Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Dodge Caravan, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags152
- Power train133
- Engine and engine cooling123
- Electrical system96
- Service brakes, hydraulic66
- Fuel system, gasoline57
- Visibility55
- Vehicle speed control45
- Steering40
- Equipment22
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 54 injuries and 4 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Dodge Caravan failed the safety check 1.12% of the time — 30% less often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 135,186 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 12.1–13.3 L/100 km (about 18–19 mpg US), CO₂ 278–306 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caravan · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 13.5 | 10.3 | 12.1 |
| Caravan · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 13.8 | 10.6 | 12.4 |
| Caravan · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 14.7 | 10.2 | 12.7 |
| Caravan · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 14.9 | 10.4 | 12.9 |
| Caravan · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 15.3 | 10.7 | 13.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
8 Transport Canada recalls for the 1997 Dodge Caravan.
| 2002201 6 Nov 2002 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the clockspring assembly may have been backwound during the vehicle assembly process. This could illuminate the air bag warning lamp and m… |
| 2002048 15 Mar 2002 | Accessories On certain short wheel base mini vans the D-pillar mastic sound barrier patch can loosen and drop into the rear outboard seat belt assembly, causing the seat be… |
| 2000215 3 Oct 2000 | Fuel System On certain vehicles equipped with the 3.3L or 3.8L engine the Nitrile "O-ring" seals used in the fuel rail may degrade over time and extended exposure to elevat… |
| 1998168 26 Aug 1998 | Seats And Restraints NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT. THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT SAFETY BELT LATCH MECHANISM MAY BECOME CONTAMINATED CAUSING THE SEAT BELT RELE… |
| 1997202 19 Nov 1997 | Suspension NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH P215/65R15 GOODYEAR CONQUEST TIRES MOUNTED ON STEEL WHEELS. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE TIRE BEADS ON THESE VEHICLES WERE C… |
| 1997107 5 Jun 1997 | Brakes NOTE: THIS RECALL SUPERSEDES RECALL 96-174 (CHRYSLER RECALL-707) THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER ON THESE VEHICLES MAY ALLOW BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK PAST THE REAR PISTON… |
| 1997097 7 May 1997 | Suspension NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH STEEL ROAD WHEELS. THE STEEL ROAD WHEELS MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIPMENT DAMAGED DURING THE MATCH MOUNT (WHEEL TO TIRE) PROCESS. A SCORE M… |
| 1996174 6 Nov 1996 | Brakes NOTE: THIS RECALL HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY RECALL 97-107 (CHRYSLER-714). THE MASTER CYLINDER REAR SEAL BETWEEN THE HYDRAULIC FLUID AND THE VACUUM RESERVOIR, MAY … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN WOUND INCORRECTLY DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, SOME TRIM MATERIAL CAN LOOSEN AND DROP INTO THE REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS BUILT WITH 3.3L AND 3.8L ENGINES HAVE FUEL RAILS WITH NITROLE RUBBER O-RING SEALS THAT CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME. FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE UNDERHOOD FUEL INJECTION FUEL RAIL COULD RESULT, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A VEHICLE FIRE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS. THE SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINT ON THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT CAN BECOME DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT WHEN THE SAFETY BELT LATCH PLATE BECOMES CONTAMINATED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH P215/65R15 GOODYEAR CONQUEST TIRES MOUNTED ON STEEL WHEEL. THE TIRES CAN EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN AIR PRESSURE LOSS WITHOUT WARNING.
THE STEEL ROAD WHEELS WERE DAMAGED BY THE EQUIPMENT USED TO MATCH MOUNT THE WHEEL TO THE TIRE.
THE MASTER CYLINDER REAR SEAL, BETWEEN THE HYDRAULIC FLUID AND THE VACUUM RESERVOIR, MAY NOT SEAL ADEQUATELY ALLOWING HYDRAULIC FLUID TO BE DRAWN INTO THE POWER ASSIST VACUUM RESERVOIR.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Dodge told its dealers about the 1997 Dodge Caravan: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635678 | CONCERNS WITH THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR LAMP ON INTERMITTENTLY OR CONSTANTLY. *TT |
| 634272 | FLASH PROGRAMMING FAILURE RECOVERY. *SLC |
| 634077 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *SLC |
| 632201 | SUBJECT REGARDING TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE HOSE CLAMP SERVICE. *TT |
| 632197 | SUBJECT REGARDING CAMSHAFT / BEARING SERVICE. *TT |
| 630800 | SNOW/WATER INGESTION INTO REAR BRAKE DRUM. *YD THIS BULLETIN SUPERSEDES 05-001-02 DATED MARCH 4, 2002. *TT |
| 628194 | EXPERIENCING A POP/TICK SOUND HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AREA WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. *TT |
| 625650 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 620914 | EXPERIENCING A SQUAWK / CREAK / GROAN SOUND FROM FRONT SUSPENSION WHILE DRIVING OVER ROUGH / BUMPY ROADS. *TT |
| 620066 | SUBJECT REGARDING GENERIC SCAN TOOL (GST), PUBLICATION NO. 81-170-00008 PROVIDED WITH THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO PROVIDE REFERENCE INFORMATION WHEN USING GENERIC SCAN TOOL ON OBDII VEHICLES. *TT |
| 620059 | SUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL YEAR JEEP LIBERTY. *TT |
| 619506 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST WHERE A LOW FREQUENCY HOWL / MOAN NOISE IS HEARD FROM THE REAR BRAKE AREA DURING LOW SPEED AND / OR LOW SPEED TURNS SUCH AS A PARKING LOT MANEUVER, WITH NO BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE APPLIED. *TT |
| 619122 | ON SOME VEHICLES, WHILE DRIVING THROUGH DEEP OR BLOWING SNOW / WATER, THE SNOW / WATER MAY ENTER THE REAR BRAKE DRUMS CAUSING RUST TO DEVELOP ON THE REAR BRAKE DRUM AND SHOE FRICTION SURFACES. THIS CONDITION CAN LEAD TO TEMPORARY FREEZING OF THE REAR BRAKE LININGS TO THE DRUMS. *TT |
| 618413 | INFORMATION ON SERVICE PUBLICATION UPDATES. *JB |
| 618049 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB |
| 616727 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 615691 | EXPERIENCING A CHATTER SOUND COMING FROM THE SLIDING DOOR POWER LOCK ACTUATOR(S) WHEN THE POWER LOCK FEATURE IS REPEATEDLY ACTIVATED. *TT |
| 615688 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 612610 | A CONDITION EXIST WHERE THE ROOF PANEL SURFACE EXHIBITS WAVINESS OR DEPRESSION(S) NEAR THE FRONT OF THE CHARACTER FEATURES OR SKID STRIP FOR ROOF RACK EQUIPPED VEHICLES. *TT |
| 612160 | SUBJECT ON THE CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *MJS |
| 610639 | THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS PROCECURES TO REMOVE WAVINESS OR DEPRESSIONS FROM THE ROOF PANEL SURFACE. *TT |
| 610635 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 610018 | A CONDITION WHERE A CLICK / RATTLE SOUND MAY BE HEARD COMING FROM THE AREA OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE THE VHICLE IS IN MOTION. *TT |
| 609998 | VEHICLE OPERATOR MAY COMPLAIN OF POOR AM RADIO RECEPTION. *TT |
| 609995 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A REVISED WIRE SPLICE PROCEDURE AND RELATED PARTS. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
REAR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION
AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING
DC MINIVAN FUEL INJECTOR RAIL LEAK
POST COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM
POST-COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY
INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP
INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation