IllustrationVAN WAS SLIPPING NOT GOING INTO GEAR WHEN IT WAS COLD AND NOW JUST WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT HAS TO BE REBUILT WILL COST ANYWHERE FROM $2300 TO $2800 TO FIX. *JB
1997 Dodge Grand Caravan
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Caravan years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan are substantially higher than the model-year median of 284.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Grand 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: 132 of 583 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 107 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 104 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 102 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
29 crash reports39 fire reports22 injury reports
Power Train complaints
81 reportsTHE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT GEARS IF THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. THE AIR CONDITIONER TURNED ALL THE WAY UP WILL BLOW OUT AIR AS IF IT WAS ON MID WAY. THE WIND SHIELD WIPERS COME ON WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED, WHICH CAUSES ME TO BUY BLADES MORE OFTEN. THE BRAKES SEEM TO LOCK UP WHEN THE GROUND IS WET. YOU CAN HEAR META…
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THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT GEARS IF THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. THE AIR CONDITIONER TURNED ALL THE WAY UP WILL BLOW OUT AIR AS IF IT WAS ON MID WAY. THE WIND SHIELD WIPERS COME ON WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED, WHICH CAUSES ME TO BUY BLADES MORE OFTEN. THE BRAKES SEEM TO LOCK UP WHEN THE GROUND IS WET. YOU CAN HEAR METAL HITTING TOGETHER, AND THE CAR CONTINUES TO ROLL. MY SISTER-IN-LAW, AND ONE OF MY DAYCARE MOMS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE NOT AS LUCKY AS I WAS IT CAUSED THEM TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE.
AT 91,000 MILES THE VEHICLE HAD A SUDDEN AND CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORS & FRIENDS ALSO EXPERIENCE GRAND CARAVAN TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS IN 97 & 98 MODELS, THERE OBVIOUSLY IS A MAJOR DESIGN PROBLEM. I HAD OWNED A 1989 GRAND CARAVAN THAT HAD TWO TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED U…
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AT 91,000 MILES THE VEHICLE HAD A SUDDEN AND CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORS & FRIENDS ALSO EXPERIENCE GRAND CARAVAN TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS IN 97 & 98 MODELS, THERE OBVIOUSLY IS A MAJOR DESIGN PROBLEM. I HAD OWNED A 1989 GRAND CARAVAN THAT HAD TWO TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I TOOK A CHANCE GOING BACK TO CHRYSLER AND LOST THE BET. WHILE CHRYSLER "CUSTOMER NO SERVICE" HAS TOLD ME "SIR, WHEN YOU SIGNED THE DOTTED LINE, YOU KNEW THE WARRANTY WAS 36,000 MILES", CLEARLY THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION IS THAT TRANSMISSIONS IN $30,000 AUTOMOBILES SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 90,000 MILES. WHILE CHRYSLER CAN HIDE BEHIND THE WARRANTY ALL THEY WANT, THEY CLEARLY ARE BREAKING WITH THE PUBLIC''S TRUST. THE FACT THAT CHRYSLER HAS HAD 100,000 MILE DRIVETRAIN WARRANTIES ON OTHER YEARS OF GRAND CARAVANS BESPEAKS TO THE LEVELS THAT THEY: 1. HAD TO GO TO GAIN PUBLIC TRUST 2. THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY MAY HAVE DESIGN PROBLEMS. LASTLY, AS I HAVE LEARNED, THEIR "CUSTOMER NO SERVICE" DEPARTMENT IS A VERY SHORT ONE WAY STREET. WHEN I CALLED, I DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE PROCESS TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN IN VERY SHORT ORDER THAT THE FIRST PERSON I TALKED TO WAS ALSO THE LAST PERSON THAT I WOULD TO TALK. HE QUICKLY MADE THE DECISION THE CHRYSLER WAS NOT INTERESTED IN HELPING IN ANY WAY AND THAT HIS DECISION WAS FINAL. THERE WAS NEVER ANY "I AM SORRY ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT THERE IS NOT MUCH THAT I CAN DO". IT WAS "YOU KNEW WHAT YOU PURCHASED, AND I AM NOT GOING TO HELP YOU IN ANY WAY". IN FACT HE KEPT REMINDING ME HOW LONG WE SPOKE ON THE PHONE AND THAT I WAS WASTING MINE AND IMPLICITLY HIS TIME. ALL IN ALL A VERY POOR EXPERIENCE WITH A LOUSY PRODUCT AND NON-EXISTENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
IN THE PAST THREE YEARS CONSUMER CHANGED FOUR TIMES AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE WAS IMPORTED FROM CANADA. *AK
TRANSMISSION GEARS SLIPPING. SOMETIMES TAKES A FEW MOMENTS FOR IT TO 'CATCH' FIRST GEAR TO GO FROM A LIGHT OR SHIFTS 'HARD' WHEN ACCELERATING. ALSO, DOWN SHIFTS 'HARD' WHEN DECELERATING.*AK
CHILD WAS ABLE TO MOVE GEAR SHIFT INTO REVERSE WITHOUT DEPRESSING BRAKE. *JB
CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID PACK PRNDL. *JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE WOULD POP OUT OF GEAR WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
CONSUMER STATES WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 10MPH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS *TR
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
Official recalls
502V293000 · Air Bags:frontal
Nov 7, 2002
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN WOUND INCORRECTLY DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION WILL MANIFEST ITSELF THROUGH ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP, AND COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A DRIVER'S AIR BAG OPEN CIRCUIT, IF THE PART IS NOT REPLACED IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY ON ALL VEHICLES WITH 70,000 MILES OR LESS. AN EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTY WILL ALSO BE PLACED ON THIS COMPONENT FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL ALSO REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE CLOCKSPRING REPLACED ON THEIR VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 18, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
00V268000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System
Sep 13, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS BUILT WITH 3.3L AND 3.8L ENGINES HAVE FUEL RAILS WITH NITROLE RUBBER O-RING SEALS THAT CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME. FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE UNDERHOOD FUEL INJECTION FUEL RAIL COULD RESULT, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A VEHICLE FIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SEAL ON THE VEHICLE FUEL RAILS TO PREVENT EXTERNAL LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER TUBE, SHOULD THE EXISTING O-RINGS CONTINUE TO DEGRADE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2002. DUE TO THE LARGE QUANTITY OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, THE OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE PHASED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. HOWEVER, IF A VEHICLE IS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE O-RINGS, THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO A DEALER TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
98V185000 · Child Seat
Aug 6, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS. THE SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINT ON THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT CAN BECOME DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT WHEN THE SAFETY BELT LATCH PLATE BECOMES CONTAMINATED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN RELEASING A CHILD FROM THE RESTRAINT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CLEAN THE LATCH MECHANISM. AN EXTENDER WILL BE ADDED TO THE EMERGENCY RELEASE ANCHOR FOR THE CHILD SEAT SAFETY BELTS SO THAT THE RELEASE CLIPS ARE MORE VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE OPERATOR IN THE EVENT THAT THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM CAN NOT BE UNLOCKED. IN ADDITION, AN INSTRUCTIONAL OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT CARD WILL BE PROVIDED.
97V200000 · Tires:bead
Nov 13, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH P215/65R15 GOODYEAR CONQUEST TIRES MOUNTED ON STEEL WHEEL. THE TIRES CAN EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN AIR PRESSURE LOSS WITHOUT WARNING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SUDDEN TIRE FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF DRIVER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TIRES THAT WERE MOUNTED ON STEEL WHEELS.
96V215000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Oct 29, 1996
THE MASTER CYLINDER REAR SEAL, BETWEEN THE HYDRAULIC FLUID AND THE VACUUM RESERVOIR, MAY NOT SEAL ADEQUATELY ALLOWING HYDRAULIC FLUID TO BE DRAWN INTO THE POWER ASSIST VACUUM RESERVOIR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: AS THE HYDRAULIC FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DECREASES, THE LEVEL SENSOR WILL DETECT THE LOSS OF FLUID AND ILLUMINATE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE WARNING LAMP. CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED CAN RESULT IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. ADDENDUM (4-14-97): VEHICLES INSPECTED PER CHRYSLER RECALL NO. 707 AND FOUND TO BE OUTSIDE THE LISTED SUSPECT MASTER CYLINDER DATE CODE RANGE, MUST NOW HAVE THE MASTER CYLINDER PRIMARY PISTON REPLACED (CHRYSLER RECALL NO. 714).
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
6EA01007 · Air Bag Clockspring
Opened Feb 21, 2001 · Closed Nov 22, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
RQ00008 · Dc Minivan Fuel Injector Rail Leak
Opened Mar 9, 2000 · Closed Mar 18, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
EA99013 · Post Collision Fuel System
Opened Jun 11, 1999 · Closed Aug 10, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap
No summary supplied.
PE99010 · POST-COLLISION Fuel System Integrity
Opened Feb 3, 1999 · Closed Jun 11, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap
There is no summary currently available
EA97003 · Integrated Child Seat Belt Lockup
Opened Jan 31, 1997 · Closed Aug 19, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Child Seat
THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT IDENTIFYING A SAFETY DEFECT AND OUTLINING THE PROPOSED REMEDY.RECALL NUMBER 98V-185 HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS SAFETY RECALL.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Child Seat
THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT IDENTIFYING A SAFETY DEFECT AND OUTLINING THE PROPOSED REMEDY.RECALL NUMBER 98V-185 HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS SAFETY RECALL.
Child Seat
THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT IDENTIFYING A SAFETY DEFECT AND OUTLINING THE PROPOSED REMEDY.RECALL NUMBER 98V-185 HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS SAFETY RECALL.
SQ96016 · Integrated Child Seat Belt Lockup
Opened Sep 18, 1996 · Closed Feb 4, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:integrated Child Seat
ODI CONTINUES TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING LATCHING/RETRACTOR MECHANISM PROBLEMS.CHRYSLER'S ASSESSMENT OF THE PROBLEM INDICATES THAT OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES ARE NOT ADHERING TO THE CLEANING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SEAT.THE SEAT APPEARS TO MALFUNCTION IF CRUMBS OF FOOD OR BEVERAGE RESIDUE ACCUMULATES ON THE LATCHING TONGUE IN THEWELL LOCATED BETWEEN THE CHILD'S LEGS.ODI HAS 19 COMPLAINTS OF RETRACT LOCKUP.SEVEN OF THESE COMPLAINTS REPORT CUTTING THE STRAPS TO REMOVE THE CHILD.TWO OF THE SEVEN CONSUMERS ALLEGE THE CHILD WAS CHOKING.CHRYSLER REPORTS 60 OWNER/FIELD REPORTS WHICH INDICATED 19 HARNESSES WERE CUT TO REMOVE THE CHILDREN.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO FULLY ASSESS THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCE OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT AND TO EVALUATE THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION'S RATIONAL FOR NOT CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN.