TroubleCAR
71
Trouble

1997 Dodge Grand Caravan

Complaints: 583Avg mileage: 110,859 miSince: Dec 1996
1 deathCrashFire37 injured

Problem Areas

Air Bags
81
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
60
Vehicle Speed Control
45
Electrical System:Horn
45
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer
40
Gasoline: Belts and Associated Pulleys
36
Engine: Gasoline
32
Air Bags:Frontal
23
Electrical System
23
Engine and Engine Cooling:Engine
17

Complaints Over Time

Recent Complaints

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
220,000 miFeb 14, 2011OXFORD, WI
1 deathCrash

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE STOPPED AND PREPARING TO PULL INTO A DRIVEWAY, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, DESTROYING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, HOWEVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID DEPLOY. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS KILLED. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000. UPDATED 03/23/11 *BF

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
93,000 miJul 28, 2005INVERNESS, MS
CrashFire2 injured

DT: DT: THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM AN INDIVIDUAL. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS DEEMED TOTALED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE CONSUMER LEARNED OF TWO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE, ONE FOR THE FUEL RAIL AND ONE FOR THE AIR BAGS. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS CONFLICTING INFORMATION ON THE LETTER SENT TO CONSUMER. THIS HAPPENED ON JANUARY 17, 2005 . *AK *NM

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
147,325 miSep 12, 2005ALPHARETTA, GA
Crash1 injured

DT: THE CALLER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT 25 MPH AND THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD HER CHILD. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WILL NOT CATCH. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WERE GOING TO LOOK INTO IT. THE DAUGHTER CHIPPED A TOOTH AND WHERE IT HIT HER HEAD, THERE WAS A BRUISE. *AK

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
93,353 miSep 16, 2004BEAVERTON, OR
Crash3 injured

AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB *TC

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
136,000 miMar 12, 2004BATESVILLE, AR
Crash2 injured

WAS HIT FROM BEHIND IN 1997 DODGE CARAVAN AND PUSHED INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, FRONT SEAT RECLINER ASSEMBLY WENT BACK, THROWING DRIVER TO BACK, CAUSING HEAD, NECK AND BACK INJURY.*AK

AIR BAGS
91,000 miJan 5, 2004MYRTLE BEACH, SC
Crash1 injured

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT CROSSED OVER THE MEDIAN. UPON IMPACT, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER'S ANKLE WAS SHATTERED AND RECEIVED CONTUSIONS TO THE CHEST.*AK

SEATS
Mar 18, 2002MUNDELEIN, IL
Crash1 injured

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AND SLOWING DOWN, CONSUMER WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION. HINGE ON DRIVER SEAT BROKE, CAUSING SEAT TO COLLAPSE AND INJURY TO TO DRIVER. REAR AND FRONTAL IMPACT. *AK *YD

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
May 15, 2001MT HOLLY, NC
Crash1 injured

WHILE STOPPING ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMER FROM BEHIND, CAUSING CONSUMER TO RUN INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT. THEN, CONSUMER RAN INTO A FENCE. PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT CAME LOOSE AND HUNG DRIVER BY LEFT ARM. DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE, FELL BACK, AND HIT CHILD IN CAR SEAT IN THE HEAD, THE MIDDLE SEAT WHERE TWO TODDLERS WERE, ALSO BROKE AND FLIPPED BACKWARD, CONSUMER WAS INJURED, ALSO STATED HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT WORK, POSSIBLE CLOCKSPRING FAILURE. *SLC

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Mar 28, 2001VICTORVILLE, CA
Crash2 injured

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION . UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. SINCE INCIDENT, SRS LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING, AND HORN ASSEMBLY/ CRUISE CONTROL BECAME INOPERABLE.*AK *SLC

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
Mar 12, 2001ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL
Crash1 injured

THERE ARE APPARENTLY NO SAFETY INTERLOCKS TO PREVENT VAN FROM BEING PLACED IN GEAR. THIS ALLOWED MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO PLACE THE CAR IN GEAR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE VAN ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, PINNING MY 9 YEAR OLD SON BENEATH THE REAR AXLE. FORTUNETLY, HE WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED, THOUGH,EMERGENCY MEDICAL BILLS TOTALED $11,000. I DECIDED TO REPORT THIS NOW AFTER HEARING OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA, IN WHICH A WOMEN WAS KILLED.*AK

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Oct 2, 2000LOWELL, MA
Crash4 injured

INADEQUATE FORWARD VISIBILTY, RESULTED IN REAR END COLLISION AT NIGHT ON HIGHWAY IN FLORIDA.*AK

SEATS
Aug 18, 2000PIONT PLEASANT, NJ
Crash5 injured

MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND WHILE STOPPED. THREE SEATS TWISTED FROM THE FORCE. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK(MY SEAT) SNAPPED BACKWARDS CAUSING MY 5 YR. OLD DAUGHTER (WHO WAS SITTING BEHIND ME) TO STRIKE HER FACE, HEAD AND JAW CAUSING INJURY. THE SEAT IS A POWER SEAT AND ALLTHOUGH IT SNAPPED BACKWARDS AND BENT, IT COULD STILL BE OPERATED TO MOVE IT BACK UP INTO DRIVING POSITION. MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE SUFFERED A FATAL HEAD INJURY FROM THE IMPACT BECAUSE OF THE FRONT SEAT BACK FAILURE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Sep 29, 1998DALLAS, PA
Crash4 injured

CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH HER FAMILY IN THE DODGE VAN. WAS GOING ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN SHE HIT THE ANOTHER VEHICLE VERY HARD, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Aug 5, 1997MESA, AZ
Crash1 injured

OWNER HIT A PICKUP TRUCK AT THE FRONT LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

STEERING
271,000 miDec 15, 2016MENDON, MI
Crash

SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHILE DRIVING IN SNOW CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING ON SLIPPERY ROAD SURFACES. LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND ABILITY TO REGAIN VEHICLE CONTROL WAS COMPROMISED BY LACK OF STEERING ASSIST CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LEAVE THE ROADWAY. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE.THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS A SCHOOL BUS WAS NEAR MY VEHICLE WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND A RECALL SHOULD BE MANDATED. *TR

SERVICE BRAKES
160,000 miOct 9, 2014HUDSONVILLE, MI
Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, ALL OF THE BRAKE FLUID DRAINED FROM THE BRAKE LINES AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Apr 29, 2010NEWBURGH, NY
Crash

TURNING OUT PARKING LOT AND DID NOT SEE POLE. DAMAGED MY LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT AND MY FENDER. *TR

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Apr 29, 2010NEWBURGH, NY
Crash

TURNING OUT PARKING LOT AND DID NOT SEE POLE. DAMAGED MY LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT AND MY FENDER. *TR

VISIBILITY
140,000 miApr 15, 2010PIEDMONT, CA
Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN LE/ES. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN AT SPEEDS OF 45 MPH, THE SUN VISOR FELL FROM OVER THE CONTACTS HEAD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND HAD TO BE TOWED OUT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. SHE ADVISED THE SUN VISOR WAS DESIGNED TO SIT TOO CLOSE TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Jun 21, 2004LAS VEGAS, NV
Crash

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES . AS A RESULT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

Other Grand Caravan Years

Other Dodge Models