NHTSA Complaint #10205460 — 2005 DODGE CARAVAN

MY WIFE, 2 YOUNG SONS, AND I WENT OUT TO SPEND THE AFTERNOON RUNNING ERRANDS. WHEN WE LEFT OUR HOME, THE DOOR LOCKS WORKED WITH THE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM AS WELL AS WITH THE SWITCHES INSIDE THE CAR. AFTER MAKING OUR SECOND STOP OF THE AFTERNOON, MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE DOOR LOCKS WERE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. THEY FAILED TO WORK VIA KEY CHAIN, SWITCH, OR SPEEDOMETER OVERRIDE (WHEN CAR REACHES 20 MPH). COMPOUNDING THE ISSUE, THE CARAVAN ONLY HAS ONE OUTSIDE DOOR LOCK, WHICH MEANS THE CAR CAN ONLY BE MANUALLY UNLOCKED AT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE REMAINING DOORS MUST BE UNLOCKED FROM THE INSIDE. THIS MEANS THAT SOMEONE MUST CLIMB THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE'S INTERIOR TO LET OTHER PASSENGERS IN. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I HAVE 2 SMALL BOYS AND IT IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING, NOT TO MENTION DANGEROUS, TO HAVE TO LEAVE THEM STANDING BESIDE THE CAR WHILE MY WIFE OR I CLIMB ABOUT THE INTERIOR TO UNLOCK THE PASSENGER DOORS SO AS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THEIR CAR SEATS. OVER THE LAST YEAR, I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM ADDRESSED ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE LONGEST THIS PROBLEM HAS REMAINED RESOLVED IS THIRTEEN MONTHS. EACH TIME THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. TODAY WILL BE THE SIXTH OCCASION I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY DOOR LOCKS. *JB