1999 Dodge Caravan: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed May 9, 2012 · Electrical · 145,000 miles · VA · fire

My parents van. A couple of days before this happened I tried to start it and all it did was click. I tried to start it again and it started right up. I turned it back off and tried to start it again,same thing happened. All it did was click. I then tried to start it again and it started right up. We drove to town with no further issues that day. The next day it started right up. We drove about eighty miles to my sisters house. When we came out to leave in the evening. I started the van and it started right up,but it was making a rattling noise that I could just barely hear over the engine noise. I turned the van off,but something was still running. The starter was still engaged with the engine and running. I turned the key back on and the engine started again. I turned the engine off again and the same thing happened. The starter stayed running. I attempted to drive two hundred yards to my sisters garage to get pliers. I realized I probably did not have enough time to get to her garage before the starter burnt up. I ran in the house leaving the van running. By the time I got back to the van and got the hood open the starter was starting to smoke and make a real bad winning noise. My wife got a fire extinguisher. I pulled the negative battery cable. By the time that I got the cable off the starter was already burnt up and starting to catch fire. Their was so much smoke. I have know doubt that if I had not gotten the battery cable disconnected when I did that the van would have gone up in flames. The other bad thing was that it was sitting next to my sisters house and that would have gone up in flames with it. I am just glad that it did not happen when my seventy five year old parents were driving it,because I believe that the van would have defiantly caught fire and they would not have known what to do fast enough. This year make and model needs to be recalled before someone gets killed. Thanks.

Filed Aug 30, 2004 · Fuel system · 66,454 miles · GA · fire · 1 injury

Vehicle was sluggish on take off quite often..could smell fuel odor in and around vehicle . After cranking vehicle ,,the vehicle caught on fire.burning itself and during ,there were several explosions that came from the vehicle..both from the engine compartment and in passenger area.all within approximately 45 minutes .my husband was burned on his lower leg attempting to put out flames. Our house was damaged from the flames along with other property..we see this vehicle as being a potential death trap..especially possible in a car accident where some one could be seriously injured, and waiting for help. This van is made for familys with kids.as we have 3 kids and a toddler.. It was designed as a 7 passenger vehicle..as we were told by the dealers at dodge that this was an exceptionally safe vehicle and perfect for a family with 2 to 4 kids...we find now ,that we were lied to.and was never told of any recall on this vehicle..or any dangers of this vehicle being suseptable to being a fire hazard.we were never told that these vans had ever had any type of problem..and did not suspect .our children were in constant danger even being near this van,.for we found it would catch on fire in an instant..without warning...nothing was ever done to this vehicle to correct the problem..and we were never warned in any way or form that these dodge caravans had a history of fuel leaks or were fire hazards waiting to happen...

Filed Jun 3, 2003 · Electrical · GA · fire

Wiring harness is bad on vehicle.vehicle caught on fire.

Filed Jan 17, 2002 · Electrical · MI · fire

Vehicle was parked in driveway when it caught on fire due to electrical problems, claim 22-v529-255.

Filed Jan 17, 2002 · Engine · MI · fire

While driving, a police car notified consumer that the vehicle was on fire, fire department broke the windshield to put out the fire, claim 22-v687-499.