U.S. public vehicle records

1997 Dodge CARAVAN problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

535 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

95,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 113 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 100 of 535 complaints (18.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	86	16.1%
Braking behavior	53	9.9%
Steering behavior	43	8.0%
Electrical and battery issues	21	3.9%
Engine operation	16	3.0%
Fuel system concerns	9	1.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags

100

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Electrical System:Horn

Air Bags:Frontal

Vehicle Speed Control

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Air Bags	100
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	82
Electrical System:Horn	44
Air Bags:Frontal	36
Vehicle Speed Control	33
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys	20
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	19
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	19

Air Bags: 100; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 82; Electrical System:Horn: 44; Air Bags:Frontal: 36; Vehicle Speed Control: 33; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys: 20; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 19; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System: 19

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 14; 75,000 to 99,999: 24; 100,000 to 149,999: 33; 150,000 and above: 19

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (33). 422 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

109

2002

155

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2016

2022

2000: 77; 2001: 109; 2002: 155; 2003: 82; 2004: 37; 2005: 20; 2006: 12; 2007: 8; 2008: 8; 2009: 5; 2010: 6; 2011: 5; 2012: 4; 2013: 2; 2014: 3; 2016: 1; 2022: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 86 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 53 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 43 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10006831 · 2003-01-19 (January 19, 2003)

TRANSMISSION FAIL TO MOVE VEHICLE, ACCOMPANIED BY WHIRRING SOUND.*PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**770862

Owner-reported narrative. 70,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006831 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009358 · 2002-06-05 (June 5, 2002)

ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED WHEN VEHICLE WAS APPROX 1 YEAR OLD. DODGE FIXED CRACK IN ENGINE WITH PUTTY. I WAS TOLD BY DODGE SERVICE PEOPLE THAT WAS THE STANDARD FIX FOR THAT PROBLEM. THE CRACK HAS EITHER REOPENED OR A NEW CRACK HAS DEVELOPED. LOCAL MECHANIC REPORTS THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAS ALSO FAILED. I JUST THOUGHT THAT THIS SHOULD BE NOTED IN YOUR FILES, SINCE I AM SURE OTHER OWNERS ARE SEEING SAME PROBLEMS. A CO-WORKER HAS THE SAME YEAR DODGE STRATUS WITH SAME ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, HE HAS SAME PROBLEM- HIS WAS FIXED AT SAME TIME MY CARAVAN WAS…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009358 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10011543 · 2003-03-12 (March 12, 2003)

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10011543 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10013660 · 2003-03-29 (March 29, 2003)

THE HYDRAULIC FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DECREASES AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATES. REFERENCE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 96V215000. SERVICE ADVISOR INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, I SHOWED COPY OF THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER PRINT OUT AND HE SAID "WE DON'T USE THAT INFORMATION; WE ONLY USE THE FACTORY DATA BASE AND THERE'S NO RECALL". I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE EXACT PROBLEM SPECIFIED IN THE NHTSA RECALL - SEARCH RESULTS! PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013660 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009073 · 2003-02-24 (February 24, 2003)

THE SERPENTINE BELT POPPED OFF, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND FUNCTION OF THE ALTERNATOR, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009073 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009470 · 2003-02-26 (February 26, 2003)

WHEN THE VEHICLE HIT A MINOR BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009470 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10036837 · 2003-08-29 (August 29, 2003)

WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 4 BATTERIES IN 6 YEARS. THESE INCLUDE BATTERIES BY THREE DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS. INITIALLY, THE BATTERIES WERE COVERED BY THE 3YR/36K MILE WARRANTY, AND WE WERE TOLD THE BATTERIES WERE DEFECTIVE. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE VAN. IN EACH CASE, THE BATTERIES WENT SUDDENLY DEAD (WOULD NOT HOLD ANY CHARGE AT ALL) LONG BEFORE THEY SHOULD HAVE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10036837 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10125113 · 2005-08-19 (August 19, 2005)

DT: CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. INSTRUMENT PANEL DID NOT WORK. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS DIGITAL. BUTTONS FOR AIR CONDITIONER AND REAR DEFROSTER FLASHED CONSTANTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO GARAGE, AND THEY RECOMMENDED DODGE DEALER. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON THEIR OWN. VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE TO BE ON RUNNING FOR WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO COME ON. THEY CAME ON ABOUT EVERY TWO WEEKS. ALSO, TRAVELING INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON. CONSUMER STOPPED LIGHTS FROM COMING ON BY PUTTING TAPE ON DOOR. CONSUMER BELIEVED THESE WERE …

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125113 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10051587 · 2003-12-16 (December 16, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE ENGINE WAS CLUNKY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051587 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10002894 · 2003-01-18 (January 18, 2003)

FUEL TANK, BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE WE BOUGHT IT, EVERY TIME WE GO TO BRING THE VECHICLE IN FOR THEM, THEN COULD NOT FIND AN ANSWER AFTER ABOUT THE 4TH TIME WE BROUGHT IT IN, WE SAID THIS IS TO MUCH AND WE BROUGHT IT IN MORE THEN 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND WE SHOULD GET REPAIRED FREE, I BELIVE BY LEMON LAW?, WELL NUTTHING YET 3 YEARS AND RUNNING, WITH SEVERAL SEVERAL PROBLEMS, SHOULD ALL BE A RECALL CAUSE THAT TOMANY PROBLEMS, SUCH AS ON ALLDATA.COM AND READ ABOUT THE 97 DODGE CARAVAN 3.3L, MY LORD EVER PROBLEM ON THAT SHEET I HAVE, REALY GE…

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002894 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10051948 · 2003-12-23 (December 23, 2003)

THERE WAS A GAS SMELL INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VAN UPON STARTING THE VAN OR WHEN THE HEAT WAS ON. THERE WAS A RECALL (00V268000) ISSUED FOR THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, BUT THE VIN NUMBER WAS OUTSIDE THE REMEDY SCOPE. *NLM *MR

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051948 at NHTSA ↗