IllustrationTHE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED REPEATEDLY AFTER A NEW ONE WAS INSTALLED, INITIALLY THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE BREAKAGE OF TWO AXLES, MAIN AXLE, VAC PINION AND BOTH FRONT BEARINGS (R4761821-AA TRANSMISSION-41T 2100 2001). NLM
1989 Dodge Caravan
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Dodge Caravan do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 182.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Caravan years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 191 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports11 fire reports12 injury reports
Power Train complaints
48 reportsTRUNK DOOR, WHEN OPENING WILL NOT STAY IN UP POSITION, WILL SLAM SHUT. ALSO WHEN VEHICLE PUT IN DRIVE, IT WILL NOT TAKE OFF. CONSUMER HAS TO DRIVE IT IN D1 CONSTANTLY, WHEN SHE DRIVES IT IN D2 VEHICLE WILL STALL. *AK *SLC
MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE. YH
VALVE COVER GASKET JUST STARTED LEAKING 1 WEEK AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VAN. 2. TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON SEPT. 24, 1999 2ND TIME IN LESS THAN A YEAR. THE WHOLE THING NEEDS REPLACING ONCE AGAIN.
CONSUMER STATES HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE IN TRANSMISSION. *AK
TRANSMISSION IS MISSING, AND IT DOESN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR PROPERLY. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
DRIVER CANNOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE, AND SOMETIMES TRUCK WILL GET STUCK IN GEAR. OTHER TIMES DRIVER CANNOT SHIFT INTO ANOTHER GEAR, AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE DRIVER STEPS ON THE GAS PEDAL THE TRUCK WILL GO FORWARD. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT INCIDENTS. THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMIS…
Read full complaint
DRIVER CANNOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE, AND SOMETIMES TRUCK WILL GET STUCK IN GEAR. OTHER TIMES DRIVER CANNOT SHIFT INTO ANOTHER GEAR, AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE DRIVER STEPS ON THE GAS PEDAL THE TRUCK WILL GO FORWARD. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT INCIDENTS. THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE DP98- 003. *AK
TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF SECOND GEAR, REFUSES TO SHIFT INTO FIRST, FIFTH, AND REVERSE, AND MADE GRINDING NOISE.
TRANSMISSION SLIPPING DUE TO FAILURE. NLM
THE HATCHBACK HYDRAULIC CYLINDER WHICH SUPPORTS THE THE LIFT DOES NOT HOLD THE HATCH BACK, RESULTING IN THE HATACHBACK FALLING ON THE OCCUPANT. *AK TRANSMISSION FAILED. *YH
Official recalls
291V053000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
Apr 10, 1991
INBOARD FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY STRAPS CAN SUFFER FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE STRAP NEAR ITS ANCHOR POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FATIGUE FAILURE OF SAFETY BELTS IN A SUDDEN STOP ORACCIDENT CONDITION RESULTS IN INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY TO SEAT OCCUPANT.
Remedy: REPLACE FATIGUED STRAPS OR RETROFIT STRAPS WITH A REINFORCEMENT PLATE AND REMOVAL OF AN ANTIROTATION TAB TO PREVENT FATIGUE FAILURE.
89V237000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Dec 27, 1989
THE ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET MAY DISLOCATE AND ALLOW AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AT THE GASKET.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LEAKAGE OF OIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COULD CAUSEA FIRE.
Remedy: REPLACE GASKET COVER WITH REVISED COVER, AND RTV SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED IN PLACE OF A GASKET.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
10DP98003 · Automatic Transmission Failure
Opened Mar 11, 1998 · Closed Apr 10, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
THE PETITION ALLEGES THAT THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION FAILED TO PRODUCE A QUALITY TRANSMISSION IN ITS MODEL YEAR 1989 MINIVANS, WHICH CAN FAIL IMMATURELY
EA94005 · Liftgate Latches
Opened Jan 31, 1994 · Closed Oct 25, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
LIFTGATE LATCHES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE FAILED IN LOW AND MODERATE SPEED IMPACTS RESULTING IN OCCUPANT EJECTIONS, INJURIES, AND FATALITIES.THERE ARE TWO FAILURE MODES ASSOCIATED WITH LATCH FAILURE: FORK BOLT-DETENT LEVER BYPASS, AND INERTIAL UNLATCHING.NHTSA ANALYSES OF CHRYSLER AND PEER MINIVANS TOOK THE FORM OF STATIC AND DYNAMIC CRASH TESTING, ENGINEERING EVALUATIONS, COMPLAINT AND FIELD ANALYSES, AND REAL WORLD DATA ANALYSES.A TECHNICAL REPORT DISCUSSING THESE ANALYSES CAN BE FOUND IN THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TECHNICAL REPORT IN THE PUBLIC VIEWING FILE.CHRYSLER HAS ADVISED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE LATCHES ON ALL THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE CHRYSLER CAMPAIGN WILL CONSIST OF NOTIFICATION LETTERS TO ALL OWNERS; FREE REPLACEMENT OF ALL LATCHES WITH STRONGER, SAFER LATCHES REGARDLESS OF THE AGE OF THE MINIVANS; NATIONAL ADVERTISING TO PROMOTE CUSTOMER AWARENESS OF THE CAMPAIGN; QUARTERLY REPORTS REGARDING CAMPAIGN COMPLETION RATES; AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO ENSURE A HIGH COMPLETION RATE, ABOVE AND BEYOND THE ACTIONS THAT NORMALLY WOULD BE TAKEN IN A FORMAL SAFETY RECALL.THESE INCLUDE FOLLOW UP WRITTEN AND TELEPHONIC NOTIFICATIONS TO OWNERS WHO DO NOT BRING THEIR VEHICLES IN FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION.NHTSA FIRMLY BELIEVES THAT THE CRASH PERFORMANCE OF THE LATCHES ON THESE MINIVANS RAISES SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS, AND THAT THE CAMPAIGN ADDRESSES THESE CONCERNS.THE CHRYSLER CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL INCREASE THE STRENGTH OF THE LIFTGATE LATCHES AND DECREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR INERTIAL UNLATCHING, THEREBY REDUCING THE RISK OF CRASH-RELATED OPENINGS OF THE LIFTGATE AND POSSIBLE OCCUPANT EJECTION THROUGH THE LIFTGATE OPENING.OWNERS OF CHRYSLER MINIVANS WILL GET A STRONGER, SAFER LATCH FREE OF CHARGE AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION AND COMPLEX AND TIME-CONSUMING LITIGATION WITH AN UNCERTAIN OUTCOME.BASED ON THE ABOVE, ODI IS CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION.
PE92027 · R/htchbck Hydr.cylin.fails
Opened Mar 10, 1992 · Closed Jun 3, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
PE91062 · Rear Wiper Switch/fires
Opened Mar 19, 1991 · Closed Jul 31, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
There is no summary currently available
PE91026 · Seat Belt Buckle Failure
Opened Jan 4, 1991 · Closed May 1, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available
EA91010 · Trans Park System Failure
Opened Dec 10, 1990 · Closed Dec 31, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
There is no summary currently available
PE90079 · Rear Seat Structure Fails
Opened May 7, 1990 · Closed Oct 2, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System
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EA90011 · Underdash Fires
Opened Feb 23, 1990 · Closed Feb 28, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
There is no summary currently available
PE89170 · Underdash Fires
Opened Sep 26, 1989 · Closed Feb 23, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline
There is no summary currently available
PE89036 · Transmission Downshifting
Opened Jan 9, 1989 · Closed Jan 31, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
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