Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 28 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 28, in the owner's own words
The headlights and taillights come on randomly throughout the day and night while the car is parked and off. The warning dings for accidentally leaving your lights on happens every time you open the doors even though the lights are off. This has been going on since we got the vehicle.
LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN THE RAIN GETS UP UNDER THE CAR FROM SPLASHING ON THE ROAD. YOU HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN IT OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON SEVERAL TIMES AND IT STAYS ON FOR A SHORT TIME. PROCEDURE IS REPEATED AGAIN. ONLY IN RAINY WEATHER AND OREGON GETS A LOT OF SPORADIC RAIN. ALSO, THE IGNITION TENDS TO TURN THE AIRBAG LIGHTS ON AND OFF WHENEVER I TURN A CORNER LEFT OR RIGHT OF HIT A BUMP.
INTERMITTENT TURN SIGNAL OPERATION PROBLEM. RIGHT SIGNAL TURNS ON WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SIGNAL LEFT, HAVE TO THEN SWITCH TO RIGHT AND BACK TO GET LEFT TO TURN ON. HAPPENS WHILE IN OPERATION AND IN MOTION, CHECKED OUT FINE WHEN PARKED.
I AM HAVING A INTERMITTENT ISSUE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS, THEY ARE SHUTING OFF WHILE DRIVING AND ALTHOUGH CRYSLER HAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE HEAD LIGHT SWITHCH FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE MY VEHICLE VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS WARRANTY. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE A RECALL AS PEOPLE COULD BE IN DANGER OF CRASHING IF THIS HAPPENS AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO SEE.
THIS VEHICLE HAS A STALK ON THE STEERING COLUMN THAT CONTROLS THE WINDSHIELD WASHER, WIPER, AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE BRIGHT LIGHTS, AND THE TURNING SIGNALS. AROUND MAY. 2014 THE WASHER BEGAN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES IT WOULD WORK, SOMETIMES NOT. WIGGLING THE STALK WOULD SOMETIMES MAKE IT WORK. BY PULLING THE STALK TOWARD THE DRIVER, THE BRIGHT LIGHTS ARE SUPPOSE TO COME ON TEMPORARILY, UNTIL RELEASED. THEY STOPPED WORKING, ALSO ABOUT MAY, 2014. IT IS STILL WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, BUT NOW THE TURNING SIGNALS ARE ALSO AFFECTED, WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, OR EVEN PUTTING ON THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, WHEN THE SWITCH IS TURNED FOR A RIGHT TURN, OR RIGHT FOR LEFT. I AM AFRAID THAT THIS SWITCH IS DEFECTIVE, AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF IT DOES NOT WORK RELIABLY.
MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN TURNING ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE THE SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION.
THE PARKING LIGHTS TURN ON AND OFF RANDOMLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING, THE PARKING LIGHTS DON'T OPERATE PROPERLY USING THE LIGHT SWITCH--E.G. THE PARKING LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN TURNED OFF. CYCLING THE SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES CAN TURN THE PARKING LIGHTS OFF. OUR CAR WAS MANUFACTURED LATE IN DECEMBER 2005 ACCORDING TO DODGE. THIS APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO NHTSA ACTION # EA11010. DODGE HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY (HSA) UNDER WHAT SHOULD BE A LIFETIME WARRANTY. THE HSA HAS BEEN REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE AND THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE FIXED. WE SAVED THE DEFECTIVE PART. *TR
VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY TURN OFF EVEN THOUGH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS IN THE ON POSITION. HEADLIGHTS ARE ABLE TO BE TURNED BACK ON BY CYCLING THE SWITCH OFF AND ON MULTIPLE TIMES. SOMETIMES HEADLIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY EVEN THOUGH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH REMAINS IN THE ON POSITION. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ACCORDING TO A PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION BY YOUR ORGANIZATION. THE INVESTIGATION NUMBER EA11010. YOUR FINDINGS SHOWED THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING WITH THIS PARTICULAR MAKE MODEL AND YEAR OF VEHICLE. IT ALSO INDICATED THAT CHRYSLER CORPORATION WAS GOING TO INITIATE A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. IT INDICATED THAT THIS WAS GOING TO START SOMETIME IN EARLY 2013. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORPORATION SERVICE AND THEY INDICATE THAT THERE IS NO WARRANTY OR KNOWN PROBLEM ON THAT PARTICULAR HEADLIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY. WHEN I REFERRED THEM TO YOUR SITE AND THE PARTICULAR INVESTIGATION AND CONCLUSION IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE THEY INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NOT A KNOWN PROBLEM AND JUST BECAUSE IT WAS ON THE INTERNET DOES NOT MEAN THAT IS TRUE. THE IDENTIFIED ISSUE AND PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY WILL NOT BE TAKEN CARE OF UNDER WARRANTY ACCORDING TO CHRYSLER CORPORATION. THIS SEEMS TO BE IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH WHAT CHRYSLER CORPORATION TOLD YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO WHICH WAS TO PLACE THIS PART UNDER A LIFETIME WARRANTY BEGINNING SOMETIME EARLY 2013. *TR
