1997 Dodge Caravan Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 133 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 1997 Dodge Caravan, 19% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 70,502 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission failed” (12% of reports).
- 133power train complaints
- 70,502median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $3,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 15%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 16 of 133 complaints (12%)
- Consumer states: mentioned in 8 of 133 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 1997 Dodge Caravan at $3,300, and half of them between $2,550 and $4,300.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2003), 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 19 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 133 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 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 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.
I know it's my solenoid my vehicle won't go out of 2 gear. My name is [XXX].[XXX] my number is [XXX]. I'm not sure if anything can be done being the vehicle is so old but I thought I'd give it a try. Email is [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C…
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact stated that the transmission appeared to be slipping. The vehicle would not shift from second gear and, once it stopped, it vibrated excessively. Upon further investigation, the contact found metal shavings in…
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. Two weeks after the vehicle was purchased, the check engine light illuminated. The dealer stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. Two weeks later, the transmission failed and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. They took three weeks to repair…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Dodge Caravans have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 133 owner complaints about power train for the 1997 Dodge Caravan (19% 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 power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 70,502 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 1997 Dodge Caravan?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,300 (half paid between $2,550 and $4,300), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 1997 Dodge Caravan?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission failed”, in 16 of 133 complaints, followed by “consumer states” (8).
Other 1997 Dodge Caravan problems
See all 1997 Dodge Caravan problems or power train problems across all Caravan years.