10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
61,459 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #38

Feb 102021

Grand Caravan

  • miles
A month ago we noticed the passenger side heating/cooling is defective from front to back of van. The entire passenger side will only blow hot air despite the settings. Drivers side will blow air cold or hot appropriately based on setting. Upon researching this, I have found hundreds of complaints of the same thing occurring over the past 6 years with the 2011 and 2012 Dodge Caravan. I am not sure why this is not a recall!!!!

- Cambridge, OH, USA

problem #37

Jan 012021

Grand Caravan

  • miles
At about 93000 miles the left rear sliding door stop unlocking and locking it was stuck closed. From everything I've heard this is common and Dodge knows about it. The cost to replace is $1200 each sliding door. If you do a google search it's very common and Dodge doesn't want to recall these cars..

- Parma, OH, USA

problem #36

Dec 242020

Grand Caravan

  • 198,000 miles
My key fobik is only sometimes starting the van which was already concerning, then while driving the van just turned off. I've been researching and apparently many of the years prior to 2012 have already been recalled for the exact same issue and the 2012 has the same ignition lock cylinder

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #35

Nov 152020

Grand Caravan

  • 135,000 miles
My vehicle will randomly stall without any warning nor any dash lights such as check engine or battery displaying. My local Dodge dealership checked the vehicle out with a odb and could not diagnose the issue. This issue will happen while driving and it appears many other people are having a similar issue according to online research. This has been ongoing issue for a few months and we are unable to drive it nor resolve the issue since we (nor Dodge mechanics) know what is wrong.

- Andover, KS, USA

problem #34

Oct 162020

Grand Caravan

  • 83,463 miles
Faulty timp causing issue with fuel pump module/relay. Faulty start and unable to turn on vehicle. This happened approximately 4 times in a parked position within a 24 hour period before vehicle was no longer drivable. Intermittent check engine light within the previous 3 weeks prior. Vehicle was inspected by a certified dealership to diagnose the issue.

- Beeville, TX, USA

problem #33

Nov 232020

Grand Caravan

  • miles
Hi ever since I purchased this vehicle it has been making this noice. Every time I took it to a dealer it said this was normal. Now after 8 years and over 100000 miles it has become worst. Recently when I accelerate, vehicle does not shift RPM and instead it accelerates RPM but vehicle doesn't. I have to park turn off vehicle and start ignition where it seems to reset and problem goes away but only for a short time. Can you please assist? I reside in

- Guayama, PR, USA

problem #32

Oct 302020

Grand Caravan

  • 160,000 miles
While driving the van it randomly shuts off completely

- West Warwick, RI, USA

problem #31

Feb 232020

Grand Caravan

  • miles
Opened drivers side sliding passenger door, placed my bag inside and closed it normally. Drove 3 minutes down the road and when I parked, I went to retrieve my bag, but the door would not open. Couldnt move the lock. It's like the locking mechanism got stuck. Cannot open the door. Worried about my children in the chance there's an emergency and I won't be able to get to them because I can only access from the passenger side of the van. Everyone has to load up from one side of the van. An infant car seat is also in the van.

- Hesperia, CA, USA

problem #30

Mar 172020

Grand Caravan

  • 96,000 miles
Car sometimes won't start..when it does start it totally shuts down. We can be idling, driving slowly, quickly, or in reverse. Literally just shuts down. No warning nothing! loss of all power. Sometimes will start back up other times needs to be towed. Death trap! already lost one family member to faulty parts!

- Ridgway, PA, USA

problem #29

Aug 302020

Grand Caravan

  • 156,000 miles
I went to unlock my vehicle to get something from inside. I noticed that the lights were very dim and after placing the key fob into the ignition, the fob was locked in place. After about 15 minutes, I was able to release it from the ignition. I have tried resetting the battery among other things and nothing has helped.

- Oakdale, CT, USA

problem #28

Jul 262020

Grand Caravan

  • 110,300 miles
While driving on the highway my van lost all power and shut off. No steering, nothing. We pulled over on a ramp putting our children's lives and our own in danger, to walk home. The tipm seems to be the problem. The van will not restart, will not crank, and is currently sitting while I see all of the recall attempts for tipms.

- Union, KY, USA

problem #27

Jun 012020

Grand Caravan

  • miles
I have a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan the sliding door has been making a buzzing sound every time you unlock and lock the doors. This has been happening since 2016 and the dealership told me it would be $500 to fix it. I am now having issues with trunk opening and closing on it's own; even when it is locked. Not safe at all and already got stormed inside of my van; cause I didn't realize it was opened. They told me I would have to pay the fee to get it looked at and then pay for the repairs. I had a new transmission put in at 74,330 miles after they told me when I left the first time; that it was a computer reset that needed done. Then, they had my van for 2 weeks trying to get the transmission built. And my transmission is slipping again. At 139,466 miles I had all of my transmissions lines leaking and had replace all of them for another $500; cause there was no warranty from them doing my second transmission. My cd player eats my cd's now and my ac quit working. All in all I do love my van, but I am getting very angry at all the issues; that should covered under a recall and they are not covered. If anyone could please give me some in site on these issues; I would appreciate it. I am not in the position to purchase another car at this time with jobs not very secure. I am not even able to take my van many places; cause I never know when the truck will open on its own and then someone can just steal my van. I listed the last day of all of my issues below, but this has been going on for years and still not resolved.

- Lagrange, OH, USA

problem #26

May 152020

Grand Caravan

  • 101,250 miles
Driverside sliding door will not open electrically. Door will not unlock manually. Door will not open manually. People could be trapped in the vehicle by driverside sliding door not opening.

- Denton, TX, USA

problem #25

Jan 152020

Grand Caravan

  • 120,000 miles
Vehicle will either not start or takes 6-12 times to start, not a battery issue. Also power door will randomly not open. Trunk will no longer open with the press of the button on the key. I've seen the not starting as an issue with many other people

- Ledyard, CT, USA

problem #24

Dec 092019

Grand Caravan

  • 105,000 miles
Locks have failed on both sliding doors. The passenger side failed about a year ago but failed in the unlock position so the door is still usable. The driver said failed about 1 month ago in the locked position. There is no way to open the door to access to fix. This is a huge safety issue as what if this failed with my kids in the back and they couldn't get out of the vehicle in a fire or other emergency. I have researched this and it is a long known issue with both Dodge and Chrysler vans. Why isn't this a recall" do people need to die in order for this to actually be recognized as a serious safety concern"

- Windsor, MI, USA

problem #23

Jan 042020

Grand Caravan

  • 128,000 miles
Trouble starting, then starts runs great, then ramdomly dies ! very dangerous!!! hardto feel safe when you have no idea when this will happen. Currantly at dealer trying figure out..... I can no longer take my grandchildren in his van, for fear of being killed !

- Elkhart, IN, USA

problem #22

Sep 262019

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 130,000 miles
I was driving down the highway when the low tire pressure light came on, then the check engine light came on and then everything went out including the radio and everything on the dashboard. Then it all lit up like a christmas tree and it was like I was free driving and neutral I pressed on the brake and nothing happened. I ended up crashing to the back of someone's car. Consumer stated the van was totaled because the airbags deployed and that taken away by a tow company.

- Macon, MO, USA

problem #21

Sep 132019

Grand Caravan

  • 108,000 miles
"takata recall" driver sliding door is stuck in the locked position. Door will not open even manually. It's a very bad safety hazard. It just stopped working with no warning

- Blackstone, VA, USA

problem #20

Jan 102019

Grand Caravan

  • 100,000 miles
Sold by dealer as hands free for phone, it isn't. when purchased agreed to give second key fob and repair door, over $600 later I have a key fob and my doors stay closed, transmission failed had to be replaced, and now the catalytic converters is out. There could not be a bigger lemon than this vehicle!

- Fayetteville, GA, USA

problem #19

May 212019

Grand Caravan

  • 116,150 miles
Over the past 2 months our 2012 Grand Caravan has been having an unknown issue. We will be driving along normally then the power and engine will all cut out this has happened in multiple environments from crossing railway tracks to running down a smooth road, thankfully this has not happened yet on the highway, we are left coasting with no power steering or anything until we can safely stop put the van in park and restart the engine. The van restarts every time straight away with no problems. The other day before we took the van to the local Dodge dealership for them to investigate the issue, the console stayed with no power but I was able to start the engine, the fan and radio also worked at this point, after driving 5 to 10 meters the dash console came up with all the gauges working again. It has now been to the dealership twice now and they are unable to replicate the issue or know of a cause. After reviewing forums it seems that other van's from various years are having the same issue. Sometimes when it does it, it catches itself at the last second and the engine stays on and the console comes back up to normal though this is maybe a 1 in 5 occurrence. One of the times it happened we put our fixd in the care and the screenshot attached is what information it showed, the dealership only found 1 of these 4 fault codes.

- Lakewood, WA, USA

Read the next 18 complaints »