Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Dodge Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 29 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.
The 25 most recent of 29, in the owner's own words
I FOUND OUT THAT THE 1998 DODGE CARAVAN THAT I PURCHASED HAS TWO DESIGN FLAWS. ONE IS THAT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE BRAKE-SHIFT INTERLOCK. THE OTHER IS THAT THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH CHRYSLER GEN3 SEAT BELTS THAT, IN SOME VEHICLES, HAVE UNLATCHED WHILE PEOPLE WERE DRIVING. I BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ORDER A RECALL OF THE 1998 CARAVAN FOR BOTH OF THESE IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUES. *TR
OUR MIDDLE ROW SEAT BELTS STOP WORKING. THEY DON'T RETRACK ON THEIR OWN. THIS IS ABOUT THE 4TH WE HAVE TO REPLACE THEM BOTH. WE JUST REPLACED THEM IN JANUARY OF 07 AND THEY DON'T RETRACK AGAIN. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THE PIN OR I FORGET WHAT THEY CALLED IT SNAPPED AGAIN. WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE THEY WERE REPLACED IN JANUARY. WE ARE AFRAID THAT EVEN AFTER REPLACING THEM THAT THEY WILL NOT PROTECT OR KIDS IF GOD FORBID WE ARE IN AN ACCIDENT. THEY KEEP BREAKING WITH JUST EVERYDAY USE. EACH SEAT BELT COST AROUND $200.00 JUST FOR THE PARTS AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY ON BACKORDER FOR A MONTH AND NOW MY KIDS CAN'T SIT IN THE MIDDLE ROWS. *TR
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT AT 55 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND HE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL, AND HIS COWORKER WAS THE PASSENGER, AND HE WENT INTO THE WINDSHIELD. BOTH OCCUPANTS WHERE WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS AND WHERE PROPERLY RESTRAINED. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ON BEFORE RECALL REPAIRS HAD BEEN DONE IN JULY 2005, AND HORN WOULD NOT WORK. AFTER THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED THE LIGHT DID NOT COME BACK ON. THERE WAS PRE-IMPACT BRAKING TO BOTH OCCUPANTS. THIS CAUSED INJURIES TO BOTH OCCUPANTS. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED, AND THEY TOLD HER THEY WOULD SEND HER FILE OFF TO SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS, AND SHE MAY HEAR FROM BACK FROM THEM, AND SHE MAY NOT. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 11, 2005. T A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE ACCIDENT CAUSED PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-45 MPH, GOING AROUND A CURB, THE BACK OF THE VAN SKIDDED. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE GOING OVER A HILL, AND IMPACTING A TREE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, ONLY PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. DRIVER SUSTAINED I FACIAL INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
I WAS FORCED TO BRAKE SUDDENLY AND THE CAR SEAT MY 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS BUCKELED INTO WENT FLYING INTO THE BACK OF THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE SEAT BELTS IN THE 1998 DODGE CARAVAN ARE EASILY DEPRESSED BY A GAME BOY, DOLLS OR MY OLDER DAUGHTER EITHER BUCKELING OR UNBUCKELING HER BOOSTER SEAT. I'VE FOUND MY 4 YEAR OLDS STRAP IN CAR SEAT UNBUCKELED AT LEAST 6 TIMES IN THE PAST 4 YEARS. HAD WE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT RATHER THAN JUST A SUDDEN BRAKING MY DAUGHTER WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERLY INJURED.*AK
THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH GEN3 SEAT BELTS WHICH HAS A RELEASE BUTTON WHICH PROTRUDES FROM THE REST OF THE BUCKLE. THE BUTTON CAN BE ACCIDENTALLY Y BUMPED WHICH CAUSES THE BUCKLE TO RELEASE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE BUCKLE BUT THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS. *AK *NM
ALL SEAT BELTS IN 1998 DODGE CARAVAN POPPED OUT WHEN LATCHED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, UPON FRONTAL COLLISION THE INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT HARNESS CLIP UNSNAPPED FAILING TO RESTRAIN CHILD IN CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *PH
CONSUMER PAID FOR A REPAIR ON THE SEAT BELT AND LATER FOUND THAT THERE IS A REPAIR AND REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR SEAT BELT REPAIR. DRIVER SIDE REAR SEAT BELT LOCKED. MR *TS
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT AND CONSUMER WILL BE FORCED TO SLIDE OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS *TT
FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE DIFFERENT FROM DRIVER'S SEAT TO PASSENGER'S SEAT. BOTH HAVE TROUBLE GETTING THEM RELEASED, WHEN EXITING VEHICLE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT UNLOCK AND CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO SLIDE OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS...*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SEAT BELTS BECAME UNBUCKLED WITHOUT NOTICE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
