2007 Dodge Grand Caravan

ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 2017, A 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WAS TRAVELING NB ON THE INTERSTATE AND WAS HIT FROM THE REAR BY A LARGER VEHICLE. BOTH THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER WERE WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS AND TRAVELING 50-55 MPH. AFTER BEING IMPACTED FROM THE REAR, THE VEHICLE SPUN 360 DEGREES. AFTER THE SPIN, THE VAN WAS IMPACTED DIRECTLY HEAD ON, IN THE FRONT, ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, BY A 4 DOOR SEDAN. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS FAILED TO LOCK THE OCCUPANTS TO THEIR SEATS. THIS SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILURE ALLOWED SIGNIFICANT BODY MOVEMENTS OF BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. IT CAUSED ABRUPT FORWARD AND BACKWARD MOTION OF THEIR HEADS, NECKS, BACKS, ARMS, LEGS AND TORSOS, RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL INJURY AND EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. THE DRIVER ACCOMPANIED THE FRONT PASSENGER TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND X-RAY EVALUATIONS WERE PERFORMED BY A MEDICAL SPECIALIST. THE PASSENGER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH UPPER SPINE, HEAD AND NECK INJURIES WITH SIGNIFICANT MUSCLE PAIN AND SEVERE CONCUSSION. THE DRIVER HAD INJURIES TO HIS SHOULDER, NECK, KNEE, TORSO AND BACK AREAS WITH SIGNIFICANT MUSCLE PAIN. SUMMARY, HAD THE SEAT BELTS FUNCTIONED, AS WAS ADVERTISED AND DESIGNED BY THIS MANUFACTURER, BOTH PASSENGERS WOULD NOT HAVE SUSTAINED SUCH SEVERE PHYSICAL INJURIES, AND HAD THE AIR BAGS FUNCTIONED AND DEPLOYED, AS ADVERTISED AND DESIGNED, BY THE MANUFACTURER, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INJURED IN THIS IMPACT-COLLISION. HISTORY, THE DODGE GRAND CARAVAN OF PAST YEARS DESIGN INCLUDING THIS 2007 MODEL YEAR HAVE HAD SIMILAR AND REPEATED REPORTS OF SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG FAILURE. CONCLUSION, THIS MANUFACTURER KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN OF THESE SAFETY DEFEATS, FROM PAST SETTLEMENT LITIGATION. THIS MANUFACTURER ALLEGEDLY HAS FAILED OR REFUSED TO CORRECT THESE ALLEGED INJURY CAUSING VEHICLE SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG DEFECTS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE GRAN CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR HAD BEEN ILLUMINATING ON AND OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MACDONALD MOTORS AUTO GROUP DEALER IN BRIDGTON, ME THAT DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS HAVING OCCUPANT RESTRAIN MODULE FAILURE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE WARNING INDICATOR KEPT ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AGAIN BY MACDONALD MOTORS AUTO GROUP DEALER AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS A SEAT SENSOR FAILURE. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A USED SEAT FROM A SALVAGE YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE WARNING INDICATOR WAS STILL ILLUMINATING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

MY WIFE IS HANDICAPPED. I OWN A LOWERED FLOOR MINIVAN WITH A RAMP FOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESS. VANTAGE MOBILITY INTERNATIONAL ("VMI"), 5202 SOUTH 28TH PLACE, PHOENIX, AZ 85040, (602) 243-2700 DID THE CONVERSION OF MY 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN TO MAKE IT HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE ("RAMP VAN"). DODGE/CHRYSLER ("DODGE") WORKS WITH VMI AND A DODGE DEALER IN TEMPE ARIZONA TO SELL RAMP VANS NATIONWIDE THROUGH A DEALER NETWORK. RAMP VANS ARE SOLD THROUGH LOCAL DEALERS WHO PROVIDE BOTH WARRANTY AND NON WARRANTY SERVICE FOR THE CONVERSION ELEMENTS OF THE RAMP VANS. LOCAL DODGE DEALERS PROVIDE NON-CONVERSION WARRANTY AND NON-WARRANTY SERVICE. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR EACH TO POINT THE FINGER AT THE OTHER CONCERNING ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AIR BAG DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT ONLY OPERATES INTERMITENTLY. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO BOTH VISION DODGE (920 PANORAMA TRAIL SOUTH, ROCHESTER, NY 14625, (585) 385-5700, AND AUTOCRAFTING 72 HINCHEY ROAD, ROCHESTER, NY 14624 ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FOR REPAIRS TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. AUTOCRAFTING REPORTED THAT VMI WAS INVOLVED IN TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROBLEM. BETWEEN VISION DODGE AND AUTOCRAFTING THERE HAVE BEEN 3 OR 4 ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE AIRBAG PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL. VISION DODGE CHARGED ME SUBSTANTIAL COSTS FOR REPAIRS THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. NEITHER DODGE NOR VMI HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE AIR BAG FAILURE AND THE INABILITY OF DODGE AND VMI TO FIX IT INDICATES A MAJOR DESIGN FAILURE IN AN ESSENTIAL AND LEGALLY REQUIRED SAFETY SYSTEM. THE AIRBAG SYSTEM GOES ON AND OFF WHILE BEING DRIVEN ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS AS REPORTED BY THE VEHICLE'S WARNING LIGHTS. WHOEVER IS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IS AT SERIOUS RISK OF DEATH OR INJURY SHOULD THE VAN BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THE AIRBAG NOT WORKING. OCCURRED 12/2015 AND FROM OCTOBER 2016 TO DATE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V373000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BLADDER PRESSURE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN HE CRASHED INTO A ROW OF TREES AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSORS WERE NOT CONNECTED AND WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.