1997 Dodge Caravan problems & reliability
714 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Dodge Caravan, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
39 complaints report injuries (54 injured, 4 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 152 | 21% |
| Power Train | 133 | 19% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 123 | 17% |
| Electrical System | 96 | 13% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 66 | 9% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 57 | 8% |
| Visibility | 55 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 45 | 6% |
| Steering | 40 | 6% |
| Equipment | 22 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 94,500 miles (middle 50% between 67,831 and 125,187 miles), based on 112 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I know it's my solenoid my vehicle won't go out of 2 gear. My name is [XXX].[XXX] my number is [XXX]. I'm not sure if anything can be done being the vehicle is so old but I thought I'd give it a try. Email is [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”
Unknown OR Other · filed Jul 30, 2022
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. While driving approximately 35 mph, the engine shut down without warning. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road and restarted after a few minutes. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the failure was due to electrical failures within the…”
Electrical System · filed Mar 11, 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge caravan. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the radio stop working and the windshield wipers activated independently. In addition, the check engine, air bag and battery warning lights would illuminate and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or…”
Electrical System · filed Sep 22, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- REAR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION
Preliminary Evaluation PE02004 · opened Jan 16, 2002 · closed Mar 11, 2002 · led to recall 02V076000
- AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING
Engineering Analysis EA01007 · opened Feb 21, 2001 · closed Nov 22, 2002 · led to recall 02V293000
- DC MINIVAN FUEL INJECTOR RAIL LEAK
Recall Query RQ00008 · opened Mar 9, 2000 · closed Mar 18, 2002 · led to recall 00V268000
- POST COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM
Engineering Analysis EA99013 · opened Jun 11, 1999 · closed Aug 10, 2001
- POST-COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY
Preliminary Evaluation PE99010 · opened Feb 3, 1999 · closed Jun 11, 1999
- INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP
Engineering Analysis EA97003 · opened Jan 31, 1997 · closed Aug 19, 1998 · led to recall 98V185000
- INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP
Investigation SQ96016 · opened Sep 18, 1996 · closed Feb 4, 1997
Technical service bulletins
136 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Dodge Caravan. The 10 most recent:
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…
08-049-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 22, 2020
Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
3100519 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
3100319 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
3100619 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
31-005-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
31-003-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
31-006-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Valve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
R2118796A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 26, 2016
Child Seat Tether Anchor Installation This bulletin describes procedures to install Child Seat Tether Anchors based on Customer Request. Retrofits are subject to part availability. Vehicles in the following list that…
23-014-15 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 23, 2015
Snow/water ingestion into rear brake drum. *kb
0500106A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 23, 2006
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1997 Dodge Caravan has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Dodge Caravan?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 94,500 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.