2009 Dodge GRAND CARAVAN problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
543 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
75,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 330 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 331 of 543 complaints (61.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 271 | 49.9% |
| Braking behavior | 84 | 15.5% |
| Engine operation | 78 | 14.4% |
| Steering behavior | 32 | 5.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 14 | 2.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 0.6% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 331 |
| Air Bags | 137 |
| Engine | 41 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 33 |
| Service Brakes | 30 |
| Unknown Or Other | 27 |
| Steering | 22 |
| Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems | 20 |
Electrical System: 331; Air Bags: 137; Engine: 41; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 33; Service Brakes: 30; Unknown Or Other: 27; Steering: 22; Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems: 20
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 37 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 57 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 70 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 74 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 62 |
| 150,000 and above | 30 |
Under 25,000: 37; 25,000 to 49,999: 57; 50,000 to 74,999: 70; 75,000 to 99,999: 74; 100,000 to 149,999: 62; 150,000 and above: 30
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (74). 213 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 42 |
| 2012 | 21 |
| 2013 | 26 |
| 2014 | 64 |
| 2015 | 218 |
| 2016 | 82 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 15 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2009: 8; 2010: 13; 2011: 42; 2012: 21; 2013: 26; 2014: 64; 2015: 218; 2016: 82; 2017: 9; 2018: 15; 2019: 15; 2020: 13; 2021: 1; 2022: 8; 2023: 4; 2024: 2; 2025: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 271 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 84 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 78 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 10348386 · 2010-08-10 (August 10, 2010)
THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE = WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION ENGINE LOST COMPLETE POWER AND DIED ON STREET---THE FAILURE HOW OFTEN IT OCCURS = ONE TIME--- ITS CONSEQUENCES = TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS---ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE = 1-WHILE DODGE CARAVAN WAS IN MOTION'ON THE STREET'DODGE CARAVAN ENGINE POWER WAS TOTALLY LOST'DODGE CARAVAN CAME TO A STOP WHILE HOLDING THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN VERY HARD! 2-TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER STUCK IN PARK WITH ENGINE RUNNING - I COULD NOT MOVE GEARSHIFT LEVER TO DRIVE- I HAD TO TURN OFF IGNITION…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10348386 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10429269 · 2011-10-10 (October 10, 2011)
WHILE DRIVING I FELT AND ALSO HEARD A CLUNK, THEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHILE DRIVING IT FELT LIKE MY CAR WAS STUCK IN 1ST GEAR (IT HAS AN AUTOMATIC/MANUAL TRANS). WE THEN REALIZED THE MANUAL WAS NOT WORKING, AND EVERYTIME WE PUT IT IN DRIVE THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE. NOW AS WE ARE DRIVING IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS STUCK IN 1ST GEAR LIKE THE MANUAL WENT OUT AND THE CAR THINKS IT IS STUCK, THE ENGINE REVS THE RPM'S GO UP AND THE AUTOMATIC KICKS IN BUT IT DOES NOT SHIFT RIGHT AND THE ENGINE DOES NOT STOP REVVING. SINCE I HAD THIS CAR I HAV…
Owner-reported narrative. 66,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10429269 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10288787 · 2009-10-17 (October 17, 2009)
2008 DODGE CARAVAN. MY WIFE COMPLAINED ABOUT NOISE FROM BRAKES. BROUGHT IN FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND IT NEEDS BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. THE CAR HAS 21,000 MILES, 90 PERCENT ON THE HIGHWAY. AFTER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AND CHRYSLER IS REFUSING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE ACCELERATED WEAR ON THE PADS AND ROTORS. APPARENTLY THE SUBPAR MATERIALS THAT ARE USED ARE OVER HEATING CAUSING THIS WEAR. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS AND ISSUE A RECALL. WE WERE LUCKY TO GET 21,000 M…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10288787 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10293479 · 2009-11-25 (November 25, 2009)
WHILE I WAS GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK AND ACCELERATED. IT WOULD NOT DES ENGAGE EVEN WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 6,150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293479 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10407291 · 2011-06-17 (June 17, 2011)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2009 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES THEY PULSATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT DETERMINED THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED IN THE REAR AND FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR AND FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 27,000. UPDATED 07/28/11*LJ UPDATED 08/01/11
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10407291 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10503121 · 2013-03-15 (March 15, 2013)
VEHICLE WHILE BOTH DRIVING ON ROAD AND IN PARK STALLS. IT GIVENS NO NOTICE OR WARNING THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AT LEAST 10 TIMES I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS "MOVED" FROM THE "RUN" POSITION TO "ACCESSORY," BY ITSELF. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS BUT EACH HAS SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND AN ISSUE NO CODES HAVE BEEN COMING UP IN THE COMPUTER. I EVEN HAD IT STALL IN THE DEALER WHEN I PICKED IT UP YET THEY HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN IT STALLS THE STEERING WHEEL IS EXTREMELY HARD TO MOVE. I HAVE 3 SMALL…
Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10503121 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10308200 · 2010-02-09 (February 9, 2010)
ON ONE OCCASION, MY VEHICLE SWERVED WITHOUT WARNING INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE, LIKE BEING BLOWN BY A STRONG GUST OF WIND. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY STARTED PULLING AND MY WIFE HAD TO FIGHT IT TO GET IT TO PULL SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER. WHEN I ARRIVED I TRIED IT AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAULTY CLOCKSPRING & STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM HAD IMPROPERLY SENSED THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION AND HAD BEEN TRYING TO COMPENSATE. WHILE REPLACEMENT OF THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 17,835 miles reported. Look up ODI 10308200 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10335444 · 2010-06-09 (June 9, 2010)
SHAKING IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKES APPLIED AT HIGHER SPEEDS. STARTED INTERMITTENTLY AT ABOUT 12,000-13,000 MILES, PROCEEDED TO GET WORSE. HUSBAND AT FIRST COULDN'T FEEL IT SO I DID NOT TAKE IT IN. WHEN IT GOT REALLY BAD I TOLD MY HUSBAND TO TAKE IT FOR A DRIVE AGAIN, HE SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE ROTORS TO TAKE IT IN TO THE DEALER. SURE ENOUGH I HAD WARPED ROTORS WHICH WERE CHANGED ON JUNE 4, 2010. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON I KNOW TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT SUCH LOW MILES ON A DODGE VEHICLE. I HAVE INFORMED THEM TO NOTIFY YOU. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10335444 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10264206 · 2009-04-06 (April 6, 2009)
WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN EARLY FEBRUARY 2009. TWO WEEKS LATER, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN BACK TOT HE DEALERSHIP 2 MORE TIMES FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO US. THE EVENING OF APRIL 3RD, WE WERE RETURNING HOME ON THE FREEWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED AND ALMOST CAUSED US TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10264206 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10317020 · 2010-03-05 (March 5, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BUT HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE NEXT DAY, ANOTHER DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE NOTICED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED SO SHE SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE NEXT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE RPMS SHOT UP TO 3000. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND A DIAGNOSTICS TEST WAS PERFORMED. THE DEALER PERFORMED SOFTWARE UPGRADES AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE CONTACT. IN …
Owner-reported narrative. 3,202 miles reported. Look up ODI 10317020 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10724586 · 2015-06-10 (June 10, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER TEN MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V373000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE APPROXI…
Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10724586 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11002058 · 2017-06-28 (June 28, 2017)
VEHICLE STALLED ON TOLL ROAD AND BYPASS. IT FINALLY DIED AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED TWICE. FIRST TIME WAS $600.00. SECOND TIME, MECHANIC DID IT FOR FREE. MECHANIC BELIEVES THAT IT'S THE TIPM OR TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE.
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11002058 at NHTSA ↗