Most common 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan problems
Share of the 559 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Grand Caravan complaints by model year
Best Grand Caravan years: 2020, 2007, 2006. Years to avoid: 2008, 2016, 2005, 2010, 1996. Compare all years →
1998 Dodge Grand Caravan recalls (4)
Air bags
On certain minivans, the driver's air bag May become disabled due to a failure of the clockspring, which is located in the hub of the steering wheel.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly on all covered vehicles with 70,000 miles or less. For those vehicles with more than 70,000 miles, daimlerchrysler will offer an extended lifetime warranty under which it…
Air bags › Frontal
On certain Mini vans, the clockspring assembly May have been wound incorrectly during the vehicle assembly process.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly on all vehicles with 70,000 miles or less. An extended lifetime warranty will also be placed on this component for all affected vehicles, regardless of mileage.
Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system
Vehicle description: Mini vans built with 3.3l and 3.8l engines have fuel rails with nitrole rubber o-ring seals that can degrade over time. Fuel leakage from the underhood fuel injection fuel rail could result, increasing the likelihood of a vehicle fire.
Remedy: Dealers will install a seal on the vehicle fuel rails to prevent external leakage of fuel from the fuel rail crossover tube, should the existing o-rings continue to degrade. Owner notification began on January 25, 2002.
Child seat
Vehicle description: passenger minivans equipped with integrated child seats. The shoulder harness restraint webbing was incorrectly routed around the metal reinforcement bar on these seats.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the routing of the shoulder belt webbing and any found incorrect will be properly routed.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 6 possible defects involving the 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan:
Driver air bag clockspring failure
Complaints report air bag warning light illuminates, and this May be accompanied with a non-functioning horn and/or cruise control (if equipped).this is indicative of an open-circuit clockspring failure (results in non-functioning driver's air bag), similar to the failure condition that was the subject of daimlerchrysler's recall of model year 1996-1998.5 minivans (recall no.
Dc minivan fuel injector rail leak
There is no summary currently available
Post-collision fuel system integrity
There is no summary currently available
Post collision fuel system
Driver air bag clockspring failure
The driver air bag clockspring can develop an open-circuit condition resulting in nonfunctional driver-side frontal air bag, horn, cruise control (if equipped), and/or steering wheel radio control (if equipped).in its October 5, 2004 letter to NHTSA, daimlerchrysler stated that it will conduct a safety recall and replace the clockspring assembly on all my 1998.5-2000 daimlerchrysler minivans, built between March…
Air bag clockspring
There is no summary currently available
What 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan owners say
Engine & cooling all 134 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. While driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle's muffler became louder and the engine stalled. The vehicle could not restart. The contact stated that the vehicle had an abnormal fuel odor prior to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the muffler, fuel tank, and wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 156,563.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. While operating the vehicle, a knocking noise was heard coming from the engine and the vehicle hesitated when accelerating. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the failure was due to low oil pressure caused by faulty engine connecting rods. The vehicle was not repaired. Swantys Dodge (2494 south hwy 95, bullhead city, az) and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was 261,000.
Air bags all 104 →
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. While the contact's wife was driving 45 MPH, another vehicle traveling approximately 70 MPH struck the rear of the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The front passenger seat (the contact's seat) separated from the seat track. The contact struck the side door and was thrown into the rear of the vehicle. The seat belt failed to restrain the contact and he was then struck by the seat. The contact sustained injuries to the neck and back. Three occupants in the other vehicle were also injured, as the front passenger's feet went through the windshield and two of the occupants suffered whiplash. Medical attention was required for all the injured occupants. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene and the contact's insurance company confirmed that the vehicle was destroyed. …
I approached a red light hit the brakes. The car did not stop. I hit two cars and the median. The passenger air bag deployed nut not the driver side. I had major injuries including broken ankle, hand, ribs and breathing. I spent 3 months in the hospital.
Transmission & drivetrain all 81 →
The driver got out of the vehicle while in park, vehicle accelerated and hit a gate and some trash cans. When returning to the vehicle, it was still in park. Vehicle will be taken to the dealer on 6/25/2003.
I have experienced transmission problems with uneven shifting from the beginning of ownership of this Grand Caravan. The engine would rev up to a higher RPM than it should have before shifting into higher gear. Initially we were told that the car would adjust to the driver and thus accepted the explanation. There have been at least two different recent occurrences, when in gear, the car did not engage and seemed to be stuck in neutral. The third time, while moving and making a left-hand turn, the car slipped out of gear and into neutral, causing a very dangerous situation and put me in the path of incoming traffic. When I took it in for service, diagnostics indicated a transmission problem and thus needed to take transmission apart. Upon disassembly, it was determined that the gears had been ground off and not repairable and I was told this was no fault of anything I did. …
1998 Dodge Grand Caravan engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 22 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan a good car?
Based on 559 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Grand Caravan rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Grand 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 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan?
The engine & cooling — 134 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline › belts and associated pulleys. Next are the air bags (104) and transmission & drivetrain (81).
How many recalls does the 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan, the most recent from October 6, 2004 (air bags). 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 Grand Caravan?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2007 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2016, 2005, 2010 and 1996. See the full Dodge Grand Caravan years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 90,000 miles; 9% 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.