2014 Dodge Grand Caravan Seats Problems

Your driver's seat headrest suddenly exploded and moved forward while you were driving on the highway at normal speeds, striking the back of your head and nearly causing an accident. There were no warning lights or sounds before it happened. Dodge has acknowledged this is a known issue and extended the warranty coverage to 10 years/unlimited mileage, though your vehicle appears to be out of the original warranty period. The repair will likely involve replacing the entire seat headrest assembly.

Your passenger side headrest suddenly deployed on its own, with the housing breaking apart in the process. If someone had been sitting in that seat, they could have been struck in the back of the head without any warning. You're now concerned the driver side headrest may do the same thing while you're driving, and the passenger headrest is no longer safe to use.

Your driver's side headrest suddenly broke apart while you were driving, with the fabric portion popping forward away from the plastic backing and exposing the springs inside. The headrest struck you in the back of your head with considerable force, though it wasn't painful. This happened without any prior warning signs or vehicle accidents, and your husband temporarily held it together with a zip tie. The fix will likely involve replacing the headrest assembly or having it professionally repaired to ensure the springs and fabric are properly secured.

The passenger seat headrest suddenly broke apart or shattered. This happened without any crash or collision. You may need to have the headrest assembly replaced to ensure proper neck support for passengers.

The head rest popped out for no reason. I noticed it when I got into the car.

I bought this van the previous owner told me that the headrest deployed at an unknown time while the vehicle was parked and no one was in it. Since owning it a few months ago the other headrest deployed. This also happened while the van was parked in my driveway and no one was in it.

Driver's seat headrest suddenly deployed while driving. I contacted Dodge they haven't replied yet. From what I'm reading there are numerous vehicles with same issue. I was very startled, distracted from surprise and have a sore neck.

Passenger side front headrest deployed for no reason while vehicle was parked.

While driving with my three daughters in the car, the driver side headrest activated and hit me in the back of the head. This was random and no warning was given. As a result the headrest deployed and it cannot be fixed/put back. I currently have a strong headache and am still feeling a little dizzy after the incident.

My family and I were on a hike in the mountains, and when we got back to our car, the drivers headrest had popped out of itself. We tried to see if we could fix it, but it busted out with such force that it broke parts. When I looked this up, it appears that this is a pretty common occurrence with our make and model, and others have actually had it happen when they are in the seat and been injured! Thank God we weren’t driving through the mountains when it happened! This is a serious issue and I couldn’t believe that nothing had been done to create a recall, especially after finding a report about the same issue with the same vehicle online from October 2019 (almost FOUR years ago) by [XXX] , stating that the government was researching this issue after several people were injured. Apparently this is a safety feature that is built to prevent whiplash in an accident, but is activating without provocation in many vehicles, if it’s not offsetting whiplash, could this not CAUSE whiplash?! This needs to be addressed as a recall and fixed for others before it causes a serious car accident (if it hasn’t already) or kills someone. This is completely unacceptable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The driver's side headrest popped forward. OK one day, then when I got in the car the next it was popped forward pushing it against the back of my neck (thinking it was 4/14/23). Looks like the plastic hooks, or plastic parts just broke. I'm 75 years old, 6"3" tall. Very uncomfortable. I am very happy that the thing didn't explode when I was driving the car. I thought my 2014 Grand Caravan was a safe car. Have less than 128,000 miles on the car. Took it to the local Dodge dealer in Whiteville today (4/21/2023), and was told by the service manager that I was responsible for fixing it (at minimum part would cost $135 + tax, then installation - OR MORE). Told it was a common occurrance. BUT IT WAS ON ME. I have not had any wrecks, speeding tickets, or any bump ups. Now I no longer feel safe in this car. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I would like responsible parties from Chrysler Motorrs to inspect my car. Planning on zip tying the other headrests for fear of it blowing up too.

Headrest deployed while driving without warning or any accident occurring.

My 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan has sat in my driveway for the last two days - June 20 and 21 - and when I got in the van to drive it, on the morning of June 22, I noticed that the driver-side headrest was deployed. I tried to reset it on my own but it does not appear to clip back in place because the part is damaged. The van was not struck or in an accident before I parked it on June 20 nor was it struck while parked in my driveway. While I was not injured by the deployment, this kind of premature deployment while driving could result in some injury.

The passenger front seat headrest deployed on its own when my wife was driving us back from the store, yesterday. I am so fortunate that I was in the passenger seat when it unexpectedly and violently deployed, as my wife would have been injured far worse than I was. My neck is sore but I am already on the mend, etc. I would hope this is a 'stand alone' incident, otherwise I would consider this event to be one of SERIOUS CONCERN for Dodge as injury could potentially be far worse than what I experienced, etc. THERE was NO WARNING; NO ABRUPT DRIVING OR ANYTHING; IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY WITH EXCELLENT DRIVING CONDITIONS, ETC. I would expect Dodge to repair my vehicle, if nothing else.

Inadvertent deployment of front passenger automatic headrest restraint

As I was sitting in a parking lot today o heard this loud boom that sounded as if I had been rear ended and felt what seemed to be a blow to my head. I looked around and there were no cars around and got out of the vehicle to see what happened and it was the headrest that burst open. It ended up hurting my head and neck and could have potentially caused an accident had this happened while I was driving. There were no other signs of something happening and no warning lights. Dealer was not notified.

As my vehicle was parked; we came out to my passenger headrest being deployed by itself. No accident/incident happened. Self deployed. Just glad no one was in it at the time. As this just happened, I haven’t had time to report it to the dealership due to it being Sunday. No warnings or lights came on when this happened. It just self deployed. After more research it looks like this has been happening for years. Why isn’t this recalled?

The headrest on the driver's seat deployed while the vehicle was parked in a parking lot. I am glad that this did not happen while I was driving down the road. I have not had the opportunity to contact the dealer about this concern yet. There was not any warning of the deployment of the headrest.

ON 10/26/2020 I GOT IN MY CAR THIS MORNING AND NOTICED MY HEAD RESTRAINT ON MY DRIVER SIDE JUST DEPLOYED OVERNIGHT. WHICH AT THE TIME I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS DEPLOYED I THOUGHT I COULD FIX IT WHEN I GOT TO WHERE I WAS GOING BUT AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH THAT IS WHEN I FOUND OUT IT DEPLOYED AND IT WASN'T A SIMPLE FIX. SINCE IT IS A 2014 DODGE GRAND CARARAVAN 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER LOOKING UP ONLINE I SEE THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND WONDER WHY THERE IS NO SAFETY RECALL. IT GOES BACK YEARS. THEY PUT A PLASTIC PIECE HOLDING A METAL PIECE UNDER ALL THAT PRESSURE AND THEY THINK IT WILL NOT GIVE WAY AND BREAK? I CAN'T IMAGINE IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THAT WOULD HAVE SCARED ME FOR ONE AND WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. IMAGINE DRIVING ALONG AND THIS THING POPS OUT AT THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD. DID IT MAKE A LOUD NOISE? WHAT WOULD YOU BE THINKING? WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE? FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN ONLINE IT WILL COST 900.00 TO REPLACE THIS WHICH WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DEPLOY UNLESS SOMEONE HIT THE REAR OF MY CAR. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS AS I CAN'T AFFORD 900.00 TO FIX THIS. AND THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PLASTIC THEY USE.

ON 8/15/ 2020 MY PASSENGER SIDE HEADREST WENT OFF WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED AND NOT RUNNING IN MY DRIVE WAY.NOW THE PAD PART IS SITTING FORWARD AND THE MIDDLE IS ALL OPENED UP VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO SIT . I CALLED THE DODGE CHRYSLER AND THEY TOOK MY COMPLAINT WITH AND GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER 76999287 IN 48 HRS I HEARD BACK AND THEY WERE GOING TO SEND A INSPECTOR OUT TO ME TO DO A REPORT SO THIS HAPPENED ON 9/3/2020 I MET HIM AT ARE LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND HE DID A FULL INSPECTION. SO AT THIS TIME HE SAID HE WILL EMAIL ME A COPY OF THE REPORT I DO NOT HAVE THAT AT THIS BECAUSE IT IS ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF DAYS.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD BETWEEN 45-50 MPH WHEN SOMETHING HIT ME REALLY HARD IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD. I PULLED OVER AND SAW THAT MY HEADREST HAD POPPED APART. WHEN I LOOKED THIS UP I SAW THAT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND PART OF THE HEADREST RESTRAINT SYSTEM. I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT, REAR ENDED OR HIT IN ANY WAY AND THE ROAD WAS A SMOOTH ROAD.

WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT IN ON STREET PARKING IN PHOENIX AZ, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT HEADREST DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY REASON. MY VAN WAS NOT STRUCK OR HIT WITH OR BY ANYTHING. THE DODGE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REPLACE OR REPAIR IT AT NO CHARGE. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE HEADREST REPAIRED IF POSSIBLE OR REPLACED IF REPAIR IS NOT PROBABLE. THANK YOU

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 JEEP GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AN UN-OCCUPIED, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S HEADREST DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADREST METAL PIN FRACTURED WHICH LEAD TO THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.*DT

THE HEADREST SAFETY FEATURE DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. WE WERE NOT IN A WRECK AND IT DEPLOYED.

