U.S. public vehicle records

2000 Dodge CARAVAN problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

468 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

75,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 222 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 56 of 468 complaints (12.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	73	15.6%
Transmission and shifting	70	15.0%
Steering behavior	70	15.0%
Engine operation	28	6.0%
Electrical and battery issues	20	4.3%
Fuel system concerns	10	2.1%

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.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Air Bags

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

Engine And Engine Cooling

Steering

Air Bags:Frontal

Suspension

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	56
Air Bags	43
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys	23
Engine And Engine Cooling	22
Steering	22
Air Bags:Frontal	21
Suspension	17
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	15

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 56; Air Bags: 43; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys: 23; Engine And Engine Cooling: 22; Steering: 22; Air Bags:Frontal: 21; Suspension: 17; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 15

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: 19; 25,000 to 49,999: 38; 50,000 to 74,999: 53; 75,000 to 99,999: 43; 100,000 to 149,999: 44; 150,000 and above: 25

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (53). 246 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

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2023

2024

2000: 26; 2001: 41; 2002: 64; 2003: 74; 2004: 70; 2005: 32; 2006: 31; 2007: 13; 2008: 23; 2009: 16; 2010: 19; 2011: 15; 2012: 13; 2013: 6; 2014: 4; 2015: 7; 2016: 4; 2017: 3; 2018: 3; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 73 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 70 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 70 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 10009399 · 2002-11-25 (November 25, 2002)

MY VAN HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. I WENT IN FOR NEW BRAKES AND FOUND OUT MY MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED REPLACED. I HAVE HAD OTHER VEHICLES THAT NEEDED BRAKES, BUT THIS VAN NEEDS THEM MORE OFTEN. I AM CONSIDERING TRADING IN FOR ANOTHER MAKE AND MODEL VAN. IT'S COST ME A LOT OF MONEY. I AM NOT VERY PLEASED WITH THE DODGE CARAVAN SPORT. *TS *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**770109

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009399 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10013632 · 2003-03-29 (March 29, 2003)

MY 2000 DODGE CARAVAN WITH ONLY 29,450 MILES DEVELOPED A SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL ACCOMPANIED BY A DISCONCERTING NOISE WHEN BRAKING. PRIOR TO THE VIBRATION DEVELOPING, I NOTICED THE BRAKING POWER HAD DIMINISHED. UPON INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THE BRAKE FLUID WAS BELOW THE MINIMUM LEVEL AND HAD TO ADD FLUID. THIS IMPROVED THE BRAKE PEDAL PERFORMANCE BUT THE STOPPING POWER WAS STILL SUBPAR. ALSO, WHENEVER I WASH THE VEHICLE THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF BLACK BRAKE DUST ON AND AROUND THE FRONT WHEELS WHICH RAISES ENVIR…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013632 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10000811 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)

MY 2000 DODGE CARAVAN HAS EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT ONLY 57000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION EXHIBITS A "WHINING" NOISE WHICH INCREASES WITH ENGINE RPM, HAS "BAD" SHIFTS AND BURNT SMELLING FLUID. DEALER ONLY GAVE THE RESPONSE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO "TEAR IT APART" TO EVEN OFFER AN ESTIMATE. A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP, IN BUSINESS LOCALLY FOR 45 YRS. WAS ABLE TO ESTIMATE A FULL REBUILD AND UNKNOWN REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION FRONT PUMP ASSEMBLY AT $1800-$2200 TO REPAIR THE CONDITION. ALTHOUGH CONFRONTED WITH THE EXTENSIVE VOLUME O…

Owner-reported narrative. 57,899 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000811 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10002888 · 2003-01-18 (January 18, 2003)

I HAVE A DODGE 2000 CARAVAN WHOSE TRANMISSION WENT OUT AT 45,000 MILES -SHORTLY AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP IS UNWILLING TO ASSIST ME WITH THE REPAIRS, WHICH COST $2,700.00. I HEARD A HUMMING NOISE AND FIVE MINUTES LATER, MY VAN STARTING SLIPPING GEARS AND LEFT ME AND MY FAMILY STRANDED. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSIONS OF DODGE - IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THAT A TRANSMISSION WOULD FAIL WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE ON IT. I HAVE BEEN READING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE AND THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR…

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002888 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007509 · 2003-02-14 (February 14, 2003)

THE BEARINGS BROKE OFF THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE REPLACED.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 38,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007509 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10015304 · 2003-04-07 (April 7, 2003)

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 11/99. ON 02/28/01 OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, SO CONSUMER WENT TO DEALER FOR SERVICE. DEALER ADVISED THAT OIL LEVEL WAS SUFFICIENT, BUT LIGHT WAS DUE TO SENSOR WIRES BEING "CHEWED" POSSIBLY BY AN ANIMAL. WHILE DRIVING HOME THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. TOOK BACK TO DEALER WHO TURNED OFF. ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING VAN STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, THEN OIL LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER COULD NOT DIAGNOSE PROBLEM, BUT CONFIRMED THAT OIL LEVEL WAS SUFFICIENT. VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN. THIS TIME TOOK TO A DIFFERENT DEALER WHO ADVISE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10015304 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10034378 · 2003-10-12 (October 12, 2003)

THE VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *AK *TS *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 76,121 miles reported. Look up ODI 10034378 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10048122 · 2003-11-18 (November 18, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10048122 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10018385 · 2003-05-07 (May 7, 2003)

PLASTIC FUEL TANK RUPTURED NO PROTECTION AROUND FUEL TANK. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 39,530 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018385 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10034337 · 2003-08-22 (August 22, 2003)

LOCATION AND TEXTURE OF THE FUEL TANK POSSES A SAFETY HAZARD PER CONSUMER. THE TANK ISN'T PROTECTED, AND A STAPLE WAS ABLE TO PUNCTURE THE TANK, CAUSING A FUEL LEAK. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10034337 at NHTSA ↗