Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1996 record →
ENGINE HEAD OIL GALLEY PLUG NOT ADEQUATELY RETAINING, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK, WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN EGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED,AND REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE VEHICLE DOES NOT MEET NHTSA RECALL # 96V-006 SPECIFICATIONS. *AK
WE HAVE PUT APPROXIMATELY 19,000 MILES ON THIS MINI-VAN. WHY HAS IT FAILED AT 45K MILES?
BRAKE FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE QUICKLY ENOUGH TO AVOID HITTING A DEER.
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, AND THE COMPUTER MADE THE VEHICLE SHIFT. THE COMPUTER WENT OUT AND THE VEHICLE STARTED UP, AND SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL DELAY. *AK CONSUMER STATES PRIOR TO THE TRANSMISSION GOING OUT, THE ENGINE WOULD MAKE THE SAME NOISE EVERY TIME, TRANSMISSION HESITATES BEFORE GOING INTO GEAR, FINALLY ON 20-OCT-98, VEHICLE WAS HOOKED UP TO A COMPUTER SHOWING FAULTY TRANSMISSION. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING GAS FUMES GET INTO TO CAR, AND CONSUMER CAN ALSO SMELL FUMES AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, SAYS THAT PROBLEM IS DUE TO INTEGRAL FUEL GAS RETURN FITTING ON TANK. RECALL WAS ALREADY PERFORMED ON THIS PART. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML
WHILE DRIVING GEAR PIN SLIPPED OUT AT 30MHP AND SHOT THROUGH THE CASING OF THE TRANSMISSION. MANUFATURER WAS CONTACTED AND TOLD THE CONSUMER TO HAVE THE DEALER EVALUATE THE SITUATION, BUT NO ACTIONS WERE TAKEN. *AK
POWER DOOR LOCK MOTOR FAILED.
THE SLIDING DOOR HAS OPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING.
CONSUMER HAS PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT COMING ON AND STAYING ON WHEN IT RAINS. SOMETIMES THEY COME ON FOR NO REASON. *AK
THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GAS IN AND OUTSIDE THE VAN. CONSUMER LOOKED AT FUEL TANK, AND FOUND FUEL LEAKING FROM AROUND THE TOP OF THE TANK AND FROM SOME OF THE SEAMS. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER A SERVICE CONTRACT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE CARAVAN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT ANY CONTACT WITH THE SWITCH. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED ONCE ON 2/6/97 UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE SWITCH HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED THIS TIME. CONSUMER DOES NOT WANT TO PAY LABOR COST. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK THE REAR OF CONSUMER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH , CAUSING BOTH SETS OF REAR SEATS TO UNANCHOR FROM TRACKS. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE RUSTED AND PITTED, CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. . *AK
ENGINE FAILED.
TENSIONER THAT TIGHTENS THE SERPENTINE BELT SNAPPED OFF WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE LEFT PASSAGER'S SIDE. THE FUEL TANK ROLLOVER VALVE CAN ALLOW FUEL TO PASS INTO THE VAPOR CANISTER, CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, AWAITING REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
BRAKES ARE PULSATING, THE PEDAL JUMP UP AND DOWN, CAN HEAR RUBBING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATES THAT THE PADS ARE GOOD, BUT THE ROTORS ARE BAD. ALSO OTHER VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS, BUT NOT THIS PARTICULAR ONE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SPEED RANGES FROM 35-50 MPH WHEN DRIVING. *AK
CHILD SEAT SHOULDER HARNESS JAMES TRAPPING CHILD. ATTEMPTS TO LOOSEN CAUSES BELT TO TIGHTEN FURTHER. EMERGENCY RELEASE DIFFICULT TO USE WITH BELTS UNDER TENSION.
AT 30,000 MILES THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING, AND THE WHEEL CYLINDERS ARE LEAKING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
TENSIONER ROD BROKE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVER WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
CHILD SEAT STRAPS WILL NOT DISENGAGE WHILE REMOVING CHILD FROM SEAT. A/C BLOWER WORKS ON HIGH ONLY, SECOND TIME REPLACE DSWITCH. IN ADDITION,BRAKES STAMMER EVEN AFTER COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTORS.
