NHTSA Complaint #10275955 — 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY, AND THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW OF OUR 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (63K MILES) JUST FELL OUT AT ~60 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WAS NO WARNING, THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, THE WINDOW WAS NOT VENTED, AND NOTHING WAS UP AGAINST THE WINDOW. WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT THIS HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE IN THE RIGHT LANE, AND IT WAS THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR, SO THE WINDOW PROBABLY FELL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE ARE ALSO FORTUNATE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING FALL OUT THE WINDOW THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. WE REPORTED THE INCIDENT (INFORMALLY) TO THE POLICE SO THAT THEY COULD DRIVE BY THE AREA WHERE IT OCCURRED TO ENSURE THERE WERE NO ROAD HAZARDS. WE HAVE NOTHING TO EXPLAIN WHY THE WINDOW FELL OUT. WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY CONCLUDED IT WAS NOT A DEFECT. I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY CAME TO THAT CONCLUSION, BUT THEY SEEM CONTENT THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION. CHRYSLER PROVIDED NO HELP IN COVERING THE $700 CHARGE TO REPLACE THE WINDOW. ALSO, WHEN I ASKED WHICH GOVERNMENT AGENCY I SHOULD CONTACT TO REPORT THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE, THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME AN ANSWER. THEY ONLY STATED THAT THE INCIDENT WILL BE KEPT IN OUR OWN "PERSONAL" FILE, AND IMPLIED THAT KEEPING THIS INFORMATION IN A PRIVATE FILE IS SUFFICIENT. I DISAGREE, AND FEEL THAT THIS COMPLAINT SHOULD BE KNOWN TO THE NHTSA IN CASE THERE ARE OTHER SIMILAR OCCURRENCES. *TR