NHTSA Complaint #10535117 — 2008 DODGE CARAVAN

ON A HIGHWAY RAMP ENTERING THE HIGHWAY THE HORN ON MY VAN STARTED TO BLOW ON & OFF, AT THE SAME TIME THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE WIPING & THE SPRAY WAS SPEWING AT ME AT HIGH SPEED. THE LIGHTS BLINKED ON AND OFF & THE DOOR LOCKS WERE GOING UP & DOWN. THE RADIO WAS BLASTING AS WELL. I CAME TO A STOP BEFORE ENTERING THE HIGHWAY TO TRY & FIGURE THINGS OUT BUT NOTHING WORKED. FOR 5-8 MINUTES I SAT THERE IN FEAR IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE. I PUT IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF & TOOK THE KEYS OUT. IT CONTINUED TO DO ALL THE ACTIVITY WITH THE KEYS IN MY HAND! WHEN IT STOPPED & I TRIED TO STARTING IT. IT STARTED & RAN OK TILL IT HAPPENED NOT MORE THAN 15 MINUTES LATTER ON MY WAY TO THE DEALER. THIS TIME IT LURCHED FORWARD AT A FASTER SPEED WITH EVERYTHING WIPING, BLOWING, SPEWING & BLINKING WHICH CAUSED ME TO DROP IT INTO NEUTRAL & BRAKE TO A STOP IN THE MEDIAN. THIS TIME WHEN IT BECAME QUITE IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN & WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY SAW THE CODES IT LEFT BUT COULDN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THEY SAID THEY COULD KEEP IT THRU THE WEEKEND & TRY AGAIN ON MONDAY OR I COULD TAKE IT & BRING IT BACK WHEN IT DID IT AGAIN. THIS IS THE CAR I DRIVE MY FAMILY IN ALL THE TIME. MYSELF & 4 YOUNG GIRLS PLUS FRIENDS. ALTHOUGH I AM THANKFUL TO HAVE ONLY HAD TO PAY FOR TOWING I AM VERY UPSET THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE. I AM ESSENTIALLY DRIVING A TICKING TIME BOMB. THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME, ANYWHERE & WITH A CAR FULL OF KIDS! I HAVE SAID FROM DAY 1 THAT THE VAN HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS & NO ONE TOOK ME SERIOUS. THE ONLY THING THE DEALER FOUND THAT RAISED A RED FLAG WAS THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WHEN YOU USE THE TURN SIGNAL - THIS HAS BEEN A CHIEF COMPLAINT ALL ALONG. MY FAMILY HAS HAD DODGES FOR A LONG TIME, HAVE BEEN LOYAL CUSTOMERS & EMPLOYEES. WE EXPECT BETTER FROM A COMPANY WE'VE GROWN TO DEPEND ON & REFER OTHERS TO FOR THEIR NEXT VEHICLE. *TR