RoadVitals

2003 Dodge Grand Caravan Fuel system Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Fuel system 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.
10
Latest Aug 14, 2015
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 219 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.
2
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 fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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 fuel system

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Fuel system
Filed Aug 14, 2015
Fire reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND MANEUVERED INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE, WHERE THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT NOTICED FLAMES EMITTING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGERS EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURNS AND ABRASIONS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS BELIEVED TO BE RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V274000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID
10748797
Incident
Aug 6, 2015
Mileage
140,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngineFuel system
Filed Mar 14, 2015

UPON REFUELING THE VEHICLE, VEHICLE STALLS FOR A FEW SECONDS UPON FIRST ACCELERATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES (ABOUT 1 OUT OF EVERY 4 REFUELS). SEVERAL TIMES, THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. UPON DOING RESEARCH, WE HAVE LEARNED OF MANY COMPLAINTS ALREADY VOICED ABOUT A FAULTY VALVE. FOR REFERENCE: HTTP://WWW.AUTOBLOG.COM/2014/09/10/DODGE-GRAND-CARAVAN-CHRYSLER-TOWN-AND-COUNTRY-STALLING-NHTSA/ HTTP://EN.ALLEXPERTS.COM/Q/CHRYSLER-REPAIR-807/F/STALLING-REFUELING.HTM HTTP://RICKSFREEAUTOREPAIRADVICE.COM/ENGINE-STALLS-AFTER-FILLING-TANK-CHRYSLER-MINIVAN/. *TR

NHTSA ID
10694300
Incident
Jun 5, 2013
Mileage
175,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed May 12, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN ADDING GASOLINE TO THE FUEL TANK, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ADDED LESS THAN A FILL UP, THE FAILURE WOULD NOT OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY 10-12 TIMES TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL CANISTER, FUEL PUMP AND THE GAS TANK IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE FAILURE TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER VALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000. UPDATED 7/16/10 *CN

NHTSA ID
10330144
Incident
Jan 3, 2009
Mileage
57,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Mar 27, 2009
Fire reported

WIFE WENT TO START CAR IN MORNING. LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY SMOKE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHE LEFT VEHICLE. SHE SMELLED BURNT PLASTIC SMELL. I CHECKED LATER AND SAW EXPLODED INTAKE MANIFOLD AND HOSE ON TOP OF ENGINE. OBVIOUS EXPLOSION IN ENGINE INTAKE AREA WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO BLOW MANIFOLD INTO PIECES. CAR IS AT DEALER. THEY ARE WAITING FOR NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD TO REPAIR VEHICLE. UNCONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL HARM TO DRIVER/PASSENGERS OF VEHICLE. THIS HAS POTENTIAL FOR FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND VEHICLE AND COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10263218
Incident
Mar 25, 2009
Mileage
60,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Dec 12, 2006

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN TO WORK WHEN IT SEEMED TO NOT BE GETTING ANY FUEL AT ALL. THE VAN THEN STALLED IN TRAFFIC AND WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER TO FIND OUT THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED. REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND FUEL FILTER. VAN HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10175994
Incident
Dec 7, 2006
Mileage
48,000 mi
BrakesFuel system
Filed Mar 23, 2005

CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE SHE CONTINUALLY HAD FRONT END PROBLEMS. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH AIR IN THE TIRES. CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL ODOR. THERE WERE TWO RECALLS REGARDING FUEL. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER THREE TIMES BEFORE THEY COULD TELL HER WHAT WAS WRONG. THEY FOUND THAT BRAKES, AND ROTORS WERE COMPLETELY WORN OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID
10115608
Incident
Jan 4, 2005
Fuel system
Filed Dec 4, 2004

I JUST PURCHASED 2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN I WAS IN THE EXPRESSWAY AND JUST SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING AND THE ENGINE WANTED TO DIE OUT. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE EXPRESSWAY THERE WERE SOME TRAFFIC. THEN FINALLY I GOT IT UP TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS SHOWING MORE THAN HALF TANK OF GAS. TOOK IT IN TO THE DODGE DEALER IT TURNED OUT TO BE A FAULTY FUEL SENDING UNIT THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED AND SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10102130
Incident
Jun 17, 2004
Mileage
40,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Sep 9, 2004

WHILE FILLING UP THE FUEL TANK VALVE JOINT SEPARATED FROM GAS TANK, CAUSING GASOLINE TO POUR OUT. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THAT THE FUEL BE REPLACED DUE TO A CRACK.*AK

NHTSA ID
10091722
Incident
Sep 9, 2004
Fuel system
Filed Jul 30, 2004

WHEN DRIVING OVER SOME DEBRIS IN THE ROAD, THE FUEL TANK RUPTURED. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10067300
Incident
Apr 5, 2004
Mileage
12,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 7, 2004

2003 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE SUDDENLY STOPPED DUE TO A MECHANICAL PROBLEM REGARDING THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SENSOR. (NAR) *PH *CB

NHTSA ID
10066961
Incident
Mar 13, 2004

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .