1996 Dodge Caravan Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 1996 Dodge Caravan, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 85,313 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission failed” (6% of reports).
- 185power train complaints
- 85,313median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $3,150typical repair cost reported by owners
- 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.
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 12 of 185 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 1996 Dodge Caravan at $3,150, and half of them between $2,200 and $4,500.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (1999–2003), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 16 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 185 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury.
Dodge Caravan power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Caravan | 1 | 100% | 3,000 |
| 2015 Caravan | 6 | 26% | 85,000 |
| 2014 Caravan | 2 | 10% | 80,000 |
| 2013 Caravan | 2 | 7% | 475,500 |
| 2012 Caravan | 3 | 3% | 3,154 |
| 2011 Caravan | 5 | 6% | 63,050 |
| 2010 Caravan | 14 | 8% | 35,814 |
| 2009 Caravan | 2 | 2% | 42,963 |
| 2008 Caravan | 11 | 4% | 78,000 |
| 2007 Caravan | 9 | 11% | 56,156 |
| 2006 Caravan | 13 | 8% | 60,000 |
| 2005 Caravan | 13 | 2% | 26,558 |
| 2004 Caravan | 4 | 6% | 32,000 |
| 2003 Caravan | 22 | 11% | 18,068 |
| 2002 Caravan | 27 | 11% | 56,000 |
| 2001 Caravan | 19 | 7% | 49,606 |
| 2000 Caravan | 86 | 18% | 62,000 |
| 1999 Caravan | 96 | 17% | 65,154 |
| 1998 Caravan | 103 | 16% | 71,000 |
| 1997 Caravan | 133 | 19% | 70,502 |
| 1996 Caravan | 185 | 13% | 85,313 |
| 1995 Caravan | 93 | 19% | 90,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 1996 Dodge Caravan. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 dodge caravan. When the key is not in the ignition, the vehicle will shift out of the park position. The vehicle backed into a fence and then struck a tree. The dealer and manufacturer have not been notified. The vin and engine size were unknown. The failure and current…
Tl* - the contact was stopped at the light when she saw smoke coming from her car. She pulled her car over and got out and the car burst into flames. The contact said that she can get a fire and police report. The contact also said that there is a safety recall on the engine cylinder head. The…
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle would only go into reverse on two occasions. When the vehicle was turned off and restarted it worked properly. After the second incident the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealership. They determined the codes needed to be reset. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1996 Dodge Caravans have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 185 owner complaints about power train for the 1996 Dodge Caravan (13% 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 power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 85,313 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 1996 Dodge Caravan?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,150 (half paid between $2,200 and $4,500), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 1996 Dodge Caravan?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission failed”, in 12 of 185 complaints.
Other 1996 Dodge Caravan problems
See all 1996 Dodge Caravan problems or power train problems across all Caravan years.