RoadVitals

2001 Dodge Grand Caravan

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
298
Latest May 9, 2017
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
5
Latest Nov 2, 2004
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
3
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
10
10 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 298 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan, most frequently naming the airbags, exterior lighting and electrical categories. 5 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 16 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

5 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

Nov 2, 2004
238,000 units potentially affected
The defect: ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, CONDENSATION FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AIR CONDITIONING DUCTS MAY DROP THROUGH VENT HOLES IN THE TOP OF THE RADIO AND RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT THAT SUBSEQUENTLY SENDS DIRECT CURRENT TO THE REAR SPEAKERS.
The risk: THIS COULD RESULT IN A SPEAKER FIRE.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD A SPECIAL TAPE TO THE TOP OF THE RADIO TO PREVENT THE POTENTIAL OF WATER INTRUSION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 31, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATIONManufacturer number D48View on NHTSA.gov

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Oct 24, 2003
68,563 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, MODELS WIX FILTER PART NUMBERS 33576, 33577, 33734; NAPA FILTER PART NUMBERS 3576, 3577, 3734; AND CARQUEST FILTER PART NUMBERS 86576, 86577, 86734 USED ON 1996-2000 DAIMLERCHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY, DODGE CARAVAN, AND PLYMOUTH VOYAGER VEHICLES, CAN CAUSE THE FUEL LINES TO LEAK.
The risk: A POSSIBLE FIRE CAN OCCUR IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE.
The remedy: WIX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. NOTE: THIS DOES NOT INVOLVE ANY PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED BY THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP. NOR ANY DAILMERCHRYSLER DEALERS. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2003. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT WIX AT 704-864-6711.
WIX FILTERATION PRODUCTS DIVISIONView on NHTSA.gov

STRUCTURE

Mar 7, 2003
3,674 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCK, VAN, AND MINI VAN CONVERSIONS EQUIPPED WITH SOUTHERN COMFORT BUILT RUNNING BOARDS THAT CONTAIN CERTAIN COURTESY LIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS, INC. THESE UNITS CONTAIN A COURTESY LIGHT OR LIGHTS THAT MIGHT OVERHEAT WHEN THE WIRE HARNESS IS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AND ROAD SALT.
The risk: THIS OVERHEATING CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE RUNNING BOARD TO MELT OR CAUSE A FIRE.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS ON THESE RUNNING BOARDS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 7, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SOUTHERN COMFORT AT 1-800-745-6096.
SOUTHERN COMFORT CONVERSIONSView on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA05009ClosedEngineering Analysis

HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION

Opened Jun 1, 2005
Closed May 2, 2006

OWNER REPORTS INDICATE ALLEGATIONS OF IMPROPER HEADLIGHT OPERATION OF ONE OR BOTH HEADLIGHTS.SOME REPORT INTERMITTENT OUTAGE OR DIMMING.MANY REPORT THAT THE CONDITION IS RANDOM; IT SOMETIMES DOES NOT REPEAT AND LASTS FOR A VERY SHORT DURATION. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PE05004ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION

Opened Feb 2, 2005
Closed Jun 1, 2005

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS FROM CONSUMERS THAT THEIR HEADLIGHTS WOULD MALFUNCTION IN VARIOUS WAYS FROM FLICKERING TO COMPLETE NON-ILLUMINATION.HEADLIGHT OPERATION IS MONITORED BY THE VEHICLE'S BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) AND FRONT CONTROL MODULE (FCM).ODI IS UPGRADING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA05-009) TO FURTHER EXAMINE THE ISSUE.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
EA04031ClosedEngineering Analysis

POWER LIFTGATE LATCH

Opened Nov 22, 2004
Closed Apr 7, 2005

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AS PE04-054 REGARDING REPORTS OF ALLEGED POWER LIFTGATE (PLG) OPENING WHILE DRIVING.THE INVESTIGATION WAS UPGRADED ON NOVEMBER 22, 2004 BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION (DCC) IN ITS SEPTEMBER 17, 2004 RESPONSE TO PE04-054. BY LETTER OF APRIL 5, 2005, DCC HAS NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF 70,235 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY AND DODGE GRAND CARAVAN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PLG OPTION.DCC HAS IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM IN EARLY PRODUCTION MY 2003 PLG CONTROL MODULES THAT CAN PREVENT THE PLG DOOR FROM LATCHING CLOSED IN A POWER OPEN/CLOSE CYCLE.IN THIS CONDITION THE PLG CAN RISE (NOT POWER OPEN) DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED PLG CONTROL MODULE TO REMEDY THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.SEE SAFETY RECALL 05V134 FOR DETAILS.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGESLed to recall 05V134000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Fuel system
Filed May 9, 2017

FUEL LINES LEAK,FUEL FILTER CLOGGED, WON'T START,PAID 100.00,DLLS, TO GET FIXED, MY VAN STARTED STALLING, GOT HOME FROM WORK, NEXT DAY DIDN'T START AT ALL

NHTSA ID
10984562
Incident
May 2, 2017
Mileage
205,100 mi
Seat belts
Filed Nov 22, 2016
Crash reported2 injuries reported

MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2001 WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION IN OCTOBER OF 2015. I T-BONED ANOTHER CAR THAT PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS GOING 35-40 MILES PER HOUR. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO TIGHTEN AROUND MY HIPS. BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE I SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGES TO MY RIGHT LEG. THIS INCLUDED A DISPLACED FRACTURE, NUMEROUS OTHER FRACTURES, A CRUSHED INJURY TO THE TIBIA PLATEAU. I HAD 5 MONTHS IN REHAB, 3 SURGERIES, EXTENSIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY. I AM STILL RECEIVING MEDICAL TREATMENT A YEAR LATER. IF THE SEATBELT HAD DONE WHAT IT . WAS DESIGNED TO DO, MY LEG WOULD NOT OF HIT THE DASH BOARD. THESE INJURIES WERE CAUSED BY A SEATBELT FAILURE OF MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN.. EXTENSIVE RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10927566
Incident
Oct 28, 2015
Mileage
77,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Feb 17, 2016

CLOCK SPRING. HORN, CRUISE CONTROL STOP WORKING. AIRBAG LIGHT ON. CHRYSLER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE, AS WELL AS LOCAL DEALER AS A PROBLEM AND/OR A SAFETY NOR A RECALL ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
10836704
Incident
Nov 18, 2011
Mileage
123,333 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 4, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN USING THE TURN SIGNAL, THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,936.

NHTSA ID
10788307
Incident
Oct 27, 2015
Mileage
157,936 mi
Electrical
Filed May 17, 2015

THE CAR INSTRUMENT GAUGES BECAME ERRATIC ALONG WITH THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS. THE CARE JERKED AS THOUGH IT LOST ITS ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE IGNITION BUT RETURNED TO NORMAL AND THEN QUIT IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY A SEMI-TRUCK. I GOT THE CAR OVER AND RE-STARTED IT AND IT RAN FINE UNTIL LATER IT STARTED TO DIE OUT AGAIN AFTER STARTING TO RUN. I HAD TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE TO GET THE CAR MOVING BUT THE CAR JERKED AND WENT DEAD AGAIN. THE CAR WILL START AND RUN FINE AT TIMES AND SHIFT WELL AT TIMES AND THEN STARTS TO REPEAT THE SAME PROBLEMS OVER AND OVER. I ONLY KNOW THAT THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE GOTTEN SOMEONE KILLED AND I DO NOT WANT IT TO BE MY CHILDREN OR WIFE OR ME. I ONLY HAVE ONE WAY TO GO NOW AND HAVE NO WAY TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TOLD A THOUSAND THINGS IT COULD BE AND CANNOT AFFORD NON-SENSE LIKE THIS. THIS 2001 VAN RUNS AT TIMES LIKE A BRAND NEW ONE AND SHIFTS OUT LIKE BRAND NEW AND THEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE GAUGES GO CRAZY, IT LURCHES AT STOPPING, GO DEAD WHEN I SLOW DOWN AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS IN OVERDRIVE AND JERKS LIKE MAD, THEN RUNS FINE AGAIN. IT IS A REPEAT AND IT IS DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID
10716966
Incident
Apr 1, 2015
Mileage
100,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed May 13, 2015

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. AT THE SAME TIME THE SPEED CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND THE HORN DOES NOT WORK

NHTSA ID
10716147
Incident
Aug 19, 2010
Mileage
152,951 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jan 30, 2015

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL RAIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID
10680072
Incident
Jan 29, 2015
Mileage
120,000 mi
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Nov 17, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT WORK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE MIGHT BE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING. IF A CRASH OCCURRED, THE AIR BAG COULD POTENTIALLY NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

NHTSA ID
10658714
Incident
Jun 30, 2012
Mileage
138,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

9004275

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:IMMOBILIZER/PROXIMITY:KEY/SENDER

KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.

9004275

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:IMMOBILIZER/PROXIMITY:KEY/SENDER

KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.

23-015-20

EQUIPMENT; STRUCTURE

Disinfectant Solution Recommended for COVID-19

08-049-20

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT

Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery replacements are necessary.

31-006-19

STRUCTURE

Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.

3100619

EQUIPMENT; STRUCTURE

Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Dodge Grand Caravan by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2024000
2020191052.6
20192384163.3
20182694155.9
20174113153.6
20169986257.2
20152784159.2
20143575262.6
20134704257.8
20125836256.3
20115304257.3
20108676357.4
20095437255.6
20081,2918255.7
20071823156.3
20062844559.2
20059956758.5
20041163149.1
20032193358.3
20022906561.7
2001Viewing2985355.7
20004428361.2
19994325661.9
19985596664.2
19975836664.5
19961,157111160.7
19951083554.9
19941996561.4
19932899859.6
19922558665.0
19911298761.5
1990553254.8
1989243256.2
1988103255.6
1987222
1986022
1985122
1984022

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.