Dodge Caravan Structure Problems
Owners have filed 287 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the Dodge Caravan across 20 model years. The 1996 model year has the most (58). The words owners use most often: “sliding door” (18% of reports).
- 287structure complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 10mention a crash
- 21mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 45%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.
- Sliding door: mentioned in 52 of 287 complaints (18%)
- Strut tower: mentioned in 27 of 287 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 115 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 287 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 21 an injury.
Dodge Caravan structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Caravan | 3 | 13% | 25,000 |
| 2014 Caravan | 3 | 15% | 45,000 |
| 2013 Caravan | 2 | 7% | 41,712 |
| 2012 Caravan | 2 | 2% | 24,882 |
| 2010 Caravan | 4 | 2% | 60,000 |
| 2009 Caravan | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2008 Caravan | 8 | 3% | 50,000 |
| 2007 Caravan | 6 | 7% | 29,309 |
| 2006 Caravan | 8 | 5% | 57,611 |
| 2005 Caravan | 15 | 3% | 75,500 |
| 2004 Caravan | 4 | 6% | 45,000 |
| 2003 Caravan | 4 | 2% | 52,850 |
| 2002 Caravan | 12 | 5% | 80,000 |
| 2001 Caravan | 12 | 5% | 30,000 |
| 2000 Caravan | 30 | 6% | 110,027 |
| 1999 Caravan | 27 | 5% | 123,000 |
| 1998 Caravan | 26 | 4% | 131,500 |
| 1997 Caravan | 21 | 3% | 75,000 |
| 1996 Caravan | 58 | 4% | 103,000 |
| 1995 Caravan | 41 | 8% | 87,245 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Structure
Model years: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
Originally had taken car in for recall. The recall was for both doors. The dealer had delivered the car and told me i would be contacted for repair on the passenger door once the parts were in stock. After months of waiting i finally contacted them and was told that the parts were in stock. I made…
I have had my dodge 2008 caravan for sometime. Was originally taken for repairs to the sliding door recall.
Vehicle was in motion- while driving along i heard and felt a loud noise (boom) from rear of vehicle-vehicle then swerved wildly out of control spinning around and taking down signs, mailbox-after looking at van it is apparent that the rear axle slid backwards in wheel well. While body is rust…
My driver side sliding door is stuck in the lock position. Cant open it with the fob or manually. No warning just stopped working. I have small children this is a hazard to not be able to open this door.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Dodge Caravans have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 287 owner complaints about structure 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 structure?
Yes: 1 safety recall list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about structure problems on the Dodge Caravan?
The most frequent phrase is “sliding door”, in 52 of 287 complaints, followed by “strut tower” (27).
Other Dodge Caravan problems
See all Dodge Caravan problems.