1997 Dodge Caravan

FOIA REQUEST INFO RE CHRYSLER MINIVAN RECALLS INITIATED 1/25/02, ENGINE AND FUEL LINE MALFUNCTIONS THAT RESULTED IN FIRES . *BF INFORMATION REQUEST FROM CONSUMERS ATTORNEY. ATTORNEY IS PURSUING A WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM FOR THE CONSUMER. CONSUMER BURNED TO DEATH IN A VEHICLE WRECK IN 1997. CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03E053000. THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY, PLYMOUTH VOYAGER, AND DODGE CARAVAN MINIVANS OR ANY OTHER PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION. *TC *JB

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL 96V215000 CONCERNING MASTER CYLINDER IN JULY 2002. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE BRAKE SYSTEM CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE TIRES. MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. ON 11/18/2003, THE BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A DAMAGED DISC IN THE NECK AND SPINAL CORD.*AK

MICHAEL SCHOTTLAND ON BEHALF OF THE DECEASED OWNER STEPHANIE BERMAN. MS. BERMANS VEHICLE, WHILE IN MOTION, TURNED OVER AND BECAME ENGULFED IN A FIRE THAT LED TO HER DEATH, THERE WAS A RECALL 00V268 REGARDING THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE. *JG

AT ONE TIME, BEFORE 1960, FRONT TURN SIGNALS WERE WHITE, THEN THEY CHANGED TO AMBER AND HAVE REMAINED SO FOR 40 YEARS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT STATED THAT FRONT TURN SIGNALSSHALL ONLY BE AMBER IN COLOR.*AK REAR TURN SIGNALS, ALSO AT ONE TIME THEY WERE RED THEN THE MANUFACTURERS CREATED THE 3 COLOR TAIL LIGHT RED FOR STOP AND TAIL, AMBER FOR TURN AND WHITE FOR BACK-UP. UNFORTUNATELY MANY HAVE COMBINED THE TAIL AND BRAKE IN TO A LOWER COST SINGLE LAMP . I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE RETURN TO THE AMBER TURN SIGNAL. WITH THE HUGE MARKET WE HAVE FOR VEHICLES WE HAVE THE ECONOMIC POWER TO MAKE AN IMPACT FOR CHANGE. SIDE MARKER LAMPS. WHEN THESE WERE REQUIRED THEY WERE SEPARATE LIGHTS. NOW THEY ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE TAIL LAMPS AND HAVE WRAPPED AROUND THE REAR STRUCTURE OF THE VEHICLE AND IN MANY CASES ARE A NOW A SINGLE LAMP THAT HAS TAIL, SIDE MARKER AND BRAKES AS PART OF THE DUAL FILAMENT BULB. SO THE ISSUE IS THAT WHEN THIS LAMP BURNS OUT WE MAY HAVE NEITHER TAIL BRAKING OR SIDE MARKER. OVER THE YEARS THESE LAMPS HAVE GROWN SMALLER AND LESS VISIBLE AGAIN A COST OR DESIGN ISSUE AND ULTIMATELY A SAFETY ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MINIMUM NUMBER OF SQUARE INCHES FOR EACH LAMP AND MINIMUM CANDLE POWER. AND FOR BRAKING A RETURN TO THE 7X DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TAIL LAMP/RUNNING AND BRAKING ILLUMINATION. IF MY SUGGESTIONS SHOULD BE ENACTED IT MIGHT FORCE THE MANUFACTURES TO REDESIGN THEIR LIGHTING SYSTEMS TO CREATE SOME UNIFORMITY THAT WE ALMOST HAD SOME YEARS AGO ( ABOUT 1989 ). HEADLIGHT: SUV HEADLAMPS ARE NOT AIMED LOW ENOUGH. THEY CREATE A HAZARD TO ONCOMING CARS AND BLIND THE DRIVERS OF VEHICLES CLOSER TO THE GROUND. THE NEWET LAMPS HAVE REDUCED VISABILTY AS THEY ARE RECESSED AND DO NOT SHOW VERY MUCH TO THE SIDE. MANY HEADLAMPS ARE NOW MADE FROM A PLASTIC THAT DES NOT REMAIN CLEAR. THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT TRANSMITTED IS REDUCED AND DIFUSED. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EITHER A RETURN TO GLASS OR A NEW PLASTIC THAT REMINS CLEAR. T

VAN OVERTURNED WHILE TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

WAS TRAVELING HOME FROM WORK, RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC HEAVY BUT MOVING CLOSE TO POSTED SPEED LIMIT (65 MPH). TRAFFIC SLOWED IN FRONT OF ME AND I ALSO SLOWED, THEN TRAFFIC CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP, SO I ALSO INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES. WHILE DOING SO, THE PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR, I LOST BRAKE PRESSURE AND STARTED MOVING TO THE LEFT TO AVOID A COLLISION BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO. MY VAN HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TIME AND SPACE TO STOP AND NOT COLLIDE IF THE BRAKES WOULD NOT HAVE FAILED, BUT WHEN I LOST BRAKES, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN MY VAN AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CLOSED TOO QUICKLY FOR ME TO AVOID THE COLLISION. THE VAN WAS DAMAGED ON THE FRONT RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE, BUT WHEN I GOT THE VAN BACK HOME OFF OF THE TOW TRUCK, I SAW BRAKE FLUID ON MY DRIVEWAY FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VAN. A FEW DAYS LATER I GOT THE VAN ON JACKSTANDS TO LOCATE THE FLUID LEAK AND FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE TERRIBLY CORRODED BRAKE LINES RUNNING ALONG THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE IN THE AREA OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THERE IS SOME FLEXIBLE STEEL BRAIDED LINE AND WHERE IT JOINS THE RIGID LINE, THERE IS A SO MUCH CORROSION THAT THE LINE IS LITERALLY RUSTING AWAY. SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER MINIVANS FROM 1997 TO 2000. I FEEL IT IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. I AM 55 YEARS OLD AND HAVE WORKED ON CARS ALL OF MY ADULT LIFE AND HAVE NEVER SEEN BRAKE LINES CORRODE LIKE THIS. AS THERE ARE MANY VANS LIKE MINE ON THE ROAD, I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER VANS HAVE BRAKE LINES THAT ARE IN SIMILAR CONDITION AS THE ONES ON THIS VAN? IT WAS SIMPLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THESE LINES WOULD FAIL. NOW WHEN I DRIVE IN TRAFFIC AND SEE A CHRYSLER PRODUCT VAN I ASK MYSELF "DOES THAT DRIVER KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE BRAKE LINE PROBLEM?" I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO BE INFORMED! THERE ARE SO MANY POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN! CHRYSLER NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH. ANOTHER DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND NO LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES, INCLUDING A BROKEN NOSE AND CHEEK BONES, AND ALSO A SHATTERED RIGHT FOOT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND PICTURES OF THE CRASH ARE AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V293000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) WAS REFERENCED. THE DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 160,000.

1) DEFECT RESULT OF NORMAL USE, NO EXCEPTIONAL SITUATION JUST NORMAL EVERY DAY USE.RELATED TO TWO VEHICLES ONE 1996 CARAVAN, ANOTHER 1997 CARAVAN. 2) EXESIVE HAZE BUILDOFF ON HEADLIGHTS(PLASTIC LENS) I CAN CONTRIBUTE A LOSS OF PROPER DISTANCE ILUMINATION, FOR WITCH SEVERAL ATEMPTS OF DIFERENT METHODS WHERE TRIED TO CORRECT PROBLEM, RESULTING IN PEDESTRIAN STRUCT ACCIDENT ON DARK NIGHT,MY DRIVING RECORD HAD BEEN TICKET, ACCIDENT CLEAR FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. 3) SEVERAL POLISHING METHODS WHERE ATTEMPTED WITH DIFFERENT ADVERTISED PRODUCTS RESULTING IN SLIGHT TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENTS ALWAYS RESULTING IN LESSER TIME RECURRANCE OF PROBLEM, CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE ALL 4 WITH NEW PARTS DUE TO EXCESIVE COST $135.00 EACH, ANLY REPLACED ONE AFTER ACCIDENT AND YES HAVE PARTS IF NEED TO BE SUBMITTED. POINT IN CASE, MY WORK IS AND HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS RELATED TO PLASTICS, SPECIFICALLY INJECTION MOLDING, FOR WITCH I KNOW FIRST HAND THE CONSECUENCES FOR A POORLY DESIGN CHEMICAL CONTENT PLASTIC IN THIS CASE POLICARBONATES WITH INCORRECT UV ADITIVE CONTENT, WITCH IS THE CAUSE FOR NOT ONLY MY PARTICULAR BRAND OF VEHICLE,YEAR OR MODEL, THIS PROBLEM IS WITH ALL PLASTIC HEADLIGHT,SURE TGHEY SAVE WEIGTH, SURE ITS EASIER TO MANUFACTURE TO THE WEIRDEST SHAPES, SO MUCH SO THA KNOW A DAYS THE SEEM TO BE PART OF EITHER THE HOOD OR THE FENDERS, SO NOW THEIR BEING EXPOSED TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT FROM THE TOP CAUSING EVEN PREMATURER CONDITIONS, (THIS IS NOT A SCRATCHING RELATED ISSUE HERE THIS IS SUNLIGHT RELATED DAMAGE CAUSING REDUCED NIGHT DRIVING VISIBILITY REACH (SINCE WHEN A BODY PART IS SUBJECT TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. SINCE ASTM D 1003-92 DOES MENTION OTDOOR EXP. TEST-HAZE AND LOSS OF SURFACE LUSTER OF PLASTIC MATS, I FAILED TO LOCATE PROPER TIME LIMITS OF ACCEPTED FAILURE TO CONSIDER THEM TO BE, NON ACCEPTABLE. (GLASS DOES NOT CARRY THIS CONDITION), LIKE IT WAS MENTINED BEFORE, THIS IS NOT ONLY RELATED TO CHRYSLER THIS PROBLEM IS WITH ALL MAKES,BRANDS

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. MY VEHICLE WAS MET WITH AN ACCIDENT ON ROUTE 516, OLD BRIDGE, NJ. MY VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY A SCHOOL BUS AND PUSHED INTO A LAMP POLE. MY VEHICLE IS TOTALED AS PER STATE FARM INSURANCE. BOTH AIR BAG FAILED TO WORK. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARD INSTEAD OF PROTECTING OUR NECK AND BODY. THE VEHICLE IS WITH STATE FARM INSURANCE. *JB. ALSO, DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS, RESULTING IN TWO INJURIES. *AK

THE CONSUMER STATED HER HUSBAND WAS COMING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE SIDE. SHE STATED THAT HE RECEIVED SOME MINOR INJURIES AND HIS AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB *SC

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD ON BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 40 MPH. ONLY THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. HOWEVER, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISES TO BREAST AND STOMACH. RECALL 04V480000 AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING WAS ISSUED. BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO MODEL YEAR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. DRIVER SUSTAINED SERIOUS LIFETIME INJURIES FROM IMPACTING THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK

ATTORNEY IS WRITING ON BEHALF OF MR. ERNEST B. REEVES WHO WAS STRUCK HEAD ON BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. EVEN THOUGH MR. REEVES HAD HIS SEAT BELTS ON, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND MR. REEVES SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION, NECK, SHOULDER AND BACK INJURIES. *TT *DT

IN A HEAD ON COLLISION NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT. DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES. *AK *SLC

ANOTHER CAR HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FRONT LEFT END AT A HIGH SPEED AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES. *AK THE AIRBAG SENSOR HAD BROKEN. *SCC

FRONT CRASH AT 25 MPH, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED, PASSENGER AIRBAG EXPLODED. PASSENGER SUFFERED CHEMICAL BURNS ON FACE. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.*AK

CHILD STARTED VEHICLE WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES. CHILD WAS ABLE TO SHIFT GEAR INTO REVERSE, RESULTING INTO AN ACCIDENT, AND CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS A LOCKING MECHANISM THAT PREVENTED GEARS TO SHIFT WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES.*AK

VEHICLE WAS TOTALED IN A FRONTAL CRASH ON DRIVER'S SIDE. NEITHER PASSENGER'S OR DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND CAME TO A OFF RAMP, HE STOPPED AT T STOP SIGN AND MADE RIGHT TURN INTO TRAFFIC. ROARED AND SURGED INTO TRAFFIC. HAD FOOT ON BRAKES, AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GO. HAD TO SHUT VEHICLE OFF. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. IN FIRST INCIDENT VEHICLE RAN INTO A TREE. THERE WERE INJURIES. *AK

TIRE BLEW-WE SPUN OUT, HIT A SEMI, TOTALED VAN..INSURANCE CO INSPECTOR SAID TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE-TREAD TOTALLY CAME OFF-JUST HAD TIRES SERVICED IN JULY 2001. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND WE HIT SEMI IN FRONT-CUT ENGINE IN HALF . WHEN BOUGHT CAR, DEALER SAID IT HAD BEEN IN NO PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS, BUT WE'RE LATER TOLD WHEN WE FOUND GLASS IN THE BACK, THAT THE REAR BUMPER/PANEL HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. WONDERING NOW IF AIRBAGS WERE NOT RECHARGED FROM A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT. ACCIDENT OCCURED 6 HRS OUTSIDE SAN ANTONIO (VAN HORN, TX) AND VAN IS NOW IN EL PASO, TX.*AK