NHTSA Complaint #10846317 — 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

WHILE IN MOTION, THE VAN WILL COMPLETELY LOSE POWER FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THERE ARE NO WARNINGS, STRANGE SOUNDS OR ANY INDICATOR THAT IT IS ABOUT TO SHUT OFF. THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF--THE POWER STEERING IS GONE, I CAN'T ACCELERATE OR KEEP MOVING AT CONSTANT SPEED. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY OFF AND CONTROL IS BARELY POSSIBLE. IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE, INCLUDING AT STOP SIGNS, DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD, THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION, WHICH MAKES IT A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE. ONCE IT IS IN PARK, IT CAN BE RESTARTED, USUALLY AIDED BY PUMPING THE GAS, AND THEN IT GOES ON AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. HOWEVER, SHIFTING INTO PARK ISN'T ALWAYS AN OPTION WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON, SO NO ERROR CODE IS PRODUCED. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER TWICE, BUT THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND CANNOT BE DUPLICATED EASILY, SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO FIX, TELL US NOTHING IS WRONG AND SEND US ON OUR WAY. IT IS ALARMING THAT THEY DON'T GIVE MORE URGENCY TO FINDING A SOURCE, CONSIDERING THAT THE CAR TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING. OUR IGNITION SWITCH/KEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED AFTER THE RECALL, WHICH WE WERE HOPING WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT IT WAS NOT. IT IS STILL OCCURRING. I HAVE DONE AN INTERNET SEARCH AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE TO ME. OTHER DRIVERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. MINIVANS OFTEN CARRY CHILDREN IN THEM. IF THIS PROBLEM WERE TO OCCUR IN A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE RESULTS COULD BE DEVASTATING. I URGE YOU TO SEEK A SOLUTION/SOURCE TO THIS PROBLEM QUICKLY! I WISH WE COULD SIMPLY GO BUY A NEW CAR TO KEEP OUR FAMILY SAFE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT ISN'T OUR REALITY, AS WE ARE STILL WORKING TO PAY OFF THIS ONE, SO WE ARE HOPING THE PROBLEM WILL BE RESEARCHED AND RESOLVED PROMPTLY. YOU ARE WELCOME TO USE OUR VAN TO DO SO!