Door Lock & Latch complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 | 1% | 56,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 1% | 71,000 miles |
| 2008 | 3 | 1% | 25,000 miles |
| 2007 | 4 | 5% | 57,000 miles |
| 2006 | 16 | 9% | 48,000 miles |
| 2005 | 203 | 38% | 65,000 miles |
| 2004 | 1 | 2% | 108,000 miles |
| 2003 | 5 | 3% | 53,000 miles |
| 2002 | 3 | 1% | 0 miles |
| 2001 | 8 | 3% | 67,000 miles |
| 2000 | 3 | 1% | — |
| 1999 | 8 | 1% | 90,000 miles |
| 1998 | 5 | 1% | 70,000 miles |
| 1997 | 10 | 1% | — |
| 1996 | 61 | 4% | 13,000 miles |
| 1995 | 22 | 4% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
2008 Dodge Caravan rear door the automatic door was beeping it was closing after I pushed the button. I dropped my keys and reached down to get them forgetting the door was closing. The door came down on my right arm just below the should causing a large bruise. The door continued closing after it hit me. This is the 2nd incident I have had with the van since I purchased it dec. 31, 2008. The other time it was a similar incident I dropped something and the door hit me quite hard in the head and did not stop closing. I believe the door should stop closing if something gets between it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caravan. The vehicle was parked when the contact engaged the key fob to close the rear driver side sliding door. The door began to close but then stopped and began to open involuntarily. The contact stated it took numerous attempts before the door fully closed and the failure would recur intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer but the contact did not have the failure diagnosed and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 61,000. Updated 06/01/11 updated 06/02/11
Tl contact owns a 2007 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated that the air conditioner did not blow cool air when the vehicle was purchased. She waited two weeks to return to the dealer because she thought it was due to the vehicle being new. The dealer installed a new compressor. After the repair was made, the air conditioner worked properly in the front of the vehicle, but not in the rear. The contact took the vehicle back to the dealer and they adjusted the air conditioning system and stated that it should be working properly now. On September 5, 2007, the vehicle was retrieved from the dealer and the air conditioning is currently working properly. However, the tire pressure monitoring lamp remains illuminated. The contact also stated that the front passenger side door lock was not working inside the vehicle. …
Tl contact owns a 2007 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated that the door locks constantly failed to lock. He took the vehicle to the dealer and paid $400 to have the issue repaired. He then heard a strange noise while driving various speeds. He took the vehicle to an auto repair shop and they offered to repair the ABS for $1,500. In addition, the contact experienced difficulty shifting from first into second gear. The manufacturer has not been notified. The current mileage was approximately 59,000 and failure mileage was approximately 57,000. Updated 12/11/08 updated 12/11/08.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Dodge Caravan sxt. While the vehicle was parked and while driving the contact was unable to lock both side cargo doors or open them by using the remote. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who stated that the wiring needed to be replaced in both doors. The doors had to be locked and unlocked manually. The passenger side front windows also would not open. She stated that the radiator was leaking fluid. The estimated repair cost was $1,000. The contact was unable to provide a VIN. The vehicle was being repaired when the complaint was filed. The approximate failure mileage was 47,800. The current mileage was 48,500.
Sliding power doors and locks not working on 2006 Dodge Caravan. Power door drive mechanism causes door to become heavy or impossible to operate manually. Doors will work electronically as normal. Door lock actuator not working. Will not lock with key fob or door switch must be operated manually. Will not lock automatically at 15 MPH with other doors. Dealer replaced door motors 2 times. Door lock mechanism not replaced yet. Defective opener motors not allowing manual use could cause entrapment. Door lock not activating automatically could also pose entrapment risk .
My wife, 2 young sons, and I went out to spend the afternoon running errands. When we left our home, the door locks worked with the keyless entry system as well as with the switches inside the car. After making our second stop of the afternoon, my wife noticed that the door locks were no longer functioning. They failed to work via key chain, switch, or speedometer override (when car reaches 20 MPH). Compounding the issue, the Caravan only has one outside door lock, which means the car can only be manually unlocked at the driver side door. The remaining doors must be unlocked from the inside. This means that someone must climb throughout the vehicle's interior to let other passengers in. …
2005 Dodge Caravan has approximately 65,00 miles and the automatic door locks stopped working. The remote would cause the lights to flash and the horn to sound as if the doors locked but they did not. The door lock buttons inside the van did not work, nor did they lock automatically when reaching 20mph. I did a scan of the OBD ii connector and no fault codes came up. So I figured it was something simple like a fuse. I checked the fuse/relay and it was good. As soon as I replaced the fuse they started working again. I took it to a dealer for a recall on the front impact sensors which I had to make an appointment for. I asked the dealer about the door locks and they said to bring it in when they are not working, so they could check it out (for a diagnostics charge of $120). The service guy did state that it probably needed a "software update". …
Related recalls (1)
Latches/locks/linkages › Hatchback/liftgate › Lock
On certain minivans, the power liftgate (plg) latch May not engage the striker allowing the liftgate to open while driving.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the power liftgate control module free of charge. The recall began April 26, 2005. Owners May contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Caravan years have door lock & latch problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2005 (203), 1996 (61), 1995 (22), 2006 (16) and 1997 (10) model years. Door Lock & Latch complaints make up 38% of all complaints for the 2005.
Is there a recall for Dodge Caravan door lock & latch problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 05V-134 (lock, Apr 6, 2005). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Caravan door lock & latch problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles; 32% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the doors › latch (114 mentions), followed by the hatchback/liftgate › lock (12).
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.