by FCA Settles Lawsuit Over Faulty Doors in Dodge Grand Caravan
FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) has agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit concerning faulty sliding door mechanisms in 2017–2018 Dodge Grand Caravan minivans. According to the lawsuit, the door actuators can malfunction, causing owners to be unable to close or open the sliding doors. As part of the settlement, FCA will extend the warranty coverage for these components to 10 years or 100,000 miles.
The manufacturer denies the existence of a technical defect but decided to avoid prolonged legal costs. In addition to the warranty extension, owners who have already spent money on repairs will be able to receive compensation. A final decision on the approval of the settlement is to be made by the court in September.
“Door actuators can fail over time in many vehicles. In the case of the Grand Caravan, this leads to the inability to lock the sliding doors”
This situation is reminiscent of many similar cases in the automotive industry, where manufacturers opt for settlements to avoid greater financial losses. Although the specific compensation amount is not disclosed, for owners, this is an opportunity to have the problematic unit repaired for free or to recover the costs incurred. Such precedents often become a catalyst for updating technical standards in future models.
