What 87 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Dodge Caravan

AFTER SMELLING BRAKES DURING A 10 MILE TRIP TO LOCAL STORE I LOOKED AT REAR DRIVERS SIDE ROTOR TO SEE IT GLOWING CHERRY RED IN THE NIGHT. EXTREME HEAT WAS COMING FROM THE WHEEL WELL AND WHEEL CAMBER APPEARED TO BE AFFECTED FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT. WORKING ON TRYING TO GET IT IN FOR A WARRANTY CHECK, BUT TO ME THIS IS RIDICULOUS FOR A VEHICLE 2 YEARS OLD WITH 25K MILES. SOUNDS LIKE MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE CALIBER WHICH I COULD REPLACE MYSELF, BUT FROM WHAT I'VE READ ONLINE THIS IS A REPETITIVE ISSUE AND A HUGE MONEY PIT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10595155

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE VAN STARTED SPEEDING UP AND I WAS GOING ALMOST 50 MPH, I TURNED THE KEY OFF, PULLED OVER TO SAFETY AND STOPPED. THE SMELL WAS VERY STRONG. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10567845

FIRST TIME, BATTERY KEPT GOING DEAD. TOOK IT TO CORTLAND DODGE, THEY SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING [NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY] CHARGED US ABOUT 80.00 ! SECOND TIME. FUSES BLOWN FOR SEAT CONTROLS AND WIPERS THIRD TIME CAR STARTED SHIFTING WILDLY UP AND DOWN. HEAD LIGHTS STARTED TO DIM AND CAR FINALLY QUIT! HAD IT TOWED TO DODGE DEALER WAS INFORMED IT NEEDED NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY[NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY] COST ALMOST 1000.00 TO FIX IT!! FOURTH TIME CAR WAS PARKED BESIDE THE HOUSE WHEN HORN STARTED BLOWING WHEN WE WENT OUTSIDE CAR WAS RUNNING LIGHTS WERE FLASHING WIPERS AND WASHERS WERE GOING FULL SPEED, FLASHERS GOING AND RED GLOW UNDER CAR ALSO DOORS WERE LOCKED ! ! WE FINALLY GOT DOOR UNLOCKED AND GOT HOOD OPEN,BATTERY AND FUSE BOX WAS CHERRY RED. FINALLY TOOK HEDGE CLIPPERS AND CUT BATTERY CABLES AND THINGS COOLED DOWN ! WHAT CAN WE DO?!?!?!?! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10562598

I PURCHASED A NEW VAN ON JULY 5, 2013. ON JULY 8, 2013, I DROVE 4 MILES, AND STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. I ACCELERATED TO APPROX. 40 MPH, WHEN SUDDENLY THE VAN SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT MOMENTARILY, UPON WHICH I REGAINED CONTROL IMMEDIATELY. SUDDENLY, THE VAN JOLTED RIGHT AGAIN, JUMPED THE CURB, CLIMBED AN EMBANKMENT, AND WOULD NOT STOP ACCELERATING. I KEPT PUSHING THE EMC CONTROLS FORWARD....BUT IT WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. IT IS NOT THAT THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING, BUT RATHER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP ACCELERATING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ONLY STOPPED WHEN I CRASHED THROUGH A LARGE EVERGREEN TREE (FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER AREA). THE VAN CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL I RAN HEAD FIRST INTO A HARDWARE STORE, WHICH ULTIMATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS AN ANALYSIS PERFORMED, AND I EXPRESSED GREAT CONCERN OVER THE LACK OF INFORMATION DISCLOSED IN THE REPORT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON JULY 8, 2013. TODAY IS DECEMBER 31, 2013, AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT IT IS TAKING THIS LONG TO REPLACE A NEW VAN. THERE WAS INFORMATION DISCOVERED FROM THE INITIAL MECHANIC WHO RECEIVED THE VAN AFTER THE ACCIDENT, INCLUSIVE OF PHOTOGRAPHS, WHO WAS TOLD BY ADJUSTERS TO WITHHOLD AND NOT DISCLOSE THE NOTED INFORMATION. THIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY. I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER PERSON TO ENDURE WHAT I ENDURED, OR WORSE, AN INNOCENT PERSON HURT BY EQUIPMENT, OR INSTALLATION OF EQUIPMENT, THAT MAY CAUSE A DRIVER NOT TO HAVE CONTROL OVER HIS/HER VEHICLE. IN THE REPORT, THE SPECIALIST USED LANGUAGE INDICATING THAT THE DRIVER "LOST CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE." THAT IS A COMPLETELY ERRONEOUS STATEMENT. A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE ENGAGED TO DETERMINE WHY AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER, WHO HAS AN EXCESS OF 13 YEARS DRIVING EXPERIENCE WITH EMC/AEVIT CONTROLS WAS PLACED IN A PERILOUS SITUATION, WHERE THE BRAKING SYSTEM WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, AND THE VAN CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, UNTIL IMPACT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10558048

REAR BRAKING SYSTEM WORN OUT, NEED THEM REPLACED PREMATURELY. THE BRAKES WERE GRABBING, NOT RELEASING, VIBRATING AND NOT STOPPING LIKE THEY SHOULD. TOOK IT IN AND SURE ENOUGH I NEED TO HAVE THE REAR BRAKES, ROUTER AND A PISTON/ SENSOR REPLACED 30,000 FOR BRAKE WEAR OUT. HIGHWAY DRIVING NOT CITY DRIVING I WAS TOLD REAR BRAKES ONLY LAST 25-30,000 MILES. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BUT HEARD A WHISTLE LIKE NOISE AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE PADS, ROUTES AND CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,958. UPDATED 11/26/13*LJ

NHTSA ODI 10543058

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BEZEL CLIP THAT SUPPORTED THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS BROKEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BEZEL CLIP WAS BROKEN, THE SEAT WOULD NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE CONTACT WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE BEZEL CLIP REPLACED SIX TIMES. NONE OF THE REPAIRS REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE CLIP AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.

NHTSA ODI 10542307

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS MANUALLY OPENING THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE SLIDING DOORS WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE DOORS WERE ROCKING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49434. UPDATED 9/17/13*CN

NHTSA ODI 10537244

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER FRONT OUTER SEAT SHIELD FAILED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,287.

NHTSA ODI 10499398

THE PROBLEM IS AUTONOMOUS ACCELERATION. WHEN MY CAR IS MOVING SLOWLY AT IDLE SPEED WHILE I'M PULLING INTO OR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE OR MY HOME GARAGE AND I APPLY PRESSURE TO THE STEERING WHEEL TO GUIDE THE CAR, THE ENGINE RPM SPEED SURGES BY ABOUT 400 RPMS CAUSING THE CAR TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE FORWARD OR BACKWARD, DEPENDING ON THE GEAR SELECTION. THIS HAS CAUSED A NUMBER OF NEAR ACCIDENTS, INCLUDING NEARLY STRIKING CHILDREN AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN I WAS PICKING UP MY GRANDDAUGHTER. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER, BUT THE DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM AFTER CHECKING THE CAR. YET, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED INTERMITTENTLY, BUT I LEARNED TO "LIVE WITH IT." HOWEVER, THE AUTONOMOUS ACCELERATION IS NOW SUDDENLY GROWING MORE FREQUENT. MY FEAR IS THAT THIS AUTONOMOUS ACCELERATION PROBLEM IS A PRECURSOR TO SOMEDAY MY HAVING A RUNAWAY CAR THAT RESULTS IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10499466

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CARAVAN EQUIPPED WITH KUMHO TIRES, SIZE: 235/60R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW AIR INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, INFORMING HER THAT ONE OF THE TIRES WAS LOW ON AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WAS LOW ON AIR. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS BUBBLES ALONG THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. A SPARE TIRE WAS INSTALLED AS A REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000. UPDATED 09/10/2012 *JS UPDATED 9/25/12 *CN UPDATED 10/03/2012 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10470128

THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PULLED OUT OF THE GARAGE PUT IN PARK, TURNED OFF BUT DID HAVE THE KEY LEFT IN IT. THIS WAS INTENDED TO ONLY TAKE A MOMENT WHILE WE MOVED A LAWN TRACTOR INTO THE GARAGE AHEAD OF THE PARKING SPOT FOR THE MINIVAN. WHILE WE WERE BUSY MOVING THE LAWN TRACTOR THE MINIVAN ROLLED ABOUT 30 YARDS AWAY FROM WHERE IT HAD BEEN PARKED. IT SETTLED ON SOME ROCKS RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONCERNING PART OF THIS INCIDENT WAS THAT THE VAN WAS STILL IN PARK AND TURNED OFF WHEN IT LANDED ON THE ROCKS. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS INCIDENT TO THE ATTENTION OF CHRYSLER AND AFTER THEIR INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE THEY FOUND "NO EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO MOVE BY ITSELF." I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN POSSIBLY RESULTING IN BODILY INJURY OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. *TR

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