NHTSA Complaint #743622 — 1994 DODGE CARAVAN

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE IN TRAFFIC, I RAN OVER A METAL OBJECT WITH THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AND SUBSEQUENTLY HEARD A THUD UNDER THE VEHICLE, BUT EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OK. I DROVE ANOTHER 20 MILES @ 60 TO 70 MPH WITH NO INDICATION OF PROBLEMS, UNTIL I APPLIED MY BRAKES TO GET OF AT MY HOME EXIT. AT THAT TIME THE CHECK BRAKES FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH ESSENTIALLY NO STOPPING ACTION. I FINALLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE OBJECT THAT I HAD RUN OVER (A RELATIVELY SMALL METAL OBJECT)HAD HIT THE EXPOSED BRAKE LINES WHERE THEY CONNECT TO A PROPORTIONING VALVE ASSEMBLY ABOUT HALF WAY BETWEEN THE LEFT FRONT AND LEFT REAR WHEELS. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A SMALL METAL AND RUBBER GARD TO PROTECT THE BRAKE LINES, THEY WERE INSUFFICIENT AND THE METAL OBJECT BENT THE GARD AND BROKE BOTH BRAKE LINES THAT CAME FROM THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER TO FEED THE REAR BRAKES. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS A DUAL MASTER CYLINDER, SINCE ONE CYLINDER FEEDS THE BACK RIGHT BRAKE AND THE OTHER FEEDS THE BACK LEFT BRAKE (WHILE ALSO FEEDING THE OPPOSITE FRONT BRAKE), THE FAILURE OF THE GARD TO PROTECT THE LINES RESULTED IN TOTAL BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT IN A CRITICAL STOPPING SITUATION, OR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. MY FEELING IS THAT THE PLACEMENT OF THESE EXPOSED BRAKE LINES DRIECTLY IN LINE BEHIND THE FRONT WHEEL WITH RELATIVELY LITTLE PROTECTION, RESULTING IN COMMON MODE FAILURE OF THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION, AND BETTER PROTECTION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. WITH AS MANY OF THESE SINILAR VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW MANY SUCH INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. I ALMOST LET THIS GO BY WITHOUT REPORTING IT, SO I AM SURE THAT IT MUST TO HAVE HAPPENED MANY MORE TIME THAN THE NUMBER OF REPORTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED. THANKS, NORRIS CRAWFORD. *AK