NHTSA Complaint #10447276 — 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

THE 2011 TOWN AND COUNTRY (AND DODGE CARAVAN) BE DRIVEN WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED WITHOUT THE DRIVER BEING AWARE. A RED WARNING LIGHT "BRAKE" LIGHTS UP WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT IN MOTION AND THE BRAKE IS ENGAGED, HOWEVER THERE IS NO AUDIBLE WARNING. THIS LIGHT IS INTENDED TO WARN THE DRIVER OF THE SITUATION, BUT IT IS NOT VISIBLE TO MANY DRIVERS (INCLUDING MY SPOUSE) BASED ON POSSIBLE STEERING WHEEL / SEATING POSITION COMBINATIONS. IT IS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT DRIVERS CAN AND ARE DRIVING WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED (WHICH BASICALLY APPLIES THE REAR BRAKES) WHICH LEADS TO RAPID WEAR AND CRACKING DUE TO THE FRICTIONAL HEAT. THE BIGGER RISK, HOWEVER, IS THE FACT THAT IN AN EMERGENCY STOPPING SITUATION, OVERHEATED BRAKES ARE INEFFECTIVE, LEADING TO LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES, WHICH CAN LEAD TO INCREASED CHANCE OF INJURIES AND EVEN DEATHS. AS AN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER MYSELF, THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD EASILY BE CORRECTED BY ADDING AN AUDIBLE CHIME (WHICH IS USED ALREADY USED FOR SEATBELT WARNINGS AND TURN-SIGNAL WARNINGS), OR LIMITING THE VEHICLES SPEED, IN ORDER TO MAKE THE DANGEROUS SITUATION OBVIOUS TO A DRIVER UNABLE TO SEE THE WARNING LIGHT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES ON MY WIFE'S MINIVAN RECENTLY DUE TO THIS SITUATION. FORTUNATELY IT ONLY COST ME MONEY AND NOT MY WIFE'S OR MY KIDS' LIFE! *TR