NHTSA Complaint #10199287 — 2005 DODGE CARAVAN

I WAS TURNING LEFT ONTO A MAIN HIGHWAY AND I HEARD A CLICKING NOISE, A LOUD THUD AND SCRAPING NOISE ONTO THE ASPHALT. I COULD NOT MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. I COULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY OTHER CARS THAT ARE USUALLY TRAVELING ABOUT 60 MPH ON HIGHWAY 211 IN BARROW COUNTY. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. I WAS ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY WITH A GULLEY ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE AND HEAVY 5:00 TRAFFIC ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. DUE TO THE INABILITY TO MANEUVER THIS VEHICLE, THE TAIL END WAS BARELY OFF THE HIGHWAY. PEOPLE WOULD HONK AT ME AS THEY SPED BY. I HAD MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE 2ND ROW SEAT, AND HAD TO GET OUT OF THE VAN, MAKING SURE I WOULD NOT BE STRUCK BY SPEEDING CARS, AND DETERMINE WHICH WAY TO GET HER OUT SAFELY. I TOOK HER OUT THE BACK OF THE VAN VERY CAREFULLY. THIS ENTAILED HER HAVING TO CLIMB OVER THE 3RD ROW SEATING. IF THE VAN WOULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK, IT WOULD HAVE ROLLED DOWN THE EMBANKMENT. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER STATED THIS WAS THE 4TH CARAVAN HE HAD TOWED THAT DAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP IS REPAIRING AT A COST OF $500.00 TO ME PLUS TOWING OF $50.00. I CALLED DODGE AS THIS IS THE 2ND DEFECT WITHIN 4 MONTHS OF OWNING THIS VAN. THEY TOOK THE REPORT AND THAT WAS IT. THEY DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR EITHER REPAIR. THE FIRST WAS IN APRIL, THE ENTIRE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, COSTING $900 AND THREE WEEKS TO REPAIR IT. AKINS FORD IN WINDER DID BOTH REPAIRS. *JB