2004 Dodge Grand Caravan problems & reliability
116 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. 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.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles were involved in 17 fatal crashes with 12 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System | 25 | 22% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 14 | 12% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 14 | 12% |
| Electrical System | 13 | 11% |
| Steering | 13 | 11% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 11 | 9% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 9 | 8% |
| Engine | 6 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 5 | 4% |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 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 84,500 miles (middle 50% between 40,956 and 114,250 miles), based on 90 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, another vehicle crashed into the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The air bags warning light illuminated. The contact stated that her face hit the steering wheel. A police…”
Air Bags · filed Nov 22, 2021
“Sliding door locking activator failure prevents to door from being unlocked manually which is a big safety issue because rear passengers cannot exit them doors and therefore have to climb over the console and front seats to exit .. This is a big problem affecting all grand caravan and caravans with power lock and…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Mar 19, 2021
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated while driving, the vehicle overheated without warning. The failure occurred several times. The contact stated as precaution the vehicle was stopped to allow the engine to cool down. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer nor was the manufactured…”
Engine · filed Mar 26, 2020
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Engine Stall After Refueling
Defect Petition DP14002 · opened Sep 5, 2014 · closed Apr 6, 2015
Technical service bulletins
20 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan. The 10 most recent:
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…
9004275 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 22, 2020
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…
9004275 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 22, 2020
Disinfectant Solution Recommended for COVID-19
23-015-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2020
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
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 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — 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 2004 Dodge Grand 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 84,500 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.