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2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN — SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

crash2 injured · 574966 · 2006-03-07

Vehicle

Make
DODGE
Model
GRAND CARAVAN
Year
2003
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
Miles at failure
45,500

Severity

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

Narrative

MY WIFE AND 3 CHILDREN, IN A 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WERE HIT IN THE REAR WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE DRIVER SEAT BROKE, AND COLLAPSED TO THE FULL RECLINE POSITION DURING THE WRECK. THIS HAS CAUSED MY WIFE TO HAVE BACK, NECK, HEAD, AND A LEFT KNEE INJURY. I TOLD DODGE ABOUT THIS SEAT, SO THEY SENT AN INVESTIGATOR OUT, THEN WROTE ME BACK SAYING THE SEAT WAS NOT BROKE BUT BENT, AND THAT I HAD NO CLAIM. WHEN I WENT TO PICK THE CAR UP FROM THE BODY SHOP, THE OWNER SHOWED ME THE SEAT, PULLED THE COVER DOWN TO SEE THAT THE METAL TUBE WAS SPLIT IN TWO. I TOOK THE SEAT TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOO AGREED THE SEAT BROKE. NOW, I HAVE THE SEAT AND PICTURES. THE ONLY WAY TO ACTUALLY SEE THE SEAT BACK IS BROKEN, IS TO PULL THE CLOTH MATERIAL AWAY TO SEE IT. THE BODY SHOP OWNER SAID THE DODGE INVESTIGATOR NEVER LOOKED INSIDE THE SEAT. ALTHOUGH, I COULD TELL IT WAS BROKEN WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT, BY THE WAY THE SEAT BACK WAS KIND OF TWISTED, AND TWEAKED OVER TO ONE SIDE. THERE HAVE BEEN LAWSUITS IN THE PAST ON CHRYSLER/DODGE BECAUSE THESE SEAT HAVE KILLED BABIES IN A BABY CARRIER BEHIND THE DRIVER SEAT BECAUSE OF THESE SEAT RECLINING BACK, AND YET DODGE IS IN DENIAL. *JB

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10152144
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown