NHTSA Complaint #10334662 — 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

I OWN A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH 52K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTION RANDOMLY FOR VARIOUS INTERVALS OF TIME. THEY EITHER FAIL TO OPEN COMPLETELY , FAIL TO CLOSE COMPLETELY, OR NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. LAST YEAR (2009) THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW FAILED TO OPEN. I HAD TO REPLACE THE SWITCH. THIS YEAR THE FRONT DRIVER WINDOW WILL NOT OPEN. I HAD THE MASTER SWITCH REPLACED AND THE WINDOW WILL STILL NOT OPERATE. THE MASTER SWITCH IS CONSIDERABLY MORE EXPENSIVE BEING THAT IT HAS INDIVIDUAL CONTROLS TO OPERATE THE FRONT DRIVER, PASSENGER AND REAR LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE VENT WINDOWS. I HAVE READ A LOT OF ONLINE FORUMS THAT THE SAME PROBLEMS EXIST FOR A QUITE A FEW OWNERS OF DODGE GRAND CARAVANS AND CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY VANS (MADE DURING APPROX. 2000 THROUGH 2007). THE REPAIRS THAT ARE MADE AT DEALERS AND PRIVATE REPAIR SHOPS ARE EXPENSIVE AND ARE NOT CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED; BEING THAT THE SAME PROBLEM REPEATS IN RELATIVELY SHORT INTERVALS OF TIME. THE FIXES SEEM TO BE GUESS WORK AT BEST. THE REPAIRS INVOLVE NOT ONLY SWITCHES BUT, POWER WINDOW REGULATOR ASSEMBLIES. IF THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW CAN NOT OPEN, THE DRIVER WILL HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR IN ORDER TO PAY TOLLS OR TRANSACT BUSINESS AT DRIVE- THROUGH WINDOWS, POSING A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT AN INVESTIGATION BE INITIATED FOR THE ABOVE VEHICLES, FOR THE PROBLEMS MENTIONED, AS TO WHETHER A DESIGN DEFECT CURRENTLY EXISTS. *TR