1996 Dodge Caravan Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 251 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 1996 Dodge Caravan, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 102,104 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (55% of reports).
- 251air bags complaints
- 102,104median miles at failure
- 27mention a crash
- 18mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 32%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 138 of 251 complaints (55%)
- Cruise control: mentioned in 90 of 251 complaints (36%)
- Clock spring: mentioned in 78 of 251 complaints (31%)
- Provide further: mentioned in 17 of 251 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 28 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 251 complaints, 27 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 18 an injury.
Dodge Caravan air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Caravan | 3 | 13% | 60,000 |
| 2014 Caravan | 1 | 5% | 131,000 |
| 2013 Caravan | 2 | 7% | 1 |
| 2012 Caravan | 4 | 5% | 51,007 |
| 2011 Caravan | 3 | 4% | 52,069 |
| 2010 Caravan | 17 | 10% | 51,500 |
| 2009 Caravan | 26 | 22% | 85,000 |
| 2008 Caravan | 42 | 14% | 84,000 |
| 2007 Caravan | 8 | 10% | 88,002 |
| 2006 Caravan | 27 | 16% | 62,500 |
| 2005 Caravan | 49 | 9% | 62,609 |
| 2004 Caravan | 4 | 6% | 118,652 |
| 2003 Caravan | 14 | 7% | 64,000 |
| 2002 Caravan | 59 | 24% | 50,000 |
| 2001 Caravan | 43 | 17% | 56,000 |
| 2000 Caravan | 69 | 15% | 89,469 |
| 1999 Caravan | 119 | 21% | 89,000 |
| 1998 Caravan | 99 | 16% | 85,450 |
| 1997 Caravan | 152 | 21% | 95,356 |
| 1996 Caravan | 251 | 18% | 102,104 |
| 1995 Caravan | 67 | 14% | 79,807 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Air bags:frontal
Problem: On certain mini vans, the clockspring assembly may have been wound incorrectly during the vehicle assembly process.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I purchase this vehicle from owner in dec. 2013 and start having problem the owner i purchase it from purchase it from a bank back in 2006. They did know about an recall or etc. About this vehcle. The electric has problem and airbags, the fuel tank is leaking and fuel injection and etc,. Where can…
Tl* - the contact owns a 1996 dodge caravan. The contact was pulling into a parking lot doing 3 or 4 mph, when the drivers side and passenger side front air bags unexpectedly deployed. The contact stated that she never hit anything. The contact sustained bruises on her forearm. The contact didn't…
May 7, 2005, i was in an automobile accident. The other car was a 2004 honda accord. The front passenger side of the accord hit the front driver side of my 1996 dodge caravan just in front of the driver's seat. The passenger side airbag inflated, the driver side airbag did not. Through the course…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1996 Dodge Caravans have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 251 owner complaints about air bags for the 1996 Dodge Caravan (18% of the 1,403 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Dodge Caravan air bags?
Yes: 1 safety recall list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 102,104 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 1996 Dodge Caravan?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 138 of 251 complaints, followed by “cruise control” (90).
Other 1996 Dodge Caravan problems
See all 1996 Dodge Caravan problems or air bags problems across all Caravan years.