NHTSA Complaint #11160965 — 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

APPARENTLY THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH DODGE AND RELATED CHRYSLER VEHICLES ACCORDING TO OUR MECHANIC. BASICALLY THE TIPM--TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE IS BAD AND THIS CAUSES AMONG OTHER SYMPTOMS: VEHICLE NOT STARTING, ISSUES WITH ELECTRIC CONTROLS(LIGHTING), ISSUES WITH FUEL SYSTEM(FUEL PUMP OR RELAY) OUR VEHICLE HAD ISSUES STARTING. ESPECIALLY DURING WINTERTIME THIS HAPPENED. AND HAVING REPLACED THE BATTERY NEW AND ALSO HAVING ENSURED SPARKPLUGS ARE NEW, THOSE ISSUES WERE RULED OUT. STARTER ISSUE ALSO WERE RULED OUT BOTH BY OBVSERVATION AND MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HAVE DIFFICULTY AND INTERMITTENT SUCCESSES IN STARTING, UP TO THE POINT THAT IT DIDN'T START ANYMORE ON 12/10/2018. THE STARTER IS TURNING BUT ENGINE DOESN'T START. SO TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND LEARNED THAT THE TIPM IS THE ISSUE. PRIOR TO IT TOTALLY FAILING TO START., IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS, THE VEHICLE HAD STALLED 4 TO 5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING IT ON THE THREAD GOING ABOUT 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR WITH TRAFFIC. I REALIZED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE BASICALLY THE CAR STOPS ALL OF A SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD--WITH TRAFFIC. WHEN THIS FAILURE HAPPENS, APPARENTLY NO FUEL GOES INTO THE ENGINE THAT THE VEHICLE COMES TO A HALT. THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AND RADIO OR OTHER--AS IF THE POWER WAS JUST TOTALLY DISCONNECTED. LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OFF THE ROAD, USING ITS MOMENTUM. AND AFTER A COUPLE TIMES TURNING ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. AGAIN THE SUDDEN ENGINE STOPPAGE OCCURRED AROUND 5 TIMES AND I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT AFTER A COUPLE OF TRIES. UNTIL THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER START AT ALL FROM A PARKING LOT. THE REPAIRS COS $1300+ FOR THE TIPM WHICH HAD TO BE DEALER ORDERED AND REPROGRAMMED.