Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Dodge Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words
CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 89V237000. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AS WELL AS MADE SEVERAL APPOINTMENTS TO GET HIS CAR SERVICED. HOWEVER, TO THIS DAY HIS CAR HAS STILL NOT BEEN SERVICED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND WITH NO WARNING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. CONSUMER HAS MADE CONTACT WITH DEALER. *AK *NLM
THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED REPEATEDLY AFTER A NEW ONE WAS INSTALLED, INITIALLY THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE BREAKAGE OF TWO AXLES, MAIN AXLE, VAC PINION AND BOTH FRONT BEARINGS (R4761821-AA TRANSMISSION-41T 2100 2001). NLM
WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. *YH *CB
WE WERE DRIVING ON RT 1 IN SMRNA DELAWARE AND IT FELT LIKE THE ENGINE LOST COMPRESSION. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TURNED OFF THE VAN GOT OUT AND SAW FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON 3/17/2002 AT 8/30 PM WITHIN MINUTES THE VEHICLE WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON THE HIGHYWAY AND HEARD A BIG BOOMING SOUND. SHE PULLED OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER, AND NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN TRAVELING VEHICLE STALLED/CUT OFF AND CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE. YH
VALVE COVER GASKET JUST STARTED LEAKING 1 WEEK AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VAN. 2. TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON SEPT. 24, 1999 2ND TIME IN LESS THAN A YEAR. THE WHOLE THING NEEDS REPLACING ONCE AGAIN.
THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THIS ISSUE(#18-31-90, NHTSA ITEM # SB022436). IT READS AS FOLLOWS: START-STALL AND/OR DECEL DIEOUT DURING LOW SPEED MANEUVERS-REPAIR INVOLVES REPLACEMENT OF ORIGINGAL ENGINE CONTROLLER(SMEC) WITH REVISED UNIT-ALL 1989/90 DODGE CARAVANS. OUR VAN DID THIS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE IT FINNALLY DIED ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS A LUCKY THING THAT WE WERE ONLY GOING ABOUT 30 MPH AT THE TIME AND HAD A PLACE TO PULL OVER. WHEN WE TOOK IT IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC THEY TOLD US THE ENGINE CONTROLLER HAD FAILED AND IT WOULD BE $400 TO REPLACE IT, MONEY WE DIDN'T HAVE. SO OUR VAN JUST SITS THERE WAITING TO BE FIXED AND WE DON'T HAVE A CAR EXCEPT FOR A 3-PERSON TRUCK(THERE ARE 5 IN OUR FAMILY).
ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET DISLOCATED, CAUSING AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AT GASKET. ALSO DRIVING THE VEHICLE VIRBRATES. *AK
ENGINE VALVE SEAL FAILURE, CAUSING EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE. ALSO NOTICED EXHAUST SMOKE WHILE AT IDLE SPEED.
MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE AFTER BEING REPLACED ONCE. *AK
ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED TWICE. *AK
VEHICLE FIRE AFTER SHORT-BLOCK ENGINE REPLACEMENT. *AK
TURBO CHARGER FAILED 3 TIMES.
INTERMITTENT STALLING.
ENGINE FAILED AND WAS REBUILT. NEW ENGINE KNOCKS.
INTERMITTENT STALLING, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *DSH
ENGINE STALLS WHEN A/C IS IN FULL USE. *DSH
ENGINE MOUNTS BROKE AND ENGINE FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING. TT THE ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DROP AND THE VEHICLE TO STOP ABRUPTLY.*JB
STARTER FAILED.
ENGINE CONNECTING ROD BROKE.
VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED. RECALL (89V-237) *SKD
VALVE GUIDE SLIPPAGE CAUSING OIL TO LEAK. COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. TT
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .