2016 Dodge Grand Caravan problems & reliability
998 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan, alongside 6 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.
11 complaints report injuries (13 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles were involved in 68 fatal crashes with 32 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 314 | 31% |
| Unknown OR Other | 240 | 24% |
| Structure | 227 | 23% |
| Power Train | 219 | 22% |
| Engine | 82 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 26 | 3% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 24 | 2% |
| Seats | 24 | 2% |
| Air Bags | 22 | 2% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 | 2% |
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 66,000 miles (middle 50% between 46,000 and 85,750 miles), based on 594 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The transmission on this vehicle has started to make a whining noise from the transmission which is consistent with the symptoms of a failing transmission pump cover under recall S44. If this were to fail while driving it can lead to a serious or fatal accident. I have not yet taken the vehicle in to be serviced as I…”
Power Train · filed Aug 3, 2026
“The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light remaining illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were…”
Engine · filed Jul 27, 2026
“The break calipers keep sticking and need to be replaced at least once per year. The stick and cause an awful black smoke. The last time they were replaced was almost a year ago to date.”
Service Brakes · filed Jul 6, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Sliding Doors Inoperative
Preliminary Evaluation PE21016 · opened Jul 9, 2021 · closed Jul 22, 2022
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
Preliminary Evaluation PE19014 · opened Sep 9, 2019 · closed Feb 25, 2026
Technical service bulletins
113 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan. The 10 most recent:
"Sliding Door Lock(s) Inoperable Warranty Extension X98 The customer may describe one or more of the following: ● Either one or both of the sliding door locks do not function. ● The door lock(s) emit a loud buzzing…
23-001-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 29, 2025
Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning…
S1408000384 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2024
LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.
9100229 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Suspected engine coolant leak.
S2307000002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 31, 2023
FCA Caribbean Warranty Bulletin ID-23-20 "Can / Am" Warranty Coverage - 594 / 595 / 596 WCC
93120 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 30, 2023
Warranty Bulletin D-16-03 - "Can / Am" Warranty Coverage - 594 / 595 / 596 WCC (Rev. B)
93023 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 30, 2023
FCA Caribbean Warranty Bulletin ID-22-23 - 2017 - 2023 (Current) Chrysler Pacifica (RU) and 2013 - 2016 Chrysler Town & Country/ 2013 - 2020 Dodge Caravan (RT) - Corrosion - Complete Hood Panel Warranty Claim…
93019 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 23, 2023
Warranty Bulletin D-22-17 - 2017 - 2023 (Current) Chrysler Pacifica (RU) and 2013 - 2016 Chrysler Town & Country/ 2013 - 2020 Dodge Caravan (RT) - Corrosion - Complete Hood Panel Warranty Claim Simplification (Rev. B)
93005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 23, 2023
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 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan has 6 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 2016 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 66,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.