5.6

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$410
Average Mileage:
64,050 miles
Total Complaints:
14 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (8 reports)
  2. needs power steering pump (3 reports)
  3. longer power steering hose, per tech bulletin (2 reports)
  4. replace power steering reservoir (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Dodge dealer.

problem #14

May 022011

Caravan ES 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 124,274 miles

Pain in the ass may lower myself into driving a ford

- leftey, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

problem #13

Feb 092005

Caravan SXT 3.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,000 miles

This complaint is like all the others...started with the whining noise. Took it to the dealership and they put the "longer hose" on and it worked for a while. Soon after reaching the 36,000 miles it started again and has gotten worse. It has been one thing after another with this van. I could write a book on all the annoying problems. Best advice I can give...stay away from the Dodge Carvan.

- tiredof_dodge, Coppell, TX, US

problem #12

Jan 012006

Caravan Sport 3.3L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 45,000 miles

PowerSteering Pump or hose replaced 2006 due to recall. Continues to make noise for the last 5 years. In the shop today for re-alignment and told the problem with noise and vibration is rack-n-pinion?

- huntercoin, Wilkesboro, NC, US

problem #11

Dec 092009

Caravan ES V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 125,000 miles

when I first bought this car, there was a noise in the front end about 1 month later. I received a notice in the mail about a hose problem and I could bring it in to have the hose fixed. I took my car in and the Dodge place told me the whole power steering would have to be replaced. Hmmmm, my car was under warranty that goodness, because this "little" hose fix cost $1000.00. Well, now it is 6 years later and I am getting the same noise in the power steering. However, now my car is no longer under warranty! Imagine that! So for now I am riding around with the stupid noise. It doesn't matter if I turn the wheels or not, a constant whining noise. Really embarrassing, but I don't have an extra $1000 bucks to fix it. I just pray the power steering does not go out while I am driving down the road.

- callawayga, Acworth, GA, US

problem #10

Nov 182009

Caravan 3.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 93,206 miles

There is a whining noise from the front end of my Caravan. ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh... that is all I can say... see my complaint about the rack going simultaneously with the pump... un-freaking-believable!

- bpangel3, London, Ontario, Canada

problem #9

Mar 182009

Caravan Sport 3.3L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 8,900 miles

YAH WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN AT TUNE TECH DOWN THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE I THOUGHT I WAS JUST GETTING MAINTENANCE WORK DONE. ENDED UP WITH A FEW MORE THINGS THEY SAID WERE WRONG. THEY FLUSHED THE TRANNY AND I GOT A NEW SERPENTINE BELT AND AN AIR FILTER. NOW THEY ARE SAYING I NEED A POWER STEERING PUMP WHICH WILL COST ANOTHER 400.00 WHICH I DON'T HAVE. SO I DON 'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I AM GOING TO DO. IT MAKES ME VERY UPSET. MAYBE I CAN GET SOME IDEAS OF WHAT I CAN DO FROM SOME OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS>

- tknudsen, Auburn, WA, US

problem #8

Nov 102008

Caravan Sport 3.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 85,000 miles

I've got the whining front end problem with my Caravan also but its only noticeable/bad when the temp is lower than around 50 degrees.

- natemn, Rochester, MN, US

problem #7

Oct 012008

Caravan ES 3.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles

Replaced the power steering pump 2 times. Replaced the power steering fluid 3 additional times. Replaced the power steering pump cooler lines. added cooling lines to fix the problem.

AND THE NOISE IS BACK

- weston, Windsor, Ontario, Canada

problem #6

Sep 182007

Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

Last week I took my 2003 Caravan to a small shop and they charged me about seventy five dollars to replace one of the power steering hoses with a longer hose.

They found a Tech Bulletin that saying the longer hose would resolve my problem, which it did.

Apparently the Baltimore dealership does not read Tech Bulletins.

I wasted about $ 150 to have them flush the power steering unit which was supposed to correct the problem. I took the vehicle back again only to be told that my problem was either the rack and pinion or the power steering unit. They could not e sure which of the two was the problem.

So much for the dealership's experts.

- tewell, Baltimore, MD, US

problem #5

May 022007

Caravan Sport 3.3L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 85,000 miles

Whining noise in the power steering system; sounds like the low fluid noise. After being a Dodge owner since 1990, I think I have finally learned my lesson. Honda seems the way to go...

- Will V., Lavaca, AR, US

problem #4

Aug 152007

(reported on)

Caravan SXT 3.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 38,000 miles

at about 35,000 the rack and pinion had to be replaced, I dished out about $300.00 for bushings that were not covered.

The power steering pump has been making noise on and off, now it's finally becoming constant.

- Lazaro G., North Bergen, NJ, US

problem #3

Mar 152007

(reported on)

Caravan Sport 3.3

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,000 miles

The steering began making a humming noise every time the engine was started. The humming would get worse when we would turn the steering wheel. It was very embarrassing because the sound was loud enough for neighbors to hear.

By the time we would get to the dealership 10 miles away, the noise was already gone. Because of this, they weren't able to pinpoint the problem in our multiple trips to the shop. We did find out through trial and error that the humming would decrease drastically if we added more steering fluid, even though it wasn't low to begin with.

Now, 40,000 miles down the road (75,000 miles total), the rack and pinion has gone out per the Dodge dealership. The rack and pinion repair part is supposedly on backorder nationwide. This tells me that we aren't the only ones dealing with a defective rack and pinion.

I can only assume that this humming noise problem is related to the current problem of a premature rack and pinion failure.If you are brave enough to buy a Dodge, make sure you have a water tight warranty that covers all parts-- not just the power train.

- Gene L., Fayetteville, AR, US

problem #2

Dec 162006

(reported on)

Caravan LX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 37,000 miles

I have been to the dealer 3 times for this noise that sounds just like the car is out of power steering fluid. It isn't though and in only happens the first 10 minutes of being started, then it goes away. The dealership says since they can't here the noise, (it's warmed up by then and gone by the time I drive there) that they can't fix it... if anyone has had this problem, can you please let me know so I can enlighten my dealerships service department.

- nilsson, Coral Springs, FL, US

problem #1

Jul 282006

(reported on)

Caravan SE

  • 44,801 miles

So far The dealer has tried 3 aftermarket power steering racks, and 1 OEM power steering rack. I still feel and hear the noise in the front end. Bringing it back to the dealer for further inspection.

- Cyril B., West Haven, CT, US