Dodge Caravan Problems by Year
NHTSA has 6,646 owner complaints and 32 safety recalls on file for the Dodge Caravan, across 23 model years (1995–2017). The 1996 model year has the most complaints (1,403). The most reported problem area overall is electrical system.
Dodge Caravan years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Caravan year: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1996 Caravan: 1,403 complaints, 9 recalls
- 1997 Caravan: 714 complaints, 7 recalls
- 1998 Caravan: 629 complaints, 5 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2017 Caravan: 1 complaint, 1 recall
- 2016 Caravan: 2 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2014 Caravan: 20 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Dodge Caravan problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 1,216 | 22 | 16 |
| Air Bags problems | 1,059 | 21 | 203 |
| Power Train problems | 849 | 22 | 50 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 810 | 17 | 10 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 536 | 17 | 43 |
| Steering problems | 448 | 19 | 18 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 416 | 15 | 2 |
| Latches/locks/linkages problems | 354 | 16 | 3 |
| Visibility problems | 324 | 18 | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 316 | 17 | 6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 315 | 18 | 26 |
| Structure problems | 287 | 20 | 10 |
| Suspension problems | 280 | 16 | 5 |
| Seat Belts problems | 199 | 16 | 31 |
| Equipment problems | 188 | 15 | 5 |
| Tires problems | 172 | 19 | 11 |
| Engine problems | 166 | 21 | 4 |
| Seats problems | 132 | 17 | 48 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 102 | 17 | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 80 | 18 | 9 |
| Child Seat | 73 | 12 | 1 |
| Wheels | 56 | 16 | 4 |
| Parking Brake | 41 | 12 | 2 |
| Visibility/wiper | 36 | 12 | 2 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 32 | 13 | 2 |
| Fuel System, Other | 21 | 9 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 17 | 10 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 13 | 8 | 1 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Dodge Caravan problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2011: electrical system (54)
- 2010: electrical system (79)
- 2009: electrical system (72)
- 2008: electrical system (162)
- 2005: latches/locks/linkages (203) · electrical system (123) · exterior lighting (90)
- 2002: air bags (59)
- 2000: power train (86) · air bags (69) · engine and engine cooling (61)
- 1999: air bags (119) · engine and engine cooling (102) · power train (96) · electrical system (64)
- 1998: engine and engine cooling (135) · power train (103) · air bags (99) · electrical system (68)
- 1997: air bags (152) · power train (133) · engine and engine cooling (123) · electrical system (96) · service brakes, hydraulic (66) · fuel system, gasoline (57) · visibility (55)
- 1996: air bags (251) · engine and engine cooling (215) · fuel system, gasoline (215) · electrical system (213) · power train (185) · service brakes, hydraulic (139) · visibility (121) · vehicle speed control (115) · steering (65) · latches/locks/linkages (61) · structure (58) · suspension (51)
- 1995: power train (93) · air bags (67) · engine and engine cooling (67) · service brakes, hydraulic (56)
All Dodge Caravan model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Caravan | 1 | 1 | — | Engine | |
| 2016 Caravan | 2 | 0 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2015 Caravan | 23 | 0 | — | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2014 Caravan | 20 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2013 Caravan | 30 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2012 Caravan | 87 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2011 Caravan | 78 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 Caravan | 172 | 2 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2009 Caravan | 118 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Caravan | 302 | 2 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2007 Caravan | 81 | 0 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2006 Caravan | 173 | 2 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2005 Caravan | 537 | 4 | — | Latches/locks/linkages | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 Caravan | 65 | 1 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2003 Caravan | 195 | 3 | — | Steering | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2002 Caravan | 245 | 4 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2001 Caravan | 257 | 3 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2000 Caravan | 470 | 4 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Caravan | 555 | 5 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 Caravan | 629 | 5 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Caravan | 714 | 7 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1996 Caravan | 1,403 | 9 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1995 Caravan | 489 | 1 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Dodge: all Dodge models · Dodge VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Caravan years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1995 (489), 1996 (1,403), 1997 (714), 1998 (629), 1999 (555), 2000 (470), 2005 (537) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Caravan year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Dodge Caravan?
Electrical System, with 1,216 complaints across 22 model years.
How many recalls does the Dodge Caravan have?
32 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.