1997 Dodge Caravan Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 123 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Dodge Caravan, 17% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 94,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “serpentine belt” (18% of reports).
- 123engine and engine cooling complaints
- 94,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 31%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.
- Serpentine belt: mentioned in 22 of 123 complaints (18%)
- Head gasket: mentioned in 12 of 123 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 17 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 123 complaints, 13 a fire, 2 an injury.
Dodge Caravan engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 Caravan | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2010 Caravan | 9 | 5% | 4,986 |
| 2009 Caravan | 3 | 3% | 84,399 |
| 2008 Caravan | 5 | 2% | 75,780 |
| 2007 Caravan | 6 | 7% | 69,000 |
| 2006 Caravan | 13 | 8% | 37,000 |
| 2005 Caravan | 14 | 3% | 34,512 |
| 2004 Caravan | 4 | 6% | 38,250 |
| 2003 Caravan | 17 | 9% | 18,380 |
| 2002 Caravan | 19 | 8% | 65,900 |
| 2001 Caravan | 16 | 6% | 23,000 |
| 2000 Caravan | 61 | 13% | 62,420 |
| 1999 Caravan | 102 | 18% | 86,396 |
| 1998 Caravan | 135 | 21% | 72,000 |
| 1997 Caravan | 123 | 17% | 94,000 |
| 1996 Caravan | 215 | 15% | 79,000 |
| 1995 Caravan | 67 | 14% | 99,859 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 1997 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 1997 dodge caravan. The contact stated while driving 65 mph the vehicle lost power steering, the engine overheated, the alternator and air conditioner failed. The vehicle merged onto the side of the road and the contact inspected the engine and noticed the serpentine belt…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. The contact noticed steam coming from the front end of the vehicle as the radiator overheated and exploded. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was awaiting diagnosis. The contact did not inform the manufacturer. The failure mileage was…
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph in rainy weather, the fan belt suddenly failed, causing the steering and air conditioning system to also fail. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop where the contact was informed that the fan belt was not in a…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Dodge Caravans have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 123 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Dodge Caravan (17% 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 engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 94,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Dodge Caravan?
The most frequent phrase is “serpentine belt”, in 22 of 123 complaints, followed by “head gasket” (12).
Other 1997 Dodge Caravan problems
See all 1997 Dodge Caravan problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Caravan years.