NHTSA Complaint #713857 — 1998 DODGE CARAVAN

SYMPTOMS OF ALL 3 SEPARATE OCCURENCES ARE THE SAME. FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE DOOR WILL REMAIN LOCKED AND WILL NOT OPEN WITH A REMOTE ENTRY SYSTEM , WITH A KEY OR MANUALLY FROM INSIDE THE CAR. THE MANUAL LOCKING MECHANISM ON THE INSIDE IS PHYSICALLY JAMMED AND WILL NOT RESPOND TO AN UNLOCKING ACTION OF ANY FORCE. IT OCCURED TO THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR FIRST AROUND JUNE '99, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR AROUND AUGUST '99 AND TODAY THE PASSENGERS SIDE CARGO DOOR. WHEN IT HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME IN JUNE I WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN AN APPOINTMENT WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME (WAS TOLD THEY NO LONGER TAKE APPTS. AND IT'S FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, MAY TAKE ONE TO THREE DAYS). FOR THAT REASON I TOOK A CRACK AT IT MYSELF BY REMOVING THE PART OF THE INNER DOOR PANEL THAT WAS ACCESIBLE AND AWKWARDLY INSPECTED THE MECHANISM WITH A FLASHLIGHT AND DENTAL MIRROR. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY THERE ARE 2 SOLENOIDS AND I COULD FEEL BOTH OF THEM ENERGIZE WHEN I OPERATED THE DOOR MOUNTED LOCK/UNLOCK SWITCH ALTHOUGH NEITHER ONE CREATED ANY KIND OF LINKAGE MOVEMENT. AFTER MASSAGING THE LINKAGES AND LEVERS BLINDLY FOR APPROX. 2 HRS. THE DOOR FINALLY UNLOCKED (REASON UNKNOWN). WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR PRESENTED THE SAME SYMPTOMS (NOTICED BY PRIMARY DRIVER ("THE WIFE") ), IT RESOLVED ITSELF BY THE END OF THE DAY AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS AROUND TOWN AND B4 I COULD CHECK IT OUT. FINALLY, THIS MORNING THE PASS. SIDE CARGO DOOR DECIDED IT WAS IT'S TURN AND CURRENTLY REMAINS IN THIS STATE. I CALLED THE DEALER TONIGHT AND THEY SAID THEY COULD LOOK AT IT IN THE MORNING SO I BEGRUDGINGLY WILL NOT TOUCH IT. THIS IRKS ME FOR 2 REASONS, ONE IS THAT THEY WILL HAVE A MUCH MORE UNOBSTRUCTED INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THE LARGE OPEN AREA AROUND THE DOOR AND SECONDLY, I KNOW I COULD PROBABLY FIGURE THIS OUT IN LESS TIME WITH A MORE CONCRETE ANSWER THAN I SUSPECT I'LL BE GIVEN. ADDITIONAL INFO THAT MAY BE OF IMPORTANCE AND ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY IS AN AFTER MARKET REMOTE STARTING MODULE THAT IS OPERATED FROM A REMOTE