NHTSA Complaint #10483351 — 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

JUNE 2012, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE FROM A RESTAURANT FROM DINNER, THE VEHICLE SUFFERED A POWER FAILURE WHICH IMMEDIATELY CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO POWER DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS FORCED TO MAKE A BEST ATTEMPT TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHICH WAS MADE DIFFICULT BY THE FACT THAT THE BRAKES WERE POWERED BY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AS WAS THE STEERING. I SUBSEQUENTLY CALLED A MECHANIC WHO CAME AND CHECKED OUT THE MINIVAN BUT, NO WORK WAS PERFORMED BECAUSE WHEN THE MECHANIC ARRIVED, THE CAR STARTED AND DROVE PERFECTLY AND ALL OF THE VOLTAGES FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TESTED OKAY. A MONTH LATER, AFTER ARRIVING HOME AND PARKING MY CAR, I NOTICED THAT THE COOLING FAN WAS STILL OPERATING ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SHUT OFF. I THEN IMMEDIATELY STARTED THE CAR AND DID EVERY CHECK POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAD NOT LEFT ANYTHING ON. AFTER CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD AND CLOSING THE HOOD ITSELF, THE FAN SHUT OFF ON ITS ON.WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS, THIS SAME PROBLEM BEGAN REPEATING ITSELF AND WOULD ONLY STOP ONCE THE BATTERY RAN DOWN. I EVENTUALLY HAD THE FAN RELAY/STARTER REPLACED AFTER A MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT THIS WAS THE ISSUE. I HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND THAT THE FAN NO LONGER STAYS ON. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EITHER SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE AND I AM STILL EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY DRAINING, ALTHOUGH NOTHING APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN LEFT ON. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS HAVE CONTINUED TO GET WORSE AND INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE CALLED SEVERAL DODGE DEALERSHIPS TO SPEAK WITH MECHANICS. TO GENERALIZE, A MAJORITY OF THE MECHANICS HAVE DEALT WITH OTHER CONSUMERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE SOME OR ALL OF THE SAME ISSUES AND SUGGEST THAT THE TIPM IS FAULTY AND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE ON CHRYSLER AND DODGE MINIVANS OF THE SAME YEAR AND BEING THAT THIS IS THE CASE THAT THEY EXPECT TO SEE A RECALL ISSUED. *TR