Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Dodge Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Dodge Caravan se. The contact stated when the vehicle is started, the air bag warning light would illuminate on the instrument panel and remain illuminated. In addition, the vehicle horn was inoperable. The contact received notification of a recall campaign (NHTSA campaign id number: 04V480000: air bags) which she believed was directly related to the failure. The recall letter advised a new clock spring would be installed in the steering column. The vehicle had not yet been taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. The contact stated the vehicle had previously been involved in a crash but there were no injuries. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 147,750.
Air bag failure: (allstate claim# 4706508639, policy# 099082579) both front airbags failed in my 1999 Dodge Caravan (4 cyc) in a collision involving multiple impacts, rear and front. My est. Speed was 35. Est. Speed of person who hit me from behind was 55. The person who hit me was inattentive and never applied brakes before hitting me. I had 6 teenagers in my vehicle at the time. I was hit 3 times from behind, which forced me to hit the truck in front of me twice. I suffered a contusion in the back of my head and whiplash. My daughter and 2 of her friends complained of pains at the base of their skulls as well. Her friends refused treatment. My daughter was sitting in front with me.
1999 Dodge grand Caravan had recall in 2004 to replace a clockspring, but dealer avoided this after customer's 3 or 4 tries in 2004. On 06-16-2010 when the vehicle was put in reverse, (all [redacted] broke loose!) the motor hit high revolutions, the steering wheel and the brakes immediately "locked" up and could not be moved as it traveled backwards and finally hitting and totaling 2 vehicles at over 50 MPH.note: since about 2007 a brake light has been on and the cruise control was not working.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Dodge Caravan. While driving at approximately 60 MPH, the engine stalled and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that the air bag and cruise control warning indicators were illuminated continuously. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.
Tl* the contact owns 1999 Dodge Caravan. The contact was driving 35 MPH when both the driver and passenger side air bags deployed. The failure caused the contact to crash into a curb. The contact sustained injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to the contact's residence. The manufacturer was contacted and advised that the VIN did not fall under NHTSA campaign id number:04V480000(air bags). The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or repaired. The failure and current mileages were 170,000.
Vehicle was making a left turn into an intersection and was hit in the front on driver's side quarter panel. Owner was driving at approximately 20 MPH while the oncoming vehicle was going at approximately 60 MPH. Upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. Owner contacted the manufacturer, and was informed that only if the vehicle was hit in a certain spot will the air bags deploy. Owner sustained injuries, and was taken for emergency treatment. Also, the van was totaled.
While driving at 35 MPH air bag warning light came on ,and the horn failed to work. Also, cruise control did not work. A recall was issued on clock spring affecting earlier models. Recall campaign; NHTSA campaign id number : 04V480000. For the air bag. The consumer stated that she was in a car accident and the air bags did not deploy. The consumer submitted paperwork on a reimbursement for the clock spring repair.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Dodge Caravan. While driving 40 MPH, the front passenger side tire blew out. The contact lost control of the vehicle and struck a telephone pole. The air bags failed to deploy. The weather conditions were clear. The contact was injured and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop. The failure mileage was 58,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was constantly illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V480000 (air bags). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
Dt: the contact received a recall letter in 11-04 regarding the air bag light staying on. She took the car to the dealership to have the recall repairs done in 11-04. The dealership told her recall repairs could not be done because they could not get the steering wheel off. They would order a new steering wheel and notify her when it came in. Six months later they still have not notified her of a new steering wheel. The contact took the car back to the dealership, and they told her they would have to break the steering wheel in order to perform the recall. Work. A serviceman at the dealership told her she would not have to pay for a new steering wheel. However, he was no longer there , and now they were telling her that she will have to pay for a new steering wheel, but not for recall repair work. Updated 11/29/2005 -
Related recalls
Air bags
On certain minivans, the driver's air bag May become disabled due to a failure of the clockspring, which is located in the hub of the steering wheel.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly on all covered vehicles with 70,000 miles or less. For those vehicles with more than 70,000 miles, daimlerchrysler will offer an extended lifetime warranty under which it…
NHTSA investigations
Driver air bag clockspring failure
Complaints report air bag warning light illuminates, and this May be accompanied with a non-functioning horn and/or cruise control (if equipped).this is indicative of an open-circuit clockspring failure (results in non-functioning driver's air bag), similar to the failure condition that was the subject of daimlerchrysler's recall of model year 1996-1998.5 minivans (recall no.
Driver air bag clockspring failure
The driver air bag clockspring can develop an open-circuit condition resulting in nonfunctional driver-side frontal air bag, horn, cruise control (if equipped), and/or steering wheel radio control (if equipped).in its October 5, 2004 letter to NHTSA, daimlerchrysler stated that it will conduct a safety recall and replace the clockspring assembly on all my 1998.5-2000 daimlerchrysler minivans, built between March…
Airbag complaints in other Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1999 Dodge Caravan?
NHTSA has 119 complaints about the air bags of the 1999 Dodge Caravan, 21% of the model year's 555 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (30 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Dodge Caravan airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 04V-480 (air bags, Oct 6, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Dodge Caravan airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 24 crashes, 0 fires and 21 injuries to air bags 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.