NHTSA Complaint #11485283 — 2019 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

The lock actuator on the driver's side sliding door has seized in the lock position in our Grand Caravan. Using the fob, the switches in the vehicle, and the mechanical levers on the door, we are unable to unlock or open the door. Researching this problem, I see that it is common in 5th generation Grand Caravans and Town and Countries and plagues both sliding doors, creating a safety hazard: in the event of an emergency, if both actuators were to have seized since passengers entered the car, it would make exiting the car slow to impossible, and therefore hazardous. I have heard from a mechanic that Dodge/Chrysler is aware of the issue. There is, to this point, no recall or safety bulletin, and apparently nothing is being done about it, and that needs to change. To this point, our vehicle has not been officially inspected, though all of the symptoms are exactly as can be found in the various reports on the internet. There were no warnings that the part was going to fail/seize.