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 2000 Dodge Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Vehicle was in motion- while driving along I heard and felt a loud noise (boom) from rear of vehicle-vehicle then swerved wildly out of control spinning around and taking down signs, mailbox-after looking at van it is apparent that the rear axle slid backwards in wheel well. While body is rust free, undercarriage has excessive rust in spring hanger area-van has been parked on pavement its entire life.
9/8/2008 I was traveling on ir80 & I must of swerved a bit & the van struck a dot paddle marker @ humboldt mile marker 45 in nevada. The van became engulfed in flames & overturned sideways at least 4 times. My mother & father parrished as a result of this accident, burned so much they couldn't recognize their gender. My wife & I escaped with her getting severely burned about 76% & I about 68%, we was transported to humboltd hospital then air transported to u of u burn center salt lake city utah where she spent about 7 months in ccu burn unit & I about 3 months. The marker post was uprooted & struck the undercarriage of the van & detached the fuel line then punctured the cross member & depositing the fuel line in the hole the fire started then we overturned with a series of explosions. …
My 2000 Dodge Caravan has a safety issue because part of the unibody (bilateral strut towers) are rusting from the inside outward. The driver side is in such poor condition that it will not pass inspection due to a safety issue. The metal is so corroded you can poke a pen through the metal on the strut tower located on the driver side. According to dealership, mechanics, used part distributors: "this is a known problem with caravans of this time frame ('96-2000). The daimler Chrysler corporation has even come out with a "patch kit" because of this issue although experienced mechanics recommend removal of struts and welding new ones in place. This is a costly fix due to being labor intensive. Regardless... After several contacts with daimler Chrysler consumer line, they are not willing to reimburse me for fixing this defect or for patching it. …
I bought the van used and nothing was noted about the strut tower on inspection however a friend of mine noted it within 6 months of me buying the car. As he was a licensed mechanic I took him seriously. The driver's side strut tower was rusting on the top where the bolts that hold it to the body exist. I continued to get worse and after witnessing a Dodge Caravan similar to mine literally fall apart while attempting to park I realized that I should get it fixed. I found junk yard to get them to cut out a strut tower off a junked Caravan and then found a good welder to replace the top of the strut tower which was the only part of the tower that was rusting. The top the tower was paper thin and when he showed me the piece he removed I noted that I could push my finger through the metal that was left. …
Just purchased 2000 Dodge Caravan se and after purchasing I noticed rust-rotted holes in drivers side shock tower top. I can't safety it until repaired. I read on a car forum Chrysler knows of the problem with shock tower rust rot and supposedly have a TSB for it. But I know how hard it is to convince Chrysler to fix their manufacturing defects for free. The forum also mentioned Chrysler sells repair kits for the rusted shock tower caps. But even their fix kit doesn't seem strong enough for a structural problem. They sell caps with screws and glue. But the forum says welding the caps is more structurally sound. Tomorrow, June 9, 08, I will call Chrysler to see if it's a free repair, which it should be because it's a safety issue. I would like to know who I can contact here in Canada and find out about any other TSB's for this van. Thanks.
2000 Dodge Caravan. Driver side strut cap rusted through. This is not a normal rust pattern. Still have a 95 Caravan and strut caps are perfect. The rust is such that a good bump could poke the strut through the cap and through the windshield also causing loss of steering control. This is a dangerous safety issue that has not been recalled. Again, this is not a normal rust pattern and Dodge is aware of the problem having created replacement caps which are not installed under warranty. Dodge however refuses responsibility for a manufacturer defect and steers customers to body shops.
I noticed serious rusting on the top of the drivers side and passengers strut towers. I read on a car forum Chrysler knows of the problem with shock tower rust rot and has a TSB for it. However, Chrysler will not fix this defects for free. Dodge/ Chrysler sells repair kits (caps with screws and glue) for the rusted shock tower caps. The repair kit doesn't seem strong enough for solving this structural problem. The forum says welding the caps is more structurally sound. I believe that this is a big safety issue due to a major structural engineering defect.
Strut towers rusting on 2000 Dodge Caravan. Vehicle began wobbling severely while driving on the freeway. Took it to a repair shop to find out that both strut towers are severely rusted. After researching the internet I found the technical service bulletin, which states this is a cosmetic repair! This is unbelievable! The strut tower is completely rusted and hardly anything is holding it in place. Thousands of vehicles have been affected, but there has been no recall? Dodge should be repairing this for free.
Tl contact owns a 2000 Dodge Caravan. The contact noticed that the driver's side strut tower was corroded. The vehicle is currently operating properly, but the failure has not been diagnosed. The contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. The current and failure mileages were 234,000. Updated 01/07/09 updated 01/07/09.
200 Dodge Caravan I've had it for 9 years and the strut tower on the driver's side is rusted to the point of breaking. I found this out at my inspection, and needless to say I didn't pass inspection. A strut tower breaking would cause serious safety problem during vehicle operation, as it would be undrivable.
Related recalls
Structure
Certain pickup truck, van, and Mini van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by American technology components, inc. These units contain a courtesy light or lights that might overheat when the wire harness is exposed to excessive moisture and road salt.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these running boards. Owner notification began March 7, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
Body complaints in other Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2000 Dodge Caravan?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the body & structure of the 2000 Dodge Caravan, 6% of the model year's 470 complaints. The component named most often is body (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Dodge Caravan body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-094 (structure, Mar 7, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2000 Dodge Caravan body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 111,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 1 fire and 5 injuries and 3 deaths 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.