The 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 2,864,518 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 857 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
AIR BAGS02V2930002002-11-071,500,521 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN WOUND INCORRECTLY DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.
Consequence
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 PART IS NOT REPLACED IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY ON ALL VEHICLES WITH 70,000 MILES OR LESS. AN EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTY WILL ALSO BE PLACED ON THIS COMPONENT FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL ALSO REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE CLOCKSPRING REPLACED ON THEIR VEHICLES. …
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.
Consequence
FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SEAL ON THE VEHICLE FUEL RAILS TO PREVENT EXTERNAL LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER TUBE, SHOULD THE EXISTING O-RINGS CONTINUE TO DEGRADE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2002. DUE TO THE LARGE QUANTITY OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, THE OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE…
CHILD SEAT98V1850001998-08-06157,000 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
THIS CAN CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN RELEASING A CHILD FROM THE RESTRAINT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL CLEAN THE LATCH MECHANISM. AN EXTENDER WILL BE ADDED TO THE EMERGENCY RELEASE ANCHOR FOR THE CHILD SEAT SAFETY BELTS SO THAT THE RELEASE CLIPS ARE MORE VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE OPERATOR IN THE EVENT THAT THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM CAN NOT BE UNLOCKED. IN ADDITION, AN INSTRUCTIONAL OWNER'S MANUAL…
TIRES97V2000001997-11-1325,000 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
SUDDEN TIRE FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF DRIVER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TIRES THAT WERE MOUNTED ON STEEL WHEELS.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC96V2150001996-10-2918,997 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
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 WARNING LAMP. CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED CAN RESULT IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. ADDENDUM (4-14-97): VEHICLES INSPECTED PER CHRYSLER RECALL NO. 707 AND FOUND TO BE OUTSIDE THE LISTED SUSPECT MASTER CYLINDER DATE CODE RANGE, MUST NOW HAVE THE MASTER CYLINDER PRIMARY PISTON REPLACED (CHRYSLER RECALL NO. 714).
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS
84
2crashes2injuries
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
61
2crashes1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
47
2crashes3injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
46
1crashes26fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
46
3crashes4injuries
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
41
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
36
1crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
24
5fires
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
23
8crashes1fires15injuries1deaths
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
22
Total complaints857
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“My van was parked out side luckys on mitalda near w maude avenue in sunnyvale ca 94086 I was using the water refilling station and started to smell smoke when I turned around I imideatlly noticed that the drivers side rear taillight was on fire. Not having a fire extinguisher I took the bottle of…”
“My van was parked out side luckys on mitalda near w maude avenue in sunnyvale ca 94086 I was using the water refilling station and started to smell smoke when I turned around I imideatlly noticed that the drivers side rear taillight was on fire. Not having a fire extinguisher I took the bottle of…”
“My van was parked out side luckys on mitalda near w maude avenue in sunnyvale ca 94086 I was using the water refilling station and started to smell smoke when I turned around I imideatlly noticed that the drivers side rear taillight was on fire. Not having a fire extinguisher I took the bottle of…”
“Car suddenly lost power while driving on the freeway at 60mph; engine remained on. I pulled over, turned off the car, and it started back up again and drove fine for about 2 miles. 'service engine soon' light came on. When it lost power again, I slowed and then tried to reaccelerate, and it drove…”
“Car suddenly lost power while driving on the freeway at 60mph; engine remained on. I pulled over, turned off the car, and it started back up again and drove fine for about 2 miles. 'service engine soon' light came on. When it lost power again, I slowed and then tried to reaccelerate, and it drove…”
“Car suddenly lost power while driving on the freeway at 60mph; engine remained on. I pulled over, turned off the car, and it started back up again and drove fine for about 2 miles. 'service engine soon' light came on. When it lost power again, I slowed and then tried to reaccelerate, and it drove…”
“Serpentine belt comes off while driving in snow causing loss of power steering on slippery road surfaces. Loss of vehicle control and ability to regain vehicle control was compromised by lack of steering assist causing the vehicle to leave the roadway. I contacted chrysler and they said there is…”
“Serpentine belt comes off while driving in snow causing loss of power steering on slippery road surfaces. Loss of vehicle control and ability to regain vehicle control was compromised by lack of steering assist causing the vehicle to leave the roadway. I contacted chrysler and they said there is…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA01007 Opened 2001-02-21 · closed 2002-11-22
AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationEA97003 Opened 1997-01-31 · closed 1998-08-19
INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP
THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT IDENTIFYING A SAFETY DEFECT AND OUTLINING THE PROPOSED REMEDY.RECALL NUMBER 98V-185 HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS SAFETY RECALL.
InvestigationEA97003 Opened 1997-01-31 · closed 1998-08-19
INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP
THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT IDENTIFYING A SAFETY DEFECT AND OUTLINING THE PROPOSED REMEDY.RECALL NUMBER 98V-185 HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS SAFETY RECALL.
InvestigationEA99013 Opened 1999-06-11 · closed 2001-08-10
POST COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM
InvestigationPE99010 Opened 1999-02-03 · closed 1999-06-11
POST-COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationRQ00008 Opened 2000-03-09 · closed 2002-03-18
DC MINIVAN FUEL INJECTOR RAIL LEAK
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationSQ96016 Opened 1996-09-18 · closed 1997-02-04
INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP
ODI CONTINUES TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING LATCHING/RETRACTOR MECHANISM PROBLEMS.CHRYSLER'S ASSESSMENT OF THE PROBLEM INDICATES THAT OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES ARE NOT ADHERING TO THE CLEANING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SEAT.THE SEAT APPEARS TO MALFUNCTION IF CRUMBS OF FOOD OR BEVERAGE RESIDUE ACCUMULATES ON THE LATCHING…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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