1997 Dodge Van

Routine

Owners filed 24 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
000
Air Bags2
000
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core1
000
Tires › Valve1
000
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Tires1
000
Suspension › Front › Hub1
000
Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint1
100
Suspension › Front1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Jul 1, 2008AL

I OWN A 1997 DODGE VOYAGER VAN AND HAVE BEEN HAVING CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH THE PS, AC, AND ALTERNATOR BELT SLIPPING OFF, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE PS AND ALTERNATOR MOUNTING BRACKETS. AT BEST, I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME USING THE ELECTRICITY FROM THE BATTERY TO POWER THE SPARK PLUGS AND HAVE NOT HAD PS BECAUSE OF THE SLIPPED BELT. THE MOST RECENT EVENT HAPPENED ON 6/30/08. SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED IN FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, AND MAY OF THIS YEAR. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP AS MANY TIMES. THE PS MOUNTING BRACKET IS GOING TO NEED REPLACEMENT (AGAIN) OF THE MOUNTING BOLTS THAT HAVE BROKEN OFF DUE TO THE STRAIN OF THE BELT SLIPPING OFF. THE REPAIR SHOP SAYS THAT ALL OF THE PULLEYS AND MOUNTING BRACKETS HAVE, BY NOW, BEEN REPLACED AND WERE IN WORKING ORDER AND CAN NOT GIVE ME A REASON WHY THE BELT KEEPS SLIPPING OFF. I WAS REFERRED TO THIS SITE, THROUGH THE INTERNET, BY MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR CHRYSLER OR DODGE VANS. IT SEEMS THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURE WILL NOT MAKE CORRECT. *TR

Tires › Valve
Filed Feb 8, 2007VA

1997 DODGE 3500 MAXI VAN WITH TIRE FAILURE DUE TO DEFECTIVE VALVE STEMS. **CC THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE TIRE FAILURES, ON THE SAME VEHICLE, DUE TO DEFECTIVE VALVE STEMS. THE STEM MANUFACTURERS ARE EHA SCHRADER AND FHA

Suspension › Front
Filed Sep 20, 2005MN

1997 DODGE CARAVAN HAS SEVERE STRUT TOWER CORROSION ON FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. THIS HAS NOT FAILED YET, BUT COULD CAUSE CRASH IF STRUT COMES THROUGH TOP OF HOUSING. *JB

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed Jun 6, 200580,000 milesOH

THE PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING IS WITH THE GAUGES. MY ABS AND CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON AND THE GAUGES GO OUT. I CAN TELL HOW FAST I'M GOING I CAN TELL HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE AND MY DOORS WILL NOT LOCK THEMSELVES. I HAVE HAD THE COMPUTER RESET. WE HAVE DICONNECTED THE NEGITIVE BATTERY CABLE AND RECONNECTED IT. WE HAVE BEAT ON THE DASH TILL THEY COME BACK ON. THESE ARE ONLY TEMP FIXES BECAUSE PRETTY SOON HERE COMES THE LIGHTS OUT GOES THE GAUGES. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 2 YEARS AGO BECAUSE APARENTLY AFTER ABOUT 79000 MILES THE TRANSMISSIONS GO OUT ON THESE VANS. WE THE TRANSMISSION STARTS SHIFTING FUNNY IS WHEN THIS PROBLEM ACCURES. I LOVE MY VAN I JUST CANT HANDLE ITS PROBLEMS. WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES HAVING THIS PROBLEM EITHER EVERYONE I HAVE TALKED TO HAS REPLACED THEIR TRANSMISSIONS AT 79000 MILES AND IS HAVING THE SAME GAUGE PROBLEMS I AM HAVING.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 30, 2005CA

MY 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WAS IN FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, AND AT 117,000 MILES I LEARNED MY TRANSMISSION IS ALSO GOING. I KNOW TWO OTHER PEOPLE WHO REPLACED THEIR TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE 100,000. DON'T BUY ONE.*AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball JointCrash
Filed Jan 4, 2005NY

BALL JOINT SEPARATION ON THE LFRONT LEFT TIRE. *AK

Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core
Filed Dec 15, 200498,023 milesNH

