NHTSA Complaint #10978732 — 2003 DODGE CARAVAN

FUEL WIRING HARNESS IS TO CLOSE TO EXHAUST CAUSED MELTING OF WIRES WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL IN THE CABIN OF CARAVAN. IT HAPPENED APPROX. A MILE FROM MY HOUSE AT APPROX 45MPH AND A STRONG ODOR OF GAS WAS NOTICEABLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL COMING UP DRIVE WAY. WE STILL HAVE THE CARAVAN BUT HAVE PARKED IT. WE BELIEVE WHEN THE MELTING OCCURRED IT CAUSED OTHER POSSIBLE ISSUES AND ARE SCARED TO HAVE IT FIXED, NOT KNOWING WHAT OTHER ISSUES THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED THAT WE WILL NOT KNOW UNTIL WE ARE GOING DOWN THE ROAD, IT'S NOT A RISK I'M WILLING TO TAKE...ESPECIALLY WITH GAS BEING FLAMMABLE AND SHORTENING OF FUEL ELECTRICAL WIRES. THAT'S A FIRE IN THE MAKING, IT'S NOT WORTH RISKING OUR LIVES OR ANYONE ELSE'S ON ROAD. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ON REVIEW PAGES AND MECHANICS BLOGS/POSTS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A CONTINUING ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. I HAVE SEEN THAT OTHER YEAR MODELS WERE RECALLED DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE BUT NOT THE 2003 DODGE CARAVAN SPORT. CAN YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER? IT COULD BE A SIMPLE FIX BY MOVING WIRES AWAY FROM EXHAUST BUT YOU ARE UNAWARE THAT, IT'S A ISSUE, UNTIL IT HAPPENS. BECAUSE IT NOT A VISIBLE HARNESS THAT YOU CAN SEE JUST BY RAISING HOOD.IT'S ONLY WHEN YOU HAVE PROBLEMS THAT YOU REALLY GET TO LOOKING AND THAT'S WHEN YOU SEE IT MELTED AND BURNED WITH STRONG ODOR COMING OUT FROM UNDER HOOD WHEN WE CHECKED IT. ALSO CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS HOT THIS SHOULD NOT BE A CONSUMER EXPENSE WHEN IT HAPPENS. DUE TO WIRES TO CLOSE TO EXHAUST IT SEEMS TO BE A ISSUE FOR DODGE, SINCE THIS IS DUE TO THEIR FAULT AND NOT THE CONSUMER, DODGE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR COST WHEN FUEL HARNESS WIRES MELTS AND ANY FURTHER DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE WIRES SHORTENING OUT . THIS IS A DANGEROUS/SERIOUS ISSUE THAT I HOPE CAN BE ADDRESSED SOON...BEFORE A LIFE IS LOST.