NHTSA Complaint #10566857 — 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

SIGNIFICANT RISK ? COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO POOR DESIGN (UNRESOLVED MANUFACTURER KNOWN ISSUE): DURING A MODERATE RAIN STORM, THE SERPENTINE BELT ONCE AGAIN SLIPPED OFF THE PULLEYS, WHICH DISABLED POWER STEERING, CAUSING A COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS IT WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP (MY WIFE WAS UNABLE TO FIGHT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE). LUCKILY, THE VEHICLE HAD JUST LEFT A STOPLIGHT AND HAD ONLY ATTAINED ABOUT 20 - 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BEFORE HITTING ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN A VERY CROWDED PEDESTRIAN AREA OF DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO'S HISTORIC GASLAMP QUARTER. GIVEN THE REDUCED VISIBILITY FROM THE RAIN AND NIGHTTIME CITY ILLUMINATION, IT?S AMAZING THIS DID NOT RESULT IN PEDESTRIAN INJURIES OR EVEN DEATHS OR DAMAGE TO WAITING TAXIS OR PARKED CARS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS VEHICLE IN THE RAIN, BUT THE FIRST IN WHICH TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL OCCURRED. THE FIRST INSTANCE ALSO OCCURRED AT NIGHT, IN THE RAIN, WHILE WAITING IN HEAVY AIRPORT TERMINAL TRAFFIC. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SERPENTINE BELTS SLIPPING OFF IN THE RAIN CAN BE FOUND ONLINE IN DODGE FORUMS. A TECHNICAL BULLETIN WAS ISSUED FOR PRIOR MODEL YEARS BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 2000 MODEL YEAR. ALSO OF NOTE, AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPPED IT BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AS THE WATER PUMP WAS ALSO DISABLED BY THE LOSS OF THE SERPENTINE BELT. *TR