FaultScore

1997 Dodge Caravan tire problems

15 of the 1,028 complaints about the 1997 Dodge Caravan are about the tires — 1% of everything reported for this model year.

D

15

Complaints

3

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Tires 12 80.0%
Tread/Belt 2 13.3%
Temporary/Emergency Spare Tire 1 6.7%

Tires across every Dodge Caravan year

1996 26 20.2%
1997 15 11.6%
1998 15 11.6%
1999 21 16.3%
2000 17 13.2%
2002 10 7.8%
2008 13 10.1%
2010 12 9.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Roseau, MN

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WHILE DRIVING, A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIRE TREADS SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL. FIRESTONE AFFINITY P205/60R15 #DOTW2VFAIT229/W2VFAIT169. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #10091495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Macon, GA

TIRES

LEFT MACON ON I-75 SOUTH, NEARING PERRY GA IN CENTER LANE, CARS ALL AROUND, FRONT, REAR, LEFT AND RIGHT. SPEED WAS SOME WHERE BETWEEN 65 OR 70. FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEW. I THANK GOD I HAD ENOUGH SKILL TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. I MANAGED TO SLOW AND OTHER VEHICLES ALLOWED ME TO STEER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. AFTER PUTTING ON MY SPARE I RETRACTED AND LOCATED PARTS OF THE TIRE AND STILL HAVE WHAT'S LEFT. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE A MANUFACTURES NAME. THERE ARE SOME NUMBERS THAT CAN BE USED TO IDENTIFY THE MANUFACTURER. THERE IS STILL A LOT OF TREAD LEFT AND THE TIRE WAS IN APPARENT GOOD SHAPE. I HAVE DRIVEN MORE THAN A MILLION MILES IN THE LAST 45 YEARS. THIS IS MY SECOND BLOWOUT. THIS WAS A BAD TIRE THAT WAS PURCHASED AT BLOOMFIELD TIRE COMPANY IN MACON, GA. THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERAL VEHICLES TO CRASH AND COULD HAVE KILLED. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS TO POSSIBLY SAVE SOME LIVES.

NHTSA complaint #10079110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pittsburgh, PA Crash

TIRES

WHILE DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE VEHICLE'S TIRE BLEW OUT.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOWOUT. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SIDE SWIPED THE GUARDRAIL. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT).

NHTSA complaint #10052214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huberhigh, OH

TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE

DUE TO A FLAT TIRE CONSUMER TRIED TO REMOVE SPARE TIRE ,HOWEVER, LOCKING MECHANISM WOULD NOT RELEASE. CONSUMER WAS STRANDED, AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #8010279 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Parire Village, KS

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, PASSENGERS SIDE REAR TIRE SEPARATED. MODEL FT70C, DLT# BJKWJNB268, SIZE P215-65R-15.*AK TIRE TREAD DAMAGED REAR SIDE BUMPER MOLDING, TIRE REMAINED INFLATED. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #8010052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Antonio, TX Crash 2 injured

TIRES

TIRE BLEW-WE SPUN OUT, HIT A SEMI, TOTALED VAN..INSURANCE CO INSPECTOR SAID TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE-TREAD TOTALLY CAME OFF-JUST HAD TIRES SERVICED IN JULY 2001. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND WE HIT SEMI IN FRONT-CUT ENGINE IN HALF . WHEN BOUGHT CAR, DEALER SAID IT HAD BEEN IN NO PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS, BUT WE'RE LATER TOLD WHEN WE FOUND GLASS IN THE BACK, THAT THE REAR BUMPER/PANEL HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. WONDERING NOW IF AIRBAGS WERE NOT RECHARGED FROM A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT. ACCIDENT OCCURED 6 HRS OUTSIDE SAN ANTONIO (VAN HORN, TX) AND VAN IS NOW IN EL PASO, TX.

NHTSA complaint #750952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Evansville, IN

TIRES

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL VIBRATIONS, DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, ESPECIALLY WHEN BREAKING, AND POPPING NOISES. HAD TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION AT 37,100 MILES. REPLACED LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AT 54,354 MILES. REPLACED LOWER CONTROL ARM JOINTS AT 59,421 MILES. TIRES: TIRES LOOSE AIR PRESSURE AND GO FLAT FOR NO APPARENT REASON INTERMITANTLY, RESULTING IN THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO TIRES. TIRE BURST WHILE DRIVING, RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT OF A THIRD TIRE. DOOR LOCKS: INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF RIGHT SIDE SLIDING DOOR POWER LOCK. WILL NOT LOCK/UNLOCK WITH POWER CONTROL. RADIO TAPE DECK: TAPE PLAYER ACTIVATED WITHOUT TAPE IN THE DECK. UNABLE TO STOP TAPE PLAYER. REQUIRED REPLACEMENT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/65R15 )

NHTSA complaint #726588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Landover, MD

TIRES

ACCIDENT. VEHICLE PULLS TO RIGHT, STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTER. TIRES LEAKING AIR. BENT OIL PAN.

NHTSA complaint #515863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LA Verne, CA

TIRES

REAR TIRE WAS DAMAGED AND LOSING AIR. YH

NHTSA complaint #606699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Miami, FL Crash

TIRES

THE CONSUMER WAS A PASSENGER IN VEHICLE, AND REAR TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING CONSUMER TO APPLY THE BRAKES, WHICH DID NOT WORK. VEHICLE HIT A CURB, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint #838447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Antoni, TX

TIRES

RECALL WORK NOT COMPLETED, ALL TIRES INCLUDING SPARE TIRE WERE TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER DEALERSHIP DID NOT REPLACE SPARE TIRE.

NHTSA complaint #539291 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Norfolk, VA

TIRES

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL (#97V200000). HAD CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. INFORMED TIRES NOT AVAILABLE, AND DO NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE. WILL TRY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA complaint #829115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brockton, MA

TIRES

TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE RECALL REPAIR DONE, AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE TIRES, AND THEY WOULD CALL THE OWNER'S ONCE THEY GET THE TIRES. (97V-200).

NHTSA complaint #822216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cleveland, OK

TIRES

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER DOES NOT HAVE REPLACMENT TIRES TO REMEDY RECALL PROBELM. RECALL 97V200000. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #821081 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oradell, NJ

TIRES

RECALL 97V200000; THE BRUNNER DODGE DEALERSHIP DID NOT REPLACE THE TIRES AS INSTRUCTED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY WERE ONLY TO INSPECT AND ROTATE THE TIRES.

NHTSA complaint #820314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Dodge Caravan problems

← Full 1997 Dodge Caravan report