This is the second time I've had to replace the front and back brakes on my 2008 Caravan. I took it in at 10000 km to have the brakes looked at, but they said the brakes were fine. They went from being fine to being undriveable at 20000 km. I replaced the front brakes with lifetime warranty brakes and had the rotors machined. At 40000 km we had to do the back brakes. Now, at 85000 km we have to do the front and back brakes and replace the rotors completely. This is a $700 procedure as only the brake pads were covered under the lifetime warranty, not the rotors and labour. I already know that in another 20000 to 40000 km I'll be on the hook for it again because dodge won't recall this issue. And this is definitely a recall issue.

I thought it odd to have a brake problem so soon. (the right front brake pads grind off at an angle. Left front and rear brakes wear normally) But after the 19th time (Yes 19 times) it gets a little old. A normal question from my son is "What kind of rent car do we have this week?"

To date the pads have been replaces 19X , Rotors 5X, calipers 4X, slides 2X, soft hoses 2X, Hard lines 1X master cylinder 1X, ABS computer and pump 1X.

They said it must be the way I drive...... I will be happy to teach them how I can put my big toe on the peddle and grind off the right pads ONLY.

Could the steering knuckle been machined badly causing the slider to hold the caliper at an angle? The dealer refused to even think about that. Not very open to suggestions.

Believe it or not I like the van . Powerful motor, ok transmission, handles like a dream and it can handle the weight. But I don't think my boss will buy another Dodge.

My front rotors and pads have been replaced twice once at 16K miles, again at 35K. The rear brakes drag at seemingly radom times, however, mostly once heated up. After making a few stops the brake drag begins and then I feel the steering shutter from the front brakes pulsing. I don't experience the problems as much when I deactivate the ESP. So perhaps our problems are software or sensor component related??

I found this site while searching through thousands of caravan complaints. I'm looking for the real fix on the brake issue as pad, rotor and caliper replacements seem to make no difference permanently. So i'm asking if anyone has found the REAL problem perhaps the ABS wheel sensors, ESP system, TRACtion control system, master cylinder, brake booster, porportioning valves, caliper design flaw?, brake assist system? There must be a common factor.

Let me know your thoughts.

Update from Aug 16, 2012: I'm simply doing my own work at this point. I replaced the rear pads only even though the rotors are grooved. While making the change I removed the pins and used a nickel anti-seize to prevent the pads from hanging up. Also I made sure the tabs on the ends of the pads that slide in the caliper casting are coated with the anti seize. After that I have not experienced any rear rotor drag.

The front pads and rotors that were replaced with new oem parts have a wear pattern of 3 pads like new and the inside pad on the driver side wore to 3/16" of pad remaining!

So......if I swap all the rotors and pads with new replacements and use the anti seize...... perhaps they won't hang up??

In my opinion this problem has to do with the design. The anti seize will only work for so long until it will need to be reapplied.

When I took the van in for grinding noise in March, at 60590 miles, I was told they could not reproduce the problem noise. They did report though that the front pads were at 30%. I had new pads and rotor rotation done at 52000 miles. AmI to believe that I used up 70% of the pads in just 8000 miles?!

These are my 3rd set of pads. Each of the first two sets were replaced at 26000 miles. The second replacement was comped and I got a reimbursement for the first since this problem is in an epidemic state. Why are the brakes so bad or why is the car wearing them so quickly?

Third brake re-build in three years, despite constant brake inspections at every oil change. Had second set of rotors, pads and flush done in Dec. 2010. Began making noise by May. (Dealership closed..second of four I've dealt with in these three years.) Next dealership inspected brakes in June. I was told the brakes were fine. ( 80% front / 70% back...just brake dust...) Noise continued, got worse. In the shop today a couple of months later and metal to metal! I might add that the same thing happened last year..."Brakes are fine"...metal to metal three weeks later. I've been driving since I was 16 (now 60) and HAVE NEVER had ANY car have this kind of wear issue. I'm a repeat customer (WAS) and expected better treatment from Dodge Chrysler...no such luck..just BS excuses from the dealerships. Even my last vehicle (Dodeg Caravan 2002) only required new rotors after five years. I purposely wanted to buy North American vehicles to keep jobs going here. It's extremely evident by the attitude of Dodge Chrysler, that they are only interested in taking your money, and forgetting you exist afterward. ....Losing repeat customers is one hell of a way to run a business

Update from Aug 24, 2012: I was just about to take this tank in for a fifth set of pads and rotors. That alone is ridiculous...five brake rebuilds, two new calipers in under 100,000 Kilometres. ( That will make six sets including the originals ) Filing a complaint with Transport Canada. I don't appreciate Dodge treating the safety of my family with complete arrogance and disregard. . The night before, I was waiting for my wife and decided to recline the back of the seat. The seat is electronically controlled. I've only used this function four or five times total in the four years I've owned it. Doesn't the damn thing stop working while it's in he reclined position. Fuse? ...Nope. A whopping $1000 repair bill for a seat that's only been reclined four or five times!!! It's a bloody chair!!...$1000!!! for a little tiny blown motor that's practically never been used!...it'll be in the dealership for a whole week ...no loaner..............and I still haven't gotten the brakes done. That is not to mention to the other myriad of problems such as doors not closing properly, poorly fitted body panels, AC hose perpetually leaking (four of those so far - current hose ...leaking ..naturally.) , DVD unit replacment, extremely poor gas milage after a $500 tune up.....see a pattern here? I was getting the brakes done to trade it in. I'm going Japanese...I can't afford American clunkers anymore. Take a look at the worst offenders on this site....almost always Ford, Dodge, Chrysler...they just don't get it. People will no longer tolerate their shoddy products, and their unbelievable "piss off " attitudes. As far as I'm concerned Dodge and Chrysler are the EPITOMY OF POOR WORKANSHIP. I feel horrible for the people employed with them, but their companies' attitude towards its' customers is abhorrent. This company doesn't deserve bailouts. It DOES deserve to go down the toilet. I'll hate to see it happen, because of all the people they employ, but this is an insane way to promote your products.

My husband and I purchased this car in November 2010. At the start of 2011 we experienced two problems: a metal to metal "grinding" sound and thumping coming from underneath the car. Sounded so bad I thought something would fall OFF the bottom.

We got it into the shop and there was talk about calipers and rotors. Everything was fixed under warranty. So....

June 2011 the same metal grinding sound started happening again. Now I'm told the rotor and caliper need to be replaced. We've got an extended warranty and have to pay our $100 deductible.

It's irritating because I've NEVER purchased a new OR used car that I immediately started having problems with. I'll probably never buy a Dodge again because of this.

Purchased vehicle Feb, 2008 with 18,132 kms Front Brake Kit & Rotors - Oct 3, 08 @33,942kms Cost 447.53 Cdn Rear Brake Kit & Rotors - May 13, 09 @ 42783 kms Cost $517.77 Front Brake Kit & Rotors - May 13, 09 @ 42783 kms Cost - $0.00 Further front brake problems - extreme shuddering Rear Front Brake Pads & Rotors - February 25, 11 @ 91543 kms Cost 678.47

So...Do ya think Dodge Grand Caravan has brake issues!!!!!!! As said in other complaints --why has there not been a recall on this issue!!! I would have listed each of these incidents separately, by man oh man...I have better things to do than deal with poor vehicle design...like work, work, work to pay for the darn repairs!!

My 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan has had both the front and rear brakes fail to the point of requiring the rotors to be either replaced (front) or sanded down (rear) and the drums, calipers and pads replaced in the front and rear brake systems. I've also had to have an Air Condition hose replaced ($400+), my battery replaced due to a blown cell after only 1.5yrs, the lines to the rear window sprayer replaced TWICE in less than 15,000 miles and the mygig radio system intermittently shut off for 30 minutes at a time irregularly (since the vehicle was about 8 months old). I contacted customer service, who informed me that this is considered "regular wear and tear" for a vehicle less than 3yrs old with 46,000 miles. They insist this is "normal", and that I should have purchased an extended warranty. Anyone else considering a class action lawsuit, or is this normal for a Dodge Grand Caravan??

Front brakes went out after only 12,000 miles and 8 months of owning the car. I called my local Dodge Dealer (Bankston Dodge of Grand Prairie, Texas), who unbeknown to me was almost finished with the process of closing and spoke with the ONE individual in the dealership who was answering phones. This individual informed me that they no longer had anyone to service the vehicle and told me to take my car to a local brake repair shop to have the work done and then call the 800 Customer Service number when the repairs were done to have the work authorized. I did as they asked, and lo and behold when I called the Customer Service number they REFUSED to reimburse me and told me that "Nobody in one of our Service Departments would tell you to do that." I escalated my complaint and spoke to a VERY RUDE person who informed me that THEY made all final decisions regarding complaints, and that they would NOT help me resolve my problem. I got nowhere with them and ate the cost....MONTHS later I get a letter in the mail telling me of a recall for the front brakes, and after a few days of calling and working my way up the chain I finally got reimbursed for my front brakes...They however refused to reimburse me for the brake problems I was experiencing on my rear brakes...Oh, it gets better...a few days ago I am driving back from the service department of another Dodge dealer on the way to my local Just Brakes to have the brakes checked for squealing (Since I had just had them replaced and warranted there less than 6,000 miles ago) and as I stop at a local light I see TONS of white smoking coming from my rear brakes (No warning lights, no squealing, NOTHING)!! Luckily, I was less than a block away and when I pull in the technician has me drive up to the bay...when they pull off the wheels to look at the rear brakes they are WHITE HOT! The pads are destroyed, the calipers destroyed and the (ball bearings?) had locked up causing the entire right rear brake to basically burn itself up...I had to replace everything except the rotor (which they were able to sand down)...Of course, when I contacted Dodge support about the myriad of problems I have had with my car they stated that this was all "Normal Wear and Tear" for a car less than 3yrs old with 46,000 miles. They were TOTALLY unwilling to work with me at all, and said they would only partially reimburse for the cost of parts...