WHIELE DRIVING 25MPH ANOTHER CAR HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FROM BEHIND AND SEAT BELT DID NOT CATCH ,CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES TO DRIVER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER CAR AND SEAT BELT DID NOT CATCH, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES TO DRIVER. *AK
TRIM MATERIAL ON THE SEAT BELT IS LOOSENING, AND IS CAUSING IT TO BE INOPERATIVE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
WHILE PROCEEDING TO MAKE A TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE PASSED THE INSURED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HIT THE INSURED'S VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO SPIN AROUND, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT ENGAGE AND THE PASSENGER WAS THROWN TO THE FLOOR, THE SEAT BELT WAS STILL AROUND THE PASSENGER WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A REST, THERE WERE 3 INJURIES.(CLAIM#52-2474-339)*JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH PLASTIC SOUND BURIER PATCH CAME LOOSE AND DROPPED INTO REAR OUT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY, CAUSING SEAT BELT NOT TO WORK. CONTACTED DEALER, RECALL ON THIS PART DOESN'T AFFECT CONSUMER DUE TO VIN. *AK
THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS REPLACED. THEN THE LEFT REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK
VEHICLE HAS NO ADJUSTABLE RESTRAINTS. THERE ARE HOLES PLANTED INSIDE OF VEHICLE FOR A HEADREST. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK THE MIDDLE AND REAR SEATS HAVE NO HEAD RESTRAINTS. *SLC
MY CARAVAN HAS BENCH SEATS THAT DO NOT HAVE HEADRESTS, BUT DO HAVE ATTACHMENT POINTS FOR THE HEADRESTS. I HAVE RECENTLY NOTICED (2 OR 3 WEEKS AGO) THAT MY DAUGHTER'S HEAD EXTENDS ABOVE THE TOP OF THE SEAT. IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, HER HEAD WOULD SNAP BACK OVER THE TOP OF THE SEAT. THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND FOUND THAT, WHEN I BOUGHT MY VAN, HEADRESTS WERE CONSIDERED ACCESSORIES, BUT ARE NOW STANDARD EQUIPMENT. I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE NOW STANDARD EQUIPMENT BECAUSE CHRYSLER REALIZED ITS POTENTIAL LIABILITY. THE APPROXIMATE COST OF 4 HEADRESTS IS $800. I E-MAILED CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS AND RECEIVED NEITHER SYMPATHY NOR SATISFACTION. IN MY LAST E-MAIL, I MENTIONED THE SAFETY ISSUE. THEY ARE NO LONGER ANSWERING MY E-MAILS. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THEY MAY BE RESPONSIBLE TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT. PLEASE HELP.
THE SAFETY SEATS IN MY VAN HAVE DEFECTIVE LATCH PLATES! THE LATCH PLATES THAT I'M REFERRING TOO IS THE PLATE THAT IS RIGHT AT THE CHILD'S ARMPIT LEVEL. THIS LATCH PLATE WHEN PULLED ON WILL PULL COMPLETELY APART. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS UNSAFE FOR MY SON TO RIDE IN. I HAVE READ A LOT ON CHILD SEAT SAFETY AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I VELIEVE THAT WITH THE KNOWLEDGE I HAVE IN THIS AREA THAT IN A CAR WREAK THIS LATCH PLATE WOULD PULL APART AND MY SON COULD BE VERY SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. HE WOULD PROBABLY BE THROWN BETWEEN THE TWO SHOULDER BELTS INSTEAD OF BEING HELD BETWEEN THEM. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO CHRYSLER AND THEY HAVE REPLACED MY BUCKLES 5 TIME. THEY DO NOT CONSIDER THIS TO BE A DEFECT YET I DO! I HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE MY SON A CENTURY CAR SEAT. ALL 5 OF THE BUCKLES THAT I WAS GIVEN ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY THINK A CHILD WOULD BE SAFE! I FEAR THAT THERE ARE OTHER CHILDREN RIDING IN THESE INTEGRATED CAR SEATS AND THERE PARENTS ARE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE LATCH PLATES AND THAT THERE CHILDREN ARE UNSAFE. I WOULD HATE TO SEE ANY CHILD HURT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF THE BUCKLES IF Y OU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I'LL BE GLAD TO GET THEM TO YOU!!! THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN! I APPRECIATE WHAT YOUDO TRYING TO KEEP THE ROADS AND OUR FAMILIES SAFE! *AK
THE GUIDES THAT THE REAR SEAT BELTS RUN THROUGH ARE "MELTING" SO THE REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT GO THROUGH THE GUIDES AS THEY SHOULD. WE HAVE STOPPED USING THEM BECAUSE THEY WOULD FAIL IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT RETRACT SECURELY ON A PASSENGER.*AK
VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED DRIVER TO HIT STEERING WHEEL DUE TO LACK OF RESTRAINT SUPPORT FROM SEAT BELT SYSTEM THAT WAS USED.*AK *SLC
THE SHOULDER BELT CLIP FOR CHILD SAFETY SEAT WHICH IS BUILT IN CAR IS DEFECTIVE. YH
PLASTIC WHICH IS AROUND THE BUCKLE ON THE INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT BROKE INTO TWENTY PIECES. *AK
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.
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