Most common 1997 Dodge Caravan problems
Share of the 714 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Caravan complaints by model year
Best Caravan years: 2014, 2015, 2013. Years to avoid: 2005, 2000, 2008, 1996, 1997. Compare all years →
1997 Dodge Caravan recalls (7)
Air bags › Frontal
On certain Mini vans, the clockspring assembly May have been wound incorrectly during the vehicle assembly process.
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.
Seat belts › Rear/other
On certain minivans, some trim material can loosen and drop into the rear outboard seat belt assembly, causing the seat belt to become inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trim with foam blockers and inspect and replace all 3rd row seat belt assemblies. Owner notification began June 3, 2002.
Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system
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.
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.
Child seat
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.
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…
Tires › Bead
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tires that were mounted on steel wheels.
Wheels › Rim
The steel road wheels were damaged by the equipment used to match mount the wheel to the tire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace all road wheels (and full size spare tires) with new wheels.
Show 1 more recall
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder on all affected vehicles. Addendum (4-14-97): vehicles inspected per Chrysler recall no.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 7 possible defects involving the 1997 Dodge Caravan:
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 tongue in thewell located between the child's legs.odi has 19 complaints of retract lockup.seven of…
Dc minivan fuel injector rail leak
There is no summary currently available
Post-collision fuel system integrity
There is no summary currently available
Rear seat belt malfunction
This investigation was opened January 16, 2002, based on seven reports alleging the third row seat belt retractors failed on certain 1997 and 1998 model year caravan and voyager vehicles.the reports indicated a tar like substance entered the retractor mechanism, thus causing the retractor to jam or bind.in this condition the seat belt is rendered inoperable, as the webbing cannot retract or be withdrawn from the…
Post collision fuel system
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.
Air bag clockspring
There is no summary currently available
What 1997 Dodge Caravan owners say
Air bags all 152 →
Tl 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 was destroyed and towed to a salvage yard. The contact sustained major injuries, including a broken nose and cheek bones, and also a shattered right foot. A police report was filed and pictures of the crash are available. The vehicle was not diagnosed. NHTSA campaign id number 02V293000 (air bags:frontal) was referenced. The dealer will be notified for more information about the recall. The failure and current mileages were 160,000.
Complaint received via e-mail. My vehicle was met with an accident on route 516, old bridge, nj. My vehicle was hit from behind by a school bus and pushed into a lamp pole. My vehicle is totaled as per state farm insurance. Both air bag failed to work. The driver and passenger seats collapsed backward instead of protecting our neck and body. The vehicle is with state farm insurance. Also, driver and passenger seats collapsed backwards, resulting in two injuries.
Transmission & drivetrain all 133 →
I know it's my solenoid my vehicle won't go out of 2 gear. My name is [redacted].[redacted] my number is [redacted]. I'm not sure if anything can be done being the vehicle is so old but I thought I'd give it a try. Email is [redacted].
We have had our vehicle since 1999 and have been disappointed with its performance. This is our third Chrysler/Dodge van and this is the second of the three to have transmission problems. The first had them at 37,000 miles and this one is having them at 71,000 miles. We were Smart enough to have an extended warranty for both vehicles, unfortunately, on the current van the warranty ran out last month...besides the poor engineering of the transmissions this van has had several problems with the tie rod and front end noise as well as going through front brakes relatively quickly (we do not drive it roughly and it is mainly used to transport our kids around our community approximately. 12000 miles or less a year since we have owned it.
Engine & cooling all 125 →
While parked at a stop sign the vehicle started to smoke. A fire then appeared coming out of the hood. 911 was called and fire squad came. Within 5 minutes the entire front of the car was engulfed in flames. Fire extinguishers were used but it could not put out the fire. Fire truck came and by this time the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. Firemen used water to finally control the fire. Fire restarted and had to be put out again and eventually the fire was completely extinguished. It was perhaps only 10 minutes for the fire to start, spread, and completely and utterly destroy the van. Because of the intensity, quickness of the fire, and the difficulty in putting it out, it appears to be a fuel related fire. I read that Dodge had fuel line "o" rings that could be defective and that could have been the cause. I called Dodge headquarters and explained the event. …
Dt*: the contact stated after being parked for 15 minutes the vehicle caught fire under the hood. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle has not yet been seen by a mechanic to determine where the fire started or the extent of the damage.
1997 Dodge Caravan engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Dodge Caravan a good car?
Based on 714 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Caravan rates avoid: 3.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Caravan at the same age. It is one of the Caravan years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Dodge Caravan?
The air bags — 152 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (133) and engine & cooling (125).
How many recalls does the 1997 Dodge Caravan have?
There are 7 recalls for the 1997 Dodge Caravan, the most recent from November 7, 2002 (frontal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Caravan?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2015 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2000, 2008, 1996 and 1997. See the full Dodge Caravan years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Dodge Caravan problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 95,000 miles; 21% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.