NHTSA Complaint #10088793 — 1999 DODGE CARAVAN

VEHICLE WAS SLUGGISH ON TAKE OFF QUITE OFTEN..COULD SMELL FUEL ODOR IN AND AROUND VEHICLE . AFTER CRANKING VEHICLE ,,THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.BURNING ITSELF AND DURING ,THERE WERE SEVERAL EXPLOSIONS THAT CAME FROM THE VEHICLE..BOTH FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IN PASSENGER AREA.ALL WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES .MY HUSBAND WAS BURNED ON HIS LOWER LEG ATTEMPTING TO PUT OUT FLAMES. OUR HOUSE WAS DAMAGED FROM THE FLAMES ALONG WITH OTHER PROPERTY..WE SEE THIS VEHICLE AS BEING A POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP..ESPECIALLY POSSIBLE IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHERE SOME ONE COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND WAITING FOR HELP. THIS VAN IS MADE FOR FAMILYS WITH KIDS.AS WE HAVE 3 KIDS AND A TODDLER.. IT WAS DESIGNED AS A 7 PASSENGER VEHICLE..AS WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALERS AT DODGE THAT THIS WAS AN EXCEPTIONALLY SAFE VEHICLE AND PERFECT FOR A FAMILY WITH 2 TO 4 KIDS...WE FIND NOW ,THAT WE WERE LIED TO.AND WAS NEVER TOLD OF ANY RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE..OR ANY DANGERS OF THIS VEHICLE BEING SUSEPTABLE TO BEING A FIRE HAZARD.WE WERE NEVER TOLD THAT THESE VANS HAD EVER HAD ANY TYPE OF PROBLEM..AND DID NOT SUSPECT .OUR CHILDREN WERE IN CONSTANT DANGER EVEN BEING NEAR THIS VAN,.FOR WE FOUND IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE IN AN INSTANT..WITHOUT WARNING...NOTHING WAS EVER DONE TO THIS VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM..AND WE WERE NEVER WARNED IN ANY WAY OR FORM THAT THESE DODGE CARAVANS HAD A HISTORY OF FUEL LEAKS OR WERE FIRE HAZARDS WAITING TO HAPPEN...*AK