NHTSA Complaint #10556711 — 2009 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

EXTREME TOXIC HAZARD CAUSED BY FAILED FACTORY INSTALLED HEATER HOSE CONNECTORS. FULL INFORMATION AVAILABLE. 2000-2010 VANS, POSSIBLY A LARGE AMOUNT OF DIFFERENT VEHICLE INVOLVED. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLANT SYSTEM. THE FIRST INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM WAS A STRANGE ODOR THAT OCCURRED AT VARIOUS TIMES, INSIDE THE VEHICLE AFTER BEING INSIDE FOR A LENGTH OF TIME. I SEARCHED FOR OBVIOUS LEAKS, BUT THERE WERE NONE. IT SEEMED THAT CHRYSLER USED A MOLDED PLASTIC COMPRESSION TYPE HOSE FITTING IN THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS OF THEIR COOLANT SYSTEM, IN SOME VEHICLES. THE FITTING HAD ONE FLAW, AS I HAVE FOUND OUT, WERE MADE TO BE PUT TOGETHER CORRECTLY, THEY ARE KEYED, BUT, IF PUT TOGETHER INCORRECTLY, AS IN THIS CASE, IT ALLOWED LEAKING OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL COOLANT TO DRIP ONTO A 2200 PLUS EXHAUST MANIFOLD COVER, IN THE VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, IN SMALL DROPLETS, THAT BECOMES A SUPER-HEATED VAPOR, WHICH IS DRAWN INTO THE VEHICLE VENTILATION SYSTEM, WHEN IT IS IN OPERATION. *JB ..UPDATED 12/17/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN THE MIDST OF DRIVING. THE DEALER EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. UPDATED 01/07/16. *JB