2002 Dodge Caravan recalls and problems

The 2002 Dodge Caravan has 4 recalls and 245 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is air bags.

How the 2002 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 18 Caravan model years — 5th most.

4recalls

245complaints

13crashes

11fires

9injuries

52,500median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

4 recalls

Equipment

Nov 2, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V531000 · 238,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain MINI vans, condensation from the instrument panel air conditioning ducts May drop through vent holes in the top of the radio and result in a short circuit that subsequently sends direct current to the rear speakers.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, CONDENSATION FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AIR CONDITIONING DUCTS MAY DROP THROUGH VENT HOLES IN THE TOP OF THE RADIO AND RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT THAT SUBSEQUENTLY SENDS DIRECT CURRENT TO THE REAR SPEAKERS.

Risk: This could result in a speaker fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD RESULT IN A SPEAKER FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will add a special tape to the top of the radio to prevent the potential of water intrusion. The recall began on January 31, 2005. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Daimlerchryslerrecall no. D48.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Steering

Aug 5, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V386000 · 681,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain minivans equipped with 3.3 or 3.8L v-6 engine, the upper power steering cooler hose May split and cause a fluid leak.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH 3.3 OR 3.8L V-6 ENGINE, THE UPPER POWER STEERING COOLER HOSE MAY SPLIT AND CAUSE A FLUID LEAK.

Risk: Power steering fluid leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in an under hood fire.

Original NHTSA wording

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN AN UNDER HOOD FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the upper power steering cooler hose. This recall began on September 27, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Recall no. D37.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Structure

Mar 7, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V094000 · 3,674 vehicles

Problem: Certain pickup truck, van, and MINI van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by american technology components, INC. These units contain a courtesy light or lights that might overheat when the wire harness is exposed to excessive moisture and road salt.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCK, VAN, AND MINI VAN CONVERSIONS EQUIPPED WITH SOUTHERN COMFORT BUILT RUNNING BOARDS THAT CONTAIN CERTAIN COURTESY LIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS, INC. THESE UNITS CONTAIN A COURTESY LIGHT OR LIGHTS THAT MIGHT OVERHEAT WHEN THE WIRE HARNESS IS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AND ROAD SALT.

Risk: This overheating condition can cause the running board to melt or cause a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS OVERHEATING CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE RUNNING BOARD TO MELT OR CAUSE A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these running boards. Owner notification began March 7, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact southern comfort at 1-800-745-6096.

Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Child Seat

Oct 4, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V310000 · 52,649 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Certain MINI vans fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the owner manuals supplied with these vehicles do not indicate which seating positions are equipped with tether anchorages and child restraint anchorage systems as required by the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN MINI VANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE OWNER MANUALS SUPPLIED WITH THESE VEHICLES DO NOT INDICATE WHICH SEATING POSITIONS ARE EQUIPPED WITH TETHER ANCHORAGES AND CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS AS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.

Risk: In the event of a crash, the child seat May not be properly attached increasing the risk of injury to the child.

Original NHTSA wording

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CHILD SEAT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ATTACHED INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE CHILD.

Remedy & notes

Owners will be provided with the necessary child restraint system information. Owner notification is expected to begin October 8, 2001. Owners who do not receive the free information within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Engine22

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION

EA05009 · opened Jun 1, 2005 · closed May 2, 2006

Summary

OWNER REPORTS INDICATE ALLEGATIONS OF IMPROPER HEADLIGHT OPERATION OF ONE OR BOTH HEADLIGHTS.SOME REPORT INTERMITTENT OUTAGE OR DIMMING.MANY REPORT THAT THE CONDITION IS RANDOM; IT SOMETIMES DOES NOT REPEAT AND LASTS FOR A VERY SHORT DURATION. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION

PE05004 · opened Feb 2, 2005 · closed Jun 1, 2005

Summary

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS FROM CONSUMERS THAT THEIR HEADLIGHTS WOULD MALFUNCTION IN VARIOUS WAYS FROM FLICKERING TO COMPLETE NON-ILLUMINATION.HEADLIGHT OPERATION IS MONITORED BY THE VEHICLE'S BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) AND FRONT CONTROL MODULE (FCM).ODI IS UPGRADING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA05-009) TO FURTHER EXAMINE THE ISSUE.

SPEAKER FIRE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE

PE04049 · opened Jul 7, 2004 · closed Nov 5, 2004 · led to recall 04V531000

Summary

ON JULY 7, 2004, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION BASED ON CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING AN INTERIOR VEHICLE FIRE STARTING IN THE AREA OF THE DRIVER SIDE REAR SPEAKER.DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION (DCC) INFORMED ODI THAT CONDENSATION FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AIR CONDITIONING DUCTS MAY DRIP ONTO THE RADIO AND INTO VENT HOLES ON TOP OF THE RADIO.THIS CAN RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT SENDING DIRECT CURRENT TO THE REAR SPEAKERS AND CAUSE A SPEAKER FIRE.THE CONDITION IS PRESENT ONLY ON SUBJECT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE BASE RADIO.SUBJECT VEHICLES WITH OTHER OPTION RADIOS CONTAIN CIRCUIT PROTECTION THAT PREVENTS SENDING DIRECT CURRENT TO THE SPEAKERS AND ARE NOT AFFECTED.ALL NINE COMPLAINTS PERTAIN TO VEHICLES WITH THE BASE RADIO.BY LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 1, 2004, DCC NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA# 04V531) COVERING MODEL YEAR 2001-2002 DODGE CARAVAN, GRAND CARAVAN, CHRYSLER VOYAGER, AND TOWN & COUNTRY MODELS WITH BASE RADIO ONLY (EST. 238,000 VEHICLES).DCC DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE TAPE TO THE TOP OF THE RADIO ASSEMBLY TO PREVENT WATER INTRUSION.THE ACTION TAKEN BY DCC IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

POWER STEERING HOSE FAILURE

PE03012 · opened Apr 9, 2003 · closed May 29, 2003 · led to recall 04V386000

Summary

PLEASE SEE ATTACHED REPORT.

FUEL TANK LEAK

PE02068 · opened Sep 24, 2002 · closed Oct 9, 2002 · led to recall 02V274000

2002 vs. other Dodge Caravan years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2002. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2002 Dodge Caravan have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2002 Dodge Caravan, the latest from Nov 2, 2004 (equipment). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Dodge Caravan?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention air bags (59), steering (36), electrical system (33). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.