WHILE SITTING ON THE DRIVER SEAT, FACING OUT THE DOOR TALKING TO MY HUSBAND WITH THE VAN OFF, PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY, THE HEADREST RANDOMLY DEPLOYED, HITTING ME IN THE SIDE OF THE FACE.*DT CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS MUSCULOSKELETAL ISSUES WHIPLASH AND SPINE IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED.*JB

THE DRIVER'S ACTIVE HEADREST DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON A STATE HIGHWAY. IT STRUCK MY WIFE IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. SHE INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT WE HAD BEEN REAR-ENDED. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED THE LOSS OF CONTROL OR A COLLISION IF WE HAD BEEN IN TRAFFIC AT THE TIME. SHE HAS BEEN SUFFERING WITH HEADACHES SINCE THE INCIDENT. OUR VAN HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS 77K MILES. WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *TR

TODAY WHILE DRIVING, MY PASSENGER SIDE HEADREST DEPLOYED (EXPLODED) WITHOUT WARNING OR CAUSE, NEARLY INJURING MY PASSENGER, AND NEARLY CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. THE SOUND AND FORCE OF THE DEPLOYMENT WAS SO LOUD AND SIGNIFICANT THAT IT SHOOK THE VEHICLE AND STARTLED ME TO A POINT OF PANIC. WHEN I PULLED OVER I FOUND THE PASSENGER HEADREST HAD SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES AN HOUR, NO BRAKING, NO ACCELERATING, NO ROAD HAZARDS OR BUMPS IN THE ROAD. PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE SEAT, SEATBELT RESTRAINT ON, NOT SHIFTING OR MOVING. HEADREST HAS NOT HAD ANY DAMAGE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER OF 2014.

THE FRONT PASSENGER HEAD REST CAME APART WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED AT MY CHILDREN'S GRANDPARENT'S HOUSE WITH NO ONE AROUND OR IN IT AND IT WILL NOT GO BACK TOGETHER.

AS I WAS DRIVING MY 2014 DODGE CARAVAN AT NIGHT ON A RURAL HIGHWAY ON FEBRUARY 4 2020 , I HEARD A LOUD BANG ,THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD REST ACTIVATED WITHOUT ANY REASON,THE BANG SHOCKED ME,IT WAS SO LOUD, CAUSING ME TO ALMOST RUN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC

DRIVERS SIDE HEADREST POPPED OPEN WITHOUT HAVING ANY COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF.

PASSENGER SIDE HEADREST EXPLODED FORWARD WHILE WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. PASSENGER WAS HIT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. THIS "SAFETY" DEVICE DEPLOYED IN ERROR.

AT THE OF MY TRIP, AS I PARK THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER HEAD REST EXPLODED.

THE DRIVE SIDE HEAD REST DEPLOYED WHILE I WAS STATIONARY. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, S PLASTIC BRACKET INSIDE HEADREST FAILED, RELEASING A METAL PIN FROM THE CLOSED LATCH. HAD I BEEN DRIVING, THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS NOT AND HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT IN THIS VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A SPRING DEVICE IN THE PASSENGER HEADREST FAILED AND STRUCK THE CONTACT'S WIFE IN THE BACK OF HER HEAD. AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT, THE CONTACT'S WIFE DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL TREATMENT OTHER THAN NECK PAIN AND A HEADACHE. THE CONTACT WAS GIVEN OVER THE COUNTER MEDICINE AND INFORMED TO RETURN TO THE HOSPITAL IF THE PAIN PERSISTED. THE DEALER (MARION CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM 44 WORLEY RD, MARION, NC 28752 828-652-2858) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE AND WAS GIVEN A CASE NUMBER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000. *DT *DT*JB*DT*JB

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT MY JOB. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE TO LEAVE WORK I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER HEADREST WAS DEPLOYED. I CHECKED FOR ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS NONE AT ALL. I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND MY HUSBAND TRIED TO RESET THE HEADREST BUT IT APPEARS AS THE PLASTIC CLIPS THAT HOLD THE "ROD" IN PLACE HAVE BROKEN SO THE HEADREST WILL NOT RESET. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE HAVING A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT NOR DO I REALLY FEEL SAFE DRIVING INCASE THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS TO DEPLOY WHILE I AM DRIVING.

DRIVER SIDE HEADREST HIT DRIVER WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A CITY STREET BECAUSE THE HEADREST BROKE APART. THERE WAS NO IMPACT OR OTHER APPARENT CAUSE OF THIS TO HAPPEN. HEADREST CAME APART AND THE INTERNAL PLASTIC PIECES HOLDING A METAL ROD IN PLACE ARE BROKEN. IT WILL NOT GO BACK INTO PLACE DUE TO BROKEN PIECES.

