8.0
pretty bad
electrical problem
On June 7, 2013 , the driver's door burst into flames while driving the vehicle. Chrysler offered to repair the door. This is not an acceptable solution. I will not put my family back into a vehicle that burst into flames during operation. Simply replacing an electrical switch will not address the series of malfunctions that had to have occurred to cause the door to burst into flames.
Buyer beware!
- ewinkleblech, Harrison, NJ, US
After teaching third graders all day, I began driving home. I live very close to school. 10 minutes into my drive, I smelled something burning, looked down and saw that yellow smoke was pouring out of my power buttons on my driver's door. And this stuff STUNK!!!! I called my husband to let him know the problem, and told him I'd be home. Well, in a college town during RAIN people drive slow. It took me another 10 minutes to get home, all the while smelling this stuff and wondering if I was going to catch on fire before I could get there. When I opened the car door, the air hit it and flames shot up. By then my son and husband were outside and one ran back in to get the fire extinguisher. One touch of the fire extinguisher and the now melted rear window button collapsed into the door. As soon as we got done standing in the rain putting out the fire, we went inside and called Chrysler customer service. And got NO WHERE. The rep could only "document the information and escalate this to Special Investigative Services" who would "call within 2 to 5 days". TWO to FIVE DAYS?! REALLY? And "no, I cannot approve a rental car for you". WHAT?! It's a 2012 with less than 36,000 miles on it and all you can do is take down my information and tell me your sorry that this happened??? Then she goes on to say that a "cigarette could've been put down in the door". EXCUSE ME? Have you lost your freaking mind? At that point I got off the phone and let my husband deal with her, called the fire department for a non-emergency call to inspect the interior of the door to make sure there weren't any hot spots that might flare up later and cause the entire van to burst into flames. They disconnected the battery as a precaution also. Oh, and I mentioned rain, right? Yes, since the button that controls the rear wing windows melted, I couldn't close those windows (they were open to pull the acrid, poisonous smoke from my lungs as I drove). The firemen helped by putting plastic over the car...and it rained and rained and rained. At 9 o'clock (4 hours later) I went out to my van and the smell is just offensive, strong, putrid...but all Chrysler could do was "I'm sorry". Wow. This is why people buy Hondas, I guess.
- Cynthia M., Tampa, FL, US
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Driver side door caught fire, burning up all electricity systems and melting power window buttons. So the windows are stuck open, as smoke filled the van. Smoke coming from under the hood and the all electricity features are clinching and lastly it is idling up while driving. Thank god I could get out when I did. It's a very unsafe van and they mainly should be held accountable for all this bad production of vehicles. How many people have to lose before they are.
- Tiffany L., Beaverdam, VA, US