35 of the 356 complaints about the 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan are about the engine — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 65,109 miles.
35
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE
When I’m driving, especially when I come to a stop or when I try to accelerate from a stop, the car kind of chokes or hesitates. It feels like it’s about to stall, but it doesn’t fully turn off. It keeps doing this off and on when I stop or try to go again. It's very scary and dangerous.
NHTSA complaint #11689562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40-70 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly slowed down and then abruptly stopped. The contact stated that it felt as if a part had fallen from the bottom of the vehicle. While attempting to drive off, the vehicle hesitated. While at a YIELD sign, the vehicle shut off and was restarted. The driver's side door failed to open. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called an undisclosed local dealer, who confirmed there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The vehicle was diagnosed, and a tune-up and thermostat replacement were advised. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not contacted or notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11683065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Van is driven a few thousand miles per year since we purchased. Routine maintenance up kept and has just over 100K miles. Replaced coils, plugs as routine for maintenance but having a Cylinder 2 misfire, then it became #6 and now is "multiple random misfire" codes. vehicle shutters dangerously when driving and engine light comes on intermittently. EVERY person I know with this pentastar v6 has had identical problems!
NHTSA complaint #11660593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The vehicle began to shake and sputter on the highway. We were lucky enough to be able to pull over safely. This could have caused a major accident on a very busy highway. The check engine light came on. Called roadside assistance and had car towed to a mechanic. The mechanic shop said there was a recall on the vehicle and I needed to take it to the dealership. The car was towed to the dealership and the dealership said while there is a "general" recall, the recall was vin number specific and my vin number was not included. The recall number is 18v-524 related to the PCM Voltage. This is a KNOWN defect but Dodge did not include all vin numbers. The recall needs to be expanded to include this vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11658927 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Vehicle has developed a misfire on cylinder #2. Causes driveability issues. Appears to be systemic for this engine, with the manufacturer aware of this since the 2011 model year at least. There should be a recall or warranty extension to cover a manufacturing fault such as this.
NHTSA complaint #11654202 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was restarted; however, the failure reoccurred within an hour. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was informed that there was no fault code retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000.
NHTSA complaint #11647444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11646924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated while at a red light, the vehicle stalled and shuddered. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to get a diagnosis however, the independent mechanic stated that the failure cause was unidentifiable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to a different independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 835,000.
NHTSA complaint #11632468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The engine components have failed, there is compression issue from cylinders, rings, and valve issues. Same as 2017 recall, seems to be still affecting my 2018 model. mileage is only 73,000.
NHTSA complaint #11631952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Engine showing P0302 code for cylinder misfire which by a licensed mechanic has been traced back to an original manufacturers defect in the cylinder and rockers. In doing research into this issue, I found hundreds of other owners of this and similar model year dodge grand caravans having the same issue with incredibly expensive fixes. The issue can cause the vehicle to abruptly lose engine power, a major safety issue. The mechanics are indicating that the repair is over $5,000 and that it is a well known issue with these vehicles. The problem began when the vehicle only had around 60,000 miles.
NHTSA complaint #11615771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Keep getting cylinder 2 missfire code I have changed everything it saids, I see this is a on going issue for years that people have reported yet its still not fixed and is costing us money because dodge don't want to take responsibility for thier mess up.
NHTSA complaint #11606607 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
There is a cyclinder 2 misfire which hundreds of people have been effected by. There is electrical issues causing the temperature to not read correctly, side door not working, and rear air vents do not work.
NHTSA complaint #11588564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Car stalled and left entire family stranded on side of the road. After taking to mechanic was told it needed new spark plugs. After $1000 for new spark plugs the van immediately had the same issue after leaving mechanic and caused entire family to be stranded overnight in below 0 temperatures. 2nd quote reads as follows... FRONT CYLINDER HEAD EXHAUST VALVE IS LEAKING OR POSSABLY DAMAGED. CAUSING THE CYLINDER TO MISSFIRE, ROUGH IDLE, AND LOSS OF POWER. RECOMMEND NEW CYLINDER HEAD WITH VALVES. ESTIMATE: $4,049.50+tax This is a commonly reported issue and still no recall.
NHTSA complaint #11569651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
I had situations has stalling and poor performance I received a code p0302 cylinder 2 misfire. Replaced coil pack, spark plugs and wires. The p0302 code returns. The van has less than 46000 miles. Have not been able to resolve the issue. Researched the issue and found the the valve train and heads has problems and will require the head must be rebuilt. Researched the problem and found this is happening in of 40 entries on the internet with the same issues.
NHTSA complaint #11564750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Check engine light keeps coming on. Motor has a miss. Cylinder 2 misfire. Parts changed and it keeps happening.
