NHTSA Complaint #10179248 — 2000 DODGE VAN

1) MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE VAN WAS PERFORMING BEAUTIFULLY. 2) WHEN ALMOST HOME AND APPROACHING THE OFF RAMP THERE WERE 2 CARS IN FRONT OF HER. UPON SLOWING DOWN, THE VAN WOULD NOT RESPOND. SHE BRAKED HARD AND STOPPED. THE 1ST CAR PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF THE INTERSTATE AND THE 2ND CAR MOVED UP. SHE LET UP SLIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE AND THE VAN TOOK OFF. SHE COULD NOT COMPLETELY STOP IT THIS TIME AND SHE HIT THE 2ND CAR ON ITS LEFT BACK FENDER. THE VAN CONTINUED ON SWIPING THE WHOLE SIDE OF THE OTHER CAR. SHE WENT ON AROUND THE CAR, TURNED RIGHT ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND PROCEEDED TO GUIDE THE VAN INTO A DITCH WHEN HER PASSENGER KNOCKED THE VAN OUT OF GEAR. SHE QUICKLY TURNED THE MOTOR OFF AND CAME TO A STOP. 3) THE NEXT DAY I CALLED A DODGE SERVICE MANAGER AND ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS. HE STATED THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DIRTY THROTTLE BODY OR DEFECTIVE IDLE ADJUST CONTROL MOTOR. WE HAVE HAD THE THROTTLE BODY CLEANED AND A NEW ICA MOTOR INSTALLED. THE MECHANIC POINTED OUT THAT THE ICA MOTOR WAS INDEED DEFECTIVE AND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH CHRYSLER PRODUCTS OF THIS YEAR. TOTAL DAMAGE TO MY CAR WAS $3,763 PLUS THE LEFT SIDE OF THE OTHER VEHICLE PLUS THE LABOR AND PARTS TO CORRECT THE INTERNAL PROBLEM. EVEN THOUGH THE VAN IS A 2000 YEAR MODEL IT ONLY HAD 23,800 MILES WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *NM