NHTSA Complaint #10547458 — 2008 DODGE CARAVAN

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH, VAN SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY HOWEVER, HORN, WIPERS, WIPER FLUID, DOOR LOCKS WENT CRAZY. WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HORN AND ELECTRIC STOPPED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES. AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES, I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND MAKE IT HOME. CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE BATTERY AND CABLE CONNECTOR ($300). ALSO FOUND MORE BRAKE AND AXLE SEAL ISSUES AT A COST OF $1,000. DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES (TO AND FROM WORK) WITHOUT PROBLEM. WENT FOR A SHORT ERRAND, DRIVING 35 MPH, CAR JERKED, WIPERS WENT HALFWAY AND HORN STARTED BLARING, WIPERS AND FLUID WENT CRAZY AGAIN, AND CAR STALLED. NEIGHBOR WAS ABLE TO DISCONNECT THE HORN BUT CAR WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. NEIGHBORS CALLED POLICE (EMBARRASSING). CAR WOULDN'T SHUT OFF (OPPOSITE PROBLEM FROM WHEN THE CAR SHUT DOWN BEFORE REPAIR.) DROVE THE CAR HOME WHERE IT IS NOW WAITING FOR A TOW. BEYOND FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY BECAUSE MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE DURING THE SECOND INCIDENT. CALLED DODGE CORPORATE WHERE "[XXX]" WAS LESS THAN EMPATHETIC AND TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF MILES ON THE VEHICLE, AS IF THIS MAKES IT OKAY. NO APOLOGIES. CAR IS A LEMON. THREE BRAKE JOBS DURING THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WILL BE MY 3RD TOW IN 6 MONTHS. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT HAD THE CAR SHUT DOWN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. ADDITIONALLY, VISION IS IMPAIRED DUE TO WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID SPEWING. *TR