NHTSA Complaint #10586309 — 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

WHILE DRIVING ON A PUBLIC ROAD AT 35-40 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. IT GOT PROGRESSIVELY SLOWER ON A LEVEL ROAD EVEN AS THE ACCELERATOR WAS APPLIED. AT THIS POINT I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL WAS CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN NORMAL AND THE PEDAL FELT VERY HARD. THE PROBLEM GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND CAR WAS BARELY ABLE TO LIMP HOME. IT FELT LIKE I WAS DRIVING IN DEEP SAND. I COULD NOT GO FAST ENOUGH FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT FROM LOW GEAR. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS LIT ON THE DASH PANEL. AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT, IT APPEARED THAT THE CAR HAD RETURNED TO NORMAL AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. ON FIRST INSPECTION THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. I ENCOURAGED THEM TO CALL THE FACTORY FOR POSSIBLE ENGINEERING BULLETINS. AFTER THREE DAYS IN THE SHOP I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FACTORY HAD DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO A FAULTY BRAKE BOOSTER WITH THE COST OF REPAIR ESTIMATED AT $800. I HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 6-8 MONTHS PREVIOUSLY, WHICH HAD TOTALLY DISABLED THE VEHICLE AND IT HAD TO BE FLATBED TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NO DEALER RESOLUTION SINCE, AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT, THEY COULDN'T GET THE VEHICLE TO REPEAT THE SITUATION DURING TEST DRIVES. I FEEL THAT IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON OUR LOCAL INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MORE SERIOUS SITUATION, PARTICULARLY IF THE BRAKES HAD BOUND UP TIGHTLY, AND IT MAY BE A SAFETY-RELATED ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. *TR