Most common 2002 Dodge Caravan problems
Share of the 245 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Caravan complaints by model year
Best Caravan years: 2014, 2015, 2013. Years to avoid: 2005, 2000, 2008, 1996, 1997. Compare all years →
2002 Dodge Caravan recalls (4)
Equipment › Electrical › Radio/tape deck/cd etc.
On certain Mini vans, condensation from the instrument panel air conditioning ducts May drop through vent holes in the top of the radio and result in a short circuit that subsequently sends direct current to the rear speakers.
Remedy: Dealers will add a special tape to the top of the radio to prevent the potential of water intrusion. The recall began on January 31, 2005. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
On certain minivans equipped with 3.3 or 3.8l v-6 engine, the upper power steering cooler hose May split and cause a fluid leak.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the upper power steering cooler hose. This recall began on September 27, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
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…
Child seat
Vehicle description: certain Mini vans fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the owner manuals supplied with these vehicles do not indicate which seating positions are equipped with tether anchorages and child restraint anchorage systems as required by the standard.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with the necessary child restraint system information. Owner notification is expected to begin October 8, 2001.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 2002 Dodge Caravan:
Headlight malfunction
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation after receiving reports from consumers that their headlights would malfunction in various ways from flickering to complete non-illumination.headlight operation is monitored by the vehicle's body control module (BCM) and front control module (fcm).odi is upgrading this preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis (ea05-009) to further examine…
Speaker fire in the rear of the vehicle
On July 7, 2004, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation based on consumer complaints alleging an interior vehicle fire starting in the area of the driver side rear speaker.daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) informed odi that condensation from the instrument panel air conditioning ducts May drip onto the radio and into vent holes on top of the radio.this can result in a short circuit…
Power steering hose failure
Please see attached report.
Fuel tank leak
Headlight malfunction
Owner reports indicate allegations of improper headlight operation of one or both headlights.some report intermittent outage or dimming.many report that the condition is random; it sometimes does not repeat and lasts for a very short duration.
What 2002 Dodge Caravan owners say
Air bags all 59 →
I had purchased a 2002 Dodge Caravan se and immediately after it was back in the shop for repairs. I heard a noise in the window and the Dodge place told me it was nothing not to worry about it. Also I have made several trips to the Dodge place for the brakes (replaced 6 times ) , sliding door doesn't stay latched and always slides and hits my children while getting in or out of the vehicle, the drivers side seat belt comes undone for no reason (it wont stay latched), I had a flat and the tire jack broke while jacking up the van, I was stopped at a red light and all of a sudden my van just proceeded to go and I no control other than running in a ditch to stop, the van always drifts to the right when driving and dealer said it not faulty that's how its made to do, I had 7 sets of tires and the dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong with this vehicle , I had an alignment done 4 …
On 6/5/14 while driving down the hwy at 65mph a deer had bolted out in front of my 02 Caravan. I had reaction time with hitting my brakes until my brake light illuminated & my van continues sliding on dry pavement, I attempted hitting my horn but noticed the section of the steering wheel that the horn iss located was rock hard & could not be pushed in even the slightest. I ended up hitting the deer dead center of the front of my van, crumpled my hood, cracking my radiator, headlight assemlies, grill & cooling fans. My airbags never deployed. Since this incident my brake light illuminated just about every time I press on the brakes & come to a rest lasting 30 second or longer & will go off moments after releasing the pedal. Approx mileage 165, 000 road conditions were dry, daylight & 100% visibility.
Steering all 36 →
Something wrong with my gas tank, it always stops me even if it's halfway. The driver seat belt doesn't stay well. The holes where the engine always comes off and there's a lot of smoke coming out. The headliner is coming off and there's like a sand falling to my kids. The break is not that strong
Brought my 2002 Dodge Caravan in for a recall replacement on the upper power steering cooler hose , I left the dealership thinking my van was okay boy was I wrong the next day my van started pouring powersteering coolant on the ground and it made a horrible whirling sound , I contacted dealership an was told to bring in and I did but when I got at the dealership they acted like I never called and said they would not look at my vehichle , well I demanded a look before I left and was told there are no problems and if there were they would not cover them due to there stupidness that they dont have time and if problem still persists to bring back in a couple of days , keep in mind my power steering fluid is leaking horribly everywhere and that is what I was there to fix in the beginning because it would catch fire , so I took to another dealership and they told me that my rack n pinnion …
Electrical system all 33 →
I had purchased a 2002 Dodge Caravan se and immediately after it was back in the shop for repairs. I heard a noise in the window and the Dodge place told me it was nothing not to worry about it. Also I have made several trips to the Dodge place for the brakes (replaced 6 times ) , sliding door doesn't stay latched and always slides and hits my children while getting in or out of the vehicle, the drivers side seat belt comes undone for no reason (it wont stay latched), I had a flat and the tire jack broke while jacking up the van, I was stopped at a red light and all of a sudden my van just proceeded to go and I no control other than running in a ditch to stop, the van always drifts to the right when driving and dealer said it not faulty that's how its made to do, I had 7 sets of tires and the dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong with this vehicle , I had an alignment done 4 …
On 6/5/14 while driving down the hwy at 65mph a deer had bolted out in front of my 02 Caravan. I had reaction time with hitting my brakes until my brake light illuminated & my van continues sliding on dry pavement, I attempted hitting my horn but noticed the section of the steering wheel that the horn iss located was rock hard & could not be pushed in even the slightest. I ended up hitting the deer dead center of the front of my van, crumpled my hood, cracking my radiator, headlight assemlies, grill & cooling fans. My airbags never deployed. Since this incident my brake light illuminated just about every time I press on the brakes & come to a rest lasting 30 second or longer & will go off moments after releasing the pedal. Approx mileage 165, 000 road conditions were dry, daylight & 100% visibility.
2002 Dodge Caravan engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 21 / 18 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Dodge Caravan a good car?
Based on 245 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Caravan rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Caravan at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Dodge Caravan?
The air bags — 59 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the steering (36) and electrical system (33).
How many recalls does the 2002 Dodge Caravan have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2002 Dodge Caravan, the most recent from November 2, 2004 (radio/tape deck/cd etc.). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Caravan?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2015 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2000, 2008, 1996 and 1997. See the full Dodge Caravan years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Dodge Caravan problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 53,000 miles; 46% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.