What 87 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Dodge Caravan

THE PROBLEM WITH MY 2012 DODGE CARAVAN IS DRIVING ALONG EASILY ON CITY STREETS BECAUSE WITH THIS PROBLEM IT CANT BE PUT ON THE INTERSTATE, WHEN GETTING READY TO GO UP A HILL AND IT GOES OUT OF GEAR, THE RPM HAND GOES AS FAR AS IT CAN GO, SOMETIMES EASING OF THE GAS THE RPM HAND WILL GO DOWN TO 1 AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL KNOCK, CHECK ENGINE LIKE WILL COME ON AND IT'LL GO BACK INTO GEAR, BUT SOMETIME YOU'LL HAVE TO PULL OVER AND PUT IT IN PARK AND TURN IT OFF AND START ALL OVER AGAIN, JUST FOR IT TO DO THE SAME EXACT THEN, AND REMIND YOU, YOU CAN'T GO OVER 50MPH IF 50. I'VE HAD THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR FLASHED AND THAT DIDN'T HELP, I HAD IT PUT ON A MACHINE AND IT READS 6TH GEAR OUT OF RATIO

NHTSA ODI 10820691

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

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

NHTSA ODI 10465871