RoadVitals

1998 Dodge Grand Caravan Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance 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.
27
Latest May 21, 2004
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.
5%
of 559 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 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 driver-assistance

The 25 most recent of 27, in the owner's own words

AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed May 21, 2004

AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. HORN FAILURE/SPEED CONTROL FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10072947
Incident
May 21, 2004
Mileage
63,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Feb 27, 2004

AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED/CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING, AND HORN WON'T BLOW.*AK

NHTSA ID
10060947
Mileage
88,400 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Feb 23, 2004

WHILE DRIVING THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN APPLIED. THE DRIVER PRESSED DOWN ON THE HORN AND THERE WAS NOT A SOUND. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD AND STAYED ON. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK RECALL#1500521 *SC

NHTSA ID
10059641
Incident
Feb 23, 2004
Mileage
52,402 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Feb 6, 2004

AIRBAG LIGHT AND ABS LIGHTS REMAIN LIGHTED. CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN NON-FUNCTIONING. *AK

NHTSA ID
10056675
Incident
Jan 28, 2004
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Feb 3, 2004

AT ANY SPEED AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT WORK. THERE IS AN ARTICLE IN A CONSUMER MAGAZINE THAT DOCUMENTS THE PROBLEMS THE CONSUMER IS HAVING. THE PROBLEM MENTIONED IS A DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING. *AK

NHTSA ID
10057424
Incident
Nov 18, 2003
Mileage
135,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jan 14, 2004

WE WERE DRIVING OUR CARAVAN AND HAD TO USE THE HORN. ONCE I PRESSED THE PAD FOR THE HORN, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, THE HORN DID NOT BLOW AND THEN I DETERMINED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING. BEFORE DOING ANY RESEARCH I HAD THE REPAIRS COMPLETED AT THE DEALER. IT WAS A DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING AND THE COST TO REPLACE IT CAME TO $269.01. I THEN CAME TO THIS SITE AND FOUND DOZENS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS EXACTLY LIKE MINE. I WOULD LIST EVERYONE I FOUND BUT I'M SURE YOU CAN LOOK THEM UP FASTER THAN I COULD TYPE THE ID NUMBERS. I ALSO FOUND A RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V293000 ON YOUR SITE. I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS AND THEY CLAIM OUR CARAVAN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELEAVE SINCE THEY ADMIT THEY ARE DEFECTIVE IN THE RECALL SO WHY ISN'T OURS COVERED UNDER IT?*AK

NHTSA ID
10053154
Incident
Dec 15, 2003
Mileage
94,850 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Aug 9, 2002

MY CLOCKSPRING BROKE,IT MAKES THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAY ON AND DISABLES THE HORN, CRUISE CONTROL AND AIRBAGS. DEALER WANTS ABOUT $200 TO REPAIR, I BOUGHT THE PART FROM THE DEALER FOR $73.15 AND REPLACED IT MYSELF. I HAVE FRIEND WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IN HER 97 CARAVAN.S

NHTSA ID
765407
Incident
Apr 1, 2002
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Aug 8, 2002

EA 01 007/AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING: AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL WERE INOPERATIVE. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8015866
Incident
Jul 1, 2002
Body & structureDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 16, 2002

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, KEY NOT IN IGNITION WHEN IT SUDDENLY STARTED ON ITS OWN. DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCKED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8014008
Incident
Jun 13, 2002
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jun 27, 2002

OUR CLOCKSPRING BROKE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. IT CONTROLS THE HORN, AIRBAG AND UNFORTUNATELY THE CRUISE CONTROL. WE WERE ON A TRIP AND APPROACHING A TOWN. I TAPPED ON THE BRAKES TO SHUT THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND IT WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. IN FACT, I COULDN'T SLOW DOWN AT ALL. I WAS GOING ABOUT 60 OR 65 WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND EVENTUALLY I WAS AT THE SPEED OF 90. THE VAN WAS ACCELLING WHILE I WAS TRYING TO STOP IT. WE FINALLY GOT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PUT IT IN EITHER NEUTRAL OR PARK JUST SO WE COULD GET IT TO STOP. OUR HORN DOESN'T WORK NOW AND OUR AIRBAG PROBABLY WON'T DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. THIS COULD CAUSE ALOT OF ACCIDENTS AND MAY HURT PEOPLE IF SOMETHING DOESN'T GET DONE ABOUT IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
763571
Incident
Jul 20, 2001
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Apr 11, 2002

WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. CAME TO STOP SIGN AND THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD. TOOK IT TO DEALER WHERE METAL FILINGS FOUND IN TRANSMISSION PAN. THIS VAN HAD TRANSMISSION SERVICE AT 15000, 30000, AND AGAIN AT 45000 WHICH IS WHY I BROUGHT IT IN THERE. NOBODY TOUCHED THE ENGINE BUT THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER. WHEN THE DEALER GOT INTO THE TRANSMISSION, FOUND THAT THE CLUTCHES WERE GRINDING THEMSELVES UP. $2050.00 TOTAL IN REPAIRS. NOTHING FROM DODGE EXCEPT I'M SORRY.*AK

NHTSA ID
760574
Incident
Mar 29, 2002
Driver assistanceElectricalSuspension+1 more
Filed Mar 26, 2002

THE PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG, CRUISE CONTROL & HORN STARTED APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES OVER WARRANTY. AT TIMES, THE HORN WILL WORK, BUT NOT OFTEN AND WITH NO REGULARITY. IN REGARD TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, I HAVE HAD THEM REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP ONCE. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO PERSIST. I HAVE ALSO REPORTED THE SUSPENSION TO THE DEALERSHIP, HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE A PROBLEM. NLM

NHTSA ID
759821
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Jan 19, 2002

FIRST, MY AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, THEN MY CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. FROM WHAT I HAVE RESEARCHED. I FEEL THIS IS ALL TIED IN TO THE CLOCK SPRING WIRE ASSEMBLY IN THE STEERING COLUMN. I'M CONCERNED THAT MY DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AND THAT PRIOR TO THAT, MY HORN IS GOING TO STOP WORKING NEXT. IF I GET THESE ITEMS REPAIRED NOW, AND THERE IS A RECALL, WILL THE MANUFACTURER BE REQUIRED TO REIMBURSE ME? *AK

NHTSA ID
757070
Incident
Nov 1, 2001
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jan 16, 2002

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES/CRUISE CONTROL FAILS TO FUNCTION,AND HORN DOES NOT WORK. DEALERSHIP IS SCHEDULED TO EXAMINE VEHICLE, AND MAKE ALL NECESSARY REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8002290
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jan 16, 2002

HORN DOESN'T WORK,AND CRUISE DOESN'T WORK. *AK

NHTSA ID
756925
Incident
Dec 15, 2001
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Nov 14, 2001

DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND REPLACED CLOCK SPRING MATERIAL IN STEERING COLUMN WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. IN OCTOBER OF 2001, AIR BAG LIGHT CAME BACK ON WITH ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS OF HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR THE SECOND INCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID
899111
Incident
Jun 25, 2001
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Oct 28, 2001

CLOCK SPRING FAILURE, AIRBAG LIGHT ON, CRUISE CONTROL INOPERABLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
753797
Incident
Sep 1, 2001
Driver assistanceElectricalSteering
Filed Aug 29, 2001

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING, AND HORN/ CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO FUNCTION. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT CLOCK SPRING WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID
895379
Incident
Apr 1, 2001
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Aug 1, 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AT THE SAME TIME THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT WORK AND THE HORN WOULD NOT WORK. THE DEALER ADVISED NOT A GOOD IDEA TO DRIVE THE CAR DUE TO THE FACT THE AIR BAG COULD DEPLOY WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF COLLISION. ALSO, THE HORN NOT WORKING WAS A HAZARD. ALTHOUGH WE HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER ADVISED THE MATTER WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WE HAD PURCHASED. THE COST FOR REPAIR WAS $223.16. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A SAFETY ITEM AND NOT AS A WARRANTY ITEM. PLEASE HELP ! TFSINISDWAS RDU N. *AK

NHTSA ID
749602
Incident
Nov 22, 2000
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jun 18, 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON/ HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL HAD STOPPED WORKING. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER AND HAD CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
890531
Incident
Jun 13, 2001
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Jun 14, 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK AS LONG AS LIGHT IS ON. DEALER STATED THERE IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND PART IS IN STOCK, BUT NO RECALL ISSUED.*AK

NHTSA ID
890415
Incident
Dec 1, 2000
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Mar 27, 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION DUE TO BAD CLOCK SPRING. ALSO, HORN ASSEMBLY AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID
884264
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 5, 2001
Crash reported

VEHICLE PARKED WITH ENGINE RUNNING ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND HIT A TREE.$ 3000 DAMAGE. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY, SAID NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. YET DEALER FOUND ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE RESET. *AK

NHTSA ID
882085
Incident
Dec 1, 2000
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 12, 2000
1 injury reported

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE IN REVERSE GEAR RESULTING IN COLLISION WITH UNOCCUPIED STORE, INJURY TO CONSUMER. *MJS

NHTSA ID
551821
Incident
Mar 11, 2000
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 8, 2000

AT A DEAD STOP PULLED UP INTO A PARKING LOT, PUT TRANSMISSION GEAR INTO DRIVE AND VEHICLE JUST TOOK OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
858125
Incident
Mar 5, 2000

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.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .