1996 Dodge Grand Caravan Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 211 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 96,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (42% of reports).
- 211air bags complaints
- 96,000median miles at failure
- 13mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $640typical repair cost reported by owners
- 24%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.
- Air bag: mentioned in 88 of 211 complaints (42%)
- Clock spring: mentioned in 63 of 211 complaints (30%)
- Horn cruise: mentioned in 57 of 211 complaints (27%)
- Control stopped: mentioned in 16 of 211 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan at $640, and half of them between $490 and $1,300.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2001–2003), 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 air bags problems happen?
Based on 15 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 211 complaints, 13 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 9 an injury.
Dodge Grand Caravan air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Grand Caravan | 5 | 25% | 10,900 |
| 2019 Grand Caravan | 13 | 5% | 61,000 |
| 2018 Grand Caravan | 13 | 5% | 47,112 |
| 2017 Grand Caravan | 21 | 5% | 56,000 |
| 2016 Grand Caravan | 22 | 2% | 58,000 |
| 2015 Grand Caravan | 24 | 9% | 78,556 |
| 2014 Grand Caravan | 48 | 13% | 62,000 |
| 2013 Grand Caravan | 34 | 7% | 71,000 |
| 2012 Grand Caravan | 18 | 3% | 96,100 |
| 2011 Grand Caravan | 19 | 4% | 74,788 |
| 2010 Grand Caravan | 144 | 17% | 74,925 |
| 2009 Grand Caravan | 137 | 25% | 83,500 |
| 2008 Grand Caravan | 294 | 23% | 96,475 |
| 2007 Grand Caravan | 16 | 9% | 72,000 |
| 2006 Grand Caravan | 54 | 19% | 51,000 |
| 2005 Grand Caravan | 103 | 10% | 53,000 |
| 2004 Grand Caravan | 5 | 4% | 73,900 |
| 2003 Grand Caravan | 24 | 11% | 90,000 |
| 2002 Grand Caravan | 59 | 20% | 54,000 |
| 2001 Grand Caravan | 48 | 16% | 75,000 |
| 2000 Grand Caravan | 29 | 7% | 82,001 |
| 1999 Grand Caravan | 83 | 19% | 78,600 |
| 1998 Grand Caravan | 104 | 19% | 88,200 |
| 1997 Grand Caravan | 107 | 18% | 91,000 |
| 1996 Grand Caravan | 211 | 18% | 96,000 |
| 1995 Grand Caravan | 7 | 6% | 120,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Air bags:frontal
Problem: On certain mini vans, the clockspring assembly may have been wound incorrectly during the vehicle assembly process.
Risk: This condition will manifest itself through illumination of the air bag warning lamp, and could eventually result in a driver's air bag open circuit, if the part is not replaced in a reasonable amount of time.
Fix: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly on all vehicles with 70,000 miles or less. An extended lifetime warranty will also be placed on this component for all affected vehicles, regardless of mileage. Daimlerchrysler will also reimburse owners who have paid to have the clockspring replaced on their vehicles. Owner notification began november 18, 2002. 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 daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The van will start then immediately turn off. It does this more when it is hot outside. If you let the vehicle sit for about 4 hours in the shade it will start and get you to your next destination. If the weather is too hot it won't start until the weather changes to cooler. I have replaced the…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 dodge grand caravan. While driving approximately 5 mph downhill in the snow, the brakes locked and the vehicle began to slide. The contact released the brake pedal and the vehicle accelerated. She reapplied the brakes, but they locked again. The contact struck a tree head…
- 96 dodge grand caravan w/3.8 v6 and 41te 4spd transmision - 2 transmission failures - 1st went to about 125000, then kept hitting the "limp home mode" - 2nd has "torque converter lockup" problem, shops say rebuild again, after only 38000 miles. - fan relay went out before recall was issued, had…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1996 Dodge Grand Caravans have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 211 owner complaints about air bags for the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan (18% of the 1,157 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 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan air bags?
Yes: 1 safety recall list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 96,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan?
Owners report a typical cost of $640 (half paid between $490 and $1,300), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 88 of 211 complaints, followed by “clock spring” (63).
Other 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan problems
See all 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan problems or air bags problems across all Grand Caravan years.