Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 64 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Dodge Caravan. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 64 · page 1 of 3
THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I WAS LEAVING WORK, WHEN I SAT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT THE SEAT BROKE AND FELL BACK. THE BROKEN PART IS ACTUALLY THE FRAME OF THE SEAT, NOT THE TILT MECHANISM. THE TUBULATION THAT COMPRISED THE SEAT FRAME CATASTROPHICALLY BROKE ADJACENT TO THE WELDMENT. THIS PART SHOULD NEVER FAIL.
FUEL LEAKING FROM TOP OF FUEL TANK
ENGINE OFTEN HESITATES AFTER YOU HAVE DRIVEN A FEW BLOCKS AFTER REFUELING. THIS FORM ASKS FOR A SINGLE SPECIFIC DATE BUT THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED EVERY FEW WEEKS FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO. DEPENDING UPON THE TRAFFIC SITUATION WHEN THE HESITATION OCCURS, AND ACCIDENT COULD EASILY OCCUR. MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT THE LIQUID/VAPOR SEPARATOR VALVE ON THE GAS TANK IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. THIS VALVE IS A PART OF THE TANK AND CANNOT BE REPLACED AS A SEPARATE ITEM, SO THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS SUBSTANTIAL. A BRIEF SEARCH ON THE INTERNET INDICATES THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS OF DODGE CARAVANS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN ABOUT 2004 AND 2007 ARE REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM.
2004 DODGE CARAVAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FUEL TANK EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE THAT APPLIES TO VEHICLE STALLING AFTER REFUELING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE BEGAN STALLING SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED AND HAS SINCE CONTINUED. THE STALLING OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WHILE MAKING LEFT TURNS. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE EGR SENSOR.*JB
INTERMITTENT HORN TURNING ON. CLOCKSPRING WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH FRONT CONTROL MODULE. THEY THINK HORNPAD IS AT FAULT AND WILL FURTHER SHORT CLOCKSPRING AND FRONT CONTROL MODULE
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONING CLOCKSPRING. THIS DISABLES THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THIS WAS RECALLED ON EARLIER MODEL CARAVANS BUT HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED ON 2001 AND NEWER MODELS WHICH HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THE LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASE AND HAS HAD INACTIVE AIRBAGS. RECENTLY, WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL HARD DURING A POWER STEERING RESERVOIR REPLACEMENT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN TO TURN ON AND OFF CLEARLY DUE TO SHORTED WIRING AT THE CLOCKSPRING TERMINALS.
AS I WENT TO STOP THE FRONT WHEELS SLID LIKE THEY WERE ON ICE. I WAS ON A PUBLIC RD. [BLACK TOP] I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.
I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN THE FALL OF 2013 AND AM STARTING TO COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT EVERY TIME I FILL MY GAS TANK UP MY VEHICLE SHUTS OFF! TODAY I FILLED UP MY GAS TANK. MY CHILDREN WERE IN THE BACK SEAT AND WHEN I PULLED OUT INTO THE HIGHWAY THE VAN SHUT OFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP! I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VANS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT! I CAN'T FILL MY GAS TANK UP BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE FUEL PUMP DUE TO CORROSION. AS A RESULT, THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,755.
WHEN I CHANGED MY VEHICLE BATTERY TO A NEW ONE THE GAS ONLY DROPS TO A HALF A TANK ITS WILL NOT GO DOWN TO EMPTY BUT MY LOW FUEL LIGHT WORKS STILL MY GAS GAUGE DOES NOT. HOW DO I FIX IT OR RESET IT. *TR
EVERY TIME VEHICLE IS FUELED UP, THE VEHICLE PUTTERS AND SHUTS OFF, CAUSING ALL POWER STEERING TO LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING. OCCURS THE FIRST COUPLE MILES. *TR
MY FIRST GAS TANK FILL AFTER PURCHASING THE USED VEHICLE RESULTED WITH CONSTANT STALLING FOR THE NEXT 1/2 MILE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS. I DO NOT OVERFILL THE TANK. THE VEHICLE NOW STALLS ABOUT 80% OF THE TIME AFTER I FILL THE TANK. AFTER ABOUT 6/10TH OF A MILE ,THE PROBLEM CORRECTS ITSELF. ONE TIME I COME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING AN ACCIDENT WHEN AFTER LEAVING THE GAS STATION I WAS GOING DOWN A HILL AND HAD TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT & I HAD TO PUT THE GEAR SELECTOR IN NEUTRAL TO TRY TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS MOVING & MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT THE SAME TIME ! I AM NOW FORCED TO PARK THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES AFTER FILL UP BEFORE I CAN SAFELY TAKE IT BACK ON THE ROADWAY. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE 2004 -2007 CHRYSLER & DODGE MINIVANS. I HAVE VIEWED MANY COMPLAINTS ON LINE ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GIVE UP THEIR LIFE BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED? THERE IS A DEFECTIVE VALVE IN THE GAS TANKS & THE TANKS HAVE TO BE REPLACED ! *TR
NOT 100% BUT PROBABLY 40% - 60% OF THE TIME I REFUEL - ESPECIALLY A FULL TANK - THE CAR WILL TEND TO HESITATE AND STALL WITHIN THE FIRST 90 SECONDS OF GETTING BACK ON THE ROAD. SEEMS LIKE IT HAS NOT DONE IT A LOT LATELY BUT I JUST HAD SOME WORK DONE BY THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER INCLUDING NEW WIRES AND PLUGS. WHEN I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP IT RAN FINE. I PUT IN PROBABLY 3/4 TANK OF GAS IN IT AND IT BEGAN HESITATING AND STALLING WORSE THAN IT HAD IN SOME TIME. THE WEATHER WAS ALSO QUITE A BIT COOLER THAN IT HAD BEEN IN 6 MONTHS. I ALSO READ AN ARTICLE IN USA TODAY ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHICH I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SINCE 2007 WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR USED. I HAVE HAD THE DEALER LOOK AT IT IN THE PAST AND THE COULD IDENTIFY NOTHING SPECIFIC. FIGURED I WOULD REGISTER THE COMPLAINT SINCE I HEARD OTHERS WERE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
2004 DODGE CARAVAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO GAS GAUGE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING GAS.*JB
PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR KEEPS COMING OFF TRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON. JUST OPERATING THE DOOR CAUSES THIS TO HAPPEN, AND IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION TOO, WHICH CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS, BECAUSE OUR VEHICLE IS MODIFIED BY BRAUN FOR HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY. THERE IS A METAL RAMP WHICH WILL COME DOWN IF THE DOOR OPENS. *TR
AS MENTIONED BY SEVERAL OTHER POSTINGS, THE CARAVAN ENGINE WILL STALL OUT AFTER THE GAS TANK IS FILLED. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS FUELED. IT WILL STALL OUT WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING AFTER LEAVING THE GAS STATION. IT HAS STALLED OUT IN TRAFFIC, AT STOP LIGHTS, AND NOW I AVOID TRAVELING ON THE ROADWAY FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER FUELING IF POSSIBLE, CHOOSING INSTEAD TO TRAVEL THROUGH PARKING LOTS OR BACK ROADS BEFORE ENTERING ANY MAIN ARTERIES. A SERVICE REPAIRMAN AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING AND HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE. ANOTHER MECHANIC MENTIONED IT MIGHT BE A VALVE IN THE TOP OF THE TANK THAT IS DEFECTIVE BUT THE ONLY REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE GAS TANK AS THE PART IS NOT A SEPARATE PIECE. BASED ON MY OWN ONLINE RESEARCH, I THINK THIS IS A DEFECT WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEED OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE WHEN MY GAS LIGHT WENT ON AND THE VAN STARTED TO SPUTTER. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND MY SPEED DECREASED TO APPX 40 MPH. I IMMEDIATELY GOT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DURING RUSH HOUR AND CARS SPEEDING BY ME. IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. A POLICE OFFICER STOPPED TO ASSIST ME AND TRY TO GET ME TOWED. I MADE IT TO THE NEXT GAS STATION. I ADDED GAS AND OIL. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS SHAKING AND NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT ABOVE 40 MPH, I DECIDED TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME UNTIL A DECISION COULD BE MADE ABOUT WHAT TO DO. THE NEXT MORNING WE TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE DROPPED. THE BOLTS THAT HELD IT IN FAILED. I AM LUCKY. NOW WE HAVE THE ENGINE BACK UP IN PLACE AND ARE DETERMINING WHAT ELSE IS BROKEN DUE TO THIS FAILURE. *TR
I ORIGINALLY FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE PAD MANUFACTURER BUT IT SEEMS TO BE THE COMPOSITE PISTON IN THE CALIPER THAT IS INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING THE BRAKES TO OVERHEAT. THE PEDAL TRAVEL GOES TO ZERO AND THE BRAKE IS LOCKED. THIS IS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT AND A HAZARD. IT WOULD BE EASY FOR THESE BRAKES TO FAIL IN HIGHWAY CONDITIONS AND HAVE THE GREASE MELT OUT OF THE BEARINGS FROM THE HEAT AND BRAKE FLUID TO BOIL. THIS CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED ITS ENTIRE LIFE AND MAINTAINED. IT IS CHRYSLER THAT IN THE INTEREST OF PROFIT CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
AFTER FUELING THE VEHICLE STALLS NUMBERIOUS TIMES IN TRAFFIC CAUSING A HAZZARD. THIS WOULD BE EXCEPTABE HOWEVER THERE SEEM TO BE MANY OF THE VEHICLE THAT DOES THE SAME THING SEE HTTP://FORUM.CHRYSLERMINIVAN.NET *TT .
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,224. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I REPLACED THE BRAKES ON MY 2004 DODGE CARAVAN WITH DURALAST BRAKES FROM AUTO ZONE. THERE IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THE TOLERANCES ON THE PADS. I HAVE BEEN INSTALLING BRAKES FOR 50 YEARS. THERE IS A SEVER DEFECT WITH THESE REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE PADS WILL NOT ALLOW THE CALIPER TO RETRACT THE PADS WEDGE AGAINST THE ROTOR-DISC. THEY CAUSED A VEHICLE FIRE FROM THE EXTREME HEAT. I CONTACTED AUTO ZONE AND INSTALLED ANOTHER SET . THIS TIME IT CAUSED THE BRAKE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE TO OVERHEAT. I GOT A THIRD SET THIS TIME I MEASURED THE PADS WITH A VERNIER CALIPER ACCURATE TO 1/1000 INCH AND THEY VARIED BY A 1/10 OF AN INCH WHICH IS OUTRAGEOUS. THAT JUST ACCOUNTS FOR UNACCEPTABLE MEASUREMENTS AND NOT SPECIAL OR ORIENTATIONAL DEFECTS WHICH I SUSPECT EXIST BUT HAVE NO EXACT PATTERN TO COMPARE. THESE BRAKES ARE AN EXTREME HAZARD. *TR
I HAD MY TIRES ROTATED AT COSTCO WHERE THEY WERE PURCHASED IN 2012. IN THE SPRING OF 2013, I WAS GOING TO PUT NEW BRAKES ON THE REAR OF MY 2004 MINIVAN, AND COULD NOT GET TWO OF THE LUG NUTS OFF. SO I JUST PUT IT OFF FOR A WHILE. ON JULY 30, 2013, I WENT OUT TO GET IN MY VAN AND HAD A FLAT TIRE ON THAT SAME WHEEL. I ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE TIRE AND TWO OF THE STUD BOLTS BROKE. I REMOVED THE REST OF THE LUGNUTS AND TOOK THE TIRE TO BE REPAIRED AT COSTCO. ON THE 31ST, I TOOK MY VAN TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND TOLD THEM OF THE PROBLEM, SO I WANTED THEM TO PUT NEW BRAKES ON AND REPLACE THE WHEEL STUDS. AS THEY WERE DOING THE REPAIR, TWO MORE OF THE STUDS BROKE. THIS IS NOW 4 WHEEL STUDS ON THE SAME WHEEL. NONE OF THE LUG NUTS WERE REMOVABLE FROM THESE BOLTS. I THOUGHT THAT COSTCO HAD OVERTIGHTENED THE LUG NUTS. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE AND SEEING THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, I AM WONDERING IF THE BOLTS ARE DEFECTIVE. IN 50 YEARS OF DRIVING CARS AND REPAIRING A LOT OF THEM MYSELF, I HAVE NEVER HAD A BROKEN WHEEL STUD. I AM THANKFUL THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE ROAD SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. IF THESE BOLTS ARE DEFECTIVE, HOW STRONG ARE THEY WHEN I AM DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED ON THE FREEWAY. *TR
MYSTERIOUSLY MY HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING LAST NIGHT. HAD TO DRIVE HOME IN THE DARK WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS. AS WELL AS MY WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID PUMP WILL NOT TURN ON. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND YEAR. WHY HASN'T DODGE DONE A RECALL IT SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM IS FAR TOO WIDESPREAD AND COMMON IN THESE VANS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS, WHENEVER HE FILLED THE FUEL TANK THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL IMMEDIATELY AFTER. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BUT THE NO CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000.
MY FAMILY BEGAN NOTICING A GAS SMELL SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. IT WAS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE AND WHEN IN A CLOSED GARAGE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE FROM SOME GAS SPILL ON FUELING. I DID NOT SEE ANY LEAKS ON THE GROUND OR IN THE ENGINE AREA. I JUST HAD THE VAN SERVICED AT THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A GAS LEAK. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION IT APPEARS THERE IS A VERY SLOW LEAK (SEEPAGE) COMING AT THE CONNECTION OFF THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL LINE. THIS LOOKS LIKE A TWIST-OFF CONNECTION. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $96/HR TO PINPOINT AND DIAGNOSIS THE EXACT PROBLEM. I JUST FOUND ANOTHER PERSON ON THE WEB WITH THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT. I HAVE NOT YET HAD AN "EXACT DIAGNOSIS" OR REPAIR MADE. *TR UPDATED 03/26/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP WAS INSPECTED AND REPLACED BY A LOCAL DEALER. THEY CONFIRMED THE PUMP WAS LEAKING THROUGH A CRACKED HOUSING. THE GAS TANK WAS STAINED BY THE FUEL LEAKING DOWN UPON IT.
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
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