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2019 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN — SERVICE BRAKES

crash2 injured · 1582541 · 2019-07-10

Vehicle

Make
DODGE
Model
GRAND CARAVAN
Year
2019
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
SERVICE BRAKES
Miles at failure
3,500
Speed
30 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
2
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
Yes

Narrative

WHILE TRAVELING AROUND 30MPH, BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN A "PANIC STOP" FASHION - FAST HARD DEPRESSION. THE ROAD WAS STRAIGHT, CLEAN AND DRY. VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT AND THE VIEW WAS CLEAR FOR ABOUT A HALF MILE. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED IT FELT AS THOUGH THE ABS SYSTEM INTERFERED WITH BRAKING, CAUSING NO ACTUAL FORCE TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKES. NO DECELERATION WAS FELT BY THE DRIVER, OR ANY OF THE OTHER TWO PASSENGERS. ALTHOUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FULLY DEPRESSED, THE VAN CONTINUED AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 35MPH FOR AN ADDITIONAL 70-80 FEET WITHOUT SLOWING, AND WAS STOPPED ONLY BY THE VEHICLE IT EVENTUALLY STRUCK. DISTINCTIVE INJURIES ON THE DRIVER'S LEG CREATED BY THE DEBRIS OF THE DASH PANEL ALSO REFLECT THAT THE LEG AND FOOT WERE ALIGNED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOT "ELSEWHERE". ALTHOUGH THIS MODEL HAS A SAFETY RECALL REGARDING "SURFACE COATING" AFFECTING THE BRAKING ABILITY, THIS VIN WAS NOT IMPLICATED. ALSO, THIS INCIDENT DID NOT APPEAR TO INVOLVE "REDUCED" BRAKING ABILITY. THERE WAS NO BRAKING. OTHER CAUSES ARE POSSIBLE, BUT THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THE BEHAVIOR OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM BEHAVED WOULD BE TO DESCRIBE IT AS THOUGH THE ABS HAD DISENGAGED ALL BRAKING ABILITIES SO THAT THE PEDAL HAD SOME FEEDBACK TO THE DRIVER, BUT NO DISCERNIBLE EFFECT ON SLOWING THE VEHICLE. IT WAS AS THOUGH THE ABS SOMEHOW TURNED THE BRAKES OFF. CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS A RENTAL VEHICLE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY SPECIFIC WARRANTY SERVICE *AND* THAT THE WARRA

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
11230645
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown