1,938 of the 18,883 complaints filed about the Dodge Grand Caravan are about the engine — 10% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1996.
1,938
Complaints
10%
Share of all complaints
20
Crashes
143
Fires
ENGINE
Transaxle pump failure for my vehicle. Recall S44 does not include my specific vin so I am not able to get assistance through Dodge
NHTSA complaint #11753915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light remaining illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
NHTSA complaint #11753073 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle would lose automotive power and the steering wheel became difficult to veer in either the left or right direction. No warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the VIN not being included in any recalls. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an unknown NHTSA Campaign number; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.
NHTSA complaint #11738822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
specifics unknown check engine light came on cpl seconds before it started overheating / leaking coolant and or transmission fluid and overheating. and I'm not sure what. started last year but I don't drive very often so the issue just started last year
NHTSA complaint #11729672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
1) At D/S Stow and Go seat malfunctioned and was repaired by CarMax Service Center Jan 2023 - 2) Around 97,000 so - Engine started ticking on or about JUL/SEP 2023, enstate Lloyds Automotive in Spokane Valley replaced out engine due to manufacture defect in Oct 2023. 3) At 103,672mi - P/S stow and Go seat was repaired for same issues as D/S stow & Go Seat by Lloyds Automotive Oct 2023 when engine was replaced out. 4) Around 116,000mi the Transmission was flushed when I got the oil changed because I noticed jerking shifting at times, this was Aug 2024 there was no check engine or diag faults. 5) Around 132,720 Fell under CXLHX982 / CXLHX981 Actuator Sliding Door D/S & P both repaired and Transmissioned serviced again because my van started stalling out at stops and the jerking happened again no check engine or diag faults 6) Around 138,000 - D/S Sliding door hatch pin repair by Coos Bay Area Dodge. On 24Mar2026 - Around 142,000mi my transmission overheat warning came on and my van would not go any faster than 45 to 50mi, the RPMs went from 1.5 to 4 to 5 then 7 and back down, I immediately pulled over and sat for about 40min turned my van back on there was no overheat warning so I drove around 50mi per hour in the emergency lane to the next exit which was Hood River, Or and trailer towed my van from Hood River, Or to AAMCO, North Spokane Wa for transmission service. - I believe my vehicle 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T model - transmission was built with some underlying transmission serious safety defects and should have been recalled and a part of Part 573 Safety Recall Report 16V-461. My vehicle malfunctioning could have caused an accident if not for my quick thinking that day and keeping my vehicle maintained at a high standard. I do keep all my service records.
NHTSA complaint #11727028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
I am filing this complaint regarding the service department at Vaden Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram. My complaint concerns a failure to properly diagnose a mechanical issue with my vehicle, misleading statements about the condition of the vehicle after repairs, and poor communication during the repair process. The vehicle is a 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan. Before bringing it to the dealership, the vehicle was jerking when slowing or coming to a stop. On February 19, 2026, a diagnostic scan showed code P0420 – Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1). At that time the vehicle was still drivable. On March 2, 2026, I brought the vehicle to the dealership and reported the jerking issue. I also asked that the throttle body and transmission be inspected. The dealership stated that the technician could not determine the cause of the problem but recommended maintenance repairs including tires, brakes, and rotor service. Based on their professional recommendation, I approved the repairs. On March 6, 2026, I picked up the vehicle and paid $1,416.21. I was told the vehicle passed inspection and a safety test drive. However, within approximately thirty minutes of leaving the dealership, the vehicle began jerking violently and shut off while I was driving. The vehicle had to be returned to the dealership. After the vehicle was returned, I was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. This was concerning because I had asked the dealership to check that component during the initial inspection. I was originally quoted about $2,800, and after discussions with management including Jim Fife, I paid $2,165 on March 14, 2026 for the catalytic converter repair. Despite paying a total of $3,581.21, the vehicle continued to show drivability problems. A new diagnostic scan showed codes P0420 and P219B (air-fuel ratio imbalance), suggesting the underlying issue may not have been properly diagnosed before replacing the catalytic converter. I attempted to resolve the issue.
NHTSA complaint #11724542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The fuel pump would run all night and going down the road the van would cut off...had it checked the tipm was bad
NHTSA complaint #11718989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Engine loss of power, failure to accelerate, sudden forward lurch when stopped, Check engine light diagnosed by dealership and independent shop as Cylinder 2 failure. Purchased from Carvana 11/2024 with just over 70,000 miles on it. Currently has about 77,000. Cylinder head is currently being replaced at a cost of $6,500.00
NHTSA complaint #11718154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
2ND CYLINDER HEAD AND EXAUST VALVUE PART # R3602014AA INTAKE MANIFOLD PART #5184199AF DEFECTIVE OIL FILTER HOUSING ADAPTOR PARTS DEFECTIVE: 68228480AA
NHTSA complaint #11717996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
I went into the Dodge place for my routine oil change on 2/3/26. While waiting, it was discovered by a technician that I had a very bad oil leak. This is very alarming to me. One reason is, there were no signs that I had an oil leak. A few examples: my oil sensor light did not come on, no oil spots recognized on concrete, or no smell of possible oil burning. The Dodge automotive technician determined the cause to be my engine oil cooler. Engine oil leaked all over everything under the housing (can provide a video). Another reason this alarms me is that this particular part is not covered under my warranty. This is expensive to have repaired. Lastly, the technician stated to us that there are over 30,000 or more vehicles from the Chrysler/Dodge Corporation with this same part that people are having to have replaced, and in some cases, replace multiple times. In conclusion, this cheaply made part should be a recall in all of these vehicles. The engine oil cooler should be made of metal material.
NHTSA complaint #11715887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
I am writing to formally request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration review and consider an investigation into a potential safety-related defect affecting 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles. My vehicle recently experienced a failure of the engine oil filter housing, which cracked and leaked oil and required an expensive repair. According to the repair facility, Pro Auto Service, this failure is not isolated. I was advised that the shop has repaired a significant number of identical failures over the past year, to the extent that replacement parts have at times been difficult to obtain. The repair facility also indicated that many similar failures have occurred in recent weeks, coinciding with extreme cold weather conditions. The oil filter housing is a critical engine component responsible for maintaining proper oil circulation and pressure. Failure of this component can lead to oil loss, reduced lubrication, engine damage, or potential engine shutdown if not immediately addressed. Because this defect directly impacts engine operation, it presents a powertrain-related safety concern. Based on the frequency of reported failures, the consistency across the same model year, and the apparent correlation with cold weather conditions, this issue appears to be the result of a design or material defect rather than normal wear and tear. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this matter for possible investigation and recall consideration to protect vehicle owners from unexpected engine failure and costly repairs. Thank you for your attention to this concern and for your continued commitment to vehicle safety.
NHTSA complaint #11714179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The 3.6L Pentastar engine for this year has been shown to be highly problematic. We have had the #2 and now the #1 cylinder heads fail, causing misfires, poor engine performance and complete failure. We’ve also had multiple injectors fail, #2 (twice), 4 & 5. The engine failure is a safety issue and has been proven as such.
NHTSA complaint #11712686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Unknown: engine slips, got mechanic to look at it and he showed me where a part of the camshaft is ground down to almost nothing. He says it doesn't work like it is supposed, he has worked on many dodge vehicales that have this problem, and I need a new camshaft. Which entails taking timing chain off and an expensive repair.
NHTSA complaint #11710842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jolted and hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Upon further inspection, the contact became aware of excessive white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the transmission and catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 199,000.
NHTSA complaint #11710637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who replaced the motor mounts and transmission. Five months later, the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle began driving roughly. The PCM update was completed by another local dealer, but the failure recurred. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The transmission was shifting through the gears erratically. The vehicle was not drivable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The coil packs and spark plugs were replaced at an independent mechanic. Several days later the RPM was fluctuating, and the vehicle lost motive power while driving up an incline. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the failure was due to the torque converter failing. The local dealer was previously contacted, but no longer accepting calls. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who stated there were no codes retrieved. The dealer informed the contact that there was no warranty coverage for the issue. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.
NHTSA complaint #11709660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the contact's husband smelled an abnormal burning odor coming from the front of the vehicle. Upon inspection, both the contact and her husband noticed that there was an oil leak. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the oil filter housing had melted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was 85,000.
NHTSA complaint #11705378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
My engine has begun the "Pentastar tick", which is surprisingly well-known, but not recalled. This is a serious safety issue because it can cause engine failure, which would cause an accident. Dodge has known about this problem for years, but refuses to fix it. I cannot afford to replace the engine and my van is sitting at the dealership, as of today. Please make them fix this! Why is there not a recall on these engines!?! Thankfully, there was no accident and I had the vehicle towed to the dealership, only to be told they are aware of it and I'm looking at $3,000-5,000 to "fix" it. However, the replacement parts would be the same as the original parts, so it's just going to keep happening. They are willfully and knowingly endangering families by not fixing this!
NHTSA complaint #11703478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
Check engine light codes match possible recall for vehicle now I'm having the same issues
NHTSA complaint #11702466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
The contact owns a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that when the vehicle was purchased in 2010, the vehicle was missing the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valve. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the vehicle idled roughly, jerked and stalled while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone, where it was diagnosed with power train failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle was missing the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve. The contact was provided DTCs: P0403 and P0404. The vehicle was not repaired. In 2019, the vehicle was taken to a tire business and the EGR valve was installed on the vehicle. The failure was progressively worsened, and the vehicle was no longer being driven. Upon further investigation, the contact found information on various auto websites indicating that the vehicle was manufactured in Canada and imported to the United States. The contact was the second owner. The contact found information on other auto websites that stated that the EGR valve was removed from the vehicle, and it was removed in stages. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
NHTSA complaint #11701888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
While driving, the vehicle will periodically shut down/lose all power. This appears to occur when a slight bump in the road occurs. The loss of power to the vehicle is obviously a significant safety issue. We have been able to restart it when switching to neutral and turning the key; however, this obviously isn't a safe solution while traveling down the highway with no power to the vehicle. This has occurred multiple times at varying speeds (30-70 mph) over the last few years - I am reporting it now as I was assuming/anticipating there would be a recall on this safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11699639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.