NHTSA complaint #11560068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
My 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan will not turn the starter when I turn the key intermittently, especially when the temperature is hot. The key has to be turned on and off many times before the starter engages and the engine starts. The engine will turn off while driving the van on the highway which causes the power steering to go away. The van must then be shifted to neutral and cruise to a stop so it can be re-started after many tries as explained above. This is very dangerous because if you are on interstate in fast lane with cars behind you, it causes vehicle to slow down because engine stops without brake lights being engaged that could cause rear end collision and makes steering very difficult. This usually happens at least three times in succession before going away for this individual trip. There is no warning when the engine cuts off while driving. I have taken the vehicle to Dodge for inspection and they told me it was the TIPM, but would not replace it without charge. My research on the internet seems to imply it could also be an ignition control module problem.
NHTSA complaint #11549563 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contacted stated that he disconnected and reconnected the battery cable. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the cylinder head needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.
NHTSA complaint #11549403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Cylinder 2 misfire on V-6 engine. van has 66,000 miles. run good. appears there are no air or fuel leaks. Dodge dealer in our town went out of business. No dealer for 40 miles. Car belonged to my parents for 3 years prior and they never had any problems. Van has been serviced regularly. shouldn't there be a recall on this. google is loaded with the same complaint and it says probably a bad head.
NHTSA complaint #11518547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE ENGINE IDLE WAS ROUGH. I CHECKED THE CODE AND IT WAS A MISFIRE IN CYLINDER #2. I HAD THE SPARK PLUGS CHANGED AND THE VAN STILL IDLED ROUGH AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. IT LOSES POWER ON ACCELERATION. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND THEY FOUND A DEFECTIVE VALVE GUIDE IN THE CYLINDER. THEY STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. HE SAID IT IS A COMPRESSION ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #11516524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Check engine light came on. Vehicle would shake and have trouble accelerating when I put my foot on the gas pedal, it was worse if gone above 45 MPH. Vehicle was sent to mechanic for diagnosis and repair. P0302 code was read for #2 fuel cylinder misfire. PCV valve, Coil pack, All spark plugs, & Fuel injector were replaced. Check engine light is still on. Vehicle cannot be operated under mechanics safety recommendation. There is still a cylinder 2 misfire. Car can stall at anytime if operated. Dodge dealership have been notified and said there are no recalls. Warranty only covers up to 60,000 for power train issues. I’ve called another shop as well for a 3rd opinion, the engine has been failing in many vehicles with the same code.
NHTSA complaint #11510019 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
ENGINE IS THROWING A PO302 CODE, CYLINDER #2 HAS LOW COMPRESSION, EXHAUST VALVE GUIDE HAS LOOSE TOLERANCE FROM MANUFACTUER, DODGE WON'T STAND BEHIND REPAIR DUE TO 2ND OWNWERSHIP, DODGE KNOWES THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND NEEDS TO COVER THE REPAIR COST. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME STATES HAVE CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS FILED, I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE OR SELL THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE CODE AND REPAIR WILL COST +$3000
NHTSA complaint #11500096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
My cars engine light came on. First I thought it’s was after a fill up of gas. Then it went off. Days later I went to go home from work and the car just wouldn’t start. I had to have it towed- the mechanic stated it’s always a problem em with dodge caravans it’s the engine. I towed it to my normal mechanic which replaced the battery and lo and behold engine light is on. Took it to the dodge dealership and it’s a cylinder head that needs to be replaced. This car is 4 years old, just at 75,000. In the ordinal owner and maintenances as suggested by manufacturer. This is unsafe and I cannot drive my children around in this vehicle. This is a known issue with these. My mechanic had another one in his shop with the same issue, but only 45,000 miles. I cannot drive this car, as it will continue to crack and cash a fatality with my children in the car.
NHTSA complaint #11488437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
My 2018 dodge grand caravan had a check engine light come on indicating a cylinder 2 misfire. I took it to my dealership to find out If it was just the spark plugs. After multiple days of back and forth calls they informed me it was the cylinder head it's self and that the cost would be around $3700 to fix if warranty chooses not to cover the repair. My child is wheelchair bound and we have been forced to cram into a small dodge dart until warranty department clears the repairs. I have already turned in all the service paperwork showing all services have been done on time. It only has around 75000 miles on it, it's never been in an accident, and has always been maintained. After extensive searches on the internet it has been an ongoing issue with the 2013 -2018 dodge grand caravan models cylinder heads.
NHTSA complaint #11464709 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Transmission just stopped on the freeway... No warning or lights came on.