WHILE WIFE WAS AT WORK, DRIVER SIDE HEADREST DEPLOYED AT SOME POINT. (SHE PARKED AT 6AM AND CAME OUT AT 330PM). VAN WAS PARKED AND UPON INSPECTION NO DAMAGE DONE TO VEHICLE TO WARRANT DEPLOYMENT, AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYED AND ONLY THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADREST DEPLOYED. HEADREST NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, HAD TO MOVE IT TO PASSENGER SEAT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING HEADREST, FOUND THAT LEFT PLASTIC CLIP HOLDING IN BAR ASSEMBLY SNAPPED AND BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE RIGHT ONE TO WARP AND BREAK (JUST A GAP). HEADREST CANNOT BE RESET DUE TO THE DAMAGE AND A NEW ONE HAS TO BE PURCHASED.

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINT DEPLOYED, ON ITS OWN, PUSHING MY HEAD FORWARD. NO COLLISION HAD OCCURRED AT THE TIME OF DEPLOYMENT. THE HEAD RESTRAINT LOOKS AS IF THE PLASTIC BRACKET INSIDE BROKE BECAUSE I TRIED RESETTING THE HEAD RESTRAINT, PER MANUFACTURER INSTRUCTIONS, BUT IT WILL NOT RESET. HEAD RESTRAINT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH A NEW PART.

AS VEHICLE WAS BEING BACKED UP AT A DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT HEADREST DEPLOYED STRIKING THE PASSENGER IN THE NECK AND SKULL AREA.

DRIVER'S HEADREST DEPLOYED DUE TO THE PLASTIC THAT HOLDS A PIN BROKE INTERNALLY. THIS SPRING LOADED SYSTEM APPARENTLY HAD ENOUGH TENSION THAT IT BROKE THE PLASTIC. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND UNOCCUPIED AT THE TIME. IF I HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE VEHICLE MY NECK COULD HAVE BEEN BROKEN. A REPLACEMENT HEADREST IS ABOUT $650, NOT INCLUDING LABOR, ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD IT IS NOT IN WARRANTY. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE LESS THAN 4YRS.

THE REAR BACK SEAT FOLDED IN ON OUR 11 YEAR OLD SON WHEN I CAME TO A QUICK STOP (TRAVELING <20MPH). HE WAS OK, AND WE WILL NOT BE USING THAT SEAT AS WE DISCOVERED THAT IT WILL NOT ACTUALLY LOCK INTO AN UPRIGHT POSITION. IF THIS HAD OCCURRED IN AN ACCIDENT AT GREATER SPEEDS I'M CERTAIN THAT THIS DEFECT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT INJURY AND/OR DEATH.

THE RIGHT SIDE SEAT IN THE MIDDLE ROW HAS FLIPPED TO FOLD ITSELF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. NO ONE WAS IN THE SEAT EITHER TIME. I AM NOT CERTAIN IF THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. IT APPEARS THE LEVER THAT RELEASES THE SEAT FOR THE STOW AND GO FEATURE EITHER DISENGAGED OR DID NOT FULLY ENGAGE THE LAST TIME THE SEAT WAS POSITIONED. I WONDERED IF THE SEAT WAS NOT FULLY LOCKING INTO THE UPRIGHT POSITION EVERYTIME. SO I HAVE TRIED TO LIFT THE LEVER UP JUST ENOUGH TO DISENGAGE THE SEAT WHILE KEEPING THE SEAT IN THE UPRIGHT, BUT NOT LOCKED, POSITION. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO SO.

CPSC: I1470304A. 2014 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRYING TO FOLD DOWN THE REAR SEAT IT CAME SLAMMING DOWN ON HIS HAND. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED HE FOLLOWED THE NUMBERED STRAPS AS INSTRUCTED AND THE LAST STRAP MADE THE SEAT SLAM DOWN ON HIS HAND, WHICH WAS PLACED ON THE TOP OF THE REAR BUMPER AS STABILITY AND LEVERAGE FOR REACHING IN TO PULL THE STRAPS. THE SKIN ON HIS HAND WAS TORN. IT TOOK SEVERAL DOCTOR VISITS AND X-RAYS TO DETERMINE THE BONE WAS NOT BROKEN, BUT THERE WAS A DEEP CONTUSION.

THE SECOND ROW OF SEATING SPRINGS FORWARD AS IF SPRING LOADED IN THIS CASE STRIKING ME IN THE FACE AS I LEANED BACK TO ASSIST A BACK ROW PASSENGER. NORMALLY THE SEAT IS RELEASED AND PUSHED FORWARD. THIS MECHANISM IS RELEASED UNDER SUCH FORCE THAT THERE IS NO TIME TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE FULL FORCE OF THE SEAT. NO WARNING APPEARS ON THE RELEASE MECHANISM. IT IS POORLY DESIGNED AND DANGEROUS. MY NOSE IS STILL SORE FROM THE BLOW. *TR