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 →
FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT ACTIVATING THEM. IN ADDITION, BENCH PASSENGER SEATBELT DISCONNECTS WHEN BUCKLED; BRAKES WORE OUT WHEN THE CAR HAD 32,000 MILES; LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT ON THE FREEWAY AT 7,000; TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED AT 44,000 MILES; PASSENGER'S SLIDING DOOR LOCKS DO NOT OPEN WHEN UNLOCKED, AND GAS TANK WAS LEAKING. *AK
THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, PREVENTING OCCUPANTS FROM EXITING THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED ON THE ROAD, CAUSING LACK OF ACCELERATION OR POWER. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. *AK WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES, DEALER REPLACED MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START UP AND RUN, DEALER REPLACED BATTERY. STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHILE BRAKING, DEALER MACHINED ROTORS. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN DEALER'S SHOP, AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. CONDITION HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AT THIS TIME. *AK
CALIPERS STUCK AND RESULTANT HEAT WARPED THE ROTORS, RESULTING IN THE SHUDDERING SENSATION IN SUBSEQUENT STOPPING.
CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF CONTINUOUS FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITHIN TWO YEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
POOR QUALITY OF REPAIR AT OUTSTATE DEALERSHIP. SOUTHERN DEALERSHIP HAD NOT BEEN THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. WHEN ARRIVING BACK IN HOMESTAED (MICHIGAN) DEALER VAN WAS PURCHASED THRU STATED COMMON OCCURANCE AND HAS SEEN THE FAILURE BEFORE. HAS TO TAKE VAN BACK FOR MORE REPAIRS AS FLEX-PLATE SHIPPED WITH REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS NOT INSTALLED WITH REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE DEVELOPED IMBALANCE WHEN PLACED IN PARK SO SEVERE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK. ALSO DEVELOPED CLUNCKING NOISE WHEN STARTED OR ENGINE SHUT OFF. STILL AT COLONIAL DODGE INC. (810-778-1800 BEING DIAGNOSED.
WHEN CONSUMER DROVE OFF A RED LIGHT ABOUT 5 MPH SHE NOTICED THAT HER CHILD HAD FALLEN OUT OF SAFETY SEAT BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD CAR SEAT. THE CHILD WAS ON THE MIDDLE OF THE CENTER SEAT OF THE VAN. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE THE BATTERY EXPLODED, CAUSING FUMES AND ACID ALL OVER THE VEHICLE. DEALER SAID IT WAS A DEFECTIVE BATTERY. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED BATTERY. *AK
MULTIPLE PROBLEMS W/GEARS AND SHIFT INDICATOR, GEARS STICK IN REVERSE, MOVES FORWARD WHILE INDICATOR SHOWS REVERSE. (QCAW)
WHEN BRAKES APPLIED ON OCCASSION PEDAL VIBRATES/TAKES LONGER TO STOP VEHICLE, BRAKE DRUMS/ROTORS REPLACED. (QCAW)
CHILDREN HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEATS FIVE TIMES AND HAD TO BE CUT OUT.
WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
ALMOST AT STOP HIT SMALL BUMP AND BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. NO ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE BAG DEPLOYMENT.
ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 16,000 MILES, SECOND TRANSMISSION IS SHOWING SAME SYMPTOMS - SLIPPAGE AND GEAR DISENGAGEMENT.
CONSTANT RUBBING AND GRINDING NOISE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND VEHICLE WOULD LURCH TO A STOP. DEALER CLEANED THE REAR BRAKE SHOES OF DUST AND MACHINED THE WARPED REAR DRUMS, HOWEVER THE NOISE AND LURCHING CONTINUED.
3 YEAR OLD CHILD WAS ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS WITH ENGINE TURNED OFF, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. (QCAW)
UNSPECIFIED.
VEHICLE HAS LOST POWER STEERING IN HOT AND HUMID WEATHER DUE TO THE AIR CONDITIONER DRAINING ONTO THE POWER STEERING BELT. A REPLACEMENT ELBOW DRAINAGE PIPE IS NECESSARY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.
