NHTSA Complaint #10853161 — 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM, TOP TO BOTTOM, TO SAFELY ACCEPT A MEN'S US SIZE 11.5 SHOE. WITH MY HEEL PLANTED ON THE FLOOR, I AM UNABLE TO FREELY PIVOT MY FOOT FROM THE THE GAS PEDAL TO THE BRAKE AND BACK AGAIN. THE TOP OF MY SHOE GETS FIRMLY STUCK TRYING TO MOVE BETWEEN THE TWO PEDALS. IF NOT COMPLETELY STUCK, MY FOOT MOTION IS IMPEDED AND SLOWED DOWN IN MANY OTHER WAYS. ONLY, WITH A LOT OF THOUGHT AND ADJUSTMENT OF MY FOOT AND HEEL POSITION AM I ABLE TO OPERATE THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT ALL. THIS LOW FOOT CLEARANCE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERS MY RESPONSE TIME WHEN I NEED TO HIT THE BRAKE IN AN EMERGENCY. IT REQUIRES A LOT OF EXTRA THOUGHT UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AS WELL, TAKING ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE ROAD. THIS HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE (OR EVEN A THOUGHT) IN MANY YEARS OF DRIVING SEVERAL OTHER MAKES AND MODELS OF VEHICLES. I OWN A 1999 GRAND CARAVAN THAT HAS PLENTY OF FOOT ROOM IN IT. NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW THEY NEED TO SPECIALLY POSITRON THEIR FOOT TO OPERATE THE BRAKE OR ACCELERATOR. FOR SAFE DRIVING, REACTION TIME IS EVERYTHING. DODGE HAS DESIGNED THIS VEHICLE WITH CRAMPED FOOT-ROOM THAT CAN DRASTICALLY REDUCE THE TIME IT TAKES TO ACTIVATE THE BRAKE AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT THAT A FREELY AVAILABLE BRAKE PEDAL MAY HAVE AVOIDED. I HAD THE IDENTICAL PROBLEMS TESTING A NEWER DODGE CHARGER AND A CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. I AM MAKING THE ASSUMPTION THAT THIS CRAMPED AND UNSAFE DESIGN IS A STANDARD THAT COVERS MANY CHRYSLER MAKES AND MODELS. THIS ISSUE AFFECTS ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY STARTING AND STOPPING THE VEHICLE. SEE 5 PICTURES WITH A SIZE 11.5 SHOE SHOWN. PICS 1-3 SHOW THE BRAKE POSITION AND HOW THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO PIVOT BACK ANY FARTHER FROM TO BRAKE. THE GAS POSITION SHOWS A NATURAL PIVOT POSITION WHEN GOING FROM THE GAS TO THE BRAKE. THE FOOT IS STUCK THERE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.