Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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).
I started my 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan and turned on the air conditioner. I opened the doors to let the heat out and my 2 1/2 year old son reached into the front seat and pulled the shifter into drive. The van shifter shifted without pushing the brake and the van ran into my chain-link fence. This is a saety issue and I do not think it was recalled. If it does not get recalled then I will trade in my vehicle for a more safe one.
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan se has no shift lock. 2 year old child was able to shift transmission from park to drive without depressing the brake pedal. $1800 damage to Caravan and $2300 to another customized van; all in the expanse of 50 feet and 1 minute in a flat and level private school parking lot.
In January 2003 I experienced a problem getting my van to shift into drive after I had backed out of my driveway. On February 17, 2003 my husband was driving the van and experienced problems getting it to shift gears while he was driving it. He added transmission fluid and later that evening I drove the van to a store two miles from our house and at 35 MPH the rpms would not go below 3 and the check engine light came on. I called the dealership first thing Tuesday morning and took it the shop on Thursday. They repaired a leak in the transmission (which we had had repaired previously) and replaced the water pump. Two days later while out running errands the check engine light came on again. I had to exit the freeway because the engine would not shift gears again and at 50 MPH (in a 60 MPH zone) the engine was at 4 rpms. …
Make : Dodge model : Grand Caravan year : 2000 manufacturer : daimlerchrysler corporation crash : no fire : no number of injuries: 0 odi id number : 10100418 date of failure: November 20, 2004. VIN : not available component: cv joint.axle problem summary: I took my 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan in on a Friday to the dealer for the air bag recall (clockspring- which by the way the airbag really stays on now, where it did not before the dealer replaced/repaired the clockspring) and plus the dealer called me to tell me that had found a leak in the master cylinder which they wanted to fix. I said yes (now I see there are several complaints about