1996 Dodge Grand Caravan Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 177 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan, 15% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 100,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “serpentine belt” (12% of reports).
- 177engine and engine cooling complaints
- 100,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 40%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.
- Serpentine belt: mentioned in 21 of 177 complaints (12%)
- Caught fire: mentioned in 11 of 177 complaints (6%)
- Claim slc: mentioned in 10 of 177 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 21 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 177 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 24 a fire, 1 an injury.
Dodge Grand Caravan engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Grand Caravan | 1 | 0% | 105,000 |
| 2018 Grand Caravan | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2017 Grand Caravan | 2 | 0% | 88,250 |
| 2016 Grand Caravan | 3 | 0% | 65,000 |
| 2014 Grand Caravan | 1 | 0% | 73,000 |
| 2013 Grand Caravan | 2 | 0% | 177,000 |
| 2012 Grand Caravan | 2 | 0% | 169,500 |
| 2011 Grand Caravan | 5 | 1% | 9,700 |
| 2010 Grand Caravan | 24 | 3% | 12,500 |
| 2009 Grand Caravan | 9 | 2% | 45,500 |
| 2008 Grand Caravan | 28 | 2% | 53,600 |
| 2007 Grand Caravan | 15 | 8% | 50,000 |
| 2006 Grand Caravan | 15 | 5% | 60,625 |
| 2005 Grand Caravan | 25 | 3% | 39,712 |
| 2004 Grand Caravan | 14 | 12% | 80,000 |
| 2003 Grand Caravan | 10 | 5% | 46,640 |
| 2002 Grand Caravan | 13 | 4% | 61,000 |
| 2001 Grand Caravan | 18 | 6% | 89,000 |
| 2000 Grand Caravan | 76 | 17% | 84,500 |
| 1999 Grand Caravan | 57 | 13% | 85,000 |
| 1998 Grand Caravan | 129 | 23% | 86,228 |
| 1997 Grand Caravan | 102 | 17% | 94,484 |
| 1996 Grand Caravan | 177 | 15% | 100,000 |
| 1995 Grand Caravan | 14 | 13% | 90,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline
Problem: In certain vehicles, the engine cylinder head oil galley plug does not seal properly and engine cylinder head oil is not adequately retained.
Risk: Inadequate sealing and retention of the plug can result in oil leakage which could cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Fix: Dealers will install an expansion plug and retaining bracket over the cylinder head oil galley plug.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated that the serpentine belt separated from the engine when the vehicle was driven in the rain. The serpentine belt was replaced twice, but the failure was not remedied. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 262,747.
Wife was driving 96 grand caravan le to college in the rain. When she arrived in the parking lot steering became impossible to turn so she pulled it straight into parking spot. Looked underneath and saw belt had come off. This happened once before but car was parked in driveway at home. As she…
I have a 1996 dodge grand caravan le 3.8. In the last 2 months the serpentine belt slipped off 2 times when it is raining outside or the van goes through a puddle of water. I have almost been killed twice. I have read that other dodge owners have also had this problem. The wheel cannot be…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1996 Dodge Grand Caravans have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 177 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan (15% 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 engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 100,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan?
The most frequent phrase is “serpentine belt”, in 21 of 177 complaints, followed by “caught fire” (11).
Other 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan problems
See all 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Grand Caravan years.