What 530 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan

2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE AUTOMATIC DOORS WOULD CONTINUALLY CLOSE AFTER PARTIALLY OPENING. THE DOOR WOULD JUST RANDOMLY CLOSE, CAUSING INJURIES TO THE PASSENGERS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE DRIVER LOST CONSCIOUSNESS DUE TO A MEDICAL ISSUE. THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE ROADWAY AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE IMPACT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISES TO THE BODY FROM THE SEAT BELT WEBBING. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER WAS KILLED ON IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED WHIPLASH INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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ON APRIL 10, 13 WE CAME HOME FROM THE GROCERY STORE. I GOT OUT OF THE VAN AND WENT AROUND TO THE LEFT SIDE TO UNBUCKLE MY 3YR OLD SON. I THEN WENT BACK TO THE BACK OF THE VAN TO GET THE GROCERY'S OUT. I HEARD THE SIDE DOOR CLOSING. THEN A YELL. WHEN MY SON GOT OUT OF THE VAN HE PUSHED THE BUTTON LIKE HE HAS MANY OF TIMES. HE MUST OF NOTICED SOMETHING IN THE VAN HE FORGOT AND WENT TO GRAB IT. THE DOOR SHUT COMPLETELY ON HIS RIGHT HAND. HE BROKE THE BONES IN HIS HAND AND NOW IS IN A CAST. THE BIG SELLER POINT FROM THE CAR DEALERS WERE ABOUT THE SENSOR AND SEE THIS AND SEE HOW IT STOPS. WELL IT DID NOT AND MY 3YR OLD NOW HAS A BROKEN HAND. *TR

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THE VAN WAS PARKED AND I HAD THE PASSENGER REAR SIDE DOOR OPEN. I USED THE PUSH BUTTON FEATURE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND REALIZED I HAD FORGOT SOMETHING ON THE FLOOR. I REACHED IN AND GRABBED IT AND THE DOOR HIT MY ARM AND INSTEAD OF STOPPING AND OPENING AGAIN IT CONTINUED TO CLOSE AND MY ARM WAS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR. THE DOOR DIDN'T STOP CLOSING UNTIL I REACHED OUT WITH MY LEFT HAND AND GRABBED THE HANDLE AND PULLED IT OFF OF MY ARM. MY ARM WAS BRUISED AND HAS BEEN SORE SINCE IT HAPPENED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE DOOR HASN'T RESPONDED AND RE-OPENED WHEN SOMETHING WAS IN THE WAY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ANYONE WAS INJURED. *TR

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WHILE DODGE CARAVAN WAS PARK IN FRONT OF DEALERSHIP BANKSTON FORD MINI VAN CAUGHT ON FIRE. NO ONE WAS IN VEHICLE AT THE TIME EXCEPT A PET. A PAGE OVER SPEAKER INFORMED ME THAT THE VAN WAS ON FIRE. BY THE TIME I REACHED THE SCENE "FLAMES" WERE COMING UP FROM THE FLOOR OF THE DRIVERS SEAT. "THE LEFT HAND FRONT CORNER" . PERSONNEL FROM WITHIN THE DEALERSHIP RAN OUT WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT FIRE OUT. DAMAGE REPORTED TO INSURANCE COMPANY . VEHICLE PURCHASE ON AUG 03,2012. INCIDENT OCCURRED ON AUG 22,2012 APPROX 1:00 THAT DAY.

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MY VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX 30 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE RESULTING IN A SIDE IMPACT. PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED BUT NOTHING OR NO ONE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT BURST INTO FLAMES. NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THE FIRE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE FIRE MARSHALL STATED DURING THE FIRE THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR WAS OPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THE SATURDAY BEFORE THE FIRE, AS HIS DAUGHTER WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE DOOR BEGAN TO CLOSE ON HER. THE REST OF THE DAY, THE DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT WORK, BUT THE KEY REMOTE AD THE DRIVER'S SIDE BUTTON WOULD OPERATE THE DOOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS VEHICLE INSPECTED; HOWEVER, THE INSPECTOR DID NOT FIND A DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. UPDATED 01/17/12 *BF THE FIRE DEPT. OBSERVED THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF HEAT DAMAGE IN THE AREA OF THE PASSENGER REAR DOOR. THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE INCLUDING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA WAS DAMAGED BY THE FIRE, BUT MOSTLY IN TACT. UPDATED 03/14/12

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND THEY RESET THE SYSTEM. LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED BEFORE STALLING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE CAM SENSOR HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR THIRD ROW SEAT BELT SUDDENLY LOCKED WITH A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. WHILE TRYING TO LOOSEN THE SEATBELT, IT ONLY CONTINUED TO TIGHTEN AROUND THE PASSENGER. THE SEAT BELT WAS EVENTUALLY CUT AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR BRUISES TO THE ABDOMEN AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AGAIN WHERE THEY REPLACED THE SEAT BELT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,200.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SUDDENLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND A PASSENGERS HEAD STRUCK A HEAD REST, CAUSING HEADACHES. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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