RoadVitals

1995 Dodge Caravan Seat belts Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Seat belts reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
18
Latest May 13, 2005
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 489 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3

What this page shows

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 Dodge Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming seat belt

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Seat belts
Filed May 13, 2005
Crash reported2 injuries reported

OWNER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND WAS REAR ENDED. UPON IMPACT, THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER AND THE FRONT PASSENGER. THE BELT LOOSENED. SINCE THE SEAT BELTS LOOSENED ON THE FIRST IMPACT, THE OCCUPANTS HAD NO PROTECTION AFTER THAT AND WERE THROWN ALL OVER THE CAB OF THE VAN. *BF

NHTSA ID
10117832
Incident
Feb 28, 2005
Mileage
87,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 19, 2003
Crash reported1 injury reported

SEAT BELTS COME UNBUCKLED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELTS HAVE BECOME LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE WHEN THE RELEASE BUTTON WAS PRESSED. AT LEAST ONE OF THE SEAT BELTS WERE REPLACED WHILE THE VAN WAS UNDER WARRANTY FOR THESE PROBLEMS. IT HAS REQUIRED SEVERAL PUSHES OF THE BUTTON AND PUSHING AND PULLING ON THE LAP/SHOULDER BELT BEFORE THE BELT RELEASES FROM THE PART OF THE BELT WITH THE BUTTON. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN OUR 1995 DODGE CARAVAN WHICH WE BOUGHT NEW. WE ALSO BOUGHT A NEW 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WHICH HAS THE SAME GENERATION 3 SEAT BELTS IN THE BACK SEATS AND THEY ALSO HAVE COME UNBUCKLED WITHOUT NOTICE. MY NEIGHBOR HAS A 1996 DODGE DAKOTA WHICH HE BOUGHT NEW AND ARGUED WITH THE DEALER UNTIL THEY REPLACED ALL THE SEAT BELTS BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN KEPT COMING UNBUCKLED AND JEFF (THE TRUCK OWNER) BECAME TRAPPED IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND HAD TO HAVE THE SEAT BELT CUT TO FREE HIM. THE INCIDENT DATES HAVE NOT BEEN RECORDED BUT THE MOST RECENT TIME WITH THE 1995 CARAVAN WAS THIS MONTH APRIL 2003. ALSO THE SEATS ARE UNSAFE THROUGHOUT THE 1995 CARAVAN. ON 2/6/98 MY WIFE AND I WERE REAR ENDED IN THE 1995 CARAVAN BY A 1990 MERCURY SABLE. WE WERE NEARLY STOPPED WHILE WAITING FOR THE VAN IN FRONT OF US TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THE PERSON BEHIND US WAS NOT WATCHING AND SHE REAR ENDED US AT APPROXIMATELY. 40-45 MPH. THIS ACCIDENT WAS WITNESSED BY THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL MAN. THE PERSON BEHIND US WAS WATCHING INSTEAD OF WATCHING WHERE SHE WAS GOING. I WAS NEARLY PARALYZED BECAUSE THE BUILT IN HEAD REST IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH. I AM 6'1" AND MY WIFE IS 5'2". MY WIFE WAS NOT BADLY INJURED. AS FOR MYSELF, THE DISC AT C5-6 WAS COMPLETELY BLOWN APART AND COMPRESSED MY SPINAL CORD IN HALF. I NOW HAVE A BONE GRAFT AND A STEEL PLATE FUSING MY NECK. THE REAR SEATS ARE COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE! *JB

NHTSA ID
10016196
Incident
Apr 8, 2003
Mileage
1,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalSeat belts
Filed Mar 17, 2003

AFTER AIR BAG RECALL WAS PERFORMED, THE WARNING CHIME SOUNDED AS THE DOME LIGHTS CAME ON. CONSUMER FELT DEFECT IS RELATED TO RECALL WORK PERFORMED. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, AND USING THE MULTIPURPOSE SWITCH TO GO FROM BRIGHT HIGH BEAM TO NORMAL HEADLIGHTS, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT DARK. THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED. *TT *NLM

NHTSA ID
10009771
Seat belts
Filed Jun 15, 2002

SEAT BELT ATTACHMENT BOLT AT DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER WAS OVER TIGHTENED AT THE FACTORY AND MAY FAIL UPON IMPACT. THE SEVERLY SRTIPPED BOLT WAS REMOVED DURING SIDE WINDOW REPLACEMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
763109
Incident
Jun 13, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Apr 2, 2002

I'M FILLING OUT THIS REPORT NOT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT AN INCIDENT BUT TO PREVENT FUTURE ONES. I'VE READ AND SEEN ON TELEVISION (PRIMETIME, ABC NEWS) THE REPORTS ABOUT THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF GEN 3 SEATBELTS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN SOME DODGE VEHICLES. AS AN OWNER OF A DODGE CARAVAN (THAT HAS GEN 3 SEATBELTS) AND MORE IMPORTANTLY AS A MOTHER OF AN INFANT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE SEATBELTS RECALLED AND REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SAFER GEN 4 SEATBELTS INSTALLED IN ALL THE VEHICLES THEY WERE ORIGINALLY PLACED IN. THANK YOU.*AK

