Door Latch problems of the 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan

The door latch on the 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan required replacement twice in a 15 month span. Thiswas for the power sliding door. It was replaced on 12/29/2005, and required replacement again on 4/5/07. I have been fortunate the failure has not occurred while the vehicle has been in motion, but am concerned about the frequent failures. The doorwas not subjected to abuse, and has not been modified in any way from factory specs.

We own a 2002 Dodge caravan with a passenger side power sliding door. In cold temperatures (below 40 degrees) the motor fails to operate the door and the door must be opened and closed manually. Due to its weight and design the door is quite difficult for a school aged child to open. In an attempt to get leverage, our son has had his head between the door and the frame as he attempts to slide the door closed. Thankfully no accidents have yet resulted. However, I do see a potentially hazardous situation should a child's head get caught as they pull the door shut. There is a sensor that prevents the door from closing all the way when the power feature is used to close the door but I don't think it operates when the door must be shut manually.