RoadVitals

1998 Dodge Caravan Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints 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.
18
Latest Dec 20, 2005
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 629 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Dodge Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 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.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Dec 20, 2005

WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE BECOME INTERMITTENT AND GETTING WORSE TO THE POINT OF NOT COMING ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ON FOR A HALF HOUR. THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE PANEL LIGHTS SUCH AS FOR THE AC UNIT ETC BEGAN TO BLINK AT A CONSTANT RATE AND THEN THEY STEADY OUT AFTER 20 MINUTES. HAVE GONE TO TWO DODGE DEALERSHIPS. FIRST ONE HAD ME PAY FOR AND REPLACE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. SECOND DEALER SAID I HAVE TO ORDER A $500 BODY CONTROL MODULE COMPUTER PLUS LABOR AND IT MAY NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID IT IS A NON-REFUNDABLE EXPENSE EVEN IF THEY CANNOT FIX THE WIPERS. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO NOT HAVE WIPERS WORKING AND I FEEL IRRESPONSIBLE THAT A COMPUTER IS NECESSARY FOR THE WIPERS TO WORK. THE NTSB SHOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ORDER DODGE TO FIX THIS SITUATION AT DODGE'S EXPENSE SINCE IT IS AN OBVIOUS SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. *JB

NHTSA ID
10145688
Incident
Dec 12, 2005
Mileage
110,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 14, 2004

MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON EVEN IN THE OFF POSITION AND I HAVE HAD TO REMOVE THE FUSE SO THAT THEY WON'T RUN CONTINUOUSLY. I HAVE A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN. THE DEALER CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I NOW HAVE TO DRIVE WITHOUT ANY WINDSHIELD WIPERS OR IF IT IS RAINING I HAVE TO STOP AND OPEN THE HOOD AND PUT THE FUSE BACK IN...THEN THEY RUN CONTINUOUSLY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE NOTICED ON THE INTERNET THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER IS NOW ORDERING A PART CALLED A BCM WHICH COSTS $500 IN HOPES THAT IT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THEY ARE NOT SURE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10098825
Incident
Nov 8, 2004
Mileage
83,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 10, 2003

WHILE DRIVING IN A HEAVY A RAINSTORM, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *TS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10022829
Incident
Jun 9, 2003
Mileage
56,944 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 11, 2003

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TRAVELING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. *AK

NHTSA ID
10022894
Incident
Jun 11, 2003
Visibility
Filed Dec 6, 2002

BROUGHT VEHICLE NEW IN AUG 98 AND THE HEATER CORE WOULD CONTINUOUSLY TO BLOW OUT. WOULD BE REPLACED HEATER CORE PART EVERY YEAR. MECHANIC CAN NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE HEATER CORE PROBLEM. TS

NHTSA ID
8023863
Visibility
Filed Aug 8, 2002

WHILE IN MOTION, THE GLUE HOLDING THE REARVIEW MIRROR IN PLACE WEAKENED. CONSUMER WISHES TO BE REIMBURSED FOR MONIES PAID OUT FOR REPLACEMENT GLUE. *JG *TS

NHTSA ID
567031
BrakesTransmissionVisibility
Filed Feb 18, 2002

AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, WHO HANDLES THE FLEET FOR A STATE AGENCY, I UNHAPPY THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED FROM THE MANUFACTURED AS RECALLS TO FIX THE PROBLEMS WHICH SEEMS TO HAPPEN AROUND 35,000 MILES OR IF THE VEHICLE HAPPENS TO BE PARKED FOR ANYTIME OVER TWO WEEKS. *AK

NHTSA ID
758373
Visibility
Filed Jun 18, 2001

WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON AND OFF. ALTHOUGH PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, THEY DON'T WORK WHEN NEEDED. IF SWITCH IS LEFT ON AND FORGOT THEY START WORKING WITHOUT BEING AWARE THAT THEY WERE LEFT ON. *AK

NHTSA ID
890585
Incident
May 1, 2001
BrakesVisibility
Filed Jan 16, 2001

WE BOUGHT THIS VAN IN JANUARARY 1, 2000 WE HAVE HAD THIS VAN FOR A YEAR NOW AND HAVE HAD THE BRAKES DONE ON IT 8 TIMES. THE BRAKES GET SO HOT THAT IT MELTS THE VALVE STEMS. ALSO WHEN WE BOUGHT THIS VAN THE YELLOW LIGHTS ON THE FRONT DASH FOR THE REAR WINDOW WIPER AND THE OTHER LIGHTS SURROUNDING THAT LIGHT KEEP BLINKING AND WONT STOP BLINKING UNTIL DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY FOR ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINUTES. THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE THE LIGHTS STOP BLINKING. *AK

NHTSA ID
739432
Incident
May 13, 2000
Exterior lightingVisibility
Filed Jul 31, 2000

WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, AND THE MULTI- FUNCTION SWITCH. *AK

NHTSA ID
866301
Incident
Aug 2, 1999
Interior & seatsVisibility
Filed May 24, 2000

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. AND SLIDING DOOR ON PASSENGER'S SIDE CAME OPEN. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY.*AK

NHTSA ID
862498
Incident
Apr 20, 2000
Visibility
Filed May 12, 2000

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD OPERATE WHILE IN OFF MODE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
861852
Incident
Oct 15, 1999
Visibility
Filed May 8, 2000

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHEN RAINING. NO RECALL . DEALER HAS NO REMEDY, AND IS DOING ALOT OF GUESSING WORK. *AK

NHTSA ID
861611
Visibility
Filed Feb 11, 2000

THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER WINDOW WOULD INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORK; IE: THE WINDOW WOULD NOT GO DOWN. THIS STARTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. IT HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 OR 6 TIMES AND FINALLY WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL ON 2/8/2000. *AK

NHTSA ID
718629
Incident
Feb 2, 2000
Visibility
Filed Oct 25, 1999

WINDSHIELD CONTAINS SCRATCHES AND WAVES CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. MJS

NHTSA ID
549173
Visibility
Filed Oct 12, 1999

THIS IS THE SECOND CARAVAN I HAVE OWENED THAT HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE REARVIEW MIRROR FALLING OFF/ OTHER CARAVAN OWENERS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IS THIS COMMON? IT CERTAINLY IS AN INCONVIENCE IF NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
713195
Incident
Oct 5, 1999
Visibility
Filed Sep 8, 1999

WINDOW MOTOR.

NHTSA ID
609534
Incident
Dec 1, 1998
Visibility
Filed Aug 18, 1998

DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH WINDSHIELD IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT, ALSO DEFROSTER VENT REFLECTS IN WINDSHIELD, OBSCURING DRIVERS VISION. QCAW

NHTSA ID
542347

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .