1996 Dodge B Series Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1996 Dodge B Series, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- 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.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE LEFT; ALSO REPLACED PADS/CALIPERS/DRAG LINK AND TIE ROD. *AK
STEERING SHAFT BECOMES LOOSE IN THE SLIP JOINT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WIND NOISE IN BOTH FRONT WINDOWS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE LEFT; ALSO REPLACED PADS/CALIPERS/DRAG LINK AND TIE ROD. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN SHIFTED INTO GEAR THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS, THE ENGINE RACES, THERE IS NO POWER IN THE WHEEL . *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .