2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Body & structure Problems

DRIVER SIDE REAR SLIDING DOOR STUCK IN LOCKED POSITION. MECHANISM HAS FAILED AND MANUAL UNLOCK DOES NOT WORK. DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED.

NHTSA ID

11402563

Incident

Mar 9, 2021

Mileage

142,000 mi

LEFT SIDE PASSENGER DOOR STUCK CLOSED. DOOR WON'T UNLOCK OR OPEN, NEITHER AUTOMATICALLY NOR MANUALLY. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY RISK.

NHTSA ID

11374665

Incident

Oct 2, 2020

HAVE HANDICAPPED VAN, A VMI NORTHSTAR CONVERSION .IMMEDIATELY VAN WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE STILL MOVING. BATTERY WAS DEAD IN AM 16HRS AFTER FULLY CHARGED BATTERY.3 BATTERY ALL DIE-BATTERY DISCONNECT USED STOP ABNORMALLY HIGH DRAINAGE . MANY BIZARRE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS, BATTERY DRAIN NEVER FOUND AFTER TRUELY ADMIRABLE EFFORT. RUST RUST RUST -SAND BLAST ANTIRUST-MORE RUST RUST RUST TO FRAME-TOLD BATTERY AND MALFUNCTIONS DUE TO A SHORT SOMEWHERE. ANYWAY RUST RUST SOME MORE.VMI ADMITS RUST VERY UNUSUAL SO MUCH SO QUICKLY.BUT SAYS NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE DUE TO SETTLEMENT BEFORE FOR RUST RUST AND MALFUNCTIONS.THOUGHT REPLACMENT VEHICLE WAS OUTCOME ,NOT 11K FOR ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS AND RUST-TOLD NO MORE ABNORMAL RUST ANYMORE BUT MORE RUST ANYWAY. GOOGLED "CONSTANT ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE" AND "RUST" AND GALVANIC CORRUSION MAIN RESULTS. NO LOCAL COLISION PLACE WILL "FIX IT" DUE TO LIABILITY WHEN BRAND NEW STEEL IS NO MORE RUST PROOF THAN MANUFACTUERS. ONLY VEHICLE USE POWERCHAIR SAYS RUSTED FRAME MAY DROP ME. DISTRICT MANAGER SAID RUSTS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN BUT I SIGNED RELEASE AFTER RUST TREATMENT-SORRY HE REALLY WAS BUT NO MORE LIABILITY FOR ABNORMAL RUST ADVISED NOT TO USE VEHICLE .SO THIS IS FOR OTHERS-THE VMI CONVERSION NICE IF FUNCTIONAL, MAYBE RUST FROM VMI CONVERSION PROCESS AS VEHICLE ENTIRE FRAME IS REPLACED BY VMI. HOPEFULLY JUST A LEMON BUT ITS VERY SERIOUS LIFETHREATENING AND VERY REAL, THE RUST MAKES SOLID STEEL SEAPARATE LIKE CHEESE SLICES. ELECTRICAL DRAIN CAUSE AND RUST CAUSE UNKNOWN DESPITE OVER 100 HRS OF WORK BY VMI ENGINEERS AND LOCAL VMI DEALER. WOULD BUY A HONDA OR TOYODA AND VERY BASIC MANUAL CONVERSION. IF ABLE GET SEAT COMES OUT AND JUST STRUGGLE TO GET IN. THE FANCY CONVERSION NOT WORTTH IT BETWEEN SO MANY UNKNOWNS. I COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT PRIVACY .ITS SAFETY FOR OTHERS .

NHTSA ID

11364708

Incident

Oct 16, 2020

Mileage

15 mi

DRIVERSIDE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT OPEN ELECTRICALLY. DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK MANUALLY. DOOR WILL NOT OPEN MANUALLY. PEOPLE COULD BE TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE BY DRIVERSIDE SLIDING DOOR NOT OPENING. *TR

NHTSA ID

11326948

Incident

May 15, 2020

Mileage

101,250 mi

BOTH REAR PASSENGER SLIDING DOORS WILL NOT OPEN. THEY ARE UNLOCKED (USING BOTH THE FOB AND THE INTERIOR MANUAL LOCK/UNLOCK). THE VAN IS ALWAYS IN AN OFF/NOT RUNNING OR PARKED STATE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN DOORS. WHETHER USING THE FOB OR MANUAL DOOR HANDLE, THE DOORS MAKE A CLICKING SOUND AND ATTEMPT TO OPEN (JERKS AND MOVES A NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT) BUT DOES NOT OPEN. THE DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED MANUALLY. I CARRY 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND ONLY 1 HAS THE ABILITY TO RELEASE HIMSELF FROM HIS CAR SEAT AND FIND A FRONT DOOR TO EXIT OUT OF. IN AN EMERGENCY THE 2 CHILDREN WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO EXTRICATE WITHOUT CLIMBING THROUGH AN OPEN BACK HATCH (IF ACCESSIBLE) OR OVER THE FRONT SEATS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T41910_DS866499 HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T41909_DS650359

NHTSA ID

11279526

Incident

Nov 12, 2019

Mileage

129,000 mi

DRIVER SIDE BACK DOOR QUIT WORKING AND CANNOT BE MANUALLY OVERRIDDEN. WE CANNOT OPEN IT AT ALL. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE IF WE ARE IN A WRECK AND THE PERSON IN THE BACK SEAT CANNOT EXIT THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THESE VANS I HAVE NOTICED. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE DIES AS A RESULT!

NHTSA ID

11195791

Incident

Apr 1, 2019

Mileage

185,000 mi

DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR STUCK IN LOCKED POSITION RENDERING DOOR UNUSABLE. 03/12/2019. CANNOT GET IT TO UNLOCK MANUALLY OR WITH FOB. PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT LOCK MANUALLY OR WITH FOB, RENDERING A SECURITY ISSUE. 01/01/2018. I CAN NEVER FULLY LOCK MY VAN. WE JUST RISKED IT UNTIL THIS DOOR WENT ON US. AFTER RESEARCH FOUND MANY PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11190118

Incident

Mar 12, 2019

Mileage

110,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE BACK DOOR JUST POPPED UP. EACH TIME, I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, AFTER A LEFT TURN. THE SPEED WOULD HAVE BEEN BETWEEN 20 & 30 MPH. THE DOOR HAD BEEN LOCKED. THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY "IDIOT" LIGHTS ON TO INDICATE ANY DOORS BEING AJAR. OF THE THREE TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED, ANOTHER ADULT WAS WITNESS THE FIRST TIME, I WAS ALONE THE OTHER TWO TIMES. I NO LONGER TRUST IT TO STAY CLOSED, SO I KEEP IT TIED DOWN JUST IN CASE. SHOULD I GO AHEAD AND SEEK REPAIR AS IT SHOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY. OR WAIT TO SEE IF IT IS MORE THAN JUST A BAD LATCH CONNECTION IN THE LATCH? THIS STARTED IN OCT. OF 2016 AND IS ON GOING.

NHTSA ID

10980891

Incident

Oct 26, 2016

Mileage

37,000 mi

REAR AND SIDE SLIDING DOOR WEATHER STRIPPING NEEDED REPLACED

NHTSA ID

10948366

Incident

Apr 14, 2016

Mileage

29,642 mi

REAR EVAPORATOR LEAKING FIRST REPORTED SOME ISSUE WITH AC @ 1285 MILES WHEN I HAD NO AC IN 2012 AND AGAIN IN 2015 SO THEY RECHARGED THE SYSTEM AND IT LASTED UNTIL 2016. I WENT ON VACATION THE NEXT WEEK AND THE EVAPORATED WAS MAKING LOUD NOISES. THE DEALER ASSURED ME I WOULD NOT END UP STRANDED IN FLORIDA AND THE WOULD REPAIR IT AGAIN UPON MY RETURN FROM VACATION WHICH THE DID ALL TOLD I STILL HAD TO PAY A 100 DOLLAR DEDUCTIBLE. ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE WEATHER STRIP REPLACED ON REAR DOOR AND SIDE SLIDING DOOR.

NHTSA ID

10948365

Incident

Jun 15, 2016

Mileage

39,741 mi

GAP BETWEEN DOORS LARGER THAN THEY SHOULD BE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT EXCHANGE THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST THE RT AND LT FRONT DRIVER AND SIDE DOORS. GAP STILL A BIT LARGER THAN OTHER VEHICLE ON THE LOT RETURN MULTIPLE TIMES TO TRY AND GET THIS FIXED OR VEHICLE REPLACED MILES 934, 1285 AND 1457

NHTSA ID

10948363

Incident

Jul 5, 2012

Mileage

934 mi

I HAVE CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS OUT OF THIS VEHICLE, SENSORS, AND THE VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTS REGULAR ON A STRAIT WAY, AND UP SLIGHT HILLS, LOSES SPEED ,EXTREME LOSS OF FUEL MILEAGE

NHTSA ID

10937073

Incident

Nov 15, 2016

Mileage

190,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

NHTSA ID

10917337

Incident

Sep 21, 2016

Mileage

82,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE DOOR PANEL STARTED MELTING AND SMOKE FILLED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF, AND THE FUSE WAS DISCONNECTED. THE SMOKE DISSIPATED AND THERE WERE NO FLAMES. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V234000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTERIOR OF THE DRIVER DOOR WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ID

10874538

Incident

Jun 10, 2016

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SLIDING DOORS CLOSED INDEPENDENTLY AND STRUCK A PASSENGER. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT A PASSENGER MIGHT SUSTAIN INJURIES DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000. UPDATED 3/13/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIFT GATE CAME DOWN WHILE SHE WAS STANDING UNDER IT. UPDATED 03/26/15*JB

