2005 Dodge Grand Caravan Seat Belts Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT HARNESS SNAPPED OPEN ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BUCKLES WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT HER BACK AT A LATER DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,915. UPDATED 04/19/12*LJ THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE ENTIRE SEAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 04/25/12

INVOLVED IN A NEAR HEAD ON COLLISION. BACK THIRD SEAT, SEAT BELT (LAP AND SHOULDER) FAILED TO TIGHTEN ON IMPACT. VICTIM THEN PROCEEDED TO HIT HIS HEAD ON THE DVD OPTION CASE THEN WHIPLASHED FRONT X2 AND BACK X2. LATER IT WAS DISCOVERED MOST OF THE SEAT BELTS IN THIS VEHICLE DO NOT PROPERLY SECURE ANYONE IN POSITION DUE TO NOT TIGHTENING UP WHEN LATCHING OR ON IMPACT. THE SEAT BELT LATCH BUT DOES NOT PULL BACK TO TIGHTEN AND ON IMPACT IT DID NOT TIGHTEN TO SECURE THE PERSON ON IMPACT. THIS PERSON IS NO DIAGNOSED WITH POST CONCUSSION SYNDROME OR MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. HAD THE CAR VEERED IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND ROLLED, HIS DIAGNOSIS COULD OF BEEN MORE SEVERE OR DEATH. *TR

TOOK VEHICLE FOR ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS HAS TOLD INSPECTIONS TO CHECK REAR SEATBELTS OF DODGE CARAVANS BECAUSE THEY ARE FAILING AT AN ALARMING RATE DURING ACCIDENTS. MY REAR SEATBELTS FAILED THE INSPECTION. I TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHO ORDERED NEW REAR SEATBELTS AND INSTALLED. THE NEW SEATBELTS WERE DEFECTIVE. WITH THE NEWLY ORDERED SEAT BELTS NOT WORKING, I BELIEVE THAT A STRONG CASE FOR A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT EXISTS. I FILED A CLAIM WITH CHRYSLER FOR THE AMOUNT TO REPLACE 4 SEATBELTS AND AN EXPLANATION OF WHY THE NEW SEAT BELTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE CASE MANAGER HAS BEEN LESS THAN HELPFUL, OFTEN RUDE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON AND OFF ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. ON THE THIRD OCCASION, THE LIGHT REMAIN ILLUMINATED AND THE CHIME CONTINUED TO SOUND. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SENSOR THAT CONTROLS THE SEAT BELT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE FAILURE COULD KEEP THE SEAT BELT FROM OPERATING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT PLANS TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AT HIS EXPENSE BECAUSE IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRONT SEAT RETRACTOR (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V047000); HOWEVER, IT WAS FOR THE DRIVER, NOT PASSENGER SIDE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE TWO YEAR OLD CHILD WAS ABLE TO UNBUCKLE THE SEAT BELT DUE TO ITS SLACK NATURE. THE CHILD WAS LOCATED IN A BOOSTER SEAT SECURED BY THE SEAT BELT IN THE SECOND ROW SEAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. WHEN CHECKING THE OWNER'S MANUAL THE CONTACT DISCOVERED IT IS A STANDARD FEATURE WITH THE VEHICLE FOR THE SEAT BELT TO ALLOW SOME SLACK. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED. *AK

WE OWN A STOW AND GO GRAND CARAVAN, WHILE STOPPING SUDDENLY MY TWO YEAR OLD WENT FLYING FORWARD STILL STRAPPED IN HIS 5 POINT CAR SEAT AND STILL STRAPPED TO THE VEHICLE SEAT USING THE LATCH SYSTEM. HE HIT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WHERE HE REST SCREAMING TILL I COULD PUSH THE SEAT BACK IN PLACE. HE HURT HIS CHEEK AND NOSE! I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF WARNING THAT THE SEAT WAS NOT ENGAGED, SEEINGS I NEVER USE THIS SEAT TO ENTER THE BACK SEAT I'VE NEVER THOUGHT TO CHECK THE STATUS OF THE CHAIR! NOW HE IS AFRAID TO GET INTO HIS CAR SEAT AND I'M AFRAID THAT IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AS WELL. I'M SO GLAD IT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I'M AFRAID HE WOULDN'T BE WITH US TODAY. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP THIS TO NEVER HAPPEN TO US OR ANYBODY ELSE. *NM