2004 Dodge Caravan Fuel system Problems

FUEL LEAKING FROM TOP OF FUEL TANK

NHTSA ID

11014921

Incident

Jul 9, 2017

Mileage

72,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10945306

Incident

Jan 20, 2016

Mileage

145,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10864907

Incident

Nov 4, 2009

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

NHTSA ID

10695523

Incident

Mar 19, 2015

Mileage

118,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10663938

Incident

Dec 11, 2014

Mileage

155,755 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10639218

Incident

Jun 13, 2012

Mileage

75,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10632928

Incident

Sep 1, 2008

Mileage

39,000 mi

2004 DODGE CARAVAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO GAS GAUGE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING GAS.*JB

NHTSA ID

10629757

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

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

NHTSA ID

10555418

Incident

Apr 18, 2012

Mileage

96,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10552485

Incident

Nov 12, 2013

Mileage

172,874 mi

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 .

NHTSA ID

10537756

Incident

Sep 7, 2009

Mileage

40,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10537545

Incident

Aug 23, 2013

Mileage

101,224 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10511988

Incident

May 13, 2008

Mileage

38,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10499573

Incident

Jun 4, 2012

Mileage

51,000 mi

WHEN ONE DRIVES AWAY AFTER REFUELING THE GAS TANK THE VEHICLE QUITS RUNNING. IT WILL RESTART. THIS WILL HAPPEN FOR THE FIRST TEN MILES OR SO. OTHER DODGES ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10472793

Incident

Aug 11, 2009

Mileage

35,700 mi

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT ANOTHER 2004 DODGE CARAVAN THAT STALLS AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE STALLING OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING-I.E. IN THE MIDDLE OF CROSSING AN INTERSECTION OR,SAY, PULLING OUT OF THE GAS STATION INTO TRAFFIC! SPOKE WITH CHRYSLER THIS MORNING ABOUT IT AND THEY SEEM OBLIVIOUS TO THE PROBLEM. KIND OF HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GOOGLE "CARAVAN STALLS AFTER FILLING UP" AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE. MECHANICS ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC ONLY SEEMS TO BE AWARE AFTER THE OCCURRENCE! PLEASE TAKE SOME TIME TO CHECK INTO THIS BEFORE SOME LITTLE KID GETS HURT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10420924

Incident

Aug 21, 2011

Mileage

83,351 mi

THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR A 2004 DODGE CARAVAN THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN THE GAS TANK IS FILLED. THE VEHICLE STALLS AND RUNS ROUGH FOR SEVERAL MILES AND SOMETIMES MANY MORE. I BELIEVE THE DEFECT IS THE LIQUID/VAPOR VALVE BUILT INTO THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. IT FAILS AND ALLOWS FUEL INTO THE EVAC CANISTER AND VAPOR LINES WHICH COULD EXPLODE OR CAUSE A FIRE AS THEY ARE NOT DESIGNED TO HOLD GASOLINE. CHRYSLER SEEMS TO CARE LESS. I'M SURE WHEN PEOPLE START TO BURN TO DEATH SOMETHING WILL BE DONE. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10372112

Incident

Feb 1, 2010

Mileage

70,000 mi

CONSUMER SMELLED GAS, THE PASSENGER BECAME ILL. CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND A PASSERBY TOLD THE CONSUMER NOT TO START THE VEHICLE BECAUSE, GAS WAS ALL OVER THE STREET. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10117845

Incident

Apr 13, 2005

Mileage

38,200 mi