MY SLIDING DOOR QUIT WORKING HALF WAY THRU CYCLE. MY POWER WENT DEAD IN DOORS AND LOCKS I TOOK IT TO THE DODGE DEALER THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM SAID IT WAS EITHER THE ECM OR THE BCM BUT NOT SURE. THEY DID NOT WANT TO REPLACE AS THEY WOULD JUST BURN OUT AGAIN IF THIS WAS THE PROBLEM AND STILL A SHORT SOMEWHERE IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. I DROVE IT HOME AND NEXT DAY WENT TO START IT AND THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE BATTERY AND ABOVE THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WELL BURST INTO FLAMES BURNING THE ENTIRE MAIN ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND ECM AND FUSE BOX UP. TOOK IT BY TOW TRUCK TO DODGE DEALER AGAIN THEY SAID LOOKS LIKE WIRING HARNESS WAS WORN THROUGH WHERE IT WAS FASTENED TO THE FRAME AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT. CALLED DODGE AND THEY SAID THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE SUPPOSE TO SEND AN INSPECTOR AND NO ONE SHOWED UP IT HAS BEEN OVER A WEEK AND NO HELP FROM DODGE OR THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CHRYSLER STATING IT WAS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT YEAH RIGHT!! *TR
THE HEADLIGHTS FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY WITH THE SWITCH AND ALSO TURN OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING EVEN THOUGH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH REMAINS ON. TURNING THE SWITCH ON AND OFF MULTIPLE TIMES SOMETIMES WILL CAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS TO TURN BACK ON BUT NOT ALWAYS. SOMETIMES THE HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN BACK ON BY THEMSELVES. *TR
2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE 72900 MI. TURN STALK INOPERATIVE SIGNALLING LEFT HAND TURN THOUGH 4 WAY FLASHER WORKS; SO IT IS NOT THE FLASHER. RIGHT TURN PHASE WORKS. INTERMITTENT FAILURE. WILL REPORT TO CHRYSLER 18009921997. DEALER REFUSED TO FIX, NOT RECALLED. THIS IS THE SECOND DGC WITH A TURN STALK FAILURE I HAVE OWNED, OTHER WAS 1999 DGC. CHRY. DOES KNOW ABOUT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILURE AND REPLACED FREE. *TR
WE WERE DRIVING ALONG AND THE HEADLAMPS RANDOMLY TURNED OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WE JIGGLED THE SWITCH AND THEY CAME BACK ON. THIS NOW HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. *TR
HEADLIGHTS SPONTANEOUSLY EXTINGUISH WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. INITIAL ACTIVATION OF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH SPORADICALLY FAILS TO ACTIVATE HEADLIGHTS, OR ACTIVATION IS DELAYED BY SEVERAL SECONDS. TOGGLING THE SWITCH WILL OCCASIONALLY RETURN FUNCTION TO THE HEADLIGHTS. THESE INCIDENTS OCCUR DAILY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD UNEXPECTEDLY STOP ILLUMINATING AT NIGHT AND WOULD NOT BEGIN FUNCTIONING AGAIN FOR A FEW HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE CONSUMER STATED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON WHEN SHE USED THE SWITCH TO TURN THEM ON. THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, SHE NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT ON, BUT WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, THEY CAME BACK ON. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON AT ALL AFTER TOGGLING THE SWITCH. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA11-010) UPDATED 03/29/12
WHEN I GOT TO WORK AND WENT TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF. THE LIGHTS SHUT OFF BUT IT KEPT DINGING LIKE THEY WERE STILL ON. I TURNED THE SWITCH ON THEN OFF AGAIN AND IT STILL KEPT DINGING AND THE SMALLER HEADLIGHTS CAME ON AND DIDN'T SHUT OFF AFTER I HAD SHUT OFF LIGHTS. I HAD TO GO BACK AND DO THE SAME THING WITH THE LIGHT SWITCH AND THEN THEY FINALLY SHUT OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS. *TR
THE SLIDING PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS NO LONGER LOCK AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHILE DRIVING. THEY HAVE TO BE LOCKED MANUALLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WITH CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT, THEY CAN NOW OPEN THE DOORS WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING IF AN ADULT FORGETS TO LOCK THEM. THE LIFT GATE IN THE BACK NO LONGER CHIMES WHEN OPENING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. SOMEONE CAN GET WHACKED WITH THE DOOR, NOT KNOWING THAT IT IS ABOUT TO OPEN. THE PARKING LIGHTS STAY ON OR COME ON SPONTANEOUSLY AFTER THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN TURNED OFF. THIS IS A PROBLEM. VERY EASY FOR THE OWNER TO COME OUT IN THE MORNING TO A DEAD BATTERY AND A CAR THAT WON'T START. SOME OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE HEADLIGHTS CUTTING OUT WHILE DRIVING, A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
