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 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The serpentine belt on 96-2000 Chrysler minivans slipping off is a known issue and has been for years. Time and time again Chrysler has refused to issue a recall for it. It is due to a manufacturing defect in one of the engine mounts causing a pulley misalignment. The belt slipping off causes loss of power steering, water pump, and alternator. The power steering loss can cause a driver to not be able to correct in time and cause an accident. The loss of the water pump can cause overheating resulting in engine damage. The loss of the alternator can cause the car to eventually stop running when the battery is drained, causing motorists to be stranded. I live in alaska and I'm not always in cellular signal when driving and temperatures in the winter get down to -30 f at times. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan. While driving 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal noise and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. In addition, the battery and check engine warning indicators illuminated. The contact was able to park the vehicle in a nearby parking lot. When the ignition was started, the temperature gauge increased. The contact turned off the ignition and allowed the vehicle to cool down for awhile. Afterwards, the vehicle was restarted and the contact continued driving 15 MPH to his residence. The contact noticed that the steering wheel belt was loose. The contact called lithia Chrysler Jeep of reno (located at 1050 e plumb ln #100, reno, nv 89502, [phone]) and informed them of the failure. The contact scheduled an appointment with an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan. While driving the vehicle on several occasions, the serpentine belt detached from the drive pulley. The contact stated that an independent mechanic was able to place the serpentine belt back on the drive pulley. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred several times only while it was raining. The contact also stated that the clock spring in the steering wheel failed, which caused the horn to fail and the front driver's air bag to become inoperable. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V480000 (air bags). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 186,425.
Power steering failed, then brakes. Serpentine belt wet from rain caused power steering & brakes to fail resulting in vehicle flipping on its side on I-75. Service dept said that the power steering, etc was designed to shut down when belt got wet. This was a normal rain. Vehicle was not in high water. Vehicle was ultimately totaled.
Significant risk ? Complete loss of control due to poor design (unresolved manufacturer known issue): during a moderate rain storm, the serpentine belt once again slipped off the pulleys, which disabled power steering, causing a complete loss of control of the vehicle as it was accelerating from a stop (my wife was unable to fight the weight of the vehicle). Luckily, the vehicle had just left a stoplight and had only attained about 20 - 25 MPH. The vehicle was stopped before hitting anyone or anything in a very crowded pedestrian area of downtown san diego's historic gaslamp quarter. Given the reduced visibility from the rain and nighttime city illumination, it?s amazing this did not result in pedestrian injuries or even deaths or damage to waiting taxis or parked cars. …
We purchased new a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan. Within 2 years while I was driving not knowing what was going on the steering on the car went out with no warning and I almost hit a tree. I found that it was the serpentine belt. From that point on I have almost had 2 additional accidents because the belt either was chewed up or came off. My husband felt the experience yesterday when the steering went out. This will be the 6th belt problem that we have had with this vehicle. I have contacted Dodge but to no avail. What happens when the belt goes and you are traveling 60-70mph and you have no control of this car. Is there anything that we can do? I have not complained because Dodge says that there is nothing they can do. They have admitted ti me that there are problems with the serpentine belts. …
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!
My 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan's serpentine belt comes off the pulleys every time I drive the vehicle in the rain. We have replaced the tensioner, tensioner pulley and the belt and still have the same problem. I have researched this problem online and found several other Dodge owners with the same problem. There has been a after market kit made to resolve the problem with the pulley, but this is at the owners expense. I feel Dodge needs to take full responsibility for this malfunction. I have filed a complaint with Dodge regarding this matter. This is very dangerous, I loose power steering and electrical functions on the vehicle when this happens.
Drivers-side front strut cap rusted. The rust is at the top of the strut cap housing and has not broken through yet. I went on-line to research this issue and see that there are many owners of the same 2000 Caravan with the very same issue. Some with extreme rust. If this fails during driving, there is a extreme high chance of an accident. I am surprised that there is no recall on this issue. I am not a structural engineer but by all accounts, this is a safety issue that should be a recall issue. Does it take one or more accidents before this becomes a recall issue?
We were on vacation to the mountains and had just happened to stop at a visitors center. We heard a loud popping noise. The car would move forward and backwards but the power steering was not working leaving us unable to steer the car. Had we been on the highway going 65 MPH or in the mountains on switch backs when it broke this could have proved fatal. The Dodge dealer said the tensioner had broken and they had to replace the whole piece. **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis*753523
Steering complaints in other Grand Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the steering of the 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan, 7% of the model year's 442 complaints. The component named most often is rack and pinion (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan, though it has 5 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 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury 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.