NHTSA ID

10668953

Incident

Oct 14, 2014

Mileage

59,700 mi

IT SHAKES RATTLES , RIDES LIKE FREIGHT TRUCK NOT SMOOTH RIDING AT ALL AIR COMES AROUND ALL DOORS DUST ALSO , DOORS RATTLE LIKE THEY WERE NOT SHUT PROPERLY THE VAN WHISTLES AT VARIOUS TIMES SOUNDS LIKE COMING FROM MOTOR OR FRONT OF VAN UNDER HOOD SOMEWHERE MIDDLE SEATS DO NOT FOLD DOWN INTO THE COMPARTMENT AS SHOWS TO BE STOW A WAY SEATS IT REAL SHAKES BOUNCES LIKE NO SHOCKS ON IT NOT SMOOTH RIDING LIKE THE DEMO VANS I TEST DROVE AND IS REALLY LOAD ON INSIDE FROM OUT SIDE VAN FROM OTHER NOISES AND WIND I HAVE HAD IT INTO THE DEALER 2 TIMES FOR THIS I HAD LESS THAN 10,000 MILES FIRST TIME AND IT RODE AS IF THE VAN WAS 200,000 MILES AND OVER 10 YEARS OLD THEY STATED THEY FIXED IT BUT IT WAS NOT. IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE THE DAY WE BOUGHT IT DEALER SAYS IT GETS BETTER AFTER 2 OR 3 THOUSAND MILES OR FIRST OIL CHANGE BUT IT HAS NOT NOW IT HAS THE WHISTLE THING GOING ON BOUGHT THE VAN MAY 22 2012 PAID ALMOST $30,000. FOR IT EXPECT FOR THIS KIND OF MONEY IT WOULD RIDE SMOOTHER LIKE THE DEMOS I TEST DROVE I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN IT . A FRIEND ASKED ABOUT BUYING A NEW ONE LIKE MINE (SHE HAS HANDICAP CHILD) I TOLD HER TO BUY KIA INSTEAD IT WOULD RIDE BETTER . IT WOULD BE BETTER IF DEALERSHIP HAD NOT LIED ALSO THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO REFUND THE $900. EXCISE TAX IF I BOUGHT IT THAT DAY AND STILL HAD TO WAIT OVER A WEEK FOR THE DELIVERY TO DEALER BEFORE I GOT MY VAN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10586707

Incident

Jul 30, 2012

Mileage

500 mi

PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR RATTLES AS IF OPEN DEALER REPLACE DOOR PANEL DID NOT FIX SAID LEFT SIDE TAILLIGHT WAS CAUSE REPLACE IT DID NOT FIX SAID MANUFACTURER LEFT BRAKE CLIPS OFF BRAKE PADS REPLACE STILL RATTLES TOLD KNOW ITS MY IMAGINATION ALSO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS MASH GAS EASY TO MAINTAIN SPEED HAVE TO KEEP MASHING ALMOST TO FLOOR BEFORE ANY THING HAPPENS THEN IT DROPS DOWN INTO PASSING GEAR ALMOST MAKING YOU REAR END VEHICLE AHEAD OF YOU SOMETIMES ON TAKE OFF WILL START GOING THEN HESITATE CAUSING A POSSIBLE CRASH SITUATION DEALER SAID TRANSMISSION NEEDED COMPUTER UPDATE THIS MADE IT WORST PUT TWO MORE UPDATE STILL NOT SHIFTING RIGHT HAVE MADE MANUFACTURER AWARE HAVE OPEN STAR CASE WITH THEM STILL CAN NOT GET PROBLEMS RESOLVE HAVE PARKED VAN AT 15685 MILES I FEEL THAT ITS UNSAFE FOR MY WIFE AN GRAND KIDS TO BE IN ! I HAVE SEVERAL MECH DRIVE IT THEY SAY SOMETHING WRONG ALSO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10524177

Incident

May 12, 2012

Mileage

500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LIFTGATE INDEPENDENTLY RELEASED OPEN NUMEROUS TIMES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER THREE TIMES WHERE THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM WAS UPDATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

NHTSA ID

10523266

Incident

May 5, 2013

Mileage

14,000 mi

DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS MISALIGNED TO THE POINT THAT THE GAPS OUTWARD MADE THE DOOR APPEAR AJAR, WATER ENTERS EXCESSIVELY AROUND FRAME, HOWEVER DOES NOT ENTER INSIDE THE VAN. THE FIRST ATTEMPT ON 7/5/2012 BY THE DEALER WAS TO ADJUST THE STRIKE PLATE WHICH CAUSED THE BOTTOM OF THE DOORS TO BE EXCESSIVELY INWARD. I HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED TO HAVE ALL 4 DOORS REALIGNED NEXT WEEK. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED PROPERLY ? PURCHASE DATE 6/15/2012 CURRENTLY HAS 935 MILES. DEALER STATES IT IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND THAT THEY ASSURE ME THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DAMAGED DURING TRANSPORT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10464364

Incident

Jul 4, 2012

Mileage

900 mi