1997 Dodge Van problems & reliability
24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Dodge Van. 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 (6 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 4 | 17% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 17% |
| Power Train | 4 | 17% |
| Suspension | 4 | 17% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 13% |
| Tires | 3 | 13% |
| Visibility | 3 | 13% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 8% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 8% |
| Equipment | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 13 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I own a 1997 dodge voyager van and have been having constant problems with the ps, ac, and alternator belt slipping off, causing damage to the ps and alternator mounting brackets. At best, I have had to drive the vehicle home using the electricity from the battery to power the spark plugs and have not had ps because…”
Electrical System · filed Jul 1, 2008
“1997 dodge 3500 maxi van with tire failure due to defective valve stems. **cc the consumer's vehicle has had three tire failures, on the same vehicle, due to defective valve stems. The stem manufacturers are eha schrader and fha”
Tires · filed Feb 9, 2007
“1997 dodge caravan has severe strut tower corrosion on front drivers side. This has not failed yet, but could cause crash if strut comes through top of housing. *jb”
Suspension · filed Sep 20, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
12 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Dodge Van. 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
Condition with keyless entry (rke) transmitter batteries discharge prematurely. *yc
083997 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 28, 1997
Information regarding nhtsa authorized airbag deactivation for medical necessity. *nlm
0832097 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 19, 1997
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
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1997 Dodge Van in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
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 Van?
- · 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.