1998 Dodge Grand Caravan Seat belts Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 45 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH STRUCK THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT (THE CONTACT'S SEAT) SEPARATED FROM THE SEAT TRACK. THE CONTACT STRUCK THE SIDE DOOR AND WAS THROWN INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONTACT AND HE WAS THEN STRUCK BY THE SEAT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK. THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE WERE ALSO INJURED, AS THE FRONT PASSENGER'S FEET WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND TWO OF THE OCCUPANTS SUFFERED WHIPLASH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED FOR ALL THE INJURED OCCUPANTS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE AND THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. SEE ALSO 11004763. *DSY ..UPDATED 08/04/17 *BF UPDATED 10/11/2017*JS *JS *JS

NHTSA ID

11004775

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

180,000 mi

WHILE STOPPING AT A LIGHT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED IN A FIVE CAR COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, THE REAR SEAT BELT DISCONNECTED, CAUSING THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT TO FLY FORWARD, HITTING THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10074151

Incident

May 21, 2004

Mileage

122,000 mi

SEAT BELT COMPLAINT. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10016613

Incident

Apr 27, 2003

THE VEHICLES AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEAT BELT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IMPACTED IN THE REAR. *NLM *NLM

NHTSA ID

10011258

Incident

Dec 22, 2000

Mileage

70,000 mi

CONSUMER SAW A NEWS PROGRAM STATING THAT 1993-2002 GRAND CARAVANS HAVE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED FOR HER FAMILY'S SAFETY AND FEELS A RECALL SHOULD BE IN ORDER. *JG

NHTSA ID

10004560

THE FEMALE END OF THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IN THE INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY CRUMBLED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. WE ARE WORRIED THAT THE OTHER SEAT MAY HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. CHRYSLER SAYS THAT THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD BE MORE CONCERNED, ESPECIALLY SINE THE PROBLEM INVOLVES A CHILD SEAT. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS***770772

NHTSA ID

10006634

Incident

Oct 15, 2002

Mileage

80,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT REMAIN LATCHED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. TS SCC

NHTSA ID

10001097

Incident

Dec 2, 2002

THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT FOR THE BUILT IN CAR SEAT HAD BROKEN. IT WAS INSPECTED AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS A DEFECT FROM THE FACTORY. DAIMLER-CHRYSLER REFUSED TO FIX IT AT THEIR COST. *JG

NHTSA ID

566364

Incident

Jul 1, 2002

Mileage

78,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HARNESS STRAPS RECEPTACLE IS INOPERATIVE, UNABLE TO FASTEN BUCKLE. NLM

NHTSA ID

8019303

Incident

Jun 24, 2002

REAR SEAT BELTS ARE RELEASING INVOLUNTARILY. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND KNEW NOTHING OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER WILL REPLACE SEAT BELT WITH SAME EXACT STYLE INSTEAD OF USING ANOTHER KIND THAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AT OWNERS EXPENSE.*AK *TT

NHTSA ID

8009156

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

I WAS SITTING NEXT TO MY CHILD IN HIS CAR SEAT AND WAS PUTTING ON MY SEATBELT WHEN I BUMPED THE RELEASE LEVER TO HIS SEATBELT AND IT POPPED OPEN. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT UNTIL I HEARD ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OTHER DODGE/CHRYSLER VEHICLE OWNERS HAD BEEN HAVING WITH THEIR GEN-3 SEATBELTS. I THOUGHT THAT IF IT WAS THIS EASY TO RELEASE THE BELT, THEN THERE HAD TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. NLM

NHTSA ID

760843

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS GEN-3 SEAT BELTS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE NEW GEN-4 SEAT BELTS INSTALLED ASAP. THE GEN-3 SEAT BELTS ARE UNSAFE DUE TO ACCIDENTAL RELEASE. I WANT MY CAR TO BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE FOR MY FAMILY AND A POSSIBLE RELEASE DURING AN ACCIDENT IS NOT SAFE!*AK

NHTSA ID

759366

MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS THE GEN-3 SEATBELTS. AFTER SEEING THE INVESTIGATION ON ABC NEWS, I BUCKLED UP ON MY MINIVAN AND APPLIED SLIGHT UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE BELT AND BARELY TOUCHED THE RED SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTON WITH THE PALM OF MY HAND AND THE SEAT BELT EJECTED. I PROCEEDED TO DO THE SAME WITH THE REST OF THE SEAT BELTS BECAUSE I HAVE 2 CHILDREN AND WOULD NOT LIKE TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAVE THE SEAT BELTS EJECT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING HITTING THE RELEASE BUTTON. I THINK IF THE PALM OF MY HAND RELEASED THE BELTS, I REALLY DO NOT FEEL THAT MY FAMILY IS SECURE AT ALL IN THE GRAND CARAVAN. I HAVE TOLD CO-WORKERS THAT ALSO HAVE THESE TYPE OF SEAT BELTS AND ARE GOING TO PROCEED WITH A COMPLAINT. *AK

NHTSA ID

759267

Incident

Mar 9, 2002

VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE GEN-3 SEATBELT WHICH IS DEFECTIVE. ON AT LEAST 8 OCCASIONS MY SONS CAR SEAT HAS BECOME UNBUCKLED BECAUSE IF ANYTHING TOUCHES THE TOP OF THE BELT IT RELEASES. SO IF THE CAR SEAT SHIFTS AT ALL THE SEATBELT IS RELEASED AND OFTEN GOES UNNOTICED. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH BEFORE MANY PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED. *AK

NHTSA ID

759248

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

REQUEST RECALL TO REPLACE SEATBELTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

759123

Incident

Mar 8, 2002

BUCKLE ASSEMBLY FOR THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT IN LEFT-MIDDLE SEATING POSITION DEVELOPED STRESS CRACKS. CRACKS WERE DISCOVERED ONE MONTH AFTER CONSUMER TOOK POSSESSION OF VEHICLE. COMPONENT WAS REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP. *AK *YD

NHTSA ID

899112

Incident

Feb 1, 1999

THE CHILD SEAT PLASTIC BUCKLES HAVE WHITE STREAKS SHOWING IN THE PLASTIC AND APPEAR READY TO BREAK ON BOTH SEATS. MANUFACTURER STATES I AM NOT PART OF A RECALL BUT WILL NOT INVESTIGATE AND CONFIRM ISSUE WITH COVERED CORRECTION, IF NECESSARY.

NHTSA ID

754439

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE AND CALLED FIRE DEPT, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 35-W772-194. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900636

Incident

Nov 3, 2001

LEFT REAR ROW AND LEFT MIDDLE ROW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES LOCKED UP, AND REQUIRED CONSUMER TO CUT BELTS TO GET CHILDREN OUT OF VEHICLE. BOTH BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES LOCKED UP, AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

888714

Incident

Apr 1, 2001

HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 45,000 MILES, ALLOWING COOLANT TO FLOW OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED TO SPOOL OUT AND ALLOW THE OCCUPANT TO BUCKLE THE LATCH PLATE.*AK

NHTSA ID

743689

Incident

Feb 21, 1999

INTEGRATED SEAT BROKE AT THE LATCH PLATE BETWEEN LEGS. THERE'S A JAGGED PLASTIC PIECE THAT CAN INJURE CHILD. IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. VEHICLE'S MILEAGE IS OVER 36,000. CONSUMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COST.*AK

NHTSA ID

879044

Incident

Jan 2, 2001

BELT KEEPS COMING LOOSE FROM THE SYSTEM, IS EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE ALL THE TIME. I AM SURE THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AND IS THE MANUFACTURER GOING TO FIX IT? OR DO I GET STUCK FOR THE REPAIRS AGAIN? *AK

NHTSA ID

727914

Incident

Aug 13, 2000

DESIGN OF SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY CAUSES BELT BUCKLES TO BECOME DISLODGED WHEN VEHICLE HITS ROUGH ROAD.

NHTSA ID

544378

Incident

Jul 8, 1998