10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 26
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
2,171 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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.

1997 Dodge Grand Caravan engine problems

engine problem

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1997 Dodge Grand Caravan Owner Comments (Page 2 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #26

Jul 052000

Grand Caravan 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving, power steering failed, consumer pulled over and saw smoke coming from vehicle, claim 25-5411-610.

- Silver Spring, MD, USA

problem #25

Aug 172001

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving, consumer smelled smoke coming from the engine, when arriving home there was a fire detected, claim 42-1396-385.

- Murfreesboro, TN, USA

problem #24

Feb 152002

(reported on)

Grand Caravan

  • miles
Vehicle has leaking oil pressure. The engine camshaft fractured while on a fast and winding mountainous road.

- Pleasanton, CA, USA

problem #23

Feb 152002

(reported on)

Grand Caravan

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle has leaking oil pressure. The engine camshaft fractured while on a fast and winding mountainous road.

- Pleasanton, CA, USA

problem #22

Feb 282002

(reported on)

Grand Caravan

  • miles
Upon slowing down to make a turn or when entering an intersection, vehicle will completely shutdown. Consumer noticed that when this occurs oil light illuminates.

- Teaneck, NJ, USA

problem #21

Jan 122000

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment, this is the 2nd fire for this vehicle, claim 16-N100-392.

- Petersburg, NY, USA

problem #20

Jul 112001

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Consumer started vehicle and heard a loud noise, smoke started coming out from the front, consumer turned off engine, but it kept on running, consumer called fire department, claim 05-4650-711.

- Rohnert Park, CA, USA

problem #19

Aug 072001

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment, claim 55-S384-563.

- Bakersfield, CA, USA

problem #18

Jul 192001

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving, vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment, claim 20-5392-910.

- Fayetteville, AR, USA

problem #17

Jul 052000

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving the power steering went out, consumer pulled over and smoke started coming out, claim 25-5411-610.

- Sunrise, FL, USA

problem #16

Aug 172001

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving consumer could smell smoke, when arriving home, a fire was detected in the engine compartment, claim 42-1396-385.

- Murfreesboro, TN, USA

problem #15

Aug 172001

Grand Caravan

  • miles
Engine started to have a loud squeeking sound on start-up & squeek continued after but not as loud. Brakes noted to have a longer braking time when travelling at 50 mph.

- Detroit, MI, USA

problem #14

Aug 012000

Grand Caravan

  • miles
Ongoing problem with engine stalling intermittently while driving;.vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on eight occasions, and informed consumer that they are unable to duplicate problem. Please provide any further details on this matter.

- Newhall, CA, USA

problem #13

Oct 131999

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
No summary listed for above vehicle.

- Orland Park, IL, USA

problem #12

Nov 011999

Grand Caravan

  • miles
Major problems followed months after engine replaced. While travelling on major highways, suddenly engine sputters, loses power, stalls. This has happened too frequently - on dangerous highways - rt. 1 in Florida keys, rts. 20 and 26 in nc and SC. Also occurred in very dangerous intersections in asheville, nc and myrtle beach, SC.

- Conway, SC, USA

problem #11

Jul 232000

Grand Caravan

  • miles
The vehicle stalls while driving, vehicle has been to the dealer but they are unable to duplicate the problem. Nlm

- Richardson, TX, USA

problem #10

Jul 092000

Grand Caravan

  • miles
About two weeks ago our 97 Grand Caravan SE, 3.3L V6, 45,000 miles died at an intersection and would not restart. We had it towed to a dealer that Sunday evening. On Tuesday I was told that the problem was a blown head gasket ($700) as two adjacent clyinders were low on pressure. Later that week I was told that the head gasket was ok but the camshaft was broken ($1400). On Thursday I was told that the camshaft bearings were damaged and that I would need to either purchase a rebuilt shortblock or longblock ($3,300/$3,800). I went to the dealer to view my engine (now disassembled on a bench) and the camshaft was in two pieces. A clean break with no blue color on either the camshaft nor the camshaft bearings. I was told by the dealer that camshaft bearings were only serviced by using the shortbock (I.e., they wanted to sell me the whole works. From a hayes manual I purchased I discovered that you could indeed replace the camshaft bearings (seems logical as Chrysler does rebuild engines for resale). However I was told that the dealer did not do this. I asked them to find an automotive machine shop that would do this. After a couple of days with no call backs I found a couple of machine shops that would do the job for $35-$150. When I told the service manager this information he said they could get the camshaft but not the bearings. The service manager asked me if the machine shop could get the bearings. Their book showed camshaft bearings for mini vans up to 92 only. They probed further and discovered the bearings listed for the 3.3L cars were indeed the same part needed for the 3.3L Caravan. Next week I hope to be back on the road for a lot less $$$ than the options that were presented to me.... still not satisfied as to the reason for the breakage. It wasn't oil starvation as the oil ports on the camshaft bearings were still in alignment. The oil pump is also still working. It looks like the camshaft had an undetected flaw at the time of manufacture. My first attempt.

- Mendota Heights, MN, USA

problem #9

Mar 302000

(reported on)

Grand Caravan

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle will stall out at any rate of speed, either approaching a stop or while vehicle is motion. Dealer cannot determine cause.

- Shrewsbury, MA, USA

problem #8

Mar 291999

Grand Caravan

  • miles
The vehicle will shut off while driving which causes it to lose all power steering and brakes. Most of the time the engine has to be restarted but there have been occasions where the power steering and brakes initially lost power, which made it very difficult to control the vehicle. The power steering and brakes will then just kick back on however, again causing loss of control of the vehicle since we are trying to oversteer it due to the original loss of power. This is an extreme safety hazard since the failures occur without warning and while the vehicle is moving. The vehicle has been to two different Dodge dealers on four separate occasions for repair but the problem has not been fixed because the dealers have not been able to have the power loss happen while they were driving it. These failures have occurred approximately 8 times since we bought the vehicle new.

- Fort Wayne, IN, USA

problem #7

Oct 081999

Grand Caravan

  • miles
Warm start, engine may stall or stumble when accelerating from a full stop. Attempting to pull out, across an intersection may result in being stalled in the middle of an intersection. Transmission shifts erratically/randomly with harsh engagement (apparently related to engine control trying to process erratic speedometer output). Speedometer erratic/random output from 0 to 120 mph and as a result engagement of the cruise control results in engine attempting to match random speedometer reading. Cruise control problem results in random & uncontrolled acceleration.

- Coventry, CT, USA

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