Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Wife was driving 96 Grand Caravan le to college in the rain. When she arrived in the parking lot steering became impossible to turn so she pulled it straight into parking spot. Looked underneath and saw belt had come off. This happened once before but car was parked in driveway at home. As she started to reverse out of driveway steering became tough and car would not move. It was also raining at this time. This happened early January 2011. Around March 2010, again while it was raining, as my wife approached a stop sign the car began to become unresponsive and she had to guide it to the side. Since it was blocking the road police did come by and help push if off the road until the tow truck came to take it to the garage. New belt, idler pulley and tensioner was installed by mechanic. The most recent incident (April 2011) pulley and tensioner was replaced. …
Camshaft on 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan failed (broke into two pieces) while driving down the ohio turnpike with family (two young children) in the van - failure of all power assist and foward motion (other than coasting) was immediate. The vehicle was in the middle lane at the time and if the road had been busier the potential exisited for a major accident and possible injury/death. The vehicle had approximately 98,100 miles on it at the time (3.3l engine). This failure May be related to Chrysler TSB 09-008-01 which discusses camshaft failure with camshaft bearing wear. I would like to see daimler/Chrysler "step up to the plate" on the potentially dangerous situation and correct the problem prior to the failure occuring. I will be contacting d/c to pursue reimbursement for the new engine as an event like this should not occur.
The serpentine belt that runs the car jumped off track the first Monday in October when it was raining. I first noticed my power steering went out. Then a few minutes later it over heated. So when I got under the hood to find out what the problem was, it was the belt it was not broken just off track. Had it fixed. The same thing happened again on October 25, 2003 some 3-4 weeks later. Again it was raining. The person who fixed it the 2nd time states that every time it rains and if I get water in my undercarraige it is going to pop off. This is very discouraging, I am the single mother of four young girls and I should not be afraid to drive my van when it is raining. Can someone please make some sense out of this for me.
1996 Dodge Grand Caravan - lifetime lubricated tierod end separated resulting in a loss of steering - the rubber seal deteriorated the grease was gone and the ball joint corroded to the point it fell apart - wife was parking the van at the time - could have been much worse she was 150 miles from home at the time less than a month later I saw another Dodge Caravan broke down on a highway right front tire not facing as it should - I suspect another tie rod end failure - now I know these bearings can be manufactured so they can not separate - aircraft rod end bearings come to mind - isn't a loss of steering a good enough reason to make a part so it cant fail?
Steering wheel locks after a 90 degree left/90 degree right turns, locks on second turn, causes loss of steering control, caused accident; also rear ABS brakes groan/vibrate, causing lack of braking power, decrease in stopping distance.
Consumer stated backing out of the driveway, there was a clunking noise, and the steering wheel became very hard to steer. Consumer experienced the same problem with their 1991 Dodge Grand Caravan - tensioner pulley.
Anytime it rains or water puddles on the street , if I drive over it the steering becomes extremely stiff and sometimes you can't steer at all. I have noticed that even a small amount of water splashes under the right front wheel (the serpentine belts' location) the belt immediately squeals and is difficult to steer. If the compressor is on either the air conditioning or the defroster, and water is splashed on the belt the vehicle ha little or no steering. During a right turn at a green traffic light water splashed the before mentioned area and I almost hit another vehicle in the other lane that was preparing to make a left turn! Is there any recall or some kind of panel that can protect the water pump assembly from water contacting the belt and thus leading to little or no steering capabilities?
I question the need for a new fuel tank I paid for - 594.31 parts and labor. The tank only leaked when it was full, and when I questioned the service rep, he replied that the "tank is made of plastic and can crack just from the sloshing of fuel." not a good reason. And now I have a recall for the same problem I described to the service rep. I thought the "known problem" with the windshield wipers was fixed when the dealer replaced a windshield that had been scratched by "impulsive wipers." not so. They still misbehave and I'm told it will be $280 to repair, out of warranty. Three rack and pinions right off the bat. I am told that this vehicle qualifies as a lemon - but I like it and just want to be treated fairly as to need for repairs and their cost.
While driving in the phoenix area making a normal left turn at a street intersection, suddenly my steering wheel jammed, so that I was unable to straighten up at the end of the turn and had to brake sharply and stop, else hit cars on the left waiting for their light! In the few seconds of this process I felt a "clicking-grinding" of what sounded like broken plastic inside the steering column housing. Had I been in heavy traffic or other circumstances, the defective part and jammed steering would have caused a serious accident with injuries or fatalities. Inspection showed a broken white nylon or plastic piece in the named turn-signal switch module, requiring replacement of the module. Part.
Dealer replaced the multifunction switch on three occasions and tightened nut for ground eyelet once due to windshield wipers coming on by themselves and not working properly, door ajar light would illuminate while driving for no reason, dealer replaced body computer, however door ajar lights continue to sound and illuminate, interior lamps would come on and off for no reason, interior lights would flicker, dealer found a bad contact in the drivers door switch and repaired it, dealer could not find reason for other lights erratic operation, car alarm sounds by itself, remote alarm and lock does not cause vehicle to honk to let consumer know it has worked, dealer reprogrammed remote.
Steering complaints in other Grand Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan?
NHTSA has 75 complaints about the steering of the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan, 6% of the model year's 1,157 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist system (25 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan, though it has 9 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 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering 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.