NHTSA ID
760160
Seat belts
Filed Sep 30, 1999

DRIVER'S SIDE RESTRAINT COLLAPSED ONTO THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
849492
Incident
Sep 26, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Sep 29, 1999

REAR SEAT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE CAME LOOSE. THERE WAS NO SEATBELT SUPPORT. *AK

NHTSA ID
849215
Incident
Sep 23, 1999
Body & structureHeating & air conditioningPowertrain (other)+3 more
Filed Mar 18, 1999

OUR FAMILY IS A SECOND GENERATION CONSUMER OF THE CHRYSLER COPORATION'S PRODUCTS. THIS VEHICLE HAS PROVEN SUCH A LEMON, WE REALLY DOUBT THAT WE WILL EVER BUY ANOTHER CHRYLSER/DODGE PRODUCT. WITHIN A MONTH OF OUR PURCHASE, WE HAD A RECALL ON THE LIFTGATE LATCH, THAT WAS FIXED. WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVING OUR TRANSMISSION INSPECTED BY A LICENSED CHRYSLER DEALER, AND WILL SUBMIT TO THE CORPORATION. WE HAVE HAD THE SEAT BELTS NOT RETRACT ON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGERS SIDE FOR YEARS, WHICH CATCH IN THE DOORS CONSTANTLY. THE POWER WINDOWS IN THE REAR HAD A MOTOR GO OUT, THE UNIVERSAL JOINT FELL OFF WHILE THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVE, AND THE MOST UNGODLY ACT WAS WHEN SOMEONE WAS CLOSING THE SLIDING PASSENGER DOOR, AND IT TOTALLY SLID OFF THE CAR. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE AIRCONDITIONING WAS ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD WHEN IT DIED, AND THE COMPANY REPLACED THAT UNDERWARRANTY, ALONG WITH THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. THE SLIDING DOOR COST US A FORTUNE, AND THE COMPANY ONLY GAVE US $122.00. I WISH THAT I COULD TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME, AND HAVE BOUGHT THE WINDSTAR INSTEAD OF THIS ESXPENSIVE LEMON.

NHTSA ID
704609
Incident
Mar 18, 1999
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Nov 5, 1998

THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON BECAUSE THERE IS A WIRE THAT GOES TO THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WHICH COMES ON WHEN THE WIPER MOTOR IS INOPERATIVE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
830201
Seat belts
Filed Apr 11, 1998

IF THE SHEATH AROUND AROUND SEAT BELT FEMALE LATCH BECOMES DISLODGED FROM ITS CORRECT LOCATION WHERE IT GUIDES THE MALE END OF THE LATCH INTO THE FEMALE END, A GAP APPEARS BETWEEN THE FEMALE LATCH AND THE SHEATH THAT SURROUNDS THE LATCH.

NHTSA ID
534186
Interior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Feb 3, 1998

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED.

NHTSA ID
605744
Incident
Jun 1, 1997
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jun 9, 1997
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS IN 12 O' CLOCK CRASH AT 40 TO 45MPH AND BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT SNAPPED LOOSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
812907
Seat belts
Filed Apr 18, 1997

OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE SEAT BELT ATTACHMENT FROM THE MIDDLE SEAT AREA THAT HOOKS INTO THE FLOOR WILL COME OUT. SHE NOTES THAT VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS WELL AS THE OTHERS, FAULTY SPRING CLIP. *AK

NHTSA ID
811290
Seat belts
Filed Apr 18, 1997

VEHICLE'S SEAT BELT SPRING CLIP COMES UNDONE AND FALLS OFF WHILE IN USE OR COMES UNHOOKED WHILE TRYING TO HOOK. *AK

NHTSA ID
811244
Seat belts
Filed Dec 18, 1996

SEATBELT RELEASES DURING TRAVEL.

NHTSA ID
513059
Incident
Nov 1, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Sep 23, 1996

SEAT BELT BUCKLE DESIGN ALLOWS MALE END OF BUCKLE TO ACCIDENTALLY BE INSERTED INTO AN AREA NEXT TO THE LOCK INSTEAD OF THE LOCK, CAUSING BUCKLE TO JAM..

NHTSA ID
509029
Incident
Sep 15, 1996
Seat belts
Filed May 14, 1996

SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN CHILD SAFETY SEAT, LEAVING CHILD UNSECURED. *SD

NHTSA ID
505028
Incident
May 14, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Nov 6, 1995

INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT SHOULDER HARNESS CLIP PULLS APART WITH LITTLE PRESSURE. *DSH

NHTSA ID
487749
Incident
Nov 3, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .