NHTSA Complaint #10106157 — 1999 DODGE CARAVAN

WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE (D17) ON A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN, FOR THE CLOCK SPRING. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS NOT ON. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, MARTIN DODGE IN BOWLING GREEN, KY, TO BE REPLACED. THEY REPLACED IT, AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON SO THEY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER. EVERYTHING WAS REPLACED EXCEPT FOR THE LAST BOLT. WHEN THEY REPLACED THE LAST BOLT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. SO THEY TOLD US IT WAS OK TO LEAVE THE BOLT OUT OR WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $500.00 TO FIX IT. THE REPAIR THEY DID, EVIDENTLY, CAUSED A SHORT IN THE AIR BAG MODULE, AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE OKAY TO LEAVE THE BOLT OUT OR WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. WE REFUSED TO PAY CONSIDERING THE VAN WAS OKAY WHEN WE BROUGHT IT IN THERE. I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER, AND HE SAID WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THEN, I CALLED THE CRYSLER MANUFACTURER. NEXT THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED ME BACK, AFTER THE SERVIC E MANAGER WAS CONTACTED BY HIS ZONE REPRESENTATIVE AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD PAY FOR HALF OF THE REPAIR. SINCE MY LAST TIME SPEAKING WITH HIM WE TRIED TO BLOW THE HORN ONLY TO FIND OUT NOW THE HORN DOESN'T WORK EITHER. WHEN YOU TRY TO BLOW THE HORN THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS AND THEN GOES OFF. WHY ON EARTH SHOULD WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS DAMAGE, EVIDENTLY THEY HAVE CAUSED. I TRIED TO CALL THE CHRYSLER MANUFACTURER BACK AND CUSTOMER SERVICE WOULD NOT TRANSFER ME TO THE PEOPLE IN DETROIT I WAS TRANSFERRED TO ORIGINALLY. SHE SAID THE REPRESENTATIVE HAD MADE HIS DECISION. THE RECALL WAS NOT COMPLETED, IN MY OPINION, WHEN THE LAST BOLT WAS NOT INSTALLED. ISN'T THIS GOVERNED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT??? WE NEVER HAD TROUBLE WITH THIS BEFORE.*AK