NHTSA Complaint #10631773 — 2010 DODGE CARAVAN

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN NORTH EAST FLORIDA, I DROVE INTO A VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORM. TRIED TO TURN ON WIPERS AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I WAS TRAVELING IN THE CENTER LANE AND COULD NOT MOVE OFF THE ROAD. MY VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED TO ZERO... I COULD NOT SEE PAST THE WINDSHIELD. I WAS FORCED TO SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY CAUSING PANIC WITH TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. I HAD TO DRIVE USING MY 2 SIDE MIRRORS TO GUIDE ME AND ONLY KNOWING THAT I WAS IN BETWEEN THE 2 WHITE LANE STRIPES. I EVENTUALLY MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT COULD NOT PROCEED UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED. 2 WEEKS LATER, I WAS ON OFFICIAL TRAVEL AND THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE SHOP CHANGED THE WIPER MOTOR COSTING $450 ON THE FIRST REPAIR. NOW THEY ARE SAYING THAT IT IS THE "TIPM, TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE", WHICH WILL FOR THE PART ALONE COST NEARLY $1000. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT CREDIT THE FIRST REPAIR THAT THEY CHARGED AND GOT WRONG AND IT HAS BEEN 6 DAYS ON THIS REPAIR AND THEY STILL DO NOT HAVE THE PART NEEDED. I DID DO SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE TIPM HAS PENDING LAWSUITS AND CONTROLS MANY ITEMS IN THE VEHICLE THAT COULD CAUSE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. RECOMMEND STAYING AWAY FROM THESE VEHICLES WITH TIPM ISSUES. RECOMMEND ALSO THAT GSA GET A REFUND ON THE FIRST REPAIR. *TR