← NHTSA complaints

2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 815521 · 2010-09-21

Vehicle

Make
DODGE
Model
GRAND CARAVAN
Year
2007
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Miles at failure
51,000

Severity

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

Narrative

ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR TO MY 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN CAUGHT FIRE 1 FOOT FROM MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO WAS STRAPPED IN A 5 POINT HARNESS CAR SEAT. I PICKED MY SON UP FROM SCHOOL AT APPROXIMATELY 5:45, WITH MY DAUGHTER IN TOW. I OPERATED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR TO PUT HER BACK INTO HER SEAT AFTER SIGNING OUT MY SON WITH NO ISSUE. I NOTICED NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DOOR. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE TO MY HOUSE. HALFWAY HOME I SMELLED SOMETHING AND WHEN I PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY AIR CONDITIONING UNIT AND BY TURNING THE CAR OFF I WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF THE SMOKE. I TRIED TO OPERATE THE AUTOMATIC DOORS FOR MY REAR PASSENGER DOORS BUT THEY DIDN'T WORK. I WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY OPEN MY REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR NO MATTER HOW HARD I PULLED. I HAD NO IDEA THAT DOOR WAS ON FIRE AT THAT POINT. I NOTICED NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DOOR OTHER THAN IT WOULDN'T OPEN. I HAD TO CLIMB INTO THE BACK THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE TO GET MY DAUGHTER. I WENT IN TO THE HOUSE, STILL THINKING THAT EVERYTHING WOULD STOP SMOKING ONCE THE CAR COOLED DOWN AND LET MY DOG OUT IN THE BACK YARD. I CAME BACK AROUND TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE AFTER 5 MINUTES. I SAW GRAY SMOKE BILLOWING OUT OF THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR I HAD LEFT OPEN TO AIR OUT THE CAR. I WALKED AROUND TO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND I SAW THE PAINT BUBBLING AND MELTING AND LITTLE FLAMES LICKING THE GLASS

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10356734
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown