NHTSA Complaint #10356734 — 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR TO MY 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN CAUGHT FIRE 1 FOOT FROM MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO WAS STRAPPED IN A 5 POINT HARNESS CAR SEAT. I PICKED MY SON UP FROM SCHOOL AT APPROXIMATELY 5:45, WITH MY DAUGHTER IN TOW. I OPERATED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR TO PUT HER BACK INTO HER SEAT AFTER SIGNING OUT MY SON WITH NO ISSUE. I NOTICED NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DOOR. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE TO MY HOUSE. HALFWAY HOME I SMELLED SOMETHING AND WHEN I PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY AIR CONDITIONING UNIT AND BY TURNING THE CAR OFF I WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF THE SMOKE. I TRIED TO OPERATE THE AUTOMATIC DOORS FOR MY REAR PASSENGER DOORS BUT THEY DIDN'T WORK. I WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY OPEN MY REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR NO MATTER HOW HARD I PULLED. I HAD NO IDEA THAT DOOR WAS ON FIRE AT THAT POINT. I NOTICED NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DOOR OTHER THAN IT WOULDN'T OPEN. I HAD TO CLIMB INTO THE BACK THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE TO GET MY DAUGHTER. I WENT IN TO THE HOUSE, STILL THINKING THAT EVERYTHING WOULD STOP SMOKING ONCE THE CAR COOLED DOWN AND LET MY DOG OUT IN THE BACK YARD. I CAME BACK AROUND TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE AFTER 5 MINUTES. I SAW GRAY SMOKE BILLOWING OUT OF THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR I HAD LEFT OPEN TO AIR OUT THE CAR. I WALKED AROUND TO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND I SAW THE PAINT BUBBLING AND MELTING AND LITTLE FLAMES LICKING THE GLASS OF THE DOOR. AT THAT POINT I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MY NEIGHBOR TOOK THE HOSE TO THE CAR TO PUT OUT THE EXTERNAL FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME IN 5 MINUTES AND PUT OUT THE FIRE IN THE DOOR. THEY GAVE ME THE BURNED PIECE AND SAID THEY BELIEVED THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE MOTOR FOR THE AUTOMATIC DOOR. I CALLED IN A COMPLAINT TO CHRYSLER/DODGE. MY REFERENCE NUMBER IS 19962230 WITH THEM. UPDATED 10/05/10 *BF PICTURES RECEIVED UPDATED 10/07/10 UPDATED 10/21/10*JB *TR