ISSUE WITH MANY OTHER PEOPLE

LOCKS HAVE FAILED ON BOTH SLIDING DOORS. THE PASSENGER SIDE FAILED ABOUT A YEAR AGO BUT FAILED IN THE UNLOCK POSITION SO THE DOOR IS STILL USABLE. THE DRIVER SAID FAILED ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO IN THE LOCKED POSITION. THERE IS NO WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR TO ACCESS TO FIX. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS WHAT IF THIS FAILED WITH MY KIDS IN THE BACK AND THEY COULDN'T GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE IN A FIRE OR OTHER EMERGENCY. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND IT IS A LONG KNOWN ISSUE WITH BOTH DODGE AND CHRYSLER VANS. WHY ISN'T THIS A RECALL? DO PEOPLE NEED TO DIE IN ORDER FOR THIS TO ACTUALLY BE RECOGNIZED AS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN?

OVER THE LAST 6 WEEKS, ON OCCASION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE- IT WILL CRANK WITHOUT TURNING OVER AND RUNNING. THIS REQUIRES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN. IT HAS BECOME A MORE FREQUENT EVENT TO INCLUDE BRIEFLY RUNNING THEN SHUTTING DOWN. WTHIN THE LAST WEEK, THE BATTERY HAS DRAINED WITHOUT CASUE- REQUIREING CHARGING. AS OF TODAY, THE FAILURE TO START ISSUE PERSISTS REQUIREING MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THIS HAPPENS ON A COLD START AS WELL AS WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING/IS WARMED UP. DDIAGNOSTICS LEAD TO A FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP RELAY IN THE TIPM. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE FOR THIS ENGINE/TIPM HOWEVER THE CARAVAN HAS NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AS THE DRUANGO AND JEEP VEHICLES HAVE BEEN. THE FAILURE OF THIS TIPM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED TO INCLUDE SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN WHILE IN OPERATION REPRESENTING A SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. BASED ON REVIEWS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS, AN ORDINARY REASONABLE PRUDENT PERSON WOULD BELIEVE THAT THIS TIPM FAILURE IS A IMINENT THREAT TO SAFETY. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO EXPAND THE RECALL AND REPAIR TO ALL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SUSPECT TIPM. CURRENTLY, A NON RECALLED VEHICLE WOULD HAVE THE TIPM MODULE REPLCED AT A SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE OWNER OR, A NON DEALERSHIP INSTALLED "RECALL" REPAIR (NEW RELAY) INSTALLED THAT WOULD NEGATE ANY FURTHER/FUTURE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER. AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE OPTION OF PAYING FOR THE "RECALL" REPAIR WHEN SERVICING A VEHICLE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. KNOWING THIS TIPM FAILURES POTENTIAL, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, REGARDLESS OF ANY CLASS ACTIN SETTLEMENT- THE MANUFACTURER BE REQUIRED TO MITIGATE THIS ISSUE AT THE LEAST POSSIBLE EXPENSE TO THE VEHICLE OWNER.

I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP RELAY. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE DODGE VEHICLES BUT MY VIN WAS NOT AMONG THE LIST. WHAT STEPS SHOULD I TAKE TO FIX THE PROBLEM?

TL* THE CONTACT STATED THEIR DAUGHTER OWNS A 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WHEN THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED TO THE OFF POSITION WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO TURN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR, STARTER, SENSOR REGULATING SYSTEM, AND BATTERY. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIN MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V373000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIRBAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ON 1/6/2020 I STARTED MY VAN AND NOTICED IT SPUTTERED A LITTLE DURING STARTUP. ON MY WAY HOME, I STOPPED AT A STORE TO PICKUP A FEW THINGS. WHEN I TRIED TO START THE VAN AGAIN IT WOULD NOT START. I KNEW IT WASN'T THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE LIGHTS AND RADIO STILL WORKED. WHILE WAITING FOR A FRIEND TO PICK ME UP, I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. DROVE IT ACROSS THE STREET TO O'REILLYS TO HAVE BATTERY TESTED, JUST IN CASE. HAD TO START IT AGAIN. WOULDN'T START AGAIN. WAITED A MINUTE. TRIED AGAIN, IT SPUTTERED, I GAVE IT SOME GAS AND IT STARTED. EMPLOYEE WHO WAS ASSISTING HEARD A WHISTLING NOISE. SUGGESTING A VACUUM LEAK. CALLED MY MECHANIC. SCHEDULED APPT FOR 1/8/2020. TRIED TO START IT THE MORNING ON 1/8/2020. WOULD NOT START. MECHANIC HAD IT TOWED TO SHOP. HIS DIAGNOSIS SHOWED TPIM MODULE HAD FAILED. HE SAID HE SPOKE TO PARTS REP AT THE LITHIA DODGE AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE 14 VANS WITH SAME ISSUE WAITING FOR TPIM MODULES AND THE PART IS BACKORDERED FOR AT LEAST A MONTH. DODGE HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL YET. I HAVE FOUND BLOG POSTS DATING BACK TO 2014 WITH CONSUMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND DODGE IS NOT ACCOMMODATING OWNERS WITH ANYTHING. COST OF TPIM MODULE IS $994. LABOR IS $360. I ALSO HAD TO HAVE MY FLEX PLATE REPLACED THE WEEK PRIOR BECAUSE IT CRACKED. MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DUE TO WEAK STEAL. SERVICE GUY AT DEALERSHIP, JASON SAID (ON 1/9/2020) SAID THIS WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS PART TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THIS REPAIR COST ME $789.95. I HAVE INCLUDED PHOTOS OF THE FLEX PLATE. I FEEL LIKE DODGE IS SIMPLY NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE MODELS FAILURES BECAUSE THEY MASS PRODUCED IT AND IF THEY HAD TO ISSUE RECALLS FOR THE FLEX PLATE AND TPIM MODULE, IT WOULD COST THE COMPANY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. BUT THESE VANS CARRY PRECIOUS CARGO, OUR CHILDREN!!!

THE VEHICLE IS HAVING ISSUES WITH TIPM. THE VAN WILL NOT START DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE TIPM RELAY THAT WILL NOT ALLOW THE FUEL PUMP TO FUNCTION. THIS HAS BEEN NOTED ON SEVERAL DODGE AND CHRYSLER VEHICLES. MOST RECENTLY A LAWSUIT WAS SETTLED BUT ONLY HALF OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WERE COVERED. FROM A COLD START, THE ENGINE WILL TURN OVER BUT NOT START, THE IGNITION SEQUENCE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL YOU TURN IT OFF. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE DRIVEWAY UNTIL I CAN REPLACE THE TIPM,

TROUBLE STARTING, THEN STARTS RUNS GREAT, THEN RAMDOMLY DIES ! VERY DANGEROUS!!! HARDTO FEEL SAFE WHEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN. CURRANTLY AT DEALER TRYING FIGURE OUT ..... I CAN NO LONGER TAKE MY GRANDCHILDREN IN HIS VAN, FOR FEAR OF BEING KILLED !

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF HOWEVER, THE FUEL PUMP RELAY WAS RUNNING WITH THE IGNITION TURNED OFF AS A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FAILURE WOULD DRAIN THE BATTERY AS THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL WHEN DRIVING AT 60-65 MPH WITHOUT WARNING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBURBAN CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP OF ANN ARBOR ( 3900 JACKSON RD, ANN ARBOR, MI 48103) WHOM ADVISED NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE TOTAL INTEGRATED POWER MODULE (TIPM) WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.