2014 Dodge Grand Caravan Brakes Problems

On 7/1/2023 my vehicle began to malfunction while driving - power was flickering with EMC drive error flashing. When this happened, I was at a complete stop in traffic, so I put it in park, then restarted. Everything seemed to be fine, but I was cautious. The same thing happened again, so I pulled into a parking lot and went inside a store for a few minutes. I got back in the car, started the vehicle, then before pulling out into traffic, the center console reported a flashing error again, so I put it in park and restarted again, put my hazard lights on, then pulled away. I was consciously trying to stay a few car lengths behind vehicles ahead because I was nervous about what was going on and just wanted to keep away from other vehicles. I made it to an intersection where there was a red light with 2 cars ahead of me. I began braking and decelerated to around 5 MPH and within 30 feet of the vehicle in front of me when the vehicle lost power to the brake. I don’t recall if the steering also went out. I hit the bumper of the car in front of me, and her car was pushed into the car in front of her. Fortunately, I did not sustain any injuries. My airbags did not go off. My confidence in this equipment is seriously affected. How will I know this will not happen again? I could have died or taken the lives of other people. I requested that the company MobilityWorks not make any repairs to the vehicle until they explain the origin of the problem. Instead they replaced parts and stated they could not replicate the problem--it took them 6+ months to return the vehicle to me & the headlights do not even work. They refuse to inform me of what the malfunction was but cite neglected vehicle maintenance. I can document consistent vehicle maintenance. I refuse to drive this vehicle as it is clearly compromised. They aren't being transparent and should be required by law to notify disabled individuals including veterans of this risk. These modified vehicles are death traps!

NHTSA ID

11568217

Incident

Jul 1, 2023

10/19/2019, VEHICLE STATIONARY: THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR CALIPER FROZE IN THE FULL-ON POSITION WHEN LIGHTLY USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I WAS JUST A MILE FROM HOME AND DROVE IT TO MY GARAGE (LESS THAT 30 MPH). IT WAS DANGEROUSLY HOT AND WOULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE AND MAJOR BREAKDOWN HAD I BEEN ON MY 18-HOUR FREEWAY COMMUTE. I JACKED UP THE REAR, REMOVED THE TIRE AND SAW THAT THE E-BRAKE SPRING HAD NOT RETURNED THE CALIPER TO THE BRAKE OFF POSITION. I WAS ABLE TO RETURN IT BY LIGHTLY TAPPING THE E-BRAKE LEVER TO THE OFF POSITION. AT THAT POINT THE BRAKE CALIPER MOSTLY WORKED AS IT SHOULD. HOWEVER, RE-APPLYING THE E-BRAKE WOULD AGAIN REFREEZE THE BRAKE TO FULL ON. I REPLACED WITH A MOPAR OEM CALIPER AND ALL IS WELL AGAIN. I SUSPECT THE E-BRAKE MECHANISM WITHIN THE CALIPER FAILED. ALL MY MILEAGE IS EXTENDED FREEWAY COMMUTING BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT STATE RESIDENCES. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS HAVE NEVER BEEN REPLACED AND STILL MEASURED 5/16' THICK. THE ORIGINAL REAR PADS HAD AT LEAST HALF THEIR LIFE SPAN AND I DID NOT REPLACE THOSE EITHER. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I FEAR USING THE E-BRAKE WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE CALIPER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR CANNOT TAKE THE LIMITED E-BRAKE USE WITHOUT FAILING.

NHTSA ID

11282884

Incident

Nov 19, 2019

Mileage

40,000 mi

BREAK BOOSTER IS BAD! I ALMOST COULDN'T STOP YESTERDAY AT A STOP LIGHT. CALLING AROUND FOR REPLACEMENT PART AND FINDING THAT THIS PART IS OUT OF STOCK OR ON BACKORDER!

NHTSA ID

11244377

Incident

Aug 15, 2019

Mileage

170,000 mi

MY BRAKES BEGIN FAILING ON SATURDAY 8/3/2019. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE BOOSTER ARE BAD ON THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN TO ME

NHTSA ID

11241687

Incident

Aug 3, 2019

Mileage

154,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING OVER 40 MPH, SUDDENLY BRAKES GET SPASTIC, THEY ARE TRYING TO BRAKE AS I AM DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY. THIS PROBLEM WORE OUT COMPLETELY THE BRAKES AND CALIPERS AT 18000 MILES. GOT NEW BRAKES (DODGE REGULATION) AND NOW SAME THING HAPPENED ON EXPRESSWAY WHILE DRIVING OVER 45MPH. I NEED TO DRIVE ON X-WAYS.

