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2008 Dodge Caravan

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Dodge Caravan do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 182.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

222 reports with mileage · 80 unknown

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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 162 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports6 fire reports6 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

15 reports
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100,000 miles · Jun 6, 2014
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility/wiper

WE PULLED OUT AT NIGHT AND STARTED DRIVING WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, THE INTERIOR WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, THE WIND SHIELD WIPERS STARTED GOING ON AND OFF, THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID STARTED SPRAYING, THE LIGHTS ON THE GAUGES WERE FLASHING, AND THE IGNITIO…

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WE PULLED OUT AT NIGHT AND STARTED DRIVING WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, THE INTERIOR WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, THE WIND SHIELD WIPERS STARTED GOING ON AND OFF, THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID STARTED SPRAYING, THE LIGHTS ON THE GAUGES WERE FLASHING, AND THE IGNITION STARTED "DINGING" LIKE WHEN YOU TURN IT ON. GRANTED THIS WAS AT NIGHT SO WE LOST HEADLIGHTS FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AT A TIME UNTIL WE COULD GET STOPPED. I HAD MY 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE CAR AND MY WIFE. LUCKILY WE WEREN'T GOING VERY FAST AND WERE ABLE TO GET PULLED OVER WITHOUT BEING INVOLVED IN A WRECK. AFTER TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF A COUPLE OF TIMES AND CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD THE PROBLEM CEASED. FAST FORWARD A FEW MONTHS. SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE DAYTIME. BASICALLY THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AS ABOVE. LUCKILY THIS WAS DURING THE DAY AND THE HEADLIGHTS AREN'T AS IMPORTANT. ONCE AGAIN AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF A COUPLE OF TIMES AND GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD IT CEASED. FAST FORWARD A FEW WEEKS. ISSUE OCCURRED ONCE AGAIN DURING THE DAY. AT THIS POINT WE REFUSED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT AS WE DEEMED IT UNSAFE AT NIGHT WITH THE POTENTIAL THAT WE COULD LOSE LIGHTS WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND HAVE ZERO VISIBILITY. WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO GET THE LIGHTS TO STOP GOING ON AND OFF AND THE ISSUE WITH THE VAN IS STILL OCCURRING. I'VE READ SIMILAR STORIES FROM OTHER DODGE OWNERS AND MOST HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE EVEN AFTER SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THIS IS GOING TO SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILL SOMEONE AND A SEARCH REGARDING THE LIGHTS FLASHING ONLINE FOR DODGE CARAVANS AROUND THIS YEAR MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS ISSUE REGARDING THE VAN. I ALSO CHECKED AND DODGE CLAIMS THE OTHER RECALLS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE ON THIS VAN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10596695

Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 2013
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

NEITHER HIGH OR LOW BEAM LIGHTS COME ON. WHEN I TURN THEM ON, THEY WILL BLINK THREE TIMES, AND NOTHING ELSE. HAD TWO MECHANICS WORK ON IT, BUT COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT.

NHTSA ODI #10552535

50,000 miles · Aug 27, 2013
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility/wiper

8/24 - THE VAN WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH MY HUSBAND & SON SITTING IN IT. ANOTHER DRIVER CAME TO CLAIM THEIR NEARBY DODGE CARAVAN & BEEPED OPEN HIS VAN, AT THAT POINT OUR WIPERS STARTED GOING FULL SPEED & THE FLUID SHOT UP. IT STOPPED FOR A MINUTE THEN STARTED GOING FULL STRENGTH AGAIN WITH THE HORN GOING NON-STOP, THE L…

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8/24 - THE VAN WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH MY HUSBAND & SON SITTING IN IT. ANOTHER DRIVER CAME TO CLAIM THEIR NEARBY DODGE CARAVAN & BEEPED OPEN HIS VAN, AT THAT POINT OUR WIPERS STARTED GOING FULL SPEED & THE FLUID SHOT UP. IT STOPPED FOR A MINUTE THEN STARTED GOING FULL STRENGTH AGAIN WITH THE HORN GOING NON-STOP, THE LIGHTS ALL STARTED FLASHING, & THE DOORS ALL LOCKED. THE KEY FOB WAS IN THE IGNITION BUT IN THE OFF POSITION. MY HUSBAND TRIED UNLOCKING THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB (PULLED OUT OF THE IGNITION), TRIED USING THE INDOOR UNLOCK BUTTON BUT ALL WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. WE WERE ABLE TO MANUALLY OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE. ALL OF THIS KEPT GOING FOR ABOUT 5 MINS UNTIL I CLIMBED IN THE BACK TO OPEN THE SIDE DOORS TO AIR OUT THE CAR & GET MY 2 YEAR OLD OUT. WHEN I MANUALLY UNLOCKED THE DRIVER SIDE BACK DOOR EVERYTHING STOPPED. WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT THAT DAY. 8/25 - WE WERE DRIVING BACK TO CHICAGO WHEN THE WIPERS DID THE SAME THING BUT NOTHING ELSE. 8/26 - I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN ALL THE DOORS UNLOCKED & ALL THE WARNINGS ON THE CONTROL PANEL LIT UP. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WHEN I STARTED DRIVING AGAIN THE RPM STARTED GOING CRAZY LIKE IT COULDN'T SHIFT GEAR. I PULLED OVER AGAIN, TURNED THE VAN OFF & LET IT SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE MY DRIVE TO WORK & GOT HOME OK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10537444

55,387 miles · Aug 13, 2013
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility/wiper

ON A HIGHWAY RAMP ENTERING THE HIGHWAY THE HORN ON MY VAN STARTED TO BLOW ON & OFF, AT THE SAME TIME THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE WIPING & THE SPRAY WAS SPEWING AT ME AT HIGH SPEED. THE LIGHTS BLINKED ON AND OFF & THE DOOR LOCKS WERE GOING UP & DOWN. THE RADIO WAS BLASTING AS WELL. I CAME TO A STOP BEFORE ENTERING THE HIGHWAY TO T…

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ON A HIGHWAY RAMP ENTERING THE HIGHWAY THE HORN ON MY VAN STARTED TO BLOW ON & OFF, AT THE SAME TIME THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE WIPING & THE SPRAY WAS SPEWING AT ME AT HIGH SPEED. THE LIGHTS BLINKED ON AND OFF & THE DOOR LOCKS WERE GOING UP & DOWN. THE RADIO WAS BLASTING AS WELL. I CAME TO A STOP BEFORE ENTERING THE HIGHWAY TO TRY & FIGURE THINGS OUT BUT NOTHING WORKED. FOR 5-8 MINUTES I SAT THERE IN FEAR IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE. I PUT IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF & TOOK THE KEYS OUT. IT CONTINUED TO DO ALL THE ACTIVITY WITH THE KEYS IN MY HAND! WHEN IT STOPPED & I TRIED TO STARTING IT. IT STARTED & RAN OK TILL IT HAPPENED NOT MORE THAN 15 MINUTES LATTER ON MY WAY TO THE DEALER. THIS TIME IT LURCHED FORWARD AT A FASTER SPEED WITH EVERYTHING WIPING, BLOWING, SPEWING & BLINKING WHICH CAUSED ME TO DROP IT INTO NEUTRAL & BRAKE TO A STOP IN THE MEDIAN. THIS TIME WHEN IT BECAME QUITE IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN & WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY SAW THE CODES IT LEFT BUT COULDN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THEY SAID THEY COULD KEEP IT THRU THE WEEKEND & TRY AGAIN ON MONDAY OR I COULD TAKE IT & BRING IT BACK WHEN IT DID IT AGAIN. THIS IS THE CAR I DRIVE MY FAMILY IN ALL THE TIME. MYSELF & 4 YOUNG GIRLS PLUS FRIENDS. ALTHOUGH I AM THANKFUL TO HAVE ONLY HAD TO PAY FOR TOWING I AM VERY UPSET THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE. I AM ESSENTIALLY DRIVING A TICKING TIME BOMB. THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME, ANYWHERE & WITH A CAR FULL OF KIDS! I HAVE SAID FROM DAY 1 THAT THE VAN HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS & NO ONE TOOK ME SERIOUS. THE ONLY THING THE DEALER FOUND THAT RAISED A RED FLAG WAS THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WHEN YOU USE THE TURN SIGNAL - THIS HAS BEEN A CHIEF COMPLAINT ALL ALONG. MY FAMILY HAS HAD DODGES FOR A LONG TIME, HAVE BEEN LOYAL CUSTOMERS & EMPLOYEES. WE EXPECT BETTER FROM A COMPANY WE'VE GROWN TO DEPEND ON & REFER OTHERS TO FOR THEIR NEXT VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10535117

92,000 miles · Jun 25, 2010
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. HEADLIGHTS FAIL WHILE DRIVING. THEY WILL COME AND GO. BRIGHTS MAY FAIL OR LOW BEAMS MAY FAIL OR BOTH TOGETHER. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET. DODGE DEALER AND OTHER MECHANIC HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR FIND THE CAUSE. I HAVE SEEN AT LEAST 30-50 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON…

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2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. HEADLIGHTS FAIL WHILE DRIVING. THEY WILL COME AND GO. BRIGHTS MAY FAIL OR LOW BEAMS MAY FAIL OR BOTH TOGETHER. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET. DODGE DEALER AND OTHER MECHANIC HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR FIND THE CAUSE. I HAVE SEEN AT LEAST 30-50 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10340145

Official recalls

2

10V164000 · Suspension:rear

Apr 23, 2010

THE BRAUN CORPORATION IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2010 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY AND DODGE CARAVAN MOBILITY CONVERSIONS WHICH WERE ALTERED BY BRAUN BETWEEN JANUARY 21, 2009 AND MARCH 19, 2010. DURING CONVERSION, THE CHASSIS WAS RAISED AND THE FLOOR WAS LOWERED TO ACCOMMODATE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES. IN RAISING THE CHASSIS, THE REAR SPRING HATS COME INTO CLOSER PROXIMITY TO THE REAR TIRES. IN ROUGH OR AGGRESSIVE DRIVING SITUATIONS THE TIRES MAY INTERMITTENTLY CONTACT THE REAR SPRING HATS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: CONTACT BETWEEN THE TIRE SPRING HAT MAY WEAR A HOLE IN THE TIRE OVER TIME. THIS MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL IN THE EVENT OF TIRE PRESSURE LOSS INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: BRAUN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 4, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BRAUN TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-488-0359.

10V148000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap

Apr 13, 2010

THE BRAUN CORPORATION IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2010 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY AND DODGE CARAVAN COMMERCIAL ENTERVANS WHICH WERE ALTERED BY BRAUN BETWEEN JANUARY 21, 2009 AND MARCH 19, 2010. DURING CONVERSION, THE CHASSIS WAS RAISED AND THE FLOOR WAS LOWERED TO ACCOMMODATE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES. IN RAISING THE CHASSIS, THE FUEL FILL PIPE COMES INTO CLOSER PROXIMITY TO THE LEFT REAR TIRE. IN ROUGH OR AGGRESSIVE DRIVING SITUATIONS, THE TIRE MAY INTERMITTENTLY CONTACT THE FUEL FILL PIPE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: CONTACT BETWEEN THE TIRE AND FUEL FILL PIPE MAY WEAR A HOLE IN ONE OR THE OTHER COMPONENTS OVER TIME. THIS MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL IN THE EVENT OF TIRE PRESSURE LOSS, OR A VEHICLE FIRE IN THE EVENT THE FUEL PIPE IS COMPROMISED.

Remedy: BRAUN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 4, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BRAUN TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-488-0359.

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

1

DP14004 · Totally Integrated Power Module Failure

Opened Sep 25, 2014 · Closed Jul 24, 2015

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System

In a letter dated August 21, 2014, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged failures associated with the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) installed in Chrysler SUV?s, trucks, and vans beginning in the 2007 model year. The petitioner alleges that TIPM defects may result in engine stall, airbag non-deployment, failure of fuel pump shutoff resulting in unintended acceleration, fire, and other symptoms. On September 25, 2014, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened DP14-004 to evaluate the petition for a grant or deny decision. ODI analyzed complaint data provided by CAS as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 296 complaints submitted by the petitioner in the original petition and five supplements, including 271 complaints related to the subject vehicles equipped with TIPM-7. Approximately 3 percent of CAS complaints are related to vehicles equipped with TIPM-6 and ODI?s review of these complaints did not identify any safety defect trends. ODI conducted a detailed review of complaints narratives submitted by CAS and consumers including careful analysis of vehicle repair histories, warranty claims obtained from the manufacturer and any available Customer Assistance Inquiry reports (CAIR). Analysis of the field data indicated that MY2011-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles exhibited significantly higher complaint rates related to fuel pump relay (FPR) failures than other subject vehicles. In a September 3, 2014 letter to NHTSA, Chrysler submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) identifying a defect in the FPR within the TIPM-7 which can result in a no start or stall condition in approximately 188,723 model year (MY) 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK) and Dodge Durango (WD) vehicles manufactured from January 5, 2010 through July 20, 2011 (14V-530).In a February 24, 2015 letter, Chrysler submitted a second DIR expanding the scope of the FPR defect condition to include an additional 338,216 MY 2012 through 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured from September 17, 2010 through August 19, 2013 and MY 2012 through 2013 Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured from January 18, 2011 through August 19, 2013 (15V-115).ODI analysis of the CAS allegations of TIPM defects resulting in stall while driving, airbag non-deployment, unintended acceleration, fire and other faults identified a single defect condition related to 1 of over 60 different circuits in the TIPM assembly. The most common effect of this defect condition, related to the fuel pump relay, was a no-start concern, but it could also result in stall while driving (76 complaints). No valid evidence was presented in support of claims related to airbag non-deployment, unintended acceleration or fire resulting from TIPM faults and these claims were found to be wholly without merit based on review of the field data and design of the relevant systems and components.Except insofar as the petitioner's contentions relate to the defect condition addressed by the Chrysler recalls, the factual bases of the petitioner's contentions that any further investigation is necessary are unsupported. In our view, additional investigation is unlikely to result in a finding that a defect related to motor vehicle safety exists or a NHTSA order for the notification and remedy of a safety-related defect as alleged by the petitioner at the conclusion of the requested investigation. Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, the petition is den