WHEN REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE USED THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. DEALER NOTED PROBLEM WASA FUSE FOR REAR WIPERS WHICH WAS REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM RETURNED. *AK
HAD PULLED INTO STATION. RESTARTED VEHICLE & WAS SHIFTING INTO GEAR WHEN VEHICLE JERKED. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED OUT. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK *SLC
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE SHUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DEALERS NOTED PROBLEM AS SHUT OFF SYSTEM. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS CORRODED, DISCOVERED AFTER SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF BRAKE BRAKE PROBLEMS. (QCAW)
BRAKE FAILURE.
ROTORS PITTED FROM ROAD ANTI-SKID MATERIAL ON STREETS DURING THE WINTER SEASON.
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS RUSTING OUT. CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED ROTORS AND PADS. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AKROTORS WERE SCORED AND PITTED. *NLM
WHEN HAS A FULL TANK OF GAS FUEL LEAKS FROM TANK. CONSUMER NOTES PLASTIC FUEL TANK HAS RUPTURED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON 95% OF THE TIME.
CONSUMER HAS COMPLAINED CONCERNING DEFECTIVE ABS BRAKE SUSTEM. WHILE DRIVING NOTICED UNNECESSARY NOISES COMING FROM THE WHEELS WHEN CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO A REPAIR SHOP. MECHANIC INFOMED THE COSUMER THAT BRAKE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE PLASTIC PARTS USED ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM, WHICH MAY CAUSES THE BRAKES TO WEAR OUT AT 52000 MILES, INSTEAD OF 800000 OR MORE OF NORMAL WEARS. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
ABS BRAKES/WATER PUMP/WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND BRAKE REAR BRAKE SHOES FAILED.
BRAKES HAVE BEEN A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM, SEVERAL REPAIRS TO SYSTEM, HOWEVER BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED AFTER REPAIRS MADE.
FUSE BLOWS WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK. ECM MODULE IS DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE MUST BE STARTED IN NUETRAL GEAR. OWNER NOTES OF SERVICE BULLENTIN FOR PROBLEM. *AK
THE INTERGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT RETRACTORS HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEWER DESIGNED RETRACTOR BECAUSE OF A SERVICE BULLETIN. NOW CHILDRENS' HAIR GET CAUGHT IN THE RETRACTOR BECAUSE OF THE NEW DESIGN. *AK
SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER FAILED.
FAN MODULE FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURN SIGNALS ARE ON. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK WIPERS ALSO COME ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR NO REASON WHEN DRIVING, EVEN WITHOUT USING TURN SIGNALS. *SLC
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAREND COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, REAR SEAT DISCONNECTED FROM FLOOR AND FLEW INTO THE FACES OF THE THREE CHILDREN WHO WERE SITTING IN THE REAR SEAT BELTED SECURELY. ALL THREE OF THEM SUFFERED INJURIES, BROKEN LEGS.
VEHICLE WAS STRUCK IN THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK TO COLLAPSE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
DASHBOARD AND OVERHEAD LIGHTS EMIT SMOKE AND THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT BURNING.
PROBLEM W/GAS TANK. QCAW
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY DETAILS. *AK
SERPINETINE BELT TENSIONER PULLEY BRACKET BROKE, FLEW INTO POWER STEERING PULLEY AND BROKE IT. POWER STEERING PULLEY IS PLASTIC. CHRYSLER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.
WHEN THE GEAR INDICATOR IS IN DRIVE AND WHEN PROCEEDING FORWARD THE VEHICLE GOES IN REVERSE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
BRAKE CYLINDER FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.
INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF ON TWO OCCASIONS.
NEOPRENE TIPS IN MOTOR FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.
WHEN TRAVELING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT CONSUMER TURNING ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK
TIE ROD ENDS FAILED CAUSING VIBRATION.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1996 Dodge Caravan → · Every Caravan year → · How the figures are calculated →