1.6

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
101,849 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #4

Jun 012012

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
For at least a year now (dates and mileage above are some sort of approximation) our car has been having trouble upon refueling. As I drive away from the fueling station, within about the first mile the car hesitates, chokes and either threatens to stall or actually stalls. After a few moments, or upon restarting, the car does fine. I have asked the dealer about this and they expressed no knowledge of Chrysler notices about it or what might be causing it. They said it would be expensive to pull the gas tank, so I have left it for now. But having the car do this is dangerous. I googled the problem and found that there are numerous people with this 4th generation Caravan that have the exact same problem. Dodge's mediator suggested that it's a problem with topping off the tank, but I have found that not topping it makes no difference, and as you can see from the online strings I am attaching, there are others who never top off their tank and have the same problem as we do. This is apparently a design flaw that creates a danger. It is expensive for the consumer to fix, and my impression is that it will steadily get worse. We were part of the headlight problem with these cars too. The headlights on the car were unstable from the time we bought the car. After years of complaining, our dealer finally seemed to have fixed the problem, but we had to pay part of it. Since then we have received a notice that Chrysler is taking responsibility for the problem. I hope this gas tank problem will not take so many years to correct as the headlight problem.

- Danbury, CT, USA

problem #3

Oct 072013

Grand Caravan

  • 66,000 miles
As I was driving my 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan, the dashboard flickered and then the car shut down. Power steering was disabled but I was luckily able to drift it to the side of the road. After researching online, it seems this electrical shut down is ongoing and problematic for this year and make. I had little children in the car and without warning the car dies. This needs to be a recall as it poses serious safety concerns for the driver of the vehicle and cars around it. Had I been on the highway, I would not be able to tell you about this incident. When I brought the vehicle in to the dealer, I was told it needed an electrical system software update otherwise it will get progressively worse. The dealer also explained that the other electrical issues that I have been having - tail lights burning out, sliding doors opening/closing, window not going down, power locks locking and unlocking) were also a part of this software update. Yet, it is not a recall because it is not considered a safety issue. I am appalled that we have to pay for this software update, that Dodge and the NHTSA have been aware of this issue and that is not considered a safety concern. Recall this make and model for this issue immediately. The car dying in the road is a major concern. The doors closing without notice could have killed my four year old, instead I threw my body in the middle to protect her. Please, please, please recall this to save lives. There are so many of this make and model car on the road with little children inside.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #2

Mar 052013

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • miles
The brain of the van has gone bad in under 8 years, causing van to read bad O2 sensor reading even after changing them. This causes the vehicle to stutter and idle rough and die while driving. When making repeated stops shutting down and turning vehicle back on, makes the conditions worse. It's been narrowed down to brain as automatic door locks do not work at all. Whether from key fob or using switch inside vehicle. This was family vehicle driven daily, but refuse to put kids in unsafe car.

- Norfolk, VA, USA

problem #1

Sep 012012

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 138,570 miles
While driving the car home at only 35 mph, my wife heard a large bang and immediately lost the power steering, but was able to pull off the road. When I was able to check under the hood of the vehicle, I found that the aluminum casting had broken that holds the bracket for the alternator. The alternator and serpentine belts were laying near the left side of the engine compartment. I took photos of the problem since I know it is not usual for the casting to break. I had the car towed to the Chrysler dealer that we have had all the service for the vehicle performed. I explained that I was concerned that the casting broke and they seemed concerned also at that point. They stated that they had not seen this problem before. I had the repairs made at a cost of over $1500. They had to replace the cvr pkg-engine because the break was part of the casting for the cover of that part. I then contacted the Chrysler Dodge customer service department and told them I was concerned about the safety of the vehicle and that if my wife had been going 75 on the expressway and rounding a curve in heavy traffic, such a break could easily cause catastrophic damage, injury, or death. I told them that I believe that this is not a normal wear and tear or maintenance item, but a manufacturing defect since the aluminum casting broke and not the bracket. The customer service case manager only came back with a statement that the vehicle had 138000 miles and they could offer me only $465 toward the repairs. There was no acknowledgement, or concern that this was a safety issue. While I believe that Chrysler should pay for the entire repairs, I am more concerned that this could be a potential life threatening situation for other unknowing drivers. I have the pictures and I have the part in my possession if anyone needs to investigate this!

- Port Huron, MI, USA