Hello,

Our 2014 Caravan drivers seat pretty much fell apart from day one! We bought the van brand new, and within a month all of the plastic around the seat bottom popped off and was loose.

Took it to the dealership and they said it just needed to be popped back in place. However the plastic keeps coming off, and it actually cracked/ broke off completely the other day (dealership replaced).

Now the seat bottom (fabric) is starting to fall out/become loose. The seat just seems to be completely falling apart!

Is it just cheap seats or what? Anybody else have this problem? And yes...We are slightly overweight lol. BUT-I still feel like the seat shouldn't fall apart because we're slightly overweight. My wife keeps taking it to the dealership-but I told her it's a waste because the plastic is only going to pop off as soon as we sit down.

 

What does that mean? Post a pic or something.

 

No issues here. Almost 60K on my 2012 and nothing has happened to my seat or any of them for that matter. Could be a coincidence that it happened twice. Maybe?

 

I thought my post was pretty obvious, the bottom seat cushion is coming away from the plastic that surrounds the bottom of the seat. The part you sit your butt on, it looks like someone tried to rip it out, like grabbed a hold of it and pulled.

There is nothing to take a pic of anymore, the dealership already fixed it (for the 3rd time). I was just wondering if anybody else had this problem. I'm guessing it's due to our weight, but still, it's not like we weigh 500 lb.

 

my plastics cover broke off at the front, I kinda turn left and slide out and that compress the seat below the plastic so I'm pulling it off constantly. I'm out of warranty. Dealer said they often drill two holes and use a high quality zip-tie to keep it on the frame.

 

I have to admit, I've popped a few off myself.


If they got creative, there are decorative piercing screws with washers that can be added. From Home Depot or wherever.


Where they goofed up was using recessed indentions in that piece that slide over metal brackets, then use ONE screw to hold the entire thing from sliding off. The problem with that logic is the flexing and bowing of the plastic.


Maybe that method works for lightweights or really long legged people, who can step out rather than slide off the edge when they get out or in, but not for everyone else.


The 4th Generations had 3 screws and ONE slide over recess. We almost NEVER had to replace them.

 

2000 Dodge Caravan. I left my very big and protective German Shepherd in the van for 30 minutes - He gets very nervous if he can see me and not get out. Well, when I got back to the van, what I had for a seat was a metal frame, with a van full of shredded foam and fabric like popcorn. Just for fun, he ate the seatbelt too. I replaced the belt with one of the rears, and the seat from the junk yard. [tool van with the seats removed] A week later, he ate that belt too, and the passengers, on a 5 minute layover. Most of my Dodge van issues have been dog related.

 

I'm 6 foot 1 inch and weigh somewhere around 350 and my 2010 power seat did the same thing, leaving the power buttons intact on the plastic seat guard till about 40,000 miles when the back of the power button box came off the back of the panel. I slapped a piece of duct tape over it to hold it in place on the last trip but the wife made me have the dealer replace it. Now the cushion is wore down from rolling out of the vehicle. Drove a 2010 loaner like mine while mine was in the shop with a standard seat and it was hell getting in and out but the seat was like new at 103,000 miles. It is like the side seat guard housing the power switches is taller than the old one and the cushion pushes down in behind it from getting in and out to the point I've had severe left leg pains from driving. I found a similar cushion for a Dodge truck for around $49 online, however, attempts to find one for my Grand Caravan range from $149 to $580. That makes me wonder if the higher priced ones have a heater in the seat which mine doesn't have. Meanwhile the new seat guard seems to be anchored better than the original.