Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
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).
The contact owns a 1999 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the serpentine belt failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the serpentine belt needed to be replaced. The serpentine belt was replaced however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken back to the dealer a third time where the serpentine belt was replaced again however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not notified the third time. Additionally, The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 00V268000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that a friend had jumped his vehicle due to the battery had failed when gasoline started to spill onto the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 1999 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle failed to function as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the timing belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
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 a 1999 Dodge Caravan se. While driving approximately 30 MPH, smoke began to emit from the front end of the vehicle. The contact maneuvered to the side of the road and detected smoke and sparks underneath the hood area. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who stated the failure was related to the engine wiring harness. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Dodge Caravan. While driving 60 MPH, smoke appeared under the hood of the vehicle. The check engine light did not illuminate. The contact evaluated the engine and noticed that the oil was low; however, the low oil indicator did not illuminate as well. The vehicle was towed to the contacts residence and has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The failure mileage was 76,000.
Our belts sips off during wet weather"five times we replaced the "s" belt and the tensioners,waterpump,overheating our 2nd yr of owership.now the 3rd yr of transmissions leaking,the ABS light came on while driving at 35mph w/children in car ,starting to brake causing to slow way down in traffic and made a chime sound,the horn went off and it got hot fast causing the car to shut down. Thank god there was room to get over. All the lights were flickering all over the dashboard. The car just leaks everywhere,water,oil,trans. Something needs to be done about these cars. I cant even get mine smog because I have to keep unplugging my battery because now we have a short in the electrical system somewhere. I brought a lemon.....oh yeah! I called the dealer, they cant replace the cruise control unless the ABS light stays on. …
99 Dodge Caravan in repair shop to have 4th or 5th belt tensioner & 7th serpentine belt replaced loss of power steering rendered vehicle dangerous, barely avoided accident Dodge customer service denied any knowledge of problem with this part until, after second call & demanding to speak with manager, I directly asked: 'are there any publicly available notices, warnings, recommendations, etc, related to the 99 Dodge Caravan and serpentine belts or belt tensioner'. Finally, this 'manager' told me that there was a technical bulletin (available to repair shops, not car owners) which stated that the vehicle should not be driven in heavy snow (deepest snow it's ever been in was 3-4"). If the co. Had no idea, then why is there a factory-made part to correct it? And why is there no recall? Why is this information so difficult to get from the company, as their customer? …
My Dodge Caravan 99, stalls. I can be turning a corner, putting on the brake, slowing down and the car stalls. This has put me in very dangerous situations. My van has been at the dealership twice now. I had to ask for a monitor to be put on the engine to detect what was happening. This was not offered to me, but someone I work with had a Dodge van with the very same problem and they had a monitor put on theirs. Currently the van is stalling, I am pushing the button on the monitor hoping the problem will be detected. This is the third time the van has been in for this problem that they can not figure out. As someone I work with had a Dodge van, an older one, but same van, with the same symptoms it makes me concerned that my van has some kind of defect. …
I recently took my 1999 Dodge Caravan to my mechanic because of an anti-freeze leak. The mechanic found that the water pump needed replacement and suggested that the timing belt be done at the same time, since it was due to be replaced. I agreed to have the timing belt done. In the process of replacing the timing belt the mechanic found that the belt tensioner was faulty. He tried ordering a replacement part and discovered that the existing belt tensioner was no longer available and that it was replaced by an upgraded belt tensioner kit. My complaint is if Dodge found the need to change the design of this part why was it not made a recall? This problem ended up costing me an additional $245.00 in parts and labor to have this new belt tensioner kit install, not to mention a week without the car because of the part availability.
I have had repeated shredding of the serpentine belt on my 1999 Dodge Caravan resulting in loss of power steering and systems shutdown (including engine) during driving. This is a serious safety issue and I have read numerous reports of the exact same failure. Brazil has recalled the Dodge minivan for the same failures and Dodge has made a modification kit (2005) for this problem but refuses to date to post a recall in the united states. I have replaced the belts 6 times and the tensioner 3 times in 60,000 miles. I have called Dodge and they have refused to pay for the correction of the problem even though I had the last tensioner and belt put on at the Dodge dealership although they used an old style tensioner not the new kit even though the new kit had been available since 2005 and I had the tensioner replaced in 2009.
Engine complaints in other Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1999 Dodge Caravan?
NHTSA has 105 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1999 Dodge Caravan, 19% of the model year's 555 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline › belts and associated pulleys (34 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Dodge Caravan engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 1999 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 1999 Dodge Caravan engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 91,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 7 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.