U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Dodge CARAVAN problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

64 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

70,850 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 50 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 64 complaints (18.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Fuel system concerns	12	18.8%
Engine operation	10	15.6%
Braking behavior	10	15.6%
Steering behavior	8	12.5%
Transmission and shifting	2	3.1%
Electrical and battery issues	2	3.1%

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.

Fuel/Propulsion System

Electrical System

Fuel System, Gasoline

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Steering

Air Bags

Engine

Structure

Fuel/Propulsion System: 12; Electrical System: 6; Fuel System, Gasoline: 6; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 6; Steering: 5; Air Bags: 3; Engine: 3; Structure: 3

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: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 5

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (12). 14 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.

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2019

2004: 10; 2005: 4; 2006: 5; 2007: 3; 2008: 5; 2009: 5; 2010: 2; 2011: 3; 2012: 2; 2013: 10; 2014: 7; 2015: 3; 2016: 2; 2017: 2; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 12 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 10 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 10 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 10372112 · 2010-12-22 (December 22, 2010)

THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR A 2004 DODGE CARAVAN THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN THE GAS TANK IS FILLED. THE VEHICLE STALLS AND RUNS ROUGH FOR SEVERAL MILES AND SOMETIMES MANY MORE. I BELIEVE THE DEFECT IS THE LIQUID/VAPOR VALVE BUILT INTO THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. IT FAILS AND ALLOWS FUEL INTO THE EVAC CANISTER AND VAPOR LINES WHICH COULD EXPLODE OR CAUSE A FIRE AS THEY ARE NOT DESIGNED TO HOLD GASOLINE. CHRYSLER SEEMS TO CARE LESS. I'M SURE WHEN PEOPLE START TO BURN TO DEATH SOMETHING WILL BE DONE. THANK YOU *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10372112 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10472793 · 2012-08-28 (August 28, 2012)

WHEN ONE DRIVES AWAY AFTER REFUELING THE GAS TANK THE VEHICLE QUITS RUNNING. IT WILL RESTART. THIS WILL HAPPEN FOR THE FIRST TEN MILES OR SO. OTHER DODGES ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 35,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10472793 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10176573 · 2006-12-19 (December 19, 2006)

TL*- THE CONTACT'S 2004 DODGE CARAVAN IS STALLING. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 55,000. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 8, 2006 AND SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 14, 2006. THE CAR HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MILES PER HOUR EACH TIME THE INCIDENT OCCURS, IT HAS NOT STALLED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON DECEMBER 15, 2006 AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE'S PROBLEM BASED ON THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS. THE INCIDENT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE 12/14/06 . THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE MAKING A L…

Owner-reported narrative. 55,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10176573 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10073641 · 2004-05-14 (May 14, 2004)

THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO. THE BRAKES ACCUMULATED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF BRAKE DUST. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE BRAKES ARE WORKING NORMALLY. *AK THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS INCREASED BY 430% WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS LOADED. THE VEHICLES FRONT WHEELS LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING ON WET/LOW FRICTION SURFACES. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10073641 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10099486 · 2004-12-08 (December 8, 2004)

THE BRAKES FAILED AT 55 MPH. THIS CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED IN A ROLLOVER FOLLOWING BRAKE FAILURE. NO AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED. *TC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10099486 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10097475 · 2004-10-22 (October 22, 2004)

CONSUMER WAS REFUSED SERVICE AFTER RECEIVING A RECALL LETTER FOR THE POWER STEERING LEAKAGE, NHTSA RECALL 04V386000.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,022 miles reported. Look up ODI 10097475 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10230744 · 2008-06-11 (June 11, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE ALSO BEGAN TO JERK BACK AND FORTH. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE DIAL FOR THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS EXTREMELY HIGH. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS ON FIRE. HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITHOUT INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 73…

Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10230744 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10063501 · 2004-03-18 (March 18, 2004)

CONSUMER HEARD A SPRAYING SOUND FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THIS SOUND OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. ALSO, WHEN SLOWING DOWN CONSUMER HEARD A CLICKING NOISE. DEALER RESPONDED BY SAYING THE SOUNDS THAT CONSUMER HEARD WERE NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 4 miles reported. Look up ODI 10063501 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10081656 · 2004-07-09 (July 9, 2004)

WHILE SHIFTING GEARS THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10081656 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10644304 · 2014-10-13 (October 13, 2014)

WHEN I CHANGED MY VEHICLE BATTERY TO A NEW ONE THE GAS ONLY DROPS TO A HALF A TANK ITS WILL NOT GO DOWN TO EMPTY BUT MY LOW FUEL LIGHT WORKS STILL MY GAS GAUGE DOES NOT. HOW DO I FIX IT OR RESET IT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 112,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10644304 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10788770 · 2015-11-06 (November 6, 2015)

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONING CLOCKSPRING. THIS DISABLES THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THIS WAS RECALLED ON EARLIER MODEL CARAVANS BUT HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED ON 2001 AND NEWER MODELS WHICH HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THE LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASE AND HAS HAD INACTIVE AIRBAGS. RECENTLY, WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL HARD DURING A POWER STEERING RESERVOIR REPLACEMENT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN TO TURN ON AND OFF CLEARLY DUE TO SHORTED WIRING AT THE CLOCKSPRING TERMINALS.

Owner-reported narrative. 240,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10788770 at NHTSA ↗