Driving in a rainstorm the drive belt came off while driving onto the entrance ramp of C270. The power steering, water pump, generator failed. The car was not able to drive.

- Lakewood, CO, USA

On Aug. 19 my husband heard a very faint "ping" about a 2 miles from home. Nothing seemed to be wrong and he felt it must have been something moving around in the car. On Aug. 20, after driving several miles, I heard what sounded like something under the hood self-destructing, the odometer and RPM gauge went wacky, and I had no power. I was fortunate to be perhaps 50 yards from an auto service center and coasted into the driveway leaking fluid and flinging parts. The transmission had blown apart. Had I been on a freeway I would likely have been killed or killed someone else. From talking to mechanics it seems that this is a well known defect and Dodge manufactured transmissions were not modified, but there has been no recall. We were told that after market parts from another company had the problem addressed. (what recourse do we have. Can we ever expect Dodge to pay for a remanufactured transmission?) note: The mileage and speed are approximate.

- Downingtown, PA, USA

My 4 children were in my van while it was parked and my 5 yr old got into drivers seat and pulled gear shift in reverse and van rolled down driveway, across road, and over an embankment and it totaled the vehicle. This should not have happened, the gear shift should not have moved while it was in park without the brakes being applied to get it out of gear. My daughter had to have stitches as a result of this accident. They could have been killed.

- New Martinsville, WV, USA