NHTSA Complaint #10957538 — 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

THE SERPENTINE BELT ON 96-2000 CHRYSLER MINIVANS SLIPPING OFF IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND HAS BEEN FOR YEARS. TIME AND TIME AGAIN CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR IT. IT IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN ONE OF THE ENGINE MOUNTS CAUSING A PULLEY MISALIGNMENT. THE BELT SLIPPING OFF CAUSES LOSS OF POWER STEERING, WATER PUMP, AND ALTERNATOR. THE POWER STEERING LOSS CAN CAUSE A DRIVER TO NOT BE ABLE TO CORRECT IN TIME AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE LOSS OF THE WATER PUMP CAN CAUSE OVERHEATING RESULTING IN ENGINE DAMAGE. THE LOSS OF THE ALTERNATOR CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO EVENTUALLY STOP RUNNING WHEN THE BATTERY IS DRAINED, CAUSING MOTORISTS TO BE STRANDED. I LIVE IN ALASKA AND I'M NOT ALWAYS IN CELLULAR SIGNAL WHEN DRIVING AND TEMPERATURES IN THE WINTER GET DOWN TO -30 F AT TIMES. I CAN'T WAIT SOMETIMES SEVERAL HOURS FOR A TOW TRUCK TO GET TO ME WITHOUT RISKING HYPOTHERMIA AT THOSE TEMPERATURES. THIS NEEDS TO BE MADE INTO A RECALL SO IT CAN GET FIXED.