2003 Dodge Caravan problems
Owners have filed 252 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Dodge Caravan. Steering is the most reported problem area, at 17% of complaints. After that come brakes (16%) and electrical system (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 252 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Steering 18% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 16 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 30 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 40,000 miles 181 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 57 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 33 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 40 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 21 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 9 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 9 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 2 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 2 |
| 200k+ miles | 3 |
What the data shows
Among the 181 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 40,000 miles. For steering specifically, the median reported mileage is about 35,000 miles (35 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 16 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 30 injuries reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 14th most-complained-about out of 26 model years of the Dodge Caravan with enough data (196 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge grand caravan. The driver of the vehicle was a quadriplegic who had a wheelchair installed in the vehicle by manufacturers named independent driving vehicle. Braun, another manufacturer helped to produce vehicle equipment that would allow the driver to sit in a wheelchair while driving. The vehicle crashed after hitting a curb and driving over an entrapment. As a result, the driver (the quadriplegic) was killed. A police report was filed.
During head on accident, car's air bag broke drivers right arm and shattered wrist. Other three passengers and drivers suffered broken right foot and several bruises.
On november 2, 2006 my wife (7 months pregnant) was hit head on by another sedan. She was driving a 2003 dodge caravan. I believe that air bags deployment and vehicle design may have been the cause of serious broken arms/wrist and foot. In addition to wife's injuries, three other passengers also suffered broken limbs and shoulders.
The rear passenger side seat lunged forward. As a result, consumer sustained a concussion and a black eye. The seat was left reclined by the owner's daughter before incident occurred. As consumer tried to retrieve some items from the rear driver side, consumer leaned across the seat and pulled the lever to raise it from the reclined position. As the seat lunged forward, it hit the consumer's head forcing it to hit the handle of the front passenger seat.
Took my 2003 dodge caravan in for an oil changes and was informed by the dealership (after hearing a knocking noise) that the followings things need to be replaced on the van that on has 51,000 miles on it: steering rack and front sway bar bushings along with the alternator and belt.