Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
When it fails
The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.
Vehicle age when the failure occurred
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 159 of 199 complaints with a usable failure date.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Power train
59 complaint records1 fire report1 crash report
"WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEED OR COMING TO A STOP THE TRUCK SHUT OFF AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS WORN OUT FOR THE THIRD TIME . *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse power train parts in the directory →
Body & structure
33 complaint records
"MY WIFE WAS CLOSING THE REAR DOOR WHEN THE ANCHOR BOLT HOLDING THE LIFT CYLINDER BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE DOOR TO FALL. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse body & structure parts in the directory →
Brakes
24 complaint records4 crash reports
"WHILE DRIVING ON SNOW COVERED OR SLUSHY ROADS, THE ANTILOCK BRAKES CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SKID WHEN BRAKING, THIS HAS ALMOST RESULTED IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT ACCIDENTS. *SLC..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| DP03002 opened May 2003 | closed Jul 2003 | Steering | STEERING COLUMN SEPARATION MR. LARRY A. SACKEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18, 2003, REQUESTING THAT NHTSAFURTHER INVESTIGATE THE DEFECTIVE COLLAPSIBLE STEERING SHAFT SYSTEM ON 1987-1995 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED... |
| RQ00011 opened May 2000 | closed Apr 2002 | Steering | STEERING WHEEL SEPARATION - led to recall 96V229000 There is no summary currently available |
| PE97049 opened Nov 1997 | closed Mar 1998 | Visibility | AIR BAG CIRCUIT/WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR There is no summary currently available |
| PE96008 opened Jan 1996 | closed Jun 1996 | Seat Belts | SAFETY BLT LATCH OPERATION There is no summary currently available |
| EA94005 opened Jan 1994 | closed Oct 1995 | Structure | LIFTGATE LATCHES LIFTGATE LATCHES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE FAILED IN LOW AND MODERATE SPEED IMPACTS RESULTING IN OCCUPANT EJECTIONS, INJURIES, AND FATALITIES.THERE ARE TWO FAILURE MODES ASSOCIATED WITH LATCH FAILURE: FORK BOLT-DETENT LEVER BYPASS, AND INERTIAL... |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00V305000 | Steering | VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH 2-SPOKE LUXURY WHEELS MANUFACTURED JULY 1992 THROUGH JUNE 1993; OR EQUIPPED WITH 4-SPOKE SPORT WHEELS MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 1992 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1993. | Normally free |
| 99V213000 | Structure | VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS. THE BOLTS USED TO ATTACH THE STRUT TO THE BODY AND THE REAR LIFTGATE CAN ACCUMULATE FATIGUE DAMAGE IF THREE FACTORS COMBINE. | Normally free |
| 99V113000 | Air Bags | VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS. THE WIRING THAT INITIATES THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER AIR BAG COULD ELECTRICALLY SHORT CIRCUIT TO GROUND. | Normally free |
| 93V215000 | Wheels | WHEELS WITH MISFORMED LUG NUT SEATS WERE INSTALLED ON THESE VEHICLES. THIS CAUSES REDUCED NUT TO WHEEL CONTACT AREA AND LIMITS THE WHEEL SELF-CENTERING CAPABILITY DURING INSTALLATION. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000256 2000-10-27 | Steering | 72,232 | On certain vehicles, there is a potential on high metrage vehicles for the steering wheel armature stamping to crack and separate from the center hub attachment of the steering wheel. |
| 1999104 1999-05-27 | Seats And Restraints | 129,978 | On certain vehicles, an intermittent short circuit in the air bag initiator wire that occurs between 1.5 to 1.7 seconds after vehicle start-up (or "key on") may lead to an inadvertent air bag deployment. |
| 1997104 1997-05-28 | Structure | 246,405 | A combination of no bolt torque, high pressure in the strut and a severe duty cycle can create the potential for the liftgate strut attaching bolts to separate. |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| R2118796A Feb 2016 | Engine And Engine Cooling | Valve Body. These may cause over drive cycling. |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Drive it from a dead stop, twice, on a hill if you can.Shudder, hesitation, or a lurch under light throttle is how this vehicle's largest complaint cluster shows itself. Then ask for the transmission service history in writing; repeat repairs are a pattern, not a fluke.
- Walk the body slowly in daylight.Panel gaps, rust at the rockers and wheel arches, and cracked trim are this vehicle's structure complaints. Open and close the liftgate or trunk and look at the latch area.
- Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 4 recall campaigns on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Dodge Grand Caravan →