NHTSA Complaint #11321570 — 2009 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

AT APPROX 182000 MILES THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTROLLING MY DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS,SPEEDOMETER,TACHOMETER,WIPERS,LIGHTS AND SWITCHES FOR POWER WINDOWS AND LOCKS WENT COMPLETELY HAYWIRE. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING UPON STARTING VEHICLE. AT THE MOMENT OF START UP WIPERS BEGAN TO SWIPE WITHOUT TURNING ON SWITCH, HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH LIT INDICATING FAILURE OF ALL SAFETY SYSTEMS. AFTER CAREFULLY DRIVING AROUND A PARKING LOT I WAS IN TO SEE IF THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE AND DRIVEABLE I THEN NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER WOULD CYCLE ON AND OFF AT RANDOM INTERVALS.THEY WOULD INDICATE PROPER FUNCTIONING FOR MINUTES AND THEN GO COMPLETELY OFF WITH ALL WARNING LIGHTS ACTIVATING. THIS ON AND OFF SCENARIO LASTED ALL THE WAY HOME A JOURNEY OF APPROX 20 MILES. UPON REACHING HOME I ALSO FOUND THAT I COULD NO LONGER CONTROL THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS OR LOCKS FROM MY DRIVERS POSITION. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH WHEN I GOT HOME ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO FIND A YOUTUBE VIDEO FROM AN OWNER OF A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN&COUNTRY MINIVAN SIMILAR TO MINE WHO HAD ENCOUNTERED THE SAME SAFETY ISSUE. APPARENTLY THIS OWNER HAD DONE SOME INVESTIGATING OF THEIR OWN AND FOUND THAT A WIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT INTO THE DRIVERS DOOR EITHER BREAKS OVER TIME FROM OPENING AND CLOSING OF DOOR OVER THE YEARS, OR A WIRE CHAFES AND SHORTS OUT INTERMITTENTLY THUS CAUSING THIS ISSUE. IN ORDER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THE DRIVER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR SKIN MUST BE REMOVED AND THE WIRE LOOM GOING TO THE DRIVER DOOR CONTROLS MUST BE EXAMINED IN ORDER TO FIND THE PROPER WIRE TO REPAIR.THIS REPAIR WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR ME BASED ON MY SHOWING HIM THE VIDEO. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AS IT INVOLVES,SPEEDOMETER, TACH, WARNING LIGHTS,WIPER CONTROL,HEADLIGHTS THAT FLASH AND USE OF POWER LOCKS AND WINDOW CONTROLS.