U.S. public vehicle records

2001 Dodge CARAVAN problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

257 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

54,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 135 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 257 complaints (11.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	34	13.2%
Braking behavior	18	7.0%
Transmission and shifting	16	6.2%
Electrical and battery issues	15	5.8%
Engine operation	4	1.6%
Fuel system concerns	3	1.2%

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

Electrical System

Exterior Lighting

Suspension:Front

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Steering

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

Unknown Or Other

Air Bags: 29; Electrical System: 16; Exterior Lighting: 15; Suspension:Front: 15; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 12; Steering: 12; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 11; Unknown Or Other: 10

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: 25; 25,000 to 49,999: 34; 50,000 to 74,999: 31; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 14; 150,000 and above: 13

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (34). 122 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.

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2023

2025

2001: 23; 2002: 30; 2003: 39; 2004: 45; 2005: 41; 2006: 11; 2007: 7; 2008: 11; 2009: 10; 2010: 12; 2011: 1; 2012: 6; 2013: 5; 2014: 4; 2015: 3; 2016: 1; 2017: 3; 2018: 2; 2019: 1; 2023: 1; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 34 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 16 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 10010270 · 2003-03-11 (March 11, 2003)

STEERING VIBRATION AT LOW SPEEDS AND GRINDING NOISE FROM UNDER FRONT OF VEHICLE.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010270 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014933 · 2003-04-01 (April 1, 2003)

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014933 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012410 · 2003-03-25 (March 25, 2003)

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012410 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10025975 · 2003-07-13 (July 13, 2003)

BRAKE PULSATION: AT 9K MILES FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED BY DEALER, AT 18K MILES PULSATION RETURNED. WHILE BRAKES ARE PULSATING BRAKING PERFORMANCE IS DEGRADED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AT 18,470 MILES AND THEY SAID IT IS "SAFE TO DRIVE". THEY GAVE ME THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT REPAIRING IT.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025975 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008143 · 2003-02-26 (February 26, 2003)

MY 2001 DODGE CARAVAN SE HAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AT 35,000 MILES.THE VAN STOP ON THE FREEWAY FOR NO REASON AT ALL. THE DEALER FIX IT AND 2 WEEKS AFTER THAT THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT FORM 2ND GEAR. AND THE GAUGES DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THIS IS MY 2ND DODGE CARAVAN MINIVAN AND THE LAST ONE .I'LL BUY A HONDA FOR NOW ON WHEN I PAY OR NEARLY PAY THIS ONE. I'M A DODGE MAN , I HAVE 2002 PT CRUISER THAT I HAD A RECALL ALREADY. THESE ARE THE LAST AMERICAN MADE CAR I'LL PURCHASE. I HAD PURCHASE 7 NEW VEHICLES IN THE PAST 10 YEARS(3…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008143 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10032246 · 2003-08-06 (August 6, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES THAT CONTROL MODULE IN THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10032246 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10111121 · 2005-03-15 (March 15, 2005)

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR MORE THAN 8 HOURS THE BATTERY DIES. ALSO, SOME OF THE LIGHTS WILL COME ON, AND SOME WON'T. OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WILL COST $90.00 JUST TO HAVE THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS STARTED WITH THE RADIO, THEN ESCALATED WITH THE HEAD LIGHTS TURNING ON THEN OFF WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO INSPECT VAN UNDER THE RECALL RELATING TO THIS PROBLEM. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10111121 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10133068 · 2005-08-16 (August 16, 2005)

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO CONCERNING AIR CONDITIONER (A/C) DUCTS THAT MAY DRIP MOISTURE INTO THE RADIO AND MAY LEAD TO A FIRE/ SHORT CIRCUIT WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN SHE BOUGHT THE CAR SHE HAD A DIFFERENT RADIO INSTALLED IN THE CAR OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT WAS IN THE CAR BECAUSE SHE WANTED A CD . THE SALESMAN TOLD HER TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND PURCHASE ANOTHER RADIO. SHE WANTED TO PURCHASE ANOTHER RADIO FROM CHRYSLER, BUT THE SALESPERSON ADVISED HER IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO GO ELSEW…

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10133068 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10032248 · 2003-08-06 (August 6, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10032248 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10033883 · 2003-08-14 (August 14, 2003)

THERE IS A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE COMPUTER CHIP THAT HAS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT ANY SPEEDS OF 45 MPH OR GREATER. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 39,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033883 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10350018 · 2010-08-17 (August 17, 2010)

2001 DODGE CARAVAN - PRIVATE MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL FILTER, HAD TO DROP GAS TANK TO DO SO AS THAT IS ONLY ACCESS. THIS RESULTED IN TOTAL DISCONNECT FROM FUEL NECK FILLER LINE, ETC. AFTER REPLACEMENT AND REINSTALL OF GAS TANK, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. MECHANIC TRIED TO FIX, REPLACED GAS CAP. CANNOT GET LIGHT TO GO OFF. WILL HAVE TO DROP GAS TANK AGAIN IN FUTURE FOR REPAIR. NO OTHER CODES COMING UP FOR ENGINE LIGHT. REASON: COMPRESSION LEAK IN FUEL LINE, SYSTEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10350018 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10475580 · 2012-09-17 (September 17, 2012)

THE VEHICLE WAS REGISTERING MULTIPLE CODES IN THE ODBII SYSTEM. OF WHICH ONE WAS A OPEN INJECTOR CIRCUIT. VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND RUN ROUGH. ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THE FUEL INJECTOR WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS ROUTED DIRECTLY ABOVE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD THE INSULATION MELTED CAUSING MULTIPLE FUEL AND EMISSION CONTROL WIRES TO BE SHORTED. A SEARCH FOR THE FUEL WIRING HARNESS AT MULTIPLE SALVAGE YARDS SHOWED THE EXACT SAME CONDITION TO EXIST ON 4 OF 5 VEHICLES. ONE CAN SPECULATE THE ROUTING OF THE HARNESS OVER THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD COMBINED WIT…

Owner-reported narrative. 215,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10475580 at NHTSA ↗