2002 Dodge Caravan Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Caravan years
- More complaints than other years 10th of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 245 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Dodge Caravan. That ranks 10th out of 23 Caravan model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (59 complaints, 24%), typically at around 50,000 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 11 fires, 9 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
- 245owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 13complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Dodge Caravan problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 59 | 24% | 50,000 | “air bag” (58%) | $430 |
| Steering | 36 | 15% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 33 | 13% | 45,650 | — | — |
| Power Train | 27 | 11% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 8% | 65,900 | — | — |
| Equipment | 15 | 6% | 66,799 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 15 | 6% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 15 | 6% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 | 5% | 39,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 12 | 5% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 11 | 4% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 10 | 4% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 8 | 3% | 43,101 | — | — |
| Seats | 7 | 3% | 62,950 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 2% | 63,150 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 2% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 2% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 1% | 105,677 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 1% | 104,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 1% | 120 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 1% | 73,236 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 57,890 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Dodge Caravan recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:electrical:radio/tape deck/cd etc.
Problem: On certain mini vans, condensation from the instrument panel air conditioning ducts may drop through vent holes in the top of the radio and result in a short circuit that subsequently sends direct current to the rear speakers.
Risk: This could result in a speaker fire.
Fix: Dealers will add a special tape to the top of the radio to prevent the potential of water intrusion. The recall began on january 31, 2005. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections
Problem: On certain minivans equipped with 3.3 or 3.8l v-6 engine, the upper power steering cooler hose may split and cause a fluid leak.
Risk: Power steering fluid leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in an under hood fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the upper power steering cooler hose. This recall began on september 27, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Structure
Problem: Certain pickup truck, van, and mini van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by american technology components, inc. These units contain a courtesy light or lights that might overheat when the wire harness is exposed to excessive moisture and road salt.
Risk: This overheating condition can cause the running board to melt or cause a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these running boards. Owner notification began march 7, 2003. 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 southern comfort at 1-800-745-6096.
Child seat
Problem: Vehicle description: certain mini vans fail to comply with requirements of fmvss no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the owner manuals supplied with these vehicles do not indicate which seating positions are equipped with tether anchorages and child restraint anchorage systems as required by the standard.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the child seat may not be properly attached increasing the risk of injury to the child.
Fix: Owners will be provided with the necessary child restraint system information. Owner notification is expected to begin october 8, 2001. Owners who do not receive the free information within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Headlight malfunction (EA05009) — opened Jun 1, 2005, closed May 2, 2006.
- Headlight malfunction (PE05004) — opened Feb 2, 2005, closed Jun 1, 2005.
- Speaker fire in the rear of the vehicle (PE04049) — opened Jul 7, 2004, closed Nov 5, 2004, led to recall 04V531000.
- Power steering hose failure (PE03012) — opened Apr 9, 2003, closed May 29, 2003, led to recall 04V386000.
- Fuel tank leak (PE02068) — opened Sep 24, 2002, closed Oct 9, 2002, led to recall 02V274000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Engine broke
Something wrong with my gas tank, it always stops me even if it's halfway. The driver seat belt doesn't stay well. The holes where the engine always comes off and there's a lot of smoke coming out. The headliner is coming off and there's like a sand falling to my kids. The break is not that strong
The steering wheel gets lock were ever i stop ,internal control failure, radiator heat constantly when i am driving ,
2002 dodge caravan. Consumer writes in regards to intermittent airbag warning light displayed on the dashboard and clockspring failure. *smd
The vin information in the database has been changed by the auto body shop in order to avoid returning the van to its "pre accident condition".
Other Dodge Caravan years
← 2001 Caravan · 2003 Caravan →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Caravan | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 Caravan | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 Caravan | 23 | 0 |
| 2014 Caravan | 20 | 0 |
| 2013 Caravan | 30 | 0 |
| 2012 Caravan | 87 | 0 |
| 2011 Caravan | 78 | 0 |
| 2010 Caravan | 172 | 2 |
| 2009 Caravan | 118 | 2 |
| 2008 Caravan | 302 | 2 |
| 2007 Caravan | 81 | 0 |
| 2006 Caravan | 173 | 2 |
| 2005 Caravan | 537 | 4 |
| 2004 Caravan | 65 | 1 |
| 2003 Caravan | 195 | 3 |
| 2002 | 245 | 4 |
| 2001 Caravan | 257 | 3 |
| 2000 Caravan | 470 | 4 |
| 1999 Caravan | 555 | 5 |
| 1998 Caravan | 629 | 5 |
| 1997 Caravan | 714 | 7 |
| 1996 Caravan | 1,403 | 9 |
| 1995 Caravan | 489 | 1 |
See all Dodge Caravan problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Dodge Caravan?
Owners most often report air bags, steering, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 59 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Dodge Caravan?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Dodge Caravan a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Caravan model years, the 2002 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.