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1988 Dodge Grand Caravan

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
10Owner complaints

Model-year median: 284

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

2Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1988 Dodge Grand Caravan

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 10 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 2 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 2 reports
  • Latches/locks/linkages: 2 reports
  • Power Train: 2 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2 reports
  • Fuel System, Gasoline: 1 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    1
    1985    0
    1986    2
    1987    10
    1988    24
    1989    55
    1990    129
    1991
    Compare all Grand Caravan years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Engine And Engine Cooling
    2    Latches/locks/linkages
    2    Power Train
    2    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    2    Fuel System, Gasoline
    1
    All reported categories
    Seat Belts
    1    Structure
    1

    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: 1 of 10 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.

    • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

    Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

    2 reports
    Clear category filter
    126,000 miles · Oct 27, 2006
    Engine And Engine Cooling

    WHILE DRIVING IN LIGHT RAIN, MY SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF AGAIN. THIS BELT CONTROLS THE POWER STEERING, ETC. IT ALMOST CAUSED A SEVERE WRECK. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE GRAND CARAVANS OF THE LATE 90'S AND EARLY 2000'S. IT IS VERY UNSAFE. WE HAVE HAD THE TENSIONER REPLACED, INSTALLED A SNOW SHIELD, ETC. TO TRY TO FIX THIS…

    Read full complaint

    WHILE DRIVING IN LIGHT RAIN, MY SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF AGAIN. THIS BELT CONTROLS THE POWER STEERING, ETC. IT ALMOST CAUSED A SEVERE WRECK. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE GRAND CARAVANS OF THE LATE 90'S AND EARLY 2000'S. IT IS VERY UNSAFE. WE HAVE HAD THE TENSIONER REPLACED, INSTALLED A SNOW SHIELD, ETC. TO TRY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, ALL TO NO AVAIL. THE BELT HAS COME OFF 4 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR, EVEN IN VERY LIGHT RAIN AND VERY SHALLOW PUDDLES. *NM

    NHTSA ODI #10172008

    Mileage unknown · Nov 25, 1997
    Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

    TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

    NHTSA ODI #605627

    Recall campaigns

    0

    No recalls in this snapshot.

    Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

    Defect investigations

    2

    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.

    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

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.