84 of the 1,126 complaints about the 1992 Dodge Caravan are about the engine — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 145,000 miles.
84
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE
BRAKES STOPPED WORKING IN MIDDLE OF DRIVING ALMOST CAUSE A CAR ACCIDENT. I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM AND THEY DID A RECALL ON THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM. WOULD JUST LIKE TO BRING IT IN TO GET IT FIXED.
NHTSA complaint #10958298 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
REPEATED PULLEY AND THEN BELT FAILURE CAUSING STEERING AND BREAKING TROUBLE. REPAIRS DO NOT LAST. LOCAL DEALERS DON'T HAVE LASER ALIGNMENT TOOL TO CHECK ALIGNMENT. THE INTERNET IS FILLED WITH BELTS FLYING OFF BECAUSE OF RAIN OR SLUSH IN THIS VEHICLE, MY PULLEYS JUST DISINTEGRATE WITH OUT THE WATER. THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF AFTERMARKET SOLUTIONS BUT THEY SEEM HIT OR MISS. IT ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN BY GRAND MOTHER WITH THE GRAND CHILDREN ABOARD FAR ENOUGH AWAY FOR A $150.00 TOW BILL. ITS LUCKY SO FARE ITS BEEN ON CITY STREETS AND AT LOW ENOUGH SPEEDS THAT A PLACE TO SAFELY PULL OVER CAN BE FOUND. THE PULLEYS THAT SEEM TO FAIL ARE THE IDLER AND THE TENSIONER PULLEYS. THIS 3.3 ENGINE IS WELL MAINTAINED WITH 145,000 MILES. THOUGH IT SEEMS THAT MILLAGE DOES NOT MATTER WHEN IT COMES TO PULLEY ISSUES.
NHTSA complaint #10785360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HESTIATES. ENGINE MOUNTS, LIFTER, TIMING CHAIN AND TIMING CHAIN COVER REPLACED. VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLED OUT. DEALER FOUND LARGE HOLE IN ENGINE WHERE PISTON ROD WENT THROUGH ENGINE BLOCK. TRANSMISSION MAKING CLUNK TYPE NOISE AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED. RACK AND PINION ON STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10001576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER STATES THAT ENGINE STALL AT ANYTIME. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8019464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING CRANKSHAFT BECAME LOOSE AND WAS CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE AT ANY SPEED. DEALER NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #8017589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
ELECTRIC RADIATOR FAN SEIZED UP AND BLEW A FUSABLE LINK THAT WAS LOCATED ** INSIDE ** THE MAIN WIRE HARNESS NEAR THE FRONT WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR. WHEN THE FUSABLE LINK BLEW, IT SET FIRE TO THE OTHER WIRES AND FUSABLE LINKS IN THE PLASTIC COMB SHEATH. THE DEALER FIX THIS BY PATCHING THE WIRE HARNESS. TWO WEEKS AGO MY VAN WAS WORKED ON BY THE DEALER FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS SYSTEM LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE THEY PATCHED THE WIRE HARNESS. LAST WEEK THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE VICINITY OF WHERE THE HARNESS REPAIR WAS MADE. I DO NOT BLAME THE DEALER BUT I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE DESIGN ENGINEERS WOULD PUT A FUSABLE LINK ** INSIDE ** OF A WIRE HARNESS!!
NHTSA complaint #750352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
SERPENTINE BELT WORN AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #559544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND HE SAID IT WAS A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER STATED THAT HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN CHANGED 3 TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #877837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER EVEN IF ON CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE WILL START UP EASY, BUT THERE IS NO POWER UPON TAKING OFF. ENGINE IS RUNNING, BUT VEHICLE DOES NOTHING. CONSUMER HAS AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #867749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN WE FELT A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND AN UNUSUALLY ROUGH ENGINE OPERATION WHICH SEEMED TO COME ALL OF A SUDDEN. WE DROVE THE DISABLED VEHICLE TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE ROCKER ARM SHAFT SUPPORT TOWER HAD BROKEN OFF AT THE BASE. THE HEAD WAS ALUMINUM. THE TOWER WAS CAST INTO THE THE HEAD. THROUGH NO FAULT OF OURS THIS CONDITION HAPPENED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. MY MECHANIC INDICATED THAT HIS ENGINE REBUILDER SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN MANY ALUMINUM DODGE GRAND CARABVAN ENGINES WITH THIS BROKEN TOWER CONDITION OVER THE YEARS. WHEN I APPROACHED THE SERVICE REPAIR MANAGER AT CHRYSLER/PLYMOUTH, HE STATED THAT HE HAS NEVER HEARD OR SEEN THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM BEFORE FOR THIS TYPE OF ENGINE. WHEN I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICEM, THEY STATED CHRYSLER WILL NOT REPAIR THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT A WARRANTEE. I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET TO SEE IF I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS SUFFERED A $1666 REPAIR BILL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WHICH I AM TOLD IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. YOUR ASSISTANCE IN SUPPLYING US WITH ANY INFORMATION ON THIS SUBJECT IS WELCOME.
NHTSA complaint #721605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKING. YH
NHTSA complaint #527264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
SERPENTINE BELTS REPLACED. YH
NHTSA complaint #527264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
THERMOSTAT AND RADIATOR CAP REPLACED. YH
NHTSA complaint #527264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE MOTOR MOUNT REPLACED. YH
NHTSA complaint #527264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE LIFTERS AND ROCKERS IN BOTH HEADS REPLACED DUE TO NOISE. YH
NHTSA complaint #527264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
REAR ENGINE BLOCK LEAK REPLACED, CYLINDER HEAD REMOVED AND THREE VALVES REPLACED. YH
NHTSA complaint #527264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
REAR ENGINE BLOCK LEAK REPLACED, CYLINDER HEAD REMOVED AND THREE VALVES REPLACED. YH
NHTSA complaint #527264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE OVERHEATING.
NHTSA complaint #542226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP FAILED RESULTING IN LEAKAGE.
NHTSA complaint #542226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
DRIVER HEARD LOUD POP, LOSS OF BELT DUE TO BROKEN TENSIONER CAUSED VEHICLE TO LOOSE CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #541819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
SERPENTINE BELT MALFUNCTIONED/REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #534747 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONNECTING ROD BOLT BROKE CAUSING THE ROD, PISTOM NRG/ AMD CRAMLE SHAFT TO BECOME DAMAGED.
NHTSA complaint #534336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
IN THE LAST MONTH THE SERPENTINE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO BREAKAGE WHILE DRIVING THE CARAVAN AT 35 MPH. A NOISE COMES FROM THE VEHICLE, AND THE STEERING TIGHTENS, INDICATING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE ORIGINAL BELT WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #822437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #533764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
BELT TENSIONER FAILED, CAUSING COMPLETE SHUT DOWN OF VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #522404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS FREQUENTLY WHILE IDLING OR DRIVING. SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THE WEATHER IS COOL OR COLD, AND WHEN MOISTURE IS IN THE AIR, RAIN OR FOG.
NHTSA complaint #530432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE PULLEY/CRANKSHAFT FAILED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #523470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
FAILURE OF THE BELT TENSIONER CAUSED BELT TO COME OFF, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING.
NHTSA complaint #525175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
A WEEK AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE USED THE ENGINE STARTED STALLING WHEN GOING AROUND CORNERS OR ON INCLINES, AND SOMETIMES THE ENGINE DOSEN'T START RIGHT BACK UP.
NHTSA complaint #816888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
LOSS OF ALL WATER FROM RADIATOR.
NHTSA complaint #518096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.