NHTSA Complaint #10131372 — 2002 DODGE CARAVAN

7/31/05 CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY COMMISSION DAIMLER CHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I HAVE A 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE THAT WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT WITH A DANGEROUS DEFECT. THE TAIL LIGHT LENSES OR COVERS HAVE BEEN GLUED ON BUT THE GLUE HAS FAILED ON BOTH TAIL LIGHTS AND BOTH COVERS HAVE FALLEN OFF ONTO THE FREEWAY EXPOSING THE BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT BULBS AND DROPPING A LARGE PLASTIC LENS ONTO THE FREEWAY. WHEN THE FIRST ONE FELL OFF MY WIFE STOPPED ON THE FREEWAY AND PICKED UP THE LENS. WHAT A GREAT WAY TO GET KILLED. THE SECOND TIME I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT ON THE FREEWAY AND HEARD A NOISE BUT DID NOT STOP UNTIL I LEFT THE FREEWAY. THE DEALER SELLS THE ENTIRE LIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR $ 99.00 BUT THE LENS COVER IS NOT SOLD SEPARATELY. LOOKS LIKE A GOOD FUNDRAISER FOR THE DEALER BUT A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR EVERYONE ON THE ROAD. THE PROBLEM IS THE NEW LENS HAS THE SAME DESIGN AND WAS BUILT THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL ONE. I TALKED TO THE SALES CLERK AT THE DODGE PARTS COUNTER AND HE SAID "WE HAVE SOLD A LOT OF THESE LATELY." SO THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENCE. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. IF THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION ACTS RESPONSIBLE AND SOLVES THIS PROBLEM QUICKLY LIVES CAN BE SAVED AND INJURIES AVOIDED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE NOTICED A LENS COVER FOR A VEHICLE LIGHT COVER THAT WAS NOT ATTACHED WITH SCREWS. THE GOOD THING IS THERE IS A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. DRILL TWO HOLES IN THE PLASTIC LENS AND INSTALL TWO SCREWS AS I HAVE DONE TO THE LENS COVER RETRIEVED FROM THE FREEWAY BY MY WIFE. AFTER DISCOVERING THIS PROBLEM I FEEL A RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY AS MANY PEOPLE AS NECESSARY TO HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION ON THIS MATTER. *JB