PRESS DOWN ON TURN SIGNAL STALK AND THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL COMES ON. PRESS UP ON TURN SIGNAL STALK AND LEFT BLINKER COMES ON. SOMETIMES NEITHER TURN SIGNAL WILL WORK AT ALL WHEN TURN SIGNAL STALK IS PUSHED UP OR DOWN. *KB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WERE DEFECTIVE AND WOULD ONLY FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OPPOSITE TURN SIGNAL WOULD ILLUMINATE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO OPERATE THE TURN SIGNALS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE AMONG HIS VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000. UPDATED 08/31/11 *BF THE DEALER REPLACED THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBL. UPDATED 09/09/11
INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE ON 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. UPON TURNING ON HEADLIGHTS, THEY OCCASIONALLY DON'T WORK. THEY INTERMITTENTLY FAIL COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT NOTICE OR PROVOCATION RESULTING IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS WELL KNOWN PROBLEM CONCERNING OTHER YEARS OF THESE VEHICLES ON INTERNET FORUMS. THERE ARE NO KNOWN REASONS FOR THE PROBLEM. I'VE ASKED MY MECHANIC AND A DODGE DEALER AND THEY BOTH SAY IT'S A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITHOUT ANY ANSWERS. *TR
APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES OVER THE LAST 3 YRS. THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY VAN HAVE MALFUNCTIONED. ABOUT 6 OF THOSE 10 TIMES THE PROBLEM WAS THAT I COULDN'T GET THE LIGHT TO TURN ON. THE OTHER TIMES, I COULDN'T GET THEM TO TURN OFF. WHEN THE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING THE ONLY WAY TO SEE WAS TO MANUALLY HOLD THE LEVER TO TURN THE BRIGHTS ON AND DRIVE WITH ONE HAND ON THE WHEEL AND THE OTHER ON THE LEVER. AS FAR AS THE LIGHTS NOT TURNING OFF, I HAD TO MANIPULATE THE SWITCH BY TURNING IT OFF AND ON AND PULLING IT OUT TO THE FOG LIGHT POSITION AS WELL AS BANG ON THE DASH TO GET THE LIGHTS TO TURN OFF. *TR
SOMETIMES MY HEADLIGHTS TURN ON SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. THE SWITCH IS FINE AND THE FUSES ARE GOOD. *TR
THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2006 DODGE CARAVAN HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENT ON A HALF DOZEN OCCASIONS SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW. IN ALL INSTANCES, BY JIGGLING (TURNING ON/OFF) THE SWITCH, I HAVE GOTTEN THE LIGHTS BACK ON. THE LAST INCIDENT WAS ON 01/25/2010 COMING HOME IN A SNOWY (WHITE OUT) CONDITIONS IN IOWA AND MY LIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY. I WAS ABLE TO GET THEM BACK ON IN A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD, ETC., BECAUSE OF THE SNOWY WHITE OUT CONDITIONS. COULD VERY WELL HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT OF MAJOR INJURY. I SEE MANY POSTS ON THE INTERNET RELATED TO THIS SAME PROBLEM ON VARIOUS DODGE/CHRYSLER MINI VANS OF VARIOUS YEARS.*CW
HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENT ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS. WHEN YOU TURN THE SWITCH ON, HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ALWAYS ACTIVATE. NO INJURIES, NO ACCIDENTS, BUT COULD CAUSE A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT BY NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE, OR TO BE SEEN. ONCE THE PROBLEM WAS RECOGNIZED, IN EACH INSTANCE, BY PLAYING WITH THE SWITCH, THE LIGHTS EVENTUALLY WOULD COME ON. FIRST INSTANCE WAS PROBABLY IN 2007, LATEST IN 2009 ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *TR
2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH HEADLIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY (WILL NOT TURN ON, OR MAY GO OFF WHILE DRIVING, OR MAY FLICKER WHILE DRIVING). THESE ARE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES BECAUSE IT IS INTERMITTENT AND DRIVER CAN NOT ALWAYS TELL IF LIGHTS ARE OUT WHILE DRIVING. CAR IS USED FREQUENTLY AND PROBLEMS OCCUR AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. DODGE SERVICE RECOMMENDED REPLACING FRONT CONTROL MODULE AND POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE ($900 PARTS AND LABOR) BUT COULD NOT PROMISE THIS WOULD CORRECT THE ISSUE SO NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO DATE. *TR
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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