1997 Dodge Caravan Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1997 Dodge Caravan, 9% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 96,183 miles. The words owners use most often: “master cylinder” (12% of reports).
- 66service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- 96,183median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 6%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.
- Master cylinder: mentioned in 8 of 66 complaints (12%)
- Brake rotors: mentioned in 7 of 66 complaints (11%)
- Stopping distance: mentioned in 7 of 66 complaints (11%)
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 12 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 66 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 2 an injury.
Dodge Caravan service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Caravan | 1 | 1% | 280,000 |
| 2010 Caravan | 6 | 3% | 19,606 |
| 2009 Caravan | 5 | 4% | 37,859 |
| 2008 Caravan | 41 | 14% | 23,000 |
| 2007 Caravan | 5 | 6% | 20,000 |
| 2006 Caravan | 6 | 3% | 28,500 |
| 2005 Caravan | 14 | 3% | 30,000 |
| 2004 Caravan | 7 | 11% | 32,700 |
| 2003 Caravan | 31 | 16% | 30,000 |
| 2002 Caravan | 12 | 5% | 39,500 |
| 2001 Caravan | 13 | 5% | 55,000 |
| 2000 Caravan | 49 | 10% | 40,000 |
| 1999 Caravan | 44 | 8% | 102,875 |
| 1998 Caravan | 41 | 7% | 69,000 |
| 1997 Caravan | 66 | 9% | 96,183 |
| 1996 Caravan | 139 | 10% | 82,500 |
| 1995 Caravan | 56 | 11% | 126,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: The master cylinder rear seal, between the hydraulic fluid and the vacuum reservoir, may not seal adequately allowing hydraulic fluid to be drawn into the power assist vacuum reservoir.
Risk: As the hydraulic fluid in the master cylinder reservoir decreases, the level sensor will detect the loss of fluid and illuminate the instrument panel brake warning lamp. Continued operation of the vehicle with the warning lamp illuminated can result in extended stopping distances.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder on all affected vehicles. Addendum (4-14-97): vehicles inspected per chrysler recall no. 707 and found to be outside the listed suspect master cylinder date code range, must now have the master cylinder primary piston replaced (chrysler recall no. 714).
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Was traveling home from work, rush hour traffic heavy but moving close to posted speed limit (65 mph). Traffic slowed in front of me and i also slowed, then traffic came to a sudden stop, so i also increased pressure on the brakes. While doing so, the pedal went right to the floor, i lost brake…
While driving the abs system activated even though the pavement was dry. The problem is that the abs system prevented the brakes from functioning at all and i rolled through an intersection even though i was pressing firmly on the brake pedal. The abs warning indicator eventually illuminates…
Vehicle metal brake lines rusted to the point of failure. On a 1997 dodge caravan, the metal tube brake lines leading from the distribution box to the rear brake wheel cylinders rusted to the point that they failed under use. Vehicle brake lines had to be replaced totally, and the failure occurred…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Dodge Caravans have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 66 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the 1997 Dodge Caravan (9% 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 service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems start?
The median reported mileage is 96,183 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1997 Dodge Caravan?
The most frequent phrase is “master cylinder”, in 8 of 66 complaints, followed by “brake rotors” (7).
Other 1997 Dodge Caravan problems
See all 1997 Dodge Caravan problems or service brakes, hydraulic problems across all Caravan years.