NHTSA Complaint #11298289 — 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

ON 1/6/2020 I STARTED MY VAN AND NOTICED IT SPUTTERED A LITTLE DURING STARTUP. ON MY WAY HOME, I STOPPED AT A STORE TO PICKUP A FEW THINGS. WHEN I TRIED TO START THE VAN AGAIN IT WOULD NOT START. I KNEW IT WASN'T THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE LIGHTS AND RADIO STILL WORKED. WHILE WAITING FOR A FRIEND TO PICK ME UP, I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. DROVE IT ACROSS THE STREET TO O'REILLYS TO HAVE BATTERY TESTED, JUST IN CASE. HAD TO START IT AGAIN. WOULDN'T START AGAIN. WAITED A MINUTE. TRIED AGAIN, IT SPUTTERED, I GAVE IT SOME GAS AND IT STARTED. EMPLOYEE WHO WAS ASSISTING HEARD A WHISTLING NOISE. SUGGESTING A VACUUM LEAK. CALLED MY MECHANIC. SCHEDULED APPT FOR 1/8/2020. TRIED TO START IT THE MORNING ON 1/8/2020. WOULD NOT START. MECHANIC HAD IT TOWED TO SHOP. HIS DIAGNOSIS SHOWED TPIM MODULE HAD FAILED. HE SAID HE SPOKE TO PARTS REP AT THE LITHIA DODGE AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE 14 VANS WITH SAME ISSUE WAITING FOR TPIM MODULES AND THE PART IS BACKORDERED FOR AT LEAST A MONTH. DODGE HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL YET. I HAVE FOUND BLOG POSTS DATING BACK TO 2014 WITH CONSUMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND DODGE IS NOT ACCOMMODATING OWNERS WITH ANYTHING. COST OF TPIM MODULE IS $994. LABOR IS $360. I ALSO HAD TO HAVE MY FLEX PLATE REPLACED THE WEEK PRIOR BECAUSE IT CRACKED. MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DUE TO WEAK STEAL. SERVICE GUY AT DEALERSHIP, JASON SAID (ON 1/9/2020) SAID THIS WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS PART TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THIS REPAIR COST ME $789.95. I HAVE INCLUDED PHOTOS OF THE FLEX PLATE. I FEEL LIKE DODGE IS SIMPLY NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE MODELS FAILURES BECAUSE THEY MASS PRODUCED IT AND IF THEY HAD TO ISSUE RECALLS FOR THE FLEX PLATE AND TPIM MODULE, IT WOULD COST THE COMPANY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. BUT THESE VANS CARRY PRECIOUS CARGO, OUR CHILDREN!!!