2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Complaints

LETTER FROM SENATOR COLLINS ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT, RE THE FRAME OF HER 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRAME ON THE VEHICLE HAS EXTENSIVE RUST, WELL BEYOND WHAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, BECAUSE THE OF THE EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE SUPPORT FRAME. *JB

AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON NOW AND THE HORN DOES NOT WORK WHEN PRESSED, BUT WILL WORK WHEN THE PANIC BUTTON IS PRESSED. *TR

INVOLVED IN A NEAR HEAD ON COLLISION. BACK THIRD SEAT, SEAT BELT (LAP AND SHOULDER) FAILED TO TIGHTEN ON IMPACT. VICTIM THEN PROCEEDED TO HIT HIS HEAD ON THE DVD OPTION CASE THEN WHIPLASHED FRONT X2 AND BACK X2. LATER IT WAS DISCOVERED MOST OF THE SEAT BELTS IN THIS VEHICLE DO NOT PROPERLY SECURE ANYONE IN POSITION DUE TO NOT TIGHTENING UP WHEN LATCHING OR ON IMPACT. THE SEAT BELT LATCH BUT DOES NOT PULL BACK TO TIGHTEN AND ON IMPACT IT DID NOT TIGHTEN TO SECURE THE PERSON ON IMPACT. THIS PERSON IS NO DIAGNOSED WITH POST CONCUSSION SYNDROME OR MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. HAD THE CAR VEERED IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND ROLLED, HIS DIAGNOSIS COULD OF BEEN MORE SEVERE OR DEATH. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WOULD NOT TURN ON. ONLY MY PARKING LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON. AFTER SEVERAL DOZEN ATTEMPTS AT TURNING ON THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS THEY WOULD FINALLY TURN ON. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAVE ALSO FAILED AT NIGHT WHILE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ONLY A COUPLE MILES FROM HOME. THE LIGHTING SYSTEM IN THIS VEHICLE IS NOT RELIABLE AND I WOULD HOPE THE GOVERNMENT WOULD EXAMINE THIS MATTER CLOSELY. *TR

THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE THE FOG LIGHTS HAVE RANDOMLY CYCLED ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON. HOWEVER LAST SUMMER THE MAIN HEADLIGHTS STARTED RANDOMLY SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN ADDITION TO THE FOG LIGHTS CYCLING ON AND OFF DESPITE THE SWITCH FOR THE FOGLIGHTS BEING OFF. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. USUALLY TOGGLING THE SWITCH ON AND OFF CAN GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO TURN BACK ON. RECENTLY I WAS UNABLE TO GET THEM TO COME BACK ON FOR APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE. I WAS IN A WELL LIT AREA AT THE TIME, BUT THIS IS STILL A SAFETY ISSUE. SOMETIMES AFTER I TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHTS AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE THEY CYCLE ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES, BUT I HAVE BEEN LUCKY THEY HAVE NO STAYED ON AND DRAINED MY BATTERY. I SEARCHED FOR THE ISSUE ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RESOLUTION AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS SITES FOR THIS SAME ISSUE IN THE 2005 GRAND CARAVAN AS WELL AS THE ISSUE I HAVE WITH THE POWER DOOR LOCKS THAT IS RESOLVED BY REMOVING THE IOD FUSE AND PUTTING IT BACK IN. THERE SEEMS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN THIS VEHICLE THAT HAS GONE UNADDRESSED. *TR

IMMEDIATELY AFTER MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE LOWER SPEED AND ADEQUATE SHOULDER ON THE ROAD ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT KEPT ME FROM GOING INTO THE DITCH. IT ENDED UP BEING A STEERING GEAR THAT WAS REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT HAS WENT BAD 3 MORE TIMES SINCE. *TR

DASH BOARD LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WENT OUT CAME ON AGAIN FOR FIVE MINUTES AND WENT BACK OUT. *TR

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, MY HEADLIGHTS WON'T TURN ON WHEN I START MY VAN. IF I TURN THEM OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES, THEY WILL EVENTUALLY TURN ON. A COUPLE OF TIMES, MY LIGHTS HAVE SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE VAN. TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND ON BROUGHT THEM BACK ON, SO I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT. ALSO, A COUPLE OF TIMES ALL OF MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND GAUGES HAVE GONE CRAZY ALL AT ONCE. AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS, THEY WOULD BE FINE AGAIN. *TR

DASH LIGHT WILL FLICKER THEN GO OUT THEN COME BACK ON, SO WILL THE RADIO AT THE SAME TIME. ALSO ENGINE WILL CUT OUT BUT NOT ALWAYS AT THE SAME TIME. ALSO SENSOR LIGHT WILL COME ON. *TR

MY HEAD LIGHTS TURNED OFF ON ME AFTER NIGHT FALL. I HAD TO CONTINUALLY TURN THEM ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THEY BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN. THEN AS I HEADED HOME, THEY FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE BRIGHTS WILL NOT STAY ON EITHER. IF I NEED TO RUN WITH THE BRIGHTS ON WHEN THE REGULAR HEAD LIGHTS DON??T WORK, I HAVE TO CONTINUALLY HOLD THE BRIGHTS IN THE FORWARD ON POSITION. IF THEY HEADLIGHT WORK PROPERLY, THEN THE BRIGHT WORK PROPERLY AS WELL. MY FOG LAMP GO ON AND OFF ALL BY THEMSELVES AND I FLICKER AND FLASH ALL DOWN THE ROAD. THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP HERE SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND IN THEIR EXPERIENCE IT IS THE SWITCH AT $100 JUST FOR THE PART. LABOR IS MORE. IF IT IS SO COMMON, THEN WHERE IS THE RECALL? I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VAN SINCE I PURCHASED IT. STICKING GAS PEDAL, SHUTTERING BREAKS, AND THE ABS LIGHT. ALL THESE WERE HUGE REPAIR COST OUT OF MY POCKET. I RECENTLY PUT OVER $4000 IN REPAIR TO THIS VAN. RIGHT NOW I CANNOT AFFORD A $100 PART PLUS LABOR. RECALL PLEASE! *TR