IllustrationTHE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE'S SEAT BELTS WERE NOT PROPERLY DESIGNED FOR A PERSON 5'4". THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM
1990 Dodge Caravan
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 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: 4 of 278 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 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 48 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 reports7 fire reports9 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
23 reportsDRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT EXTEND FROM THE RETRACTING MECHANISM, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER WAS IN A REAR AND FRONT END ACCIDENT, THE DRIVER'S RESTRAINT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN PROPERLY, CONSUMER HIT HEAD ON THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
THE BUCKLES IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THE VAN ARE CRACKED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS. THE CALIPERS HAVE DEEP GROOVES, PROBABLY CAUSED FROM THE GUIDES WEARING INTO THEM, THE KNUCKLES, GUIDES, AND CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CAUSING BRAKE PAD FAILURE. TIRES HAD BEEN ROTATED, HOWEVE…
Read full complaint
THE BUCKLES IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THE VAN ARE CRACKED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS. THE CALIPERS HAVE DEEP GROOVES, PROBABLY CAUSED FROM THE GUIDES WEARING INTO THEM, THE KNUCKLES, GUIDES, AND CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CAUSING BRAKE PAD FAILURE. TIRES HAD BEEN ROTATED, HOWEVER STILL HAD BAD TREAD WEAR, NO SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION WAS GIVEN. *SLC
THE CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT AND SEAT BELT DIDN'T RETRACT. *AK CONSUMER PRIOR TO ACCIDENT HAD RECALL REPAIRS 91V053 REGARDING SEAT BELT BUCKLES. *SLC
CONSUMER STATES THAT HER SEAT BELT DID NOT SECURE HER IN AN ACCIDENT, CAUSING HER TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALSO THE DASH.*AK
AT TIMES WHEN YOU BUCKLE THE PASSENGER SIDE SIT BELT IT IS CONSTRICTIVE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
SEAT BELTS FAILED.
THE DRIVERS/FRONT PASSENGER AND THE REAR SEAT OUTER SEABELTS DO NOT LATCH PROPERLY. PLEASE DESRIBE. *AK
THE DEALERSHIP HAS NFORMED HER THEY HAVE NO MORE PARTS AVAILABLE BECAUSE SHE WAITED TOO LONG TO GET HER RECALL TO BE FIXED 91V053000. *AK
Official recalls
391V053000 · 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.
90V145000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:differential Proportional Valve
Aug 10, 1990
INCORRECT SCREWS MAY HAVE BEEN USED IN INSTALLING THE LOAD SENSING BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE TO ITS BRACKET CAUSING THE CLAMPING LOAD TO BE LESS THAN INTENDED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN INCONSISTENT FRONT TO REAR BRAKEBALANCE WITH POTENTIAL FOR REAR BRAKE SKID UNDER HEAVY BRAKING CONDITIONS.
Remedy: REPLACE PROPORTIONING VALVE TO BRACKET SCREWS WITH PROPER LENGTH SCREWS.
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
6PE95014 · Rear Seat Anchorages
Opened Feb 23, 1995 · Closed Jul 7, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:rear/other
There is no summary currently available
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