NHTSA Complaint #10663199 — 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

THE AUTOMATIC LOCK SYSTEM ON MY 05 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN DOESN'T WORK, WITH THE KEY FOB OR WHEN PUSHING THE AUTOMATED LOCK BUTTONS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CAR BEEPS LIKE IT IS LOCKING WHEN YOU PUSH THE KEY FOB. HOWEVER, IT REALLY ISN'T LOCKING. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2005 DODGE CARAVAN MODELS. THAT BEING SAID, I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP & WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL, BECAUSE THIS IS "NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE." HOW IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE? DODGE, THEMSELVES, ACTUALLY CALLS PART OF THE AUTOMATED LOCK SYSTEM A "SAFETY FEATURE." THE SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO AUTOMATICALLY LOCK, ONCE YOU REACH A SPEED OF 15 MPH. WELL, THIS NO LONGER WORKS EITHER. HOW IS IT CALLED A "SAFETY FEATURE" WHEN IT WORKS, BUT THEN IT ISN'T A "SAFETY ISSUE" WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK? I PHYSICALLY CANNOT LOCK THE PASSENGER DOORS MYSELF, WHEN DRIVING. I EITHER HAVE TO REMEMBER TO DO IT BEFORE I LEAVE, MAKE SURE THE PERSON THAT GETS OUT DOES IT BEFORE THEY LEAVE, PULL OVER TO LOCK THEM, OR DRIVE WITH THEM UNLOCKED. THAT'S NOT SAFE! I ATTEND NIGHT SCHOOL & AM NOT COMFORTABLE LEAVING MY CAR UNLOCKED, BUT IT IS NOT AS EASY TO GET INTO MY VEHICLE QUICKLY NOW. I HAVE TO MANUALLY OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR (ONLY DOOR THAT HAS A MANUAL LOCK), REACH IN, UNLOCK THE SIDE DOOR, THEN OPEN THE SIDE DOOR, PUT MY THINGS IN, LOCK THE SIDE DOOR, CLOSE THE DOOR, AND THEN GET IN THE FRONT. THAT IS A LOT OF EXTRA TIME IN A DARK PARKING LOT! NORMALLY, I WOULD JUST CLICK THE UNLOCK & THE OPEN DOOR BUTTON ON THE WAY TO THE VAN, PUT THE STUFF IN, CLOSE THE DOOR & GO. IN ADDITION, IF YOU ARE A PASSENGER, YOU HAVE TO STAND THERE & WAIT TO BE LET IN. AS MENTIONED, THERE IS NO KEY ENTRY ON THAT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AT ALL. MANY TIMES, I AM LEFT STANDING THERE (WITH MY PURSE), AS MY HUSBAND WALKS AROUND TO THE DRIVER SIDE & LETS HIMSELF & THE KID'S IN THE VEHICLE. *TR