NHTSA Complaint #10893355 — 2015 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHILE IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE CORRESPONDING SIDE DOORS OPENED UP WHEN THE FRONT DOOR WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING CLOSED. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDER, WHEN THE FRONT DOOR WAS BEING CLOSED. THIS HAPPENED ON A BUSY 8 LANE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR, WHILE PARKED IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE AWAITING A TOW TRUCK FOR OUR U-HAUL TRUCK/TRAILER BREAKDOWN. I WATCHED IN HORROR AS 3 OF MY 5 DOGS JUMPED OUT AND 1 RAN INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS DOG, MY MALE COLLIE, RAN TO MY HUSBAND WHEN HIS NAME WAS CALLED, AND JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME, AS AN 18 WHEELER WAS LOCKING UP HIS BRAKES TO TRY AN AVOID KILLING HIM. WE MANAGED TO GET THE 3 DOGS, UNHARMED, BACK INTO THE VAN WITH THE OTHER 2 DOGS. ANOTHER INCIDENT HAPPENED ABOUT A MONTH LATER, WHILE IN PARK WITH ENGINE RUNNING, AS I WAS CLOSING THE DRIVERS DOOR, THE SLIDER DOOR OPENED UP, BUT THIS TIME THERE WAS NO OCCUPANTS IN THE BACK. I TOOK THE VAN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT. AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO LISTED RECALLS FOR THIS. HE STATED THAT ANOTHER CUSTOMER HAD COME IN COMPLAINING OF THE REAR HATCH DOOR OPENING UP WHILE THE VAN WAS BEING DRIVEN. HE STATED THAT THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS HAVE TO BE ABLE SEE THE PROBLEM HAPPENING TO ASSESS THE SITUATION FOR REPAIR, SO HE REPLACED THE KEY FOB STATING THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE MALFUNCTIONING CAUSING THE PROBLEMS, BUT IF ANOTHER INCIDENT OF THIS SORT HAPPENS, TO COME BACK. HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE CHILD SAFETY FEATURE OF LOCKING THE REAR DOORS FROM THE TOP BUTTONS, BE PLACED ON WHEN OCCUPANTS ARE IN THE BACK.