Four problems related to automatic transmission park/neutral start switch have been reported for the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Vehicle was parked/ engine off/ emergency brake not applied, and 2 year old moved gear shift from park to third gear, causing vehicle to roll and hit a tree. No injuries.
There are apparently no safety interlocks to prevent van from being placed in gear. This allowed my 5 year old daughter to place the car in gear without the engine running. The van rolled down the driveway, pinning my 9 year old son beneath the rear axle. Fortunetly, he was not seriously injured, though,emergency medical bills totaled $11,000. I decided to report this now after hearing of a similar incident on good morning America, in which a women was killed.
Consumers is able to put vehicle in gear without pressing brake, this could be very dangerous.
Will intermittently operate when in "off" position during driving and braking conditions. First noticed when vehicle was about 2-3 months old. Frequency is increasing.