WE OWN A STOW AND GO GRAND CARAVAN, WHILE STOPPING SUDDENLY MY TWO YEAR OLD WENT FLYING FORWARD STILL STRAPPED IN HIS 5 POINT CAR SEAT AND STILL STRAPPED TO THE VEHICLE SEAT USING THE LATCH SYSTEM. HE HIT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WHERE HE REST SCREAMING TILL I COULD PUSH THE SEAT BACK IN PLACE. HE HURT HIS CHEEK AND NOSE! I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF WARNING THAT THE SEAT WAS NOT ENGAGED, SEEINGS I NEVER USE THIS SEAT TO ENTER THE BACK SEAT I'VE NEVER THOUGHT TO CHECK THE STATUS OF THE CHAIR! NOW HE IS AFRAID TO GET INTO HIS CAR SEAT AND I'M AFRAID THAT IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AS WELL. I'M SO GLAD IT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I'M AFRAID HE WOULDN'T BE WITH US TODAY. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP THIS TO NEVER HAPPEN TO US OR ANYBODY ELSE. *NM
1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DESPITE REGULAR (3,000-MILE OR LESS) OIL CHANGES AT DEALER OR CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH 3.3 LITER ENGINE DEVELOPED SEVERE OIL SLUDGE PROBLEMS. FIRST INDICATION OF PROBLEM WAS A SOFT CLICKING ENGINE NOISE. CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS OIL SLUDGE, SHOWED US CAKED ENGINE COMPONENTS. REPLACED ROCKERS ARMS AND SOME VALVES AND BEARINGS AND FLUSHED ENGINE. REPAIRS NOT SUCCESSFUL, NOISE CONTINUED. RETURNED TO MECHANIC WHO KEPT THE VAN FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND DID SEVERAL MORE ENGINE FLUSHES AND OIL CHANGES. THIS DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM AND MECHANIC WARNED ME THAT DRIVING WOULD SOON LEAD TO MASSIVE ENGINE FAILURE. THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS AN EXPENSIVE OVERHAUL ($7,000-$8,000) OR A NEW/REBUILT ENGINE ($5,000-$6,000) THAT MIGHT STILL HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. AFTER INTERNET RESEARCH, I REALIZED THIS WAS CHRYSLER PROBLEM WITH ENGINE. NOW MY VAN IS AN EXPENSIVE YARD ORNAMENT--AT LEAST UNTIL I DRIVE IT ONE LAST TIME TO TRADE IT IN. I DO NOT CONSIDER IT SAFE TO DRIVE AS MASSIVE FAILURE COULD LEAD TO FIRE OR ACCIDENT. *JB