7.8

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$30
Average Mileage:
78,250 miles
Total Complaints:
13 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (9 reports)
  2. clean battery terminals (1 reports)
  3. found corroded terminals on the underside of the wiring box (1 reports)
  4. i disconnected the neg. battery terminal (1 reports)
  5. replaced battery and cleaned terminals (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Dodge dealer.

problem #13

Jul 092013

Grand Caravan ES 3.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 86,000 miles

so i found out that the headlight switch on these vehicles, and maybe others, has been recalled AND its for as long as you own it!!! since the headlights are large safety issue, this was required... if you have not yet recieved notice of this in the mail, you should soon... its done through your state registration to find current owners.

also i have more recently been experiencing addition BCM issues including the dash cluster lighting up for no reason other than it thinks its december in july.... ill get to the bottom of this soon but i think dodge needs to admit there is a huge issue with the BCM units in these vehicles. keep the complaints coming in to the right places and it will get done folks, it depens on US!

van runs great as the motor and trans computers are separate, and not part of the BCM.

Update from Oct 11, 2013: so i scanned the computer for soft codes (stored codes that dont always trigger the 'check engine' light) and came up with 3, one of which was 'low voltage' on the trans computer so, i got into the engine compartment and found a lot of corrosion on the battery terminals. spent a good amount of time cleaning these up with baking soda and water, rinsed and wire brushed till only shinny metal was left, reconnected them and treated with non-corrosion spray. i also checked the grounds on the engine block and power distribution areas for any other sign of dirty connectors.

PROBLEM SOLVED!!! no new battery, just bad corrosion on the terminals

hiphi

- hiphi, Boise, ID, US

problem #12

Jun 022012

Grand Caravan 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 167,436 miles

All electric stuff in the care quits working. No thing in the dash board works, doors don't unlock , remote control want work, can't get into car even with key. Something needs to be done about this by Dodge in a class action suit. wipers don't work when this problem happens, noting at ALL electrical will work and you are locked out of you car. once you get into the car you can take the neg. battery cable off and put it back on and things go back to normal for a few days or a week or so. This is NOT acceptable. We need help....This at time happens when you are riding down the road. Someone could get killed....

- Roger S., Elm City, NC, US

problem #11

Aug 082012

Grand Caravan 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 81,050 miles

I'm having the same problem I got this van in March and i still owe over 9 thousand on it. I can't afford to buy another van this is really bad I went from not having a payment to now having a payment . Then look what happens and sad part is i really liked this van. I traded in a 93 Nissan i had for 12 years and only paid 4 thousand for and it had 269 thousand miles on it. And It's still on the road lol I've replaced the battery and a water pump on it so far and Now this.

- Tonya C., Strunk, KY, US

problem #10

Jul 192012

Grand Caravan SLX 3.8L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,283 miles

I paid $10 Thousand for this vehicle 10 months ago. should not be having this many problems. Sick and tired of it. I had the cluster cables cleaned,worked good for about 3 days. now lights are out under speedometer, can't tell how fast I am going without a flashlight at night.I was told it would cost $500.00 plus labor to replace the dash panel. that might fix that problem.

- sbeyer, Oshkosh, WI, US

problem #9

May 022011

Grand Caravan SE 3.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,040 miles

The gauge cluster stopped working while driving. Tried replacing fuse, but the fuse continues to blow. Looked for possible shorts in cluster, fuse box, BCM, Wiring, Lights, but came up with nothing. Relacing the fuse will allow the cluster to work for 40km or 4 seconds. This vehicle seems to be plagued with electrical issues. Dodge needs to fix these issues or they will go out of busniess, with a drop in sales from shotty manufacturing, but their vision seems to be obscured by the walls of thier rectum.

- Matt B., Summerland, BC, canada

problem #8

Mar 052011

Grand Caravan SL 3.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,000 miles

The first electrical problem I had with the van was about 2 years ago - the drivers power seat stopped working. I checked it out and found power to the seat controls, but it would not work - I ran temporary hot wire to the seat and got it to work, but couldn't understand why it wouldn't work on the original wire - so I left it not working. This year the power door locks stopped working - the same as all these other complaints. Then on March 5/11 - we stopped for lunch and the van would not start - no power on anything - I went into the fuse/relay panel and unplugged/plugged fuses/relays back in - van started, but I lost cruise control. The cruise control came back the next day. Then a couple of days later the radio stopped working. I figured I would investigate and the problems. I found corroded wires on the underside of the fuse/relay box - beside the battery. To get to them you have to remove the battery, then the whole box rotates 180 degrees (it has a hinge on the battery side) to get to the bottom. I unplugged one of the large cable connectors in the center (had a larger orange wire on it for the power seats). Many of them were green with corrosion. I removed each wire from the plastic cable connector and cleaned them with a battery terminal cleaner. The door locks started working, the power seat is working, but the radio still doesn't. Not sure if the radio is on another connector.

- Peter P., Espanola, Ontario, Canada

problem #7

Aug 222010

Grand Caravan XLT 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 94,000 miles

Out of the blue no gauges, brake lights or turn signals. Made for harrowing drive 180 miles home. I research on web and my did own diagnostics (checking fuses and battery) to no avail. I was hoping when I found someone with the same problem, there would be an answer in terms of solution.

- Tim P., Medway, MA, US

problem #6

May 012010

Grand Caravan SXT 3.8L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,000 miles

Started the van one day and the whole instrument cluster was out, van ran fine though.

Was told to replace the battery and clean all the battery terminal connections and so far the problem is gone. The battery was getting weak so maybe the lower voltage at startup was the issue.

- mrfusion70, Monon, IN, US

problem #5

Dec 052009

Grand Caravan SXT 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,000 miles

OK here's my problem, Interior lights flash on and off rapidly, even radio turns off for a split sec. Brake light and ABS flash once then it "dings" and goes off. All the lights on the cluster flicker. However, the lights continue to flash rapidly. Any help would help very much for i am leaving for Bahrain in less then 2 weeks and i will be leaving the van with my wife and 2 kids. And that does not sit will with me.

- James C., Norfolk, VA, US

problem #4

Feb 012010

Grand Caravan SXT V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 83,000 miles

Interior lights flash on and off rapidly, even radio, dvd, cd. Brake light and ABS flash once then it "dings" and goes off. However, the lights continue to flash rapidly. It appears to some loose connection somewhere. After reading some of the other posts it sounds like it may be a bad connection with the fuses. Will check that tomorrow.

This van has been nothing but trouble. Motor had to be rebuilt with 74K on it. I had 7/70 warranty bumper to bumper, and Chrysler made me pay 500 to fix it. Which I realize they technically did not have to do, but rebuilding a motor with this mileage.

- 05caravan, High Point, NC, US

problem #3

Jul 112009

Grand Caravan SXT 3.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 67,425 miles

Stopped for gas, and when we started out again none of the gauges, nor the brake lights or turn signals work. Tried the remove fuse and disconnect battery with no results. Not driveable like this. Already had to replace driver window motor. My 93 Buick has less problems.

- Brad E., Wheatland, PA, US

problem #2

Feb 102008

Grand Caravan SLT 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,600 miles

The temperature was 3 degrees. I had warmed up the car for about 20 minutes. After driving about 5 miles all the status/warning lights on the instrument cluster lite-up. Wow what is happening came to mind *&^% --- They all went out with a chime. There did not seem to be any falter in the engine. During the next 5 miles this happened another 3 times. Dropped wife off at work and was on my way home ( 10 miles), The cluster lights cycled through this routine 2 more times. This is disconcerting. Is the whole electrical system going to shut down or is this just a bad connection caused by the very cold temperature? My confidence in the car has been shaken.

- Harold B., Bellevue, MI, US

problem #1

Jul 272007

(reported on)

Grand Caravan SXT 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 23,300 miles

Alright, Everything you gus have mentioned has happened to me. I have had this happen recently where, the whole cluster lost power; I mean speedometer, wipers(while it was raining ironic), lights, you name it; but...... the motor was still running. My wife called me frantic that she cant see. Anyhow, dealer had it for 1 week and replaced the computer I think, I still havent seen the work order. From all my problems I think I have a lemon!!

- maximafrenzy, Cleveland, OH, US