HEAD RESTS FOR THE BENCH SEAT WILL NOT LOCK IN POSITION.
IN HIGH HUMIDITY, THE VEHICLE STALLS.
ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF DURING DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS. ALSO STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER AWAY FROM TRAFFIC.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON AND OFF AT VARIOUS TIMES WITH OR WITHOUT USING THE TURN SIGNAL.
VEHICLE'S ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS MAKING IT HARD TO STEER.
TWO WINDOWS SHATTERED FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
SLIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, LOCKING MECHANISM FAILED. QCAW
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
ENGINE SURGED WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND RESULTED IN A MINOR CRASH.
LEAF SPRING BROKE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.
INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT, BOTH ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT HAVE FAILED.
12 YEAR OLD CHILD RECEIVED NECK INJURY IN CRASH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
WHILE TRAVELING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT WITHOUT INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DRIVING HABITS ARE CONSERVATIVE-DO NOT RIDE THE BRAKES. ROTORS SHOULD NOT BE DEFECTIVE SO SOON. DEALER COULD NOT PRODUCE DEFECTIVE ROTORS TO PROVE EVIDENCE OF WEAR.
POWER DOOR SOLENOID VALVE ON LEFT SIDE SLIDING DOOR FAILURES; ORIGINAL FAILED AFTER 1 YEAR AND THE REPLACEMENT DID NOT LAST 1 YEAR.
WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED ON INCLINE SLIDING DOOR WILL GO OFF THE HINGES. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH NOSE OF VEHICLE IN DOWNWARD POSTION, OR UPWARD POSTION. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT THE VEHICLE HE PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER HAD APATCH ON THE GAS TANK THAT JUST FAILED. DEALER ORDERING PART TO FIX IT. CONSUMER INQUIRES ABOUT COURSE OF ACTION THAT HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE.
VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH 24,000 MILES AND WE HAVE OWNED IT FOR LESS THAN A YEAR. AT FIRST REPAIR THE ENTIRE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS REPLACED: PROBLEMS REOCCURRED IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS; SECOND REPAIR, REATTACHED FUSE PANEL AND COMPUTER: PROBLEMS REOCCURRED IN APPROX. 2 WEEKS; THIRD REPAIR, REPLACED STARTER SWITCH: PROBLEMS REOCCURRED WITHIN 2 DAYS.
JACK FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. AFTER LIFTING VEHICLE, ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS, TO A HEIGHT ADEQUATE TO REMOVE THE WHEEL, IT APPEARED THAT THE JACK BASE BENT, CAUSING THE JACK TO KICK UNDER VEHICLE, AND THE VEHICLE TO FALL. IT APPEARED THAT THE CENTER LINE OF THE JACK BASE WAS NOT CENTERED UNDER THE LIFT POINT OF THE JACK.
BRAKE ROTOR FAILED DUR TO CORROSION.
MASTER SWITCH FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED.
INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT LATCH STUCK AND STRAPS CONTINUED TO TIGHTEN.
THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 2 MINUTES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
THE BUCKLE CAME LOOSE SO THAT THE CHILD IS NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN THE VEHICLE. DEALER IS GOING TO REPLACE . *AK
ABS SYSTEM FAILED.
ANTI LOCK BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON RANDOMLY SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE UNABLE TO DETERMINE FAULT IN THE SYSTEM.
VEHICLE HAS ABS BRAKES, FRONT BRAKES SMOKE AND GET VERY HOT WHEN APPLIED. ALSO, BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEALER REPLACED PADS AND ADJUSTED REAR DRUMS, BUT PROBLEM REMAINS. *AK
INTERMITTENT STALLING. IN ADDITION, VEHICLE EXPERIENCES TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE.
SEAT BELT FAILURE DURING ACCIDENT.
VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE STRONGLY PRIOR TO STALLING WHEN IN PARK POSITION.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE FRONT END HAS PROBLEMS.OWNER NOTES MANY PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, TIE RODS/SHOCKS,AND PITTMAN ARMS. CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK
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 Grand Caravan → · Every Grand Caravan year → · How the figures are calculated →