NHTSA complaint #11454768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The check engine light came on, we took it to a auto zone it showed cylinder 2 misfire. We repaired the spark plugs and spark plug housing units. The check engine light was still on after that. So we took it to a shop had them run a diagnosis again and the same cylinder 2 misfire came back. They took out and replaced all the spark plugs and housing units again and even replaced the fuel pump. Reset the check engine light and it still came back on. Upon checking the internet for possible issues, I found it was reported from over 100 Dodge Grand Caravan owners this same exact issue. After doing the tune up exactly as we did replacing the same parts we have replaced twice they have all still had the same issue. This has been found that it is an engine cylinder that has gone bad. I do not see how this cannot be considered a recall when multiple owners have had the exact same issue. This is only a 2018 vehicle and to already have major engine issues is not ok and to see that I am not the only one. I would appreciate some looking into this problem to see about having the issue made into a recall. This is at least a $3,000.00 fix. That's not an easy pill to swallow on a new vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11450136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Check engine light came on, around 60000 miles, checked at AutoZone, cilynder 2 misfired. I fixed it with new coils and spark plugs. However, check engine light was still on. Dodge dealership said that there might be an electric problem, they replaced for $700 a. Able underneath the driver seat, this fixed an air an issue but not the check engine light. Now at around 75000 miles and after a trip to Wisconsin, the car starts to shake and rattle and after some research i found out that it most likely the head gasket and dodge knows about it but just don't do anything to the hundreds of people.with the same complaint............
NHTSA complaint #11437183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
I have a 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan I bought used from a CDJR dealer. I went on a 2,500-mile road trip in July 2021. The engine began running rough for about the last 500 miles. When we got home there was about 63,000 miles on the vehicle. I took it to a local mechanic at home in August and he said I had bad fuel so he put in a fuel treatment and had me fill up with premium fuel one to two times. This seemed to help only marginally. A month later I took the van to another mechanic and he determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #2. He performed a relative compression test and said the engine will need to be disassembled and inspected. He called a local dealer and found the warranty was 5 years/60,000 miles. He suggested I call my dealer because this shouldn't be happening even outside of the warranty. I did. They offered no solutions. Very frustrating.
NHTSA complaint #11436744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
We have a 2018 dodge caravan with 69,000 miles on it - the check engine light showed a misfire on cylinder 5, after taking it to multiple mechanics they all have told us its an issue with the head gasket or possibly needs a new engine. This should not be happening with such a new vehicle with so few miles on it. after doing some research I have learned this is a common problem with this year, make and model.
NHTSA complaint #11421893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
MILEAGE WAS ONLY 58K WHEN I GOT A MISFIRE CODE COMING UP IN CYLINDER 2. I HAD A LOCAL MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HE SUSPECTED IT NEEDED A TUNE UP WITH NEW COIL PACKS AND SPARK PLUGS. WE DID THAT AND STILL IT CAME BACK ON. WASN'T ABLE TO GET INTO THE DEALER UNTIL 65K AND NOW DEALER SAYS THERE IS A LEAK IN THE VALVE OF CYLINDER 2. POWER TRAIN WARRANTY IS UP AT 60K SO DODGE WON'T DO ANYTHING FOR US. THEY DID TELL ME THAT OTHER ENGINES THAT WERE SIMILAR HAD A RECALL ON THEM AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THOSE THAT VIN NUMBERS MATCHED THAT RECALL. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT I COULD GET RE-IMBURSED IF THEY START THE RECALL DOWN THE ROAD. IF THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WON'T COVER IT. ASHAME A VAN WITH ONLY 65K MILES HAS SUCH MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE.
NHTSA complaint #11388182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 2018 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN 2020 WITH 54000 MILES ON IT. ITS HAD A MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 4 BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST A COIL PACK OR SPARK PLUG. FINALLY, WE HAD THAT FINANCIAL MEANS TO PUT IT IN THE SHOP AND COME TO FIND OUT IT HAD LOW COMPRESSION IN CYLINDER 4 WHICH LED TO NEEDING A NEW HEAD. THE MECHANIC THAT FIXED THIS SAID THAT SOME OTHER MECHANICS HAD MENTIONED HEADS BEING AN ISSUE ON THOSE ENGINES. I CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY SAID THAT SINCE IT HAD SURPASSED THE 60000 MILE FACTORY WARRANTY BY 4500 MILES THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP US. THE ONLY THING THAT THEY TOLD ME WAS IF IT DOES BECOME A RECALL OR BE INCLUDED IN A WARRANTY EXTENSION THAT I COULD GET REIMBURSED.
NHTSA complaint #11386034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.