1996 Dodge Grand Caravan Seat belts Problems

THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT,IN WHICH THE STRAPS WERE LOOSE, AND DID NOT RETRACT WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. *JB SCC

NHTSA ID

10012100

Incident

Mar 1, 2003

INTERNAL MECHANICAL FAILURE OF INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT, RIGHT HAND SIDE. THE CABLE ASSEMBLY IN THE SEAT MODULE HAS FAILED. THIS CABLE ASSEMBLY LOCKS THE RETRACTABLE SHOULDER BELTS. THE CABLE HOOKS DIRECTLY TO THE LATCH PLATE AND WHEN THE BELT BUCKLE IS CONNECTED TO THE LATCH PLATE THE PLATE'S FORWARD MOVEMENT PULLS THE CABLE CAUSING THE SHOULDER BELT'S RETRACTOR TO LOCK. THIS CABLE CONNECTION HAS SEPARATED FROM THE LATCH PLATE (CABLE END IS ALSO FRAYED WITH THREE STRANDS LEFT ON IT'S END), RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELTS, RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY UNLOCKABLE. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION FOR ANY CHILDS LIFE IF VEHICLE IS IN AN ACCIDENT AND SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT RESTRAIN THE CHILD IN THE SEAT LIKE IS SUPOSSED TO. LEFT HAND ICSS ALSO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT CUSHION PIVOT FRAME WHICH IS TWISTED AT LEFT ATTACHED POINT. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO WARRANTY COVERAGE. THAT THE SEAT MODULES NEED TO BE REPLACED AND COSTS ON AN ESTIMATE OF $1,300+. I, REFUSE TO PAY ANY AMOUNT WHEN MY GUT FEELING IS THAT CHRYSLER HAS PUT OUT THESE ICSS WHICH ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM I'M HAVING NOW FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. CHRYSLER ON 01/02/03 TOLD ME THAT IF I PAY THE FIRST $800+ THAT THEY WOULD PAY THE REMAINING DIFFERENCE. NOW, TO ME THIS IS LIKE SAYING YES, WE KNOW WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THESE ICSS SO WE ARE WILLING TO HELP. WELL, AFTER READING SO MANY LIKE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE ICSS, I FEEL THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD REALIZE THAT EVERY TIME A CHILD IS PLACED IN THEIR "CHRYSLER" ICSS THAT THE CHILD'S LIFE IS IN THEIR HANDS. THEY NEED TO OWN-UP TO FLAWS OF ENGINEERING AND FIX THESE SEATS SO THAT WE THE CUSTOMER CAN TRUST IN THEIR PRODUCT.. ANY INFORMATION YOU COULD PROVIDE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. RESPECTFULLY, SEVERINO L. RODRIGUEZ

NHTSA ID

10000697

Incident

Dec 31, 2002

THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT ALL OF THE VEHICLES SEAT BELT LATCHES ARE UNSAFE AND IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE SEATBELT UNLATCHES TO EASILY. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *TS *NLM

NHTSA ID

8023800

Incident

Dec 5, 2002

WHILE DRIVING THRU MY NEIGHBORHOOD I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES TO AVOID A CAR BACKING OUT OF ITS DRIVEWAY WITHOUT THEM LOOKING. MY 2 YEAR OLD ALONG WITH HER CAR SEAT CAME FORWARD AND SHE HIT HER HEAD ON THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS SEAT. I HAD JUST CHECKED THAT HER CAR SEAT WAS TIGHT EARLIER. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A DEFECT FROM THE GEN 3 SEAT BELT. I FEEL EITHER HER OWN CAR SEAT OR THAT OF HER BROTHER NEXT TO HER RUBBED ON THE RELEASE BUTTON. WHO KNOWS HOW LONG I MAY HAVE DRIVEN WITHOUT HER CARSEAT BEING BELTED IN IF THIS INCIDENT HADN'T HAPPENED. SOMETHING MUCH WORSE COULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY. DT

NHTSA ID

770183

Incident

Oct 20, 2002

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, IN WHICH THE REAR SEAT BELTS BECAME DISLODGED, NOT SECURING THE INSURED'S CHILDREN IN THEIR CAR SEATS, THERE WERE 4 INJURIES.(CLAIM#25-5524-222)*JB

NHTSA ID

6901117

Incident

May 22, 2001

RED RELEASE BUTTONS ON VEHICLE IS SITUATED HIGHER THAN THE BUCKLE. WHEN PASSENGERS' ELBOWS HIT BUCKLE IT RELEASES. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK

NHTSA ID

8006988

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

759588

Incident

Mar 17, 2002

VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 3O-35MPH AND DRIVER'S SEAT BELT CAME UNBUCKLED DURING IMPACT. SEAT BELT RETRACTED AND WAS CAUGHT AROUND PASSENGER'S NECK. CHRYSLER HAS VEHICLE CURRENTLY.*AK

NHTSA ID

8002109

BATTERY CRACKED AND LEAKED ACID INTO WIRING COVER AND AIR CLEANER HOUSING CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO START, BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND BEGAN TO LEAK AGAIN APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS LATER, SEVEN MONTHS LATER THE BATTERY HAD TO BE BOOSTED TO START VEHICLE, AGAIN DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY, BATTERY WAS REPLACED A FOURTH TIME ALONG WITH A FAULTY STARTER. *SLC

NHTSA ID

562605

Incident

Oct 7, 1997

CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE SMOKING, VEHICLE STARTED TO HAVE FLAMES COME OUT, CONSUMER HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT VEHICLE IDLING FAST AND DEALER COULD NOT FIND CAUSE, CLAIM 52-2509-400. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900644

Incident

Aug 5, 2001

THE CABLE ON MY INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT FAILED. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT BUT IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO LATCH FOR A WHILE. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE LATCH PLATE. THERE WERE NO OBSTICLES IN THAT AREA AND EVEN THE DEALERSHIP AGREED THAT IT IS A BROKEN CABLE. MY SEAT IS PROBABLY THE OLDEST OF THESE INTEGRATED SEATS AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THE CABLE WOULD WEAR AND JUST BREAK ON SEATS THAT ARE BUILT IN. DODGE HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE NECESSARY PART IF I PAY FOR THE LABER. THE TOTAL COST IS ABOUT $650 OF WHICH I WILL HAVE TO PAY ABOUT $120. I'M CONCERNED THAT OTHERS MAY ALSO BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. IT ALSO OCCURS TO ME THAT IF MY CABLES SNAPPED WHEN THERE WAS NO CRASH WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THERE WAS A CRASH. MAYBE THESE SEATS WERE SAFE WHEN THEY WERE NEW BUT ARE THE NOW?

NHTSA ID

743469

Incident

Mar 30, 2001

BUILD IN CHILD SEAT LOCATED IN MIDDLE BENCH. BCKLES LATCH AND SHOULDER STRAPS WILL NOT TIGHTEN AND LOCK. THE DANGER IS NOT IMMEDIATELY APPARENT SINCE THE BUCKLE STILL LATCHES. *AK

NHTSA ID

883357

Incident

Oct 1, 1999

MIDDLE 2 SEATS ARE BUILD-IN CCS, AND THE BELT BUCKLE DO NOT LATCH ON EITHER ONE.*AK

NHTSA ID

883275

Incident

Oct 1, 1999

THE STRAPS TO THE SAFETY SEAT DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY TO HOLD THE CHILD SECURELY. THERE SHOULD BE ANOTHER PIECE TO KEEP THE CHILD FROM SEPARATING THE STRAPS AND GETTING OUT OF THE SEAT. ALSO THE CHILD IS ABLE TO RELEASE THE SAFETY SEAT EXTENSIONS WHICH WERE INSTALLED TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHEN THE SAFETY SEATS WERE RECALLED.

NHTSA ID

741985

CHILD SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT RETRACK WHILE CHILD WAS LOCKED IN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INOFRMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

879676

RECALL 98V2185000; DEALER DID NOT GIVE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PROPERLY CLEAN THE BUCKLE . PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED BY REMEDY OF RECALL. THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED, AND THE CLIPS WERE NOT EASILY REMOVED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

875496

REAR SEAT SHOULDER BELTS HAVE BROKEN AWAY FROM ITS HOUSING MOUNT. THIS OCCURRED AFTER THE SHOULDER STRAPS WERE USED WITH CAR SEATS. DELAER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

873154

DAY CARES VEHICLE USED TO TRANSPORT CHILDREN HAS A INTEGRAL CHILD SEAT. HARNESS STRAP TIGHTENS UP & IS VERY HARD TO RELEASE. IT APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, IT COULD BE TIME CONSUMING & DANGEROUS TO THE CHILD TRYING TO GET THEM OUT. DEALER HASN'T RESPONDED TO THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

872744

Incident

Sep 25, 2000

INTRGRATED CHILD SEAT BUCKLE BROKE, PREVENTING BELT FROM LOCKING IN THE HOUSING MECHANISM. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER STATED THAT ENTIRE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

863461

CHILD TRAPPED IN SEAT UNABLE TO RELEASE CHILD RESTRAINT. *AK

NHTSA ID

722601

Incident

Mar 1, 1999

THE BUILT-IN CSS HARNESS LATCH PLATE IS BROKEN. IT FAILS TO STAY LOCKED IN THE BUCKLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED NO WARRANTY ON BUILT-IN CSS. WOULD NEED TO REPLACE ENTIRE SEAT IN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

858530

Incident

Feb 4, 2000

LEFT SIDE INTERGRATED CSS BELTS NO LONGER STAY TIGHT WHEN BUCKLED. ONCE BUCKLED AND PULL ON BELTS, THEY WILL RELEASE. CHILD IS NO LONGER SECURE. DEALER SAYS TO FIX, PART ALONE (WHOLE NEW ICSS MODULE) WILL BE $409. VERY UNREALISTIC PRICE WHEN FOR $100 CAN EASLIY BUY A CAR SEAT . HAVE TWO CHILDREN STILL USING BOTH ICSS. DO NOT FEEL ICSS SHOULD HAVE FAILED AFTER 3 1/2 YEARS OF USE AND THEN BE SO UNREASONABLE TO FIX. *AK

NHTSA ID

716609

THE BUILT-IN CHILD SEAT GETS STUCK WITH THE CHILD IN THE SEAT AND WHEN THE SEATS ARE CLOSE AND THEN A CHILD CANT GET IN THEM. CHRYSLER DID A RECALL AND INSTALLED A SAFTY CLIP TO ADDRESS GETTING THE CHILD OUT. BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES THAT YOU CANT USE THE SEAT WHEN THE GET STUCK IN THE CLOSED POSITION SO YOU CANT PUT A CHILD IN THE SEAT. ALSO NOTE CHRYSLER HAS CHANGE THE MECHINISM ON NEWER VANS. THEY GAVE A AN ESCAPE ROUTE NOT A FIX TO THE PROBLEM OF THE BELTS GETTING STUCK DUE TO FOOD FALLING IN THE LOCK AREA. REMEBER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A CHILD SEAT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REPORT I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES TO UNLOCK THE SEAT BELTS WHEN THE GET STUCK PERMINANTLY CLOSED. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO CALL CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE WHICH I CALL OVER 25 TIME AT THE DEALERSHIP, AND FROM MY HOME AND WORK ONLY TO RECEIVE A BUSY SIGNAL EVERY TIME. I ASK THE DEALERSHIP TO CALL SINCE THEY GAVE ME THE NUMBER AND THEY DECLINED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED ON THIS CHILD SEAT SYSTEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

715466

Incident

Oct 30, 1996

CHILD SEAT REPLACEMENT DOES NOT RECOIL

NHTSA ID

713235

BOTH INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEATS CAUSE CHILDS' LEGS TO FALL ASLEEP. IN ONE CASE, CHILD SUSTAINED NERVE DAMAGE . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

844873

Incident

Aug 11, 1997