NHTSA ID

11082007

Incident

Feb 15, 2015

Mileage

2,000 mi

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2014 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH OUR THREE YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE CAR. WHEN THE BRAKES WENT SPONGY. IT SEVERELY IMPACTED HER ABILITY TO BRAKE SAFELY. SHE WAS DRIVING ON A CITY ROAD AT ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I TOOK THE VAN TO GOLLING CHYRSLER, DODGE JEEP DEALERSHIP HOPING THAT THEY WOULD COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. THE VAN IS NOT EVEN 3 YEARS OLD BUT IT HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT SO THERE REPLY WAS YOU SHOULD'VE BOUGHT AND EXTENDED WARRANTY. THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER WENT BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NOW THE DEALERSHIP AND WHEN I CALLED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING BASICALLY I SHOULD'VE BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. ALL OF THE INDEPENDENT SHOPS I CALLED AROUND FOR QUOTES SAID IT IS EXTREMELY RARE FOR A BRAKE BOOSTER TO GO BAD AND ALL SAID THEY'VE NEVER SEEN ONE GO BAD ON SUCH A NEW VEHICLE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND LOOKS LIKE FCA ISSUED A RECALL ON 2011-2014 DODGE DURANGO AND JEEP GRAND CHEROKEES FOR BAD BRAKE BOOSTERS. COINCIDENCE? I THINK NOT FROM WHAT I CAN FIND IT IS THE SAME PART!!!!!!! BEING FROM SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN I TRY TO BUY AMERICAN WITH THE BIG 3 BUT TIME AND TIME AGAIN I AM LET DOWN. SHOULD'VE BOUGHT A HONDA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10935466

Incident

Dec 10, 2016

Mileage

53,000 mi

WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO ENTER A PARKING LOT, THE CAR ENGINE STOPPED. THE POWER STEERING WENT AS DID THE BRAKES. I PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND STARTED THE CAR. SINCE THEN IT HAS RANDOMLY STOPPED AT LOW SPEED DOZENS OF TIMES, SLOWING FOR A RED LIGHT OR ENTERING A PARK LOT. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP 6 TIMES. 3 DIFFERENT ELECTRONIC MODULES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. IT STILL STALLS OUT.

NHTSA ID

10723828

Incident

May 1, 2014

Mileage

5,000 mi

I BOUGHT A DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2014 IN JANUARY 2014 NEW WITH 7 MILES ON IT. IN APRIL 2014, AT THE TOP OF A HILL, MY BRAKES WENT OUT, IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES ON IT. MY BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT WENT ON AND MY BRAKES DID NOT WORK. THEY TOOK THE VAN IN AND FOUND A PART DEFECT CAUSED IT - THE BRAKE DIAPHRAGM WAS DEFECTIVE. IF WE HAD BEEN GOING ANY FASTER WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10694338

Incident

Apr 16, 2014

Mileage

100 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WITHOUT WARNING, MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH/WARNING ALARMS SOUNDED. I IMMEDIATELY LOST BRAKES AND POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE DID NOTHING WHEN PUSHING ON GAS OR BRAKE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND SLOW THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. I TURNED IT OFF AND THEN WAS UNABLE TO START THE VAN. IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER, NOT EVEN TO ROLL UP THE WINDOWS. THE VAN SAT APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES WHILE WAITING FOR A TOW. AFTER THAT TIME, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VAN. THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINED ON AFTER STARTING THE VAN. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE 5 MILES TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP WITHOUT THE PROBLEM HAPPENING AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621569

Incident

Aug 11, 2014

Mileage

8,525 mi

WE WERE DRIVING 55MPH ON ROUTE 100 IN MARYLAND WHEN THE DRIVER'S KNEE BUMPED THE KEY AND THE IGNITION MOVED INTO THE OFF POSITION. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE CAR LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. WE TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR WHILE IT WAS STILL IN MOTION BUT IT DID NOT RESTORE THE POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. WE PULLED OVER AND PUT IT IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. WE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE SUCCESSFULLY. WE THEN REPRODUCED THE EVENT BY BUMPING THE DRIVER'S KNEE INTO THE KEY AGAIN WHILE PARKED, WITH THE SAME RESULTS. THIS WAS A RENTAL VAN FROM ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR IN COLUMBIA, MD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10605493

Incident

Jun 16, 2014

Mileage

17,488 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, HOWEVER, THE CONTACT COULD NOT RECALL WHAT THE REPAIR WAS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A CLUCKING NOISE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 639.

NHTSA ID

10577876

Incident

Mar 29, 2014

Mileage

639 mi