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1997 Dodge CaravanProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 714 owner complaints about the 1997 Dodge Caravan, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 7 safety recalls.

24
CarFlaw IndexYear to avoid3.1× the Caravan median · #5 of 32 years by complaints
Safety recalls7Free fix at dealersOwner complaints714120 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage95kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 30, 2022. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1997 Dodge Caravan has problems

714 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags15233
Power train1335
Engine and engine cooling12314
Electrical system9612
Service brakes, hydraulic667
Fuel system, gasoline5711
Visibility551
Vehicle speed control452
Steering401
17 other systems17323

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

7 recalls

1997 Dodge Caravan recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Air bags: frontal

Recall 02V-293 · Nov 7, 2002 · 1,500,521 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION WILL MANIFEST ITSELF THROUGH ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP, AND COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A DRIVER'S AIR BAG OPEN CIRCUIT, IF THE…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Seat belts: rear/other

Recall 02V-076 · Mar 8, 2002 · 545,311 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system

Recall 00V-268 · Sep 13, 2000 · 1,163,000 vehicles

Risk. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 3 more recalls
–no report yet

Foundation components: master cylinder

Recall 96V-215 · Oct 29, 1996 · 18,997 vehicles

Risk. AS THE HYDRAULIC FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DECREASES, THE LEVEL SENSOR WILL DETECT THE LOSS OF FLUID AND ILLUMINATE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Dodge.

Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Power train

10 owners mentioned a cost

$1,750median

Middle half: $750 – $2,126

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

1997 vs. every other Caravan year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Caravan median. How we score

'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1997 Dodge Caravan safety ratings

1997 Dodge Caravan in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

1997 Dodge Caravan frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
7 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1997 Dodge Caravan, and the recalls they led to.

  1. AIR BAG CLOCKSPRINGEA01007 · closed Nov 22, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-293
  2. INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUPEA97003 · closed Aug 19, 1998
    Led to recall 97I001000
  3. POST COLLISION FUEL SYSTEMEA99013 · closed Aug 10, 2001
    No recall
  4. REAR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONPE02004 · closed Mar 11, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-076
  5. POST-COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITYPE99010 · closed Jun 11, 1999
    No recall
  6. DC MINIVAN FUEL INJECTOR RAIL LEAKRQ00008 · closed Mar 18, 2002
    Led to recall 00V-268
  7. INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUPSQ96016 · closed Feb 4, 1997
    No recall
In owners' words

What Caravan owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISES AND SCRATCHES TO THE RIGHT ARM WHEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE…
Complaint 10533105 · Aug 1, 2013 · 39,000 miles
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH. ANOTHER DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND NO LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE…
Complaint 10268370 · May 11, 2009 · 160,000 miles
CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING 1997 CARAVAN CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY. *TS THE VEHICLE'S HORN FAILED DUE TO A FAULTY CLOCKSPRING. THE CONSUMER DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE'S CLOCKSPRING HAD BEEN RECALLED, RECALL NUMBER 02V293000. THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTICE. *NM
Complaint 10146411 · Dec 13, 2005 · 121,118 miles

Own a 1997 Caravan?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.