This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The van will start then immediately turn off. It does this more when it is hot outside. If you let the vehicle sit for about 4 hours in the shade it will start and get you to your next destination. If the weather is too hot it won't start until the weather changes to cooler. I have replaced the starter, two computers, got the circuit board cold soldered. Replaced the battery and can't remember all the rest. It still has this problem. It seems to be very common. There is a web site topix.com that has a forum just for this problem. No one has been able to fix it completely. Some one some where has got to know how to fix this problem. Also the clock spring is under recall. Once you get the recall done after a few years the spring breaks again and they don't fix it again. So I no longer have a horn or airbags that work.
: the contact stated the vehicle failed to start and also stalled while driving at various speeds. The failures gradually became worse and occurred without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop on multiple occasions. The mechanic replaced the wiring in an attempt to remedy the failures. The vehicle is currently awaiting a fuse box replacement.
Motherboard has stopped working and has been replaced twice. It failed a third time a week ago; last time the motherboard was replaced was Oct 2003. When motherboard fails, all display items cease to work - no speed indicator, no fuel gauge, no temp gauge, no mileage. This is a $700 repair and should not continue to happen. Have not replaced part a third time, am considering replacing the vehicle.
While driving approximately 50 mph on major highway my 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan shut down, and lost all power. Same thing occurred 1 month later. I was almost involved in a major accident with 4 children aboard. Mechanic has changed 2 relay switches. Do not know if and when it will happen again.
Serpentine belt or tensioner clip has had to be repaired 4 times (towed every time) electrical problems since the beginning; turn the key and the windshield wipers start going, turn the key off and the wipers "keep" going, take the key totally out of the ignition and the wipers go and the "dinging" alarm that tells you the lights are on or the key is in, starts.(I seriously thought the car was possessed) or turn the key and "nothing" comes on except the engine. I've replaced the battery 5 times at least - it's usually better w/ a new battery for a little while. Have had to have the window motor and assembly replaced on drivers side twice and 5 times on the passenger side. Most recent was 4/04, which was replaced 7/04 again. The side sliding doors on both side do not lock, if you push the button down, you can't get it back up. The rear hatch is damaged from closing the door, looks like I was hit in the rear, but have not been. Check engine light was on for months in fall '03, no mechanic could say why. Wanted to get the A/C charged but it wouldn't hold a charge. Dealer couldn't figure it out. Took it to another mechanic who said the A/C unit was totally melted. Had it replaced and then the computer reset. Replaced the transmission at 100000, the "plantatary gears" were cracked. Check engine light is on again in 7/04, failed emisions, replaced O2 sensor, light still on, tack sticks and car won't accelerate at times - I can push it to the floor and it won't go"? feels like it's choking, no power. Have a 3.8L, should have power. There is no panel/door for pass. Airbag to come out. If I ever got in an accident, what would it do...just bust through my dash? over time, the dash on that side has gotten soft and mushy, what's that about" my dad bought the same year Caravan I did, but he doesn't have the Grand Caravan le and he doesn't have the 3.8L and he hasn't had a single problem...I guess I got all of them.
- Rockville, MD, USA
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I own a 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan with several electical problems. First the check engine light is on and will not reset. All of the fans for the heater and A/C doesn't work. The rear wiper is continuously working. We have had the van to the mechanic several times(too many to count) and they can not find anything wrong. The company really needs to recall this issue.
I own a 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan with the mileage around 128,000 miles. Starting in April, we smelled and saw smoke coming from under the hood. We took it to aamco and they checked it out and could find nothing wrong with the car at that time using the diagnostics. A few weeks later, the service engine soon light came on and stayed on steadily and they could find nothing wrong with the van at that time either. The *code* they found said *oxygen sensor* but they reset it. Four days later, we were heading back to charleston (100 miles) and had made it around 40 miles on interstate going around 65-70 miles an hour when, without notice, the service engine soon light started blinking and the car completely lost power. We had to pull over on the side of the emergency lane and wait until a tow truck could tow us back to lexington... the van was taken again to nasco where they thought the problem could be the spark plugs and wiring so they changed all that out to the tune of $400 plus the $80 for towing... then....two days later the van was driving again to charleston on interstate and at almost the exact same spot --it cut off again !! the van had to get towed yet again to orangeburg ( closer to where it cut off ) and the mechanics there could find absolutely nothing wrong with the van !!! in town, the van does fine...but when you are on interstate and going a high rate of speed for a prolonged period of time...and it cuts off ---something is definitely wrong with the van !! it is very dangerous to be driving at such a high rate of speed and then losing power..and must be addressed before a death occurs !! last weekend, my husband took the van on the interstate again to try it out and sure enough around 50 miles out it cut off yet again with the service engine soon light on.I notice there are several other instances of this happening to the Grand Caravan and think it should definitely be investigated and a recall issued.
When driving on the highway and going 65 to 70 mph, the car loses RPM's, backfires, jerks, loses speed. I am unable to give it gas. I have to pull off into the emergency lane and it slows to a stop and stalls. I cannot start it back, however if I set for a few minutes, open and slam the hood, it will start back. My service engine light comes on and the code that was found said that a misfire was found in cylinder 6. it has happened since fixing that problem, but the service engine light went off. I have been told to try to fix many different problems but no one, not even the Chrysler dealership can tell me for sure what is wrong and needs to be fixed. This is amazing to me, because I can find many people who have the same problem, and not only with 1996 Grand Caravan. This is a very dangerous problem because of the sudden stalling at such high rates of speed. If should be required to be recalled and found what the problem is. I would like to know for sure what to do to fix it because I cannot afford to purchase another one and I love this van (less this major problem). Please help.
Had the 1696 Dodge Grand Caravan for almost 3 years, electrical problems I think. The speedometer, odometer, gear selector, water coolant gauge, fuel gauge stops working while driving and when I shut car off the gear selector and odometer stays illuminated even with the car off and lights off, or on.. also the tachometer freezes up on a certain RPM. Depending what the RPM was when everything stoped working right.. windshield wipers turn on automatically but 99.9% of the time they wont shut off even if I select it to shut off, they keep going and going even on dry days and no rain.took it to mechanic and they cant find what is wrong with it and they charge me 60 to 90 dollars just to test it and they never come up with a solution unless they disconnect the battery and let it sit for a few minutes so the computer or something resets, but this happens about every 3 to 6 months and also before this happens the car runs rough at idle or sitting at a red light or at a stop. The driver seat buckle sometimes dont unlatch, I have to use extra force to unlatch them, sometimes I dont even wear a seat belt cause I am scared that if something happens and I need to get out of the car quickly that I wont be able to. The middle bench seat seems loose, everythime I come to a stop or I take off a clucking sound comes from the middle row seats, I checked it and it seemed like its all locked in but I dont trust it.. I would never purchase a Chrysler product ever again even if it is given to me for free or even give it to my worst enemy.. thank you.. jz.
Re:Dodge Grand Caravan SE, L996 continual problems with electrical system. Sudden lack of power when driving on freeway, narrowly avoiding serious accidents. In researching on various web sites, this seems to be a recurring problem for other owners as well. The dealer has kept the car twice so they could 'duplicate the problem', they replace one sensor or another. Last replacement seems to have worked but still don't trust the car and won't drive on freeway or far from home. Now have trouble starting the car, the dealer said it's probably the crank sensor. They say since I only have 33,000 miles on the car, it shouldn't be the starter. Also, I have history of the wipers turning on and off whenever they feel like it. They also establish their own rhythm when working. The wiper sensor has been replaced 3 times. The computer never shows an error code so obviously, it isn't working either. The speedometer will float and sometimes will show 0 miles an hour when I'm moving. They replaced the speedometer sensor twice and now it seems to be working. I have seen all of these complaints listed on various web sites. The dealer acts like I'm crazy and they have never heard of these problems before. My main concern is the sudden lack of power, the engine just turns off, no power steering either when this happens. I wonder how many accidents have been a result of this obvious defect... as soon as I can afford it, I will be replacing this van with a non-Dodge vehicle.
Steering column electrical problems; turning the steering wheel causes various electrical inputs such as turning on windshield wipers, honking horn, causing the ABS failure light to come on and causing all electrical systems to short out including all gauges and even causing the engine to turn off.
Dodge '96 minivan stalling problem while in operation. Start up time 5-10 minutes later (very dangerous). Transmission slipped out of gear; problem escalated to full replacement. Not satisfied with replacement -"bumps" on second and third gears up and down. These have been costly repairs. Service engine soon light would not go out no matter what repairs were performed - full fuel and electrical systems. Rps raced to 15K. Replaced cam sensor, harness, hoses etc.
The consumer believes that the failure of turn signals, the coming on of wipers by themselves and shorting out the battery and the vehicle stalling were a fault of the electrical system which the dealer was unable to locate the problem.
Intermittently when left turn signal is activated windshield wipers come on. Dealer has inspected and repaired vehicle, however problem has reoccurred. The vehicle would not start due to battery failure. The sliding door does not shut properly. Passenger door does not lock due to door lock motor failure. Drivers window makes noise due to regulator failure.
Electrical system malfunctioned, causing windshield wipers to activate while on "off" position/ tail lights to fail, and problems with air conditioner.
Electrical system failure, causing the windshield wipers, radio and door locks to activate themselves on and off intermittently. The car is also having trouble starting because of electrical failures.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Clovis , CA, USA