Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Dodge Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My 1998 Dodge Caravan (current mileage 108,000 miles) has severe corrosion around the top to the driver's side strut tower. It was first noticed by a mechanic last summer, but has since accelerated quickly and looks like a safety risk should the tower collapse into the engine compartment. I am concerned about any sudden failure. There is very mild corrosion in the same top area of the other strut tower. I was told by a Dodge dealer in st. Paul that Chrysler was covering all or portions of select tower repairs. When I contacted Chrysler today I was advised that this problem was not a subject of recall and, therefore, not covered whatsoever. I did find considerable info on this problem at an internet site called allpar.com which was quite helpful.
I own a 1998 Dodge Caravan 3.3l and less than 55,000 miles, the tensioner pulley went out of alignment, the bolt holding the tensioner in place was sheared in half, the belt fell off, and the steering locked up immediately. Thank god this happen in the shopping mall parking lot and not on freeway, the van be impossible to control! Have the van towed to c&m auto service, have the serpentine belt, the serpentine belt tensioner replaced and re-align the tensioner. The belt/pulley design on this van is flawed and a major safety hazard! In brazil, Chrysler did a recall back in 2000 - due to several issues related to belt/pulley system on the Caravan and grand Caravan models.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle swerved to the right lane independently. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered corrosion throughout the frame. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.
1998 Dodge Caravan strut tower is rusting through on passenger side. We had taken the vehicle in for front brake servicing and the mechanic informed us of the strut issue. He said this could cause steering and brake failure. If the problem is not corrected and the tower collapses while driving we will loose control of the steering and possible brakes.
I took my vehicle in for an inspection and the mechanic informed me that the upper strut towers on my 19998 Dodge Caravan are rusting through causing possible steering and brake failure. I was told if the problem is not corrected and the tower collapses while drive I will loose total control of steering and possible brakes.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Dodge grand Caravan. The contact stated that the strut that secured the wire to the wheels and other structures had rusted under the hood. The contact had not called the dealership or the manufacturer at the time of the complaint. The failure and current mileages were 200,000.
My 1998 Dodge van was in to my local dealer for some general service. I asked the mechanic about the considerable rust around the top of the driver side strut. He said that it had been a problem with some vans and that a service bulletin had been issued regarding. If the strut were to go break through the rusted cap it could cause an accident if not least major damage at highway speed. He printed me a copy of the Chrysler service bulletin no. 23-044-02. A web search should considerable results on the bulletin number. I called Chrysler customer service and spoke with rep# hm494. I first told the bulletin didn't exist, then when I demanded she search under the bulletin number she told me it didn't apply to my vehicle. The bulletins clearly states 1996-2000 ns town&country/voyger/Caravan. Hm494 then stated that service bulletins were only for technicians and mechanics. …
Dt: front suspension: strut rusted. There is noise in the front suspension, but the consumer is not sure if this was related to the corroded struts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they said that the struts should be replaced within a couple of months. The dealer was going to charge the consumer to fix the vehicle. The consumer talked to other people with similar problems. The rust was on top of the strut tower which was weakening the structure so that the strut spring began to protrude through the support.
After getting into vehicle and locking driver and passenger power doors, consumer was unable to unlock manually. Contacted dealer. Consumer stated the doors will only unlock and lock electronically, once the doors lock while driving, consumer can not open doors with her hands or manually lift up the locks, doors will not unlock with keys.
Both strut towers on my 1998 Caravan have rusted out to the point of failure. Speaking to many Caravan owners and going to many sites this problem seems to be very common on these vehicles. Why does Chrysler not have to be responsible to all these vehicle owners or the ones that might be involved in a collision due to this built in defect?
Body complaints in other Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 1998 Dodge Caravan?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the body & structure of the 1998 Dodge Caravan, 4% of the model year's 629 complaints. The component named most often is body › door (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Dodge Caravan body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 1998 Dodge Caravan, though it has 5 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 1998 Dodge Caravan body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 135,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to body & structure 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.