7.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$320
Average Mileage:
64,750 miles
Total Complaints:
16 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace front wheel bearings (9 reports)
  2. replace (6 reports)
  3. not sure (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Dodge dealer.

problem #16

Dec 282013

Grand Caravan SXT 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 108,000 miles

I replaced the left rear bearing and about 6 months later the right rear bearing has gone out. I have replaced the brake pads all around several times. This month the right front tie rod end went out. I have replaced the left rear master cylinder. The ABS light has come on and right rear bearing is suspected cause of problem. The Air valves for each tire have turned to dust in your hand like they were made out of magnesium and continued exposure to the elements have designated them. Replaced them with good old fashioned rubber stems and shut off low tire warning system. Transmission is starting to slip. Replaced trans filter didn't make much difference. Will drive it till it won't drive anymore and replace that too! Still have two years to pay on this turd before I will trade it in on something new.

- rserp1, Glen Flora, WI, US

problem #15

Jun 062012

Grand Caravan SXT 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 97,000 miles

I've had this 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan for 4 years now. My driver side wheel bearing is failing for the 3rd time. I have replaced the pass side bearing hub twice as well and I just now clicked over 100k miles. The first failure on the driver side happened around 47k and the pass side followed closely behind. I heard the noise and ignored it for a while because I had just put new tires on the front and thought it was road noise from them. When I finally did go to the mechanic, he could not diagnose the problem telling me it must just be the tires because he could not find anything else wrong. It was only when I started looking at the internet and finding the dozens of complaints of failing wheel bearings that I took it back to him and asked him about that issue. He told me that was highly unlikely a bearing issue because bearing hubs just don't fail like that especially with only 47k miles on them. He continued to tell me that he had not replaced one in years. However, after another 2 weeks of listening to it, I insisted he change it and guess what, problem solved. It was within 2 months that the pass side bearing started making a noise so I had it replaced as well. So within a couple months I spent over $600 replacing wheel bearing hubs that should have never failed in the first place. Then, to Chrysler/ Dodge credit, about a year later, they did the right thing and apparently recognized there was a problem with those hubs and issued an extended warranty and reimbursed me for what it cost me to replace the bearing hubs. Good thing because about 6mo later, both front bearings began to fail again at about 77k miles. Thank goodness that the extended warranty kicked in and I was able to have them replaced for the second time and the costs were covered. So, you would think after all the issues they were having, they would have recognized that this inferior part they were using and continually failing needed replaced with something that would fix this issue once and for all because that is what I thought after having the bearings replaced for the second time at the dealership. I figured they knew there was a problem and they had decided to extend the warranty and fix it because if this part completely fails, it's not like a flat tire and you can just pull over to the side of the road. If this part completely fails, you whole wheel comes off and if you are on the interstate at 70 miles an hour, that’s not going to have a good result. So I just assumed, silly me that they would replace it with something better to stop this issue from happening again. You know what they say when you assume……your right, here I am only 12 months and 22k miles later and the driver side bearing is failing AGAIN! Are you kidding me?? So I go back to the dealership and they tell me, sorry, the part we put on your van had a 12k or 1 year whichever comes first warranty. So, I have to have the bearing replaced for a third time and here I am having to pay for it again. Seriously?? Are you really telling me that you issued an extended warranty and kept putting the same piece of crap parts on the cars just so they would fail again and you could piss us off even more because now I have to pay for it AGAIN!!!! Not only is this not acceptable, this is a very dangerous problem to keep reoccurring. I had no idea what the problem was when it first occurred because I have never in all my 40 years of driving has a wheel bearing fail. Maybe I'm just lucky but I've talked to a lot of people and heard the same thing that they have never had that problem either. Like me, not everyone is going to recognize this issue and I just wonder how many people have had accidents as a result of this. I don't care how many times Dodge pays for this, this should not be happening. How do you go to the trouble and expense of issuing an extended warranty and still put on the same crappy parts??? The reason I have a van is because I have 4 children so DODGE YOU ARE PUTTING MY FAMILY'S LIFE AT STAKE every day they are in it because you have obviously chosen inferior parts for this van wheel bearing hubs and that goes beyond acceptable. I am going to get this fixed because I want to sell the van as soon as it is done but I refuse to sell it to someone else and hand them this potential time bomb without fixing it first. Rest assured two things will happen after it is fixed, one, I will sell it and I will tell whoever buys it of this issue and two, I will never buy another Dodge, Chrysler product again in my life and I will make sure anyone I talk to understands why. If they are willing to continue to put this kind of part on a vehicle that if it fails could potentially be deadly to anyone in the vehicle, especially a vehicle designed to carry a lot of passangers, then I can only imagine what else they are willing to overlook just to save a buck. Sorry this is so long but I just had to tell this story.

- Richard B., Hot Springs Village, AR, US

problem #14

May 032012

Grand Caravan SXT 4.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,000 miles

This is one of many problems Ive had from the Van.

Transmission went out at 40,000 miles just out of factory warranty, Chrysler paid half, still cost me $1,800.

now the Power folding seat sticks and won't unfold.

Brakes and rotors have to replaced every 20,000 miles, rotors wear to fast to turn.

I wouldn't recommend a Dodge Van at this point.

- howigetemail, Powell, TN, US

problem #13

Dec 102010

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • 82,565 miles

Merry Christmas, my van is now making a terrible noise in the front end. I took it to the Dodge dealer for some warrenty work, and have the noise checked. They said that it needed both front wheelbearings replaced at 82,565 miles, and that the front breaks should be replaced, they were down to 25%. The price for the wheel bearings would be $740.00. We took it to our mechanic and had it done for $546.14. He checked the breaks and said they were fine, we had all four rotors, and pads replaced 13,000 miles ago, but there was alot of wear already. This money was retuned to us about a year later when dodge offered an exteneded warrenty for the wheelbearings. Dodge does not want to cover things not done at their service centers....$200 less for an honest reliable mechanic speaks for its self. Now that I am an unhappy Dodge owner I really have to look for savings where I can so I can afford to drive this piece if JUNK!!!!!

- Andrea F., Cohasset, MN, US

problem #12

May 182010

Grand Caravan SXT Chrome 4.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles

Wheel Bearings should last longer than that. Just get everything out of warranty than it starts falling about. disappointed with dodge at the moment for using inferior parts in their automobiles . for the price you pay they should use more reliable parts.

- Dale S., Lafe, AR, US

problem #11

Nov 012011

Grand Caravan SXT 3.8L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 65,000 miles

Still have other front bearing making noise and will need changed soon. Before replacing bearing van was pulling hard to the left and making lots of noise. Now, also after an alignment, it is pulling right and making a little noise until I change other bearing a realign. All this under 70K miles. And I also wasted money taking to a mechanic who wouldn't listen and insisted it needed tires. I changed the tires and bearing at a different mechanic.

- Adam F., Wi, KS, US

problem #10

Sep 052011

Grand Caravan SXT 3.6L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,000 miles

Had my first driver front wheel bearing go out with 62,000 miles, cost $412.00 to fix. Mechanic said he thought he could possibly hear the passenger front wheel bearings going bad also. We went on a trip and put about 4000 miles on the car. When we got back I knew the sound it was making was the same as when the driver side front wheel bearing went bad. You guessed it, another $422.00 to fix this one. Have had to replace the front brakes also at about the 50,000 mile mark. I'm going broke trying to keep this car going. Don't think I will ever buy another one.

- Kent P., Lowell, IN, US

problem #9

Jan 202011

Grand Caravan V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 53,000 miles

Loud as hell. You can hear this thing coming a block away. But....mechanic sez it's not an immediate need to fix. Maybe next payday.

- Earl A., Jasper, AL, US

problem #8

Feb 242011

Grand Caravan SXT 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 44,818 miles

At 44,800 I was hearing a noise that sounded like there was something wrong with transmission. I brought it in and both front wheel bearings were shot. I had them replaced and was not charged. Then I got a call several days later that I owed $100 for the deductible. Then I found out later that there were recalls on certain wheel bearings, but not mine. Reading other reports here, I see this is a problem that is happening on a lot of peoples van. Luckily we got a lifetime warranty on it because the way the first 3 years are going, I will need it.

- johanekwi, Denmark, WI, US

problem #7

Aug 082010

Grand Caravan 3.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 49,000 miles

its was really bad, a lot of noise. it was as if the wheel was falling off. took it the mechanic said it was the right wheel bearing hub. left the van and $210.00 dollars later its was fixed. no more noise, drives great

- jcast, El Paso, US:TX, US

problem #6

Jan 012011

Grand Caravan V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,000 miles

Have new brake pads on front twice. New brake pads on rear.We had Dodge dealer to replace brake pads the first time and they didn't last two years.We had our own mechanic to fix front brakes the second time. He also fixed the rear brakes.$246.00 out of our pocket. for front not sure about rear ones. At 42000 miles front wheel bearings went out that was $508.88 out of our pocket. We are utterly disgusted with this lemon.Right after we had new brake pads put on the first time trere was a recall but we got no reimbursement.You could not even give me another dodge of any kind.

- Clara L., Windom, TX, US

problem #5

Feb 102011

Grand Caravan XST 3.8L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles

I have owned this van for one year and have had three recalls on different problems so far. I bought it with 33,000 miles on it and now at 50,000 the front wheel hub bearing on driver side is going out. The warranty ran out at 36,000 miles and for the price of these vans the warranty should be better on the drive line system. I bought a new Kia and it has better warranty than this higher priced vehicle. I asked about warranty but the dodge dealer ship said there is no warranty now. To repace the hub bearing the part at auto store alone is close to 200.00 dollars. If they only last this long they need to check in why they are going out so fast. For a sealed bearing it should last longer than this.

- Jerald W., Omaha, NE, US

problem #4

Nov 012010

Grand Caravan SXT 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 44,000 miles

Wheel bearing started to fail on my ’08 caravan just after 40000 miles. Spent several months dealing with the noise expecting the repair would not be covered under warranty. The manufacture warranty expired a few thousand miles earlier. Cursing Chrysler every step of the way. Shortly after 44000 miles I had the work done to replace both the left and right wheel bearings. The mechanic told me that Chrysler updated the wheel bearing replacement recommendations suggesting replacing in pairs which is unusual.

After the repair I contacted Chrysler to complain about the poor quality of their vehicle. They told me they would reimburse me for the replacement parts but not the labor which is the largest of the two. In my opinion a halfhearted attempt on a repair I should never have had to deal with in the first place.

- brentmi, Troy, MI, US

problem #3

Dec 182010

Grand Caravan SXT V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 152,000 miles

152,000 highway miles. Two right front bearings, 1 left front bearings and now two right rear bearings. And the dealer acts like this is unusual. It's not unusual...it's expensive. I need to keep the van 2 more years.

- sbny, Roch, NY, US

problem #2

Jun 012010

Grand Caravan LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 26,000 miles

A couple of months ago I notice this awful helicopter sound. The caravan was pulling slightly to the right, but nothing too noticeable. However, I noticed that there was also a rumbling sound and vibration underneath my feet. The faster my vehicle went, the louder it became. I thought it was the tires, or perhaps a band had broken in the tires. I decided to take it to the dealership just in case it was something worse. The bearing was actually sawing through my hub/axle! The dealership did not have the parts and chose to have us keep the vehicle there. Under warranty we were allowed to have a rented vehicle, however I was planning on making a trip to my parents. If I would of taken the vehicle up to New York, my family and I could of suffered a severe accident.

- Michelle Z., Seaford, DE, US

problem #1

Jan 052010

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • 47,000 miles

Right front wheel bearing went out around 47,000, now at 56,000 the left one is going out. At first we thought it was tires making the noise. So we put new tires on. That didn't make a difference, still the same roaring noise while driving. Took it to mechanic and they discovered the bad wheel bearing.

- Jeffrey P., Kingsley, IA, US