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 Grand Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that the shock support and the framing near the front of the vehicle was rusted to the point of corrosion. The contact mentioned that the springs were faulty and deteriorated near the shock support and the framing. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the support system on the driver side failed and the support brackets needed to be replaced in the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V480000 (air bags); however, the contact was not notified of the safety recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
A rattling noise when car in use, especially when power used from air conditioning and defroster. Diagnosis from Dodge dealer was a cracked flex plate. Transmission will have to be removed to replace part. 2 weeks prior to bringing the car in for repair the front end began to shake upon acceleration (especially up hill), felt very unsafe driving. Brought back to dealer they diagnosed the shaking problem to be the flex plate. Dealer replaced the flex plate at my cost, because it is no longer under warranty. Very expensive work because transmission had to be lifted. After repair the mechanic took it for a test drive. Remarked the rattling noise is gone, but front end shake remained. Re-examined car and said the frame was bent on the left side and that the car must have been hit and to call a body shop for repair. The car has never been in an accident. …
Rusting strut towers 2000 Grand Caravan. I noticed rust on the strut tower about a year ago. I sprayed undercoating on the top of both towers to prevent further rust. I inspected the tops of the towers this week. Both the driver's side and the passenger side tower continue to rust in spite of several layers on undercoating applied over the last year. As I was servicing the brakes I determined it was time to replace the struts on the front of the van. Knowing the towers are rusted on the top side I inspected the underside of the strut towers this afternoon. A crack has appeared on the underside of the strut tower on the passenger's side. I will inspect the driver's side tomorrow. After doing an internet search I have found the rusting strut towers to be a very common problem in both the us and Canada. The problem exists across several years and models of Dodge and Chrysler vehicles. …
I purchased a used 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan in 2005. At time of purchase the left front strut tower had no visible signs of decay. As time went on, the strut tower has began to rust completely through while the right tower is perfectly fine. I have found this is a common problem with Dodge caravans of this model year and if the tower fails, the strut can punch through causing catastrophic loss of control. I have a family of 5 and I am very concerned for their well-being. There is nothing wrong this vehicle other than the described issue I have mentioned here. For me personally, this a huge lawsuit in the making, especially if any member of my family is endangered. I am the second owner of this vehicle. …
The problem described herein is about my 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan. Over the past year I noticed some rusting at the left top strut tower. I questioned it at the time, but was told it was not serious. During the past week I was replacing the air filter and noticed that now over one half of the strut area was heavily rusted and had large cracks on one side. I took it to my local Chrysler dealer to see if the rust through warranty would apply, or if it was a common problem. The manager looked at it, looked up my warranty and said even though the time period is good until 12/2006 the mileage of 69700 was over by 9750 miles. He would not admit that this is a common problem and said it could be very dangerous, take it to a body shop for repair. …
There has been a leak into passenger compartment from top of hatch opening. Leak was hidden by plastic covering and not detected until noticeable smell, possible caused by mold. Water is entering through a faulty weld on each side of the upper hatch opening. Leak was additionally obscured because carpet is rubber backed. The underlying padding was soaked from the rear up to the middle row of seats. This has obviously been ongoing for a considerable time, but was undetectable due to it's location. The van is 3 1/2 years old but has only 31,300 miles. The welds should not fail in this short time. This is either a design flaw or a mfg defect. Many people May have this problem and not know about it. I have photos of the area where the water is entering. There is no specific date of incident, but I first noticed a small amount of wetness sometime last year. …
Dt: the contact stated there have been numerous electrical problems which resulted in the dashboard panel lights flashing on and off while driving. She took the vehicle to a dealer for multiple attempts to correct this problem. Also, there was a leak within the roof, resulting in damage to the carpeting. There is a slashing sound within the roof compartment after a heavy rain. The carpet has been replaced five times, and the television was replaced once as a result of the leak. Updated 11/30/2005 - glazed serpentine belt caused grinding noise when turning. The left middle seat head rest came loose from the guide rod. The door sticks and the siding door makes noise when opening. The rear window rattles when opened. The fog lihjt are ionpertive. The horn spunded weak because the keyless entry remote needed to be reprogrammed. The tail light had moisture in it. …
I bought a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan new in November of 2000. It now has 244,000 miles and still runs very good. I take care of it and do most needed repairs myself. I noticed a few years ago, some rust forming at the top of the strut towers never knowing of the service bulletin issued by Chrysler/Dodge on October 14, 2002 - bulletin # 23-044-02. I would have paid more attention to this issue if I would have known about the bulletin at the time it was issued. Last Friday June 20th, I was pulling into the parking lot at my office and the strut tower actually snapped in half, not at the top where the rust was! I've never seen this happen on any vehicle before. Thank goodness I was only traveling about 10 MPH when it happened. The bottom line is that I should have been made aware of this very serious safety issue 12 years ago and this should have been a recall, not a service bulletin.
Strut towers rotted out at 90000 miles, replacement caps were purchased from Dodge dealer and installed as per factory TSB .... Strut towers are rotted below repair caps again.... Approx. 150000 miles now on van, struts are also in need of replacement however this can not be done due to severity of rust damage....this is obviously a factory defect... Resulting in an unsafe condition... Chrysler is well aware of this issue and should be held responsible ... This is a serious safety issue affecting tens of thousands of vehicles...not just a few here or there - the question should be how many are not affected??? I'm actually considering searching for a lawyer to start a class action lawsuit against Chrysler ...something needs to be done!
Dodge Caravan has corrosion in front strut tower. This is a unibody frame. Was told by a Chrysler employee that this is a common problem and rarely does Chrysler assist with repairs. On oct 14, 2002 Chrysler issued a TSB report #23-044-02, stating issue with left and right strut towers and the correction of the condition. Chrysler is aware of this potentially dangerous issue and chooses to ignore it. After phoning Chrysler they will not assist me in the repair of the vehicle. I was told by Chrysler customer service that until something happens or breaks they will not correct problem. If the strut tower completely breaks as it will, it will render the vehicle inoperable and poses a significant danger to persons.
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 Grand Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the body & structure of the 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan, 7% of the model year's 442 complaints. The component named most often is body (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Dodge Grand 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 Grand Caravan body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries 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.