NHTSA Complaint #11662837 — 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the water pump was replaced. The contact stated that several months later, while driving 65 MPH, the steering wheel seized without warning. The contact used excessive force to steer the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where a power steering flush was performed; however, the failure persisted. The mechanic replaced the steering pump, which seemed to correct the failure. The contact then stated that the whining sound returned without warning. The vehicle was taken back to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the valves inside the engine connected to the fuel injector were defective and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that after the diagnostic tests, the vehicle failed to start up after several attempts. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.