THE HEATER CORE SPRUNG A LEAK WHILE DRIVING WHICH RENDERED THE DEFROSTER SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY FOGGED UP. THIS REDUCED THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY BECAUSE THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND CUT THE WINDSHIELD OFF, AND DROVE THE REST OF THE TRIP WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN, AND DEFOGGER SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION. THE HEATER CORE WAS REPLACED BY A MECHANIC WHO HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING THE PART. THIS MAY BE DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING DESIGN. *AK *TC

Air Bags
Filed May 4, 2004AZ

SAFETY RECALL NOTICE RECEIVED FOR 1997 DODGE VAN REGARDING AIR BAGS AND REPLACEMENT OF THE CLOCKSPRING. (NAR) *MR THE CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE CLOCKSPRING REPLACED, BUT WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE DEALER THEY INDICATED THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART AVAILABLE (RECALL B24). *NM *CB

Tires
Filed Apr 20, 2004AR

WHEN THE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT, IT RUPTURED THE GAS TANK FILLER TUBE. *PH *NM

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Jul 25, 2003MD

TIRE BLOW OUT. COMPLETE BLOW OF TREAD, RADIAL PLYS. ONLY SIDEWALLS REMAIN ON RIM.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Lever and Linkage › Column ShiftCrash1 injured
Filed Jul 14, 2003TX

MY 3 YEARS OLD DOUGHTER WAS ABLE TO DISENGAGE THE GEAR FROM PARK TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKES. SHE RAN OVER MY SON WHO WAS GOING AROUND THE CAR TO ENTER FROM THE OTHER SIDE. THE CAR IS A DODGE VAN 1997. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE INCIDENTS AND THEY SAID THAT THE CARAVAN MODEL 1997 DID NOT COME WITH THIS SAFETY FEATURE"TO CHANGE GEARS FROM BRAKE, DRIVE OR NEUTRAL. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKES' I BELIVE THIS IS A AFTY FEATURE THT SHOULD BE RECALED AND FIXED. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Dec 12, 2001MD

THIS WILL BE MY 3RD FUEL PUMP IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS, THE SECOND ONE WAS JUST 6 MONTHS AGO.*AK

Suspension › Front › Hub
Filed Jun 20, 2001UT

BOTH DOOR MOUNTS REAR VIEW MIRRORS FOLD INTO THE DOOR AT SPEEDS ABOVE 60 MPH. THE CLAMP SCREWS STRIP OUT WHEN TIGHTENED RENDERING THE MIRRORS USELESS. REPLACEMENT COST OF MIRROR $125 EACH. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor
Filed May 3, 2001IL

ROTORS BEGAN TO DISINTEGRATE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CASTING. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys
Filed Dec 20, 2000TX

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AND RUNNING THROUGH WATER, IT IS SPLASHING ONTO THE BELT, CAUSING VAN TO LOSE STEERING AND BRAKES! THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. **** DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****738051. *AK *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Jun 12, 2000LA

BRAKES FAILED, DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. NLM

Air Bags › Side/WindowCrash5 injured
Filed May 31, 2000IN

ON A DIVIDED HIGHWAY TRAVELING 60MPH, APPROACHED A RED LIGHT AND ANOTHER VEHICLE COMING FROM THE LEFT, RAN THE LIGHT AND HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE, RUNNING IT OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Feb 15, 2000IN

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE IN REFERENCE TO THE SEAT BELTS. CONTACTED DEALER FOR REPAIRS. DEALER STATED NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. PLEASE NOTE THE RECALL INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE DIMS DATA BASE, NOR WAS THE MANUFACTURER' S RECALL INFORMATION LISTED ON THE OWNER'S NOTICE. *AK

Air Bags
Filed Sep 8, 1999CA

AIR BAG MODULE UNDER FRONT DRIVERS SEAT.

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 17, 1999GA

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT DOES NOT RETRACT BACK INTO POSITION, AND MIDDLE ROW CAPTAIN SEAT BY THE SIDE DOORS HAS NEVER WORKED, TOTALLY INOPERATIVE.CHRYSLER AND COACHMAN WILL NOT TAKE THE RESPONDSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING THE PARTS OR FIXING THE SEATBELTS. ALSO, RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR AIR BAG. BUT DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIX BECAUSE THEIR ANALISIS MACHINE WAS OFF. *AK

20 of 24 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1998
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200218010Routine
200115010Routine
200019000Routine
199917022Fatalities reported
199824000Routine
1997 — this page24000Routine
199618000Routine
199510000Routine
19949020Routine
19934000Routine
19915100Routine
19900100Routine

Compare every Van year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.