Dodge Caravan fire or smoke problems

Filed Sep 22, 2020 · Electrical · 188,000 miles · OH · fire

Tl* the contact owned a 2008 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated that her vehicle was in the driveway parked when a neighbor notified that the vehicle was on fire. The contact discovered that the front driver side door went up in flames. The fire department was contacted and extinguished the fire. A fire department and police report were made filed. No injuries were sustained. The fire department deemed the vehicle a totaled loss. The contact mentioned the federal safety agency campaign number: 10v235000 (electrical system) as a possible solution to the failure. However, the VIN was not included in the recall. No dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 188,000.

Filed Apr 28, 2018 · Fuel system, Seat belts · 121,000 miles · IN

Something wrong with my gas tank, it always stops me even if it's halfway. The driver seat belt doesn't stay well. The holes where the engine always comes off and there's a lot of smoke coming out. The headliner is coming off and there's like a sand falling to my kids. The break is not that strong

Filed Apr 26, 2017 · Electrical · NY · fire

The elterice proublems with the drivers controll switch too open an close the windows , has it been know too catch on fire an make all the lights on the dash board go on an off now an then .lucky we just'd started up the van too warn up an all then sudden we notice the drivers contorll switch was on fire .

Filed Apr 17, 2017 · Electrical, Fuel system · 242,000 miles · TN · fire

Fuel wiring harness is to close to exhaust caused melting of wires while going down the road. I noticed a burning smell in the cabin of caravan. It happened approx. A mile from my house at approx 45mph and a strong odor of gas was noticeable. This is a serious issue that needs to be corrected. Vehicle began to stall coming up drive way. We still have the caravan but have parked it. We believe when the melting occurred it caused other possible issues and are scared to have it fixed, not knowing what other issues this may have caused that we will not know until we are going down the road, it's not a risk I'm willing to take...especially with gas being flammable and shortening of fuel electrical wires. That's a fire in the making, it's not worth risking our lives or anyone else's on road. I have seen several other complaints on review pages and mechanics blogs/posts. This seems to be a continuing issue that has not been addressed. I have seen that other year models were recalled due to the same issue but not the 2003 dodge caravan sport. Can you please investigate this matter? It could be a simple fix by moving wires away from exhaust but you are unaware that, it's a issue, until it happens. Because it not a visible harness that you can see just by raising hood.it's only when you have problems that you really get to looking and that's when you see it melted and burned with strong odor coming out from under hood when we checked it. Also catalytic converter was hot this should not be a consumer expense when it happens. Due to wires to close to exhaust it seems to be a issue for dodge, since this is due to their fault and not the consumer, dodge should be held accountable for cost when fuel harness wires melts and any further damage caused by the wires shortening out . This is a dangerous/serious issue that I hope can be addressed soon...before a life is lost.

Filed Jan 23, 2017 · Electrical, Engine · 69,000 miles · WA · fire

3 yrs ago, fire in engine compartment while I was driving. Could not open doors windows or engine hood. I did have window down when this occurred. Just last week a woman in a car (type not known-) in spokane was trapped and had to be rescued when her car caught fire and she couldn't open door or window. She was lucky a cop busted a window and dragged her out. This is a spooky thing if all cars are like that in a fire.car had died in street.mine ignited at stop light. You have a very hidden problems in these plastic cars. If mine had happened a day later then there could have been a loss of seven young children that were going on a trip along with my daughter who was driving. Scary and no one seems concerned.

Filed Sep 26, 2016 · Electrical · 135,000 miles · TX · fire

The switch housing in the drivers door that controls the windows on my 2008 dodge caravan caught fire when my daughter rolled down her window on the passenger side. I was driving down the road at the time and was only a couple of blocks from the house. Dodge has recalled the 2010-2014 models with the 3rd row electric vent windows which my vehicle also has. I reported the incident to fca, the parent company of dodge, and was told I would receive a call from their investigative unit in 48hrs. That was more than a week ago. Multiple calls later and they still have not bothered to call me back.

Filed Apr 1, 2016 · Electrical · 57,000 miles · NY · fire

Spontaneous combustion - while stopped at a trafficlight -- of the driver-side switchbox that controls the windows, doorlocks & outside mirrors. Flames erupted from the armrest making escape from vehicle difficult. Fdny was called & extinguished the fire. This happened early friday morning/snowing. Insurance company examined car & authorized repair. Chrysler sent an engineering safety inspector who had vehicle towed to a dodge dealership where investigation was performed. We received a "safety recall notice" [ p25/the federal safety agency 14v‑234] later that same day. Chrysler has ignored my calls & live-chats for the past month. Dealership still has the vehicle but can't get a response from chrysler either. Incident occurred 4 weeks ago! Have been forced to rent a replacement vehicle -- at my expense -- for transportation purposes.

Filed Feb 4, 2016 · Electrical · 40,000 miles · NJ · fire

Tipm electrical fire while van was parked. Started after pushing the door lock on my key fob. Chrysler sent an independent adjuster out on 2/2/16. Have not heard from chrysler yet. This is the 2nd time my van has had an electrical fire. 1st time was october 2014 - had to replace entire electrical system in the van. I saved the 2 boxes worth of burned harnesses/parts just in case. I paid $6,000 out of pocket last time. Fire department came and disconnected battery and fuse box. No flames or injuries.

Filed Mar 16, 2015 · Body, Fuel system · 97,000 miles · CA · crash · fire · 2 injuries

9/8/2008 I was traveling on ir80 & I must of swerved a bit & the van struck a dot paddle marker @ humboldt mile marker 45 in nevada. The van became engulfed in flames & overturned sideways at least 4 times. My mother & father parrished as a result of this accident, burned so much they couldn't recognize their gender. My wife & I escaped with her getting severely burned about 76% & I about 68%, we was transported to humboltd hospital then air transported to u of u burn center salt lake city utah where she spent about 7 months in ccu burn unit & I about 3 months. The marker post was uprooted & struck the undercarriage of the van & detached the fuel line then punctured the cross member & depositing the fuel line in the hole the fire started then we overturned with a series of explosions. A mechanic explained the severed fuel line was a return line from the evap.canister to the fuel tank & that the fuel system stayed at 49 psi being fed by an electric fuel pump I remember driving speaking with my father, my wife & mom was sleeping in the back seat then I woke up on fire trying to escape the wreckage, I hollered @ my wife & I rolled out of the van. My wife checked mom she was dead then another explosion blew my wife to the front seat between where my dad & I sat, she grabbed dad but he wouldn't come cause of mom. Two people moved my wife after my father shoved her out. I started back to the van when another explosion engulfed my father. I dropped to my knees & told a bystander I just killed my mother & father. My children & family hired a big time lawyer & it was looking good until chrysler filed for bankruptcy & cleared them from all lawsuits prior to their bankruptcy. My lawyer had to walk away with a $30,000 loss, she was 44 & I was 48 years old prime time of our life we still battle health issues from the burns & never got a red cent from chrysler.

Filed Mar 16, 2015 · Brakes, Wheels · 100,400 miles · AR

While driving one day, out of the blue my can would not go over 25 to 30 MPH. It would shake violently if we went faster. We got it to the mechanic and the brakes had almost caught on fire. It ruined one tire and the brakes and calipers. The mechanic said that this should have never happened. It was extremely dangerous. I reported it to dodge. They said it had never happened. I want to make sure that it does get reported. I feel like I should be compensated for this. They said that there was nothing they could do since it never actually caught on fire. Really?