NHTSA Complaint #11153502 — 2010 DODGE CARAVAN

THIS IS A 4.0 ENGINE, AND WILL DIE OUT EVERY TIME IN TRAFFIC, EVERY TIME (REGARDLESS OF OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE OR DAMPNESS). IT WILL RESTART, BUT CAN FEEL IT STILL WANTS TO CUT OUT, AS THE TACHOMETER BOUNCES AROUND TO 500 RPM, AND SOMETIMES ALMOST ZERO, THEN 'CATCHES ITSELF' TO A NORMAL IDLE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY CONCERNING BECAUSE I LIVE NEAR A CURVED ROAD THAT DROPS OFF INTO A RAVINE, AND FOR THIS REASON, MY WIFE WON'T DRIVE IT ANYMORE. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AT SPEEDS 10-40 MPH. IT DIES OUT (AGAIN REGARDLESS IF COLD OR WET OUTSIDE). I CAN RESTART THE VEHICLE, AND WON'T DIE AGAIN, UNTIL THE ENGINE GETS COLD AGAIN (USUALLY 3 HRS.). IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THAT ONCE IT RESTARTS, IT NEVER HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES IN SAME OCCURRENCE. SOMETHING IS TELLING IT TO SHUTDOWN, WHICH IS DANGEROUS. NO POWER STEERING AND BRAKES HAVE TO BE PUSHED HARD (NO POWER, AND IS WHY MY WIFE WON'T DRIVE IT). I HAD THIS DIAGNOSED AT M&W SERVICE CENTER (A HIGHLY RATED PLACE). BROOKFIELD DODGE WAS OVERBOOKED, AND I FELT I NEEDED TO GET IT ADDRESSED ASAP. I PAID THE DIAGNOSTICS FEE. THEY RECALIBRATED THE THROTTLE AND CLEANED THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THEY SAID THIS A GREAT RUNNING VEHICLE.THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO DO. I ALREADY HAVE $370 INVESTED IN THIS PROBLEM, IT DIDN'T FIX IT. PRIOR TO THE ISSUE, THE TIMING BELT AND SPARKPLUGS WERE REPLACED. IT RAN GREAT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THOSE COMPONENTS WERE DONE. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 4 WEEKS. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THIS TO BROOKFIELD DODGE, AND PAY THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE AGAIN, AND HOPE THEY FIND THE PROBLEM. IT IS AMAZING TO SEE THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ON-LINE JUST LIKE MINE, AND THEY ARE SAYING THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FOUND. THIS IS NOT GOOD NEWS FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE FOR THE FAMILY. IT SEEMS TO BE ENGINEERED TO SHUTDOWN, INSTEAD OF JUST NOT START, WHICH IS DANGEROUS, SINCE 10/25/2018.