NHTSA Complaint #10442096 — 2006 DODGE CARAVAN

I HAVE A 2006 DODGE CARAVAN WHICH HAS BEEN MODIFIED INTO A BRAUN ENTERVAN SINCE I AM A QUADRIPLEGIC. IN DECEMBER OF 2010, AT ABOUT 21,500 MILES THE POWER STEERING STARTED SQUEALING. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW, SO WE ADDED SOME. AFTER ANOTHER 100 MILES, THE SQUEALING NOISE RETURNED, THE FLUID WAS LOW AGAIN, SO I KNEW THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. IT WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AND AN INVESTIGATION OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE STEERING GEAR/RACK N PINION UNIT. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD LOW MILEAGE, IT WAS MORE THAN THREE YEARS OLD, SO THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. I HAD NO RECOURSE EXCEPT TO HAVE THEM REMOVE AND REPLACE THE STEERING RACK N PINION ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $870.00 TO ME. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THAT THIS SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE FAILED AT THIS LOW OF MILEAGE AND URGED ME TO FILE A COMPLAINT. A YEAR PREVIOUS, I HAD TO REPLACE THE CONTROL PANEL FOR THE ELECTRIC SIDE DOOR AND WHEELCHAIR RAMP AT A COST OF $600.00 TO ME SINCE THE VAN WAS FIVE MONTHS PAST THE WARRANTY. BECAUSE IT DEALT WITH A MODIFICATION TO ACCOMMODATE A WHEELCHAIR, I ASSUMED THAT DODGE WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND IT, AND DIDN'T FILE A COMPLAINT THEN. SINCE I AM ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INCOME, THESE EXPENSES HAVE PUT A BIG FINANCIAL STRAIN ON ME. WITH EXPENSIVE FAILURES LIKE THIS OCCURRING AT THIS LOW OF MILEAGE, I'M DREADING WHAT MORE MAY HAPPEN. *TR