NHTSA Complaint #10680580 — 2014 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

ENGINE OIL CAPACITY IS LISTED AS 6 QUARTS (US) IN MULTIPLE SOURCES, HOWEVER AFTER DRAINING AND REFILLING ENGINE ON A LEVEL SURFACE WITH 6 QUARTS, THE DIPSTICK READING SHOWED AT MIN LEVEL. AFTER ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 1/2 QUART, THE LEVEL REACHED THE FULL MARK. MOST VEHICLE DIPSTICKS ARE DESIGNED SUCH THAT THE AMOUNT OF OIL REQUIRED TO RAISE THE LEVEL FROM MIN TO MAX IS 1 QUART. THERE IS NO INDICATION ON THE DIPSTICK TO INDICATE EITHER WAY. THIS MIGHT ALSO EXPLAIN WHY MY DEALER OVERFILLED THE CRANKCASE WHEN I HAD THEM PERFORM A PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE. UNDERFILLING AS WELL AS OVERFILLING THE OIL CAN RESULT IN PREMATURE ENGINE WEAR AND FAILURE, AS PER MANUFACTURERS OWN LITERATURE AND AS SUCH MAY CONSTITUTE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. A TSB SHOULD BE ISSUED TO SPECIFY THE CORRECT CAPACITY (6.5QTS? UNLESS DIPSTICK MARKINGS ARE WRONG) AND ALSO TO EXPLAIN THE DIPSTICK MARKINGS, ASSUMING THE CURRENT DESIGN IS CORRECT. *TR