1997 Dodge Caravan Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 152 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 1997 Dodge Caravan, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 95,356 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (49% of reports).
- 152air bags complaints
- 95,356median miles at failure
- 27mention a crash
- 21mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 21%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 75 of 152 complaints (49%)
- Clock spring: mentioned in 46 of 152 complaints (30%)
- Cruise control: mentioned in 38 of 152 complaints (25%)
- Airbag horn: mentioned in 13 of 152 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 20 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 152 complaints, 27 mention a crash, 21 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.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. The contact stated that while driving 10 mph, the air bags deployed inadvertently. The contact sustained bruises and scratches to the right arm when the air bags deployed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The…
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. While driving 45 mph, the contact was involved in a head-on crash. Another driver lost control of the vehicle and struck the contact's vehicle. The driver's side air bag failed to deploy and no lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle…
Consumer complaint regarding 1997 caravan clock spring assembly. *ts the vehicle's horn failed due to a faulty clockspring. The consumer did some research and found out that the vehicle's clockspring had been recalled, recall number 02v293000 . The consumer never received the notice. *nm
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Dodge Caravans have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 152 owner complaints about air bags for the 1997 Dodge Caravan (21% of the 714 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 1997 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 95,356 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 1997 Dodge Caravan?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 75 of 152 complaints, followed by “clock spring” (46).
Other 1997 Dodge Caravan problems
See all 1997 Dodge Caravan problems or air bags problems across all Caravan years.