Dodge Caravan Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 1,216 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Dodge Caravan across 22 model years. The 1996 model year has the most (213). The words owners use most often: “clock spring” (6% of reports).
- 1,216electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 16mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%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.
- Clock spring: mentioned in 75 of 1,216 complaints (6%)
- Air bags electrical: mentioned in 71 of 1,216 complaints (6%)
- Horn cruise: mentioned in 64 of 1,216 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the Dodge Caravan at $1,200, and half of them between $330 and $1,700.
Based on 24 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2019), 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 electrical system problems happen?
Based on 560 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,216 complaints, 16 mention a crash, 60 a fire, 9 an injury.
Dodge Caravan electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Caravan | 1 | 50% | 33,000 |
| 2015 Caravan | 4 | 17% | 43,000 |
| 2014 Caravan | 7 | 35% | 65,315 |
| 2013 Caravan | 15 | 50% | 45,000 |
| 2012 Caravan | 47 | 54% | 69,000 |
| 2011 Caravan | 54 | 69% | 63,862 |
| 2010 Caravan | 79 | 46% | 72,000 |
| 2009 Caravan | 72 | 61% | 85,000 |
| 2008 Caravan | 162 | 54% | 80,000 |
| 2007 Caravan | 9 | 11% | 45,000 |
| 2006 Caravan | 30 | 17% | 74,000 |
| 2005 Caravan | 123 | 23% | 70,251 |
| 2004 Caravan | 8 | 12% | 112,406 |
| 2003 Caravan | 29 | 15% | 53,206 |
| 2002 Caravan | 33 | 13% | 45,650 |
| 2001 Caravan | 29 | 11% | 78,000 |
| 2000 Caravan | 33 | 7% | 82,000 |
| 1999 Caravan | 64 | 12% | 86,979 |
| 1998 Caravan | 68 | 11% | 91,929 |
| 1997 Caravan | 96 | 13% | 71,000 |
| 1996 Caravan | 213 | 15% | 113,668 |
| 1995 Caravan | 40 | 8% | 76,250 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists electrical system for the 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.
The contact owns a 2006 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated that the horn was inoperable, and the air bag warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the related undisclosed recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to…
The door locks do not work for the sliding doors or the passenger side of the vehicle. We tried to fix this issue by checking the door lock fuse out to make sure it was okay, and it was. The driver's side is the only one that locks. The passenger door lock will not push down and lock when pressed…
Passenger side air bag exploded. Luckily no injury. Vehicle was not moving. I didn't even know it could do that! I'd like this fixed. Also, two leaks in engine. Oil leak/transmission leak. Is this normal? Leaks are ongoing. Another thing: noticing headlights getting slightly dimmer, then brighter…
Van stops abruptly. Will die while driving, wheel will lock up and and van powers down. Will start back up as soon as its stops.
Driving down a crowded interstate and the dash cluster started going crazy then stopped working. Mechanic said it was a kniwn wiring issue with the cluster and anti theft device.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Dodge Caravans have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,216 owner complaints about electrical system for the Dodge Caravan. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Dodge Caravan electrical system?
No recall currently lists electrical system for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Dodge Caravan?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,200 (half paid between $330 and $1,700), from 24 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Dodge Caravan?
The most frequent phrase is “clock spring”, in 75 of 1,216 complaints, followed by “air bags electrical” (71).
Other Dodge Caravan problems
See all Dodge Caravan problems.