Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Dodge Caravan, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling135
- Power train103
- Air bags99
- Electrical system68
- Steering42
- Service brakes, hydraulic41
- Fuel system, gasoline39
- Suspension37
- Vehicle speed control33
- Exterior lighting31
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 37 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 Dodge Caravan failed the safety check 1.57% of the time — 8% less often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 148,465 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 11.7–13.3 L/100 km (about 18–20 mpg US), CO₂ 269–306 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caravan · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 13.3 | 9.7 | 11.7 |
| Caravan · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 14.3 | 9.8 | 12.3 |
| Caravan · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 14.3 | 10.7 | 12.7 |
| Caravan · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 14.9 | 10.5 | 12.9 |
| Caravan · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 15.4 | 10.7 | 13.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
5 Transport Canada recalls for the 1998 Dodge Caravan.
| 2004366 7 Oct 2004 | Airbag On certain vehicles, increased clockspring terminal resistance or a back-winding condition of the clockspring may cause the airbag warning lamp to illuminate. … |
| 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… |
| 1997235 29 Dec 1997 | Seats And Restraints The shoulder harness restraint webbing may have been incorrectly routed around the metal reinforcement bar in the integrated child seats. As a result, the chil… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MAY BECOME DISABLED DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE CLOCKSPRING, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE HUB OF THE STEERING WHEEL.
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: PASSENGER MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS. THE SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINT WEBBING WAS INCORRECTLY ROUTED AROUND THE METAL REINFORCEMENT BAR ON THESE SEATS.
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 1998 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 |
| 618049 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB |
| 616727 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 615694 | INFORMATION REGARDING UPDATES TO THE FUEL SYSTEM SERVICE PROCEDURES. *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
DRIVER AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING FAILURE
DRIVER AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING FAILURE
REAR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION
AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING
DC MINIVAN FUEL INJECTOR RAIL LEAK
POST COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM
POST-COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation