Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Dodge Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
This is related to complaint 10090457. My 1997 Dodge Caravan has excessive rust at the top of the driver-side strut cap. Large chips of rusted metal can easily be removed with a screw driver. I would like to know if there is a risk in continuing to drive the vehicle. I bought the vehicle new in late 1996, and have kept it in minnesota since. The rest of the body has evidence of early rust that, in a couple years, will be ugly, but looks OK now and is typical for an 8-yr old car in minnesota. Chrysler has issued a service bulletin, which describes the problem as cosmetic, but they have also provided a repair kit. The kit uses epoxy to glue on a replacement cap, so that suggests the problem really is cosmetic. However, I have not been able to have it fixed because the body-shop manager at the dealership said the kit is out of stock. Is it safe?
Summary: control arm bushings replacement parts are on national backlog: wides-spread occurrence of this defect indicates the need for recall on these parts. Details: our Dodge Caravan is in need of new control arm bushings, however there is a national backlog for these parts and they will not be available for 4-8 weeks or longer. We believe a recall for this defect is a needed and fair way to handle this, as this defect is obviously so wide-spread as to be unmanageable under normal circumstances. We have contacted Chrysler directly and they have informed us that they will not take any corrective action. VIN: vb482644, mileage: 82,000.
Shock tower was decaying. Consumer watch tower strut rust to the point where the metal was ripping apart. Dealer looked at it and stated they would replace the defective part regardless of mileage on the vehicle. Consumer stated part is still on vehicle and available to look at.
Driver side strut tower in both of my Chrysler minivans 97 Caravan & 96 tc are rusting excessively. My 97 Caravan looks like it will break through soon. My mechanic claims it is a common problem with many Chrysler minivan's. The repairs cost more than the van is worth.
Dt*: the contact stated during a state inspection the dealership noticed corrosion on the front driver side strut tower. The vehicle was taken to a different dealer, which determined the strut tower needs to be replaced. The dealer is awaiting the replacement part.
The strut tower on the 1997 Dodge Caravan, that has only 85,500 miles rusted and needed to be replaced. After researching this problem I discovered that this was a common problem. Dodge admitted to a design flaw for the premature rusting strut towers. A tech service bulletin from Chrysler dated October '02 explicitly stated that all '1996 to 19'99 Chrysler vans Plymouth, Dodge, and Chrysler, had the problem with the strut towers. All of them will eventually rust from the bottom up. As I stated, the strut towers were defective in there design. Chrysler has a warranty part number 05086513aa but refuses to fix a known dangerous defect, because the van is over the 7 year, 100,000 mile, which ever comes first warranty. …
Steering: steering wheel vibrations, difficult to control, especially when breaking, and popping noises. Had to replace rack and pinion at 37,100 miles. Replaced lower control arm bushings at 54,354 miles. Replaced lower control arm joints at 59,421 miles. Tires: tires loose air pressure and go flat for no apparent reason intermitantly, resulting in the replacement of two tires. Tire burst while driving, resulting in replacement of a third tire. Door locks: intermittent failure of right side sliding door power lock. Will not lock/unlock with power control. Radio tape deck: tape player activated without tape in the deck. Unable to stop tape player. Required replacement.( dot number: tire size: p215/65r15 )
We bought this van one year ago and so far we had to replace both oxygen sensor, speed sensor, head gasket, water pump, the transmission is slipping, doors lock and unlock whenever they want not just the 16 MPH thing, ball joints are clunking, the cd player quit and then soon after fm radio only am works.
While using air conditioner it stopped without a warning of any electrical problem. A/C was replaced on warranty. The struts were leaking. The fuel sensor system failed prematurely and was replaced.
Snow build-up under front-end caused steering lines to leak leading to fire and damage to lower engine components. Only 6inches of snow on ground.lines positioned too close to ground.
Suspension complaints in other Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 1997 Dodge Caravan?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the suspension of the 1997 Dodge Caravan, 3% of the model year's 714 complaints. The component named most often is front › macpherson strut (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Dodge Caravan suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 1997 Dodge Caravan, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Dodge Caravan suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 95,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 6 injuries and 2 deaths to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.