NHTSA Complaint #10457845 — 1999 DODGE CARAVAN

MY PARENTS VAN. A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED I TRIED TO START IT AND ALL IT DID WAS CLICK. I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I TURNED IT BACK OFF AND TRIED TO START IT AGAIN,SAME THING HAPPENED. ALL IT DID WAS CLICK. I THEN TRIED TO START IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. WE DROVE TO TOWN WITH NO FURTHER ISSUES THAT DAY. THE NEXT DAY IT STARTED RIGHT UP. WE DROVE ABOUT EIGHTY MILES TO MY SISTERS HOUSE. WHEN WE CAME OUT TO LEAVE IN THE EVENING. I STARTED THE VAN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP,BUT IT WAS MAKING A RATTLING NOISE THAT I COULD JUST BARELY HEAR OVER THE ENGINE NOISE. I TURNED THE VAN OFF,BUT SOMETHING WAS STILL RUNNING. THE STARTER WAS STILL ENGAGED WITH THE ENGINE AND RUNNING. I TURNED THE KEY BACK ON AND THE ENGINE STARTED AGAIN. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AGAIN AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE STARTER STAYED RUNNING. I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE TWO HUNDRED YARDS TO MY SISTERS GARAGE TO GET PLIERS. I REALIZED I PROBABLY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET TO HER GARAGE BEFORE THE STARTER BURNT UP. I RAN IN THE HOUSE LEAVING THE VAN RUNNING. BY THE TIME I GOT BACK TO THE VAN AND GOT THE HOOD OPEN THE STARTER WAS STARTING TO SMOKE AND MAKE A REAL BAD WINNING NOISE. MY WIFE GOT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. I PULLED THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE. BY THE TIME THAT I GOT THE CABLE OFF THE STARTER WAS ALREADY BURNT UP AND STARTING TO CATCH FIRE. THEIR WAS SO MUCH SMOKE. I HAVE KNOW DOUBT THAT IF I HAD NOT GOTTEN THE BATTERY CABLE DISCONNECTED WHEN I DID THAT THE VAN WOULD HAVE GONE UP IN FLAMES. THE OTHER BAD THING WAS THAT IT WAS SITTING NEXT TO MY SISTERS HOUSE AND THAT WOULD HAVE GONE UP IN FLAMES WITH IT. I AM JUST GLAD THAT IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN MY SEVENTY FIVE YEAR OLD PARENTS WERE DRIVING IT,BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE VAN WOULD HAVE DEFIANTLY CAUGHT FIRE AND THEY WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN WHAT TO DO FAST ENOUGH. THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. THANKS. *TR