RoadVitals

1996 Dodge B Series

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
6
Latest Jun 9, 2004
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2

Overview

Our database contains 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Dodge B Series, most frequently naming the steering, body & structure and brakes categories. 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Steering228.6%
  • Body & structure114.3%
  • Brakes114.3%
  • Driver assistance114.3%
  • Electrical114.3%
  • Transmission114.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Electrical
Filed Jun 9, 2004
Fire reported

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS 1996 DODGE B VAN WITH 37960 MILES. THE DRIVER DROVE APPROX. 2 MILES TO HIS FIRST JOB. NOTICED NOTHING UNUSUAL. PARKED IN FRONT OF THE CUSTOMERS HOUSE,NOTICED NOTHING UNUSUAL. DROVE BEHIND THE HOUSE TO THE JOBSITE AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. EXITED THE TRUCK AND SAW FLAMES FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEELWELL. HAD THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. AN INVESTIGATION BY AN OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR,HIRED BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER WAS INCONCLUSIVE AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE, BUT LISTED A PROBABLE CAUSE AS THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR. THE BLOWER MOTOR COULD NOT BE FOUND AT THE TIME OF THE INVESTIGATION! VERIZON HAS EXPERIENCED MANY BLOWER MOTOR FAILURES AND BLOWER RESISTOR FAILURES IN THIS MODEL VEHICLE. VERIZON HAS EXPERIENCED SIMILAR FIRES IN THIS MODEL VEHICLE AND FEELS THAT THIS FIRE WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
10075090
Incident
Jan 14, 2004
Mileage
37,960 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Mar 19, 1997

WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE LEFT; ALSO REPLACED PADS/CALIPERS/DRAG LINK AND TIE ROD. *AK

NHTSA ID
515290
Incident
Feb 17, 1997
Steering
Filed Mar 5, 1997

STEERING SHAFT BECOMES LOOSE IN THE SLIP JOINT. *AK

NHTSA ID
514810
Incident
Jan 25, 1996
Transmission
Filed Jan 9, 1997

WHEN SHIFTED INTO GEAR THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS, THE ENGINE RACES, THERE IS NO POWER IN THE WHEEL . *AK

NHTSA ID
807402
Body & structure
Filed Nov 7, 1996

WIND NOISE IN BOTH FRONT WINDOWS. *AK

NHTSA ID
511083
Incident
Nov 7, 1996
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 14, 1995
Crash reported

VAN IN PARK;ENGINE RUNNING;OCCUPANTS GOT OUT;AFTER 1 MINUTE, REVERSE PARKING LIGHT CAME ON;VAN BARRELED DOWN;WENT THRU GATE, NEARLY KILLING DRIVER;LEASED CAR.

NHTSA ID
966825
Incident
May 20, 1995

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

081695REVA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

BULLETIN SUPERSEDES TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 08-16-95, DATED APR. 14, 1995. IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR **REPEATEDLY** PRESSES AND RELEASES THE SET BUTTON WITH THEIR FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR (A 'LIFT FOOT SET' TO BEGIN SPEED CONTROL OPERATION), THE VEHICLE MAY ACCELERATE AND EXCEED THE DESIRED SET SPEED BY UP TO 5 MPH (8 KM/H) AND THEN DECELERATE TO LESS THAN THE DESIRED SET SPEED BEFORE FINALLY ACHIEVING THE DESIRED SET SPEED.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Dodge B Series by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1998180053.1
1997200—
1996Viewing600—
1995700—
1994900—
1993000—
1992100—
1991000—
1990100—
1989200—
1988100—
1987010—
1986110—
1978100—
1976100—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.