Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Dodge Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I WAS DRIVING AND HIT A POT HOLE AND THE REAR AXLE BROKE CAUSE BY CHEAP DESIGN REAR AXLE SUPPORT. AFTER CHECKING OUT YOU TUBE IT IS E COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE AND CHRYSLER VANS. IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY ONE CAN END UP UNDER A 18 WHEELER.
DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON THE BALTIMORE WASHINGTON PARKWAY IN MARYLAND AT A CONSTANT SPEED IN A STRAIGHT AND LEVEL SECTION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT STEM BROKE NEAR ITS BASE. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL IMMEDIATELY TURNED 90 DEGREES AND CAR SKIDDED TO AN ABRUPT STOP IN THE DRIVING LANE. THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING SIGNS (NO NOISE, VIBRATION, HANDLING CHANGES, ETC.) BEFORE THE FAILURE. ONLY BY LUCK WAS THERE NO ACCIDENT. THE CAR HAD NO PRIOR ACCIDENT DAMAGE TO THE SUSPENSION AND NO PRIOR SERVICING (OTHER THAN ROUTINE MAINTENANCE - TIRE REPLACEMENT, BRAKE SERVICING, ETC.) HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE LOWER BALL JOINT OR NEARBY PARTS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THERE HAD BEEN NO PREVIOUS FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE SWAY BAR FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR COST. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000.
TOOK MY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN IN FOR AN OIL CHANGES AND WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP (AFTER HEARING A KNOCKING NOISE) THAT THE FOLLOWINGS THINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED ON THE VAN THAT ON HAS 51,000 MILES ON IT: STEERING RACK AND FRONT SWAY BAR BUSHINGS ALONG WITH THE ALTERNATOR AND BELT. *JB
MY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN MAKES A LOT OF NOISE WHEN YOU GO OVER A BUMP WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SWAY BAR LINK BUSHINGS WERE BAD. CONVENIENTLY MY EXTENDED SERVICE AGREEMENT DID NOT COVER THIS AND THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE EVERY CARAVAN THAT COMES IN HAS NEEDED THESE AND HE WAS SURPRISED IT WAS NOT COVERED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IF THESE BREAK IT COULD COMPROMISE THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ON THIS VEHICLE TWICE AND IT HAS ONLY 59,000 MILES I HAVE ALSO HAD COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE COMPONENTS ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE MOTOR LEADING TO REPLACEMENT OF THE ALTERNATOR, POWER STEERING PUMP, WATER PUMP, AC, AND THE MAIN DRIVE PULLEY OF THE MOTOR ALONG WITH THE LIGHTS RADIO,HEATER FAN AND TRANSMISSION ALL HAVING PROBLEMS. WHEN I CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT THE SWAY BAR LINKS THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY PROBLEM NOT THEIRS. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR MAINTENANCE AND THE NOISE WAS INSPECTED. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE ALTERNATOR, RACK AND PINION STEERING, AND SWAY BAR BUSHINGS. DUE TO THE LOW MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT WAS SEEKING A SECOND OPINION BEFORE MAKING ANY REPAIRS. *AK
THE CONSUMER HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH HIS 2003 DODGE CARAVAN; SUCH PROBLEMS WERE A KNOCK IN THE TRANSMISSION AND 2 BRAKE JOBS. *JB THE TWO BRAKES JOBS OCCURRED WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE STEERING WHEEL KNOCKED (RECALL CAMPAIGN #04V386000), THE VEHICLE HAD BROKEN DOWN AT 8K MILES, THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS OFF, THE GEAR PANEL ILLUMINATED, AND THE WINDOW HAD BECOME LOOSE. 80% OF THE VEHICLES PROBLEMS WAS UNDER 10K MILES. THE ROTATION NOISE CONTINUED AND THE RUBBER LINING AROUND THE SLIDING DOOR WAS COMING OFF. OTHER PROBLEMS: WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF PARK TO DRIVE, ALL OF THE LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE, THE FRONT RIMS/HUB CAPS WERE DIRTY DUE TO EXCESSIVE LEAKAGE AROUND THE BRAKES, EVEN DURING NORMAL WASHING, THERE WAS A MILD RINGING NOISE IN THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT DOOR RATTLED, THE REAR TAIL LAMP WAS DAMAGED, THE BRAKE LIGHT AND BACK-UP LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT, THE BRAKES WERE GOING BAD AGAIN, THE ENGINE WOULD SPUTTER DUE TO NO FUEL PRESSURE, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT, WHEN THE DRIVER DOOR WAS SHUT IT MADE A LOUD RATTLE SOUND, THERE WOULD BE A DELAY IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN GOING UPHILL, WHEN SITTING AT IDLE, THE ENGINE WOULD SOUND AS IF IT WERE REVVING BUT THE GAUGE DID NOT DISPLAY THIS. *SC *JB
WHILE BACKING UP THE VEHICLES RIGHT SIDE COLLAPSED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SUSPENSION BOLT WAS MISSING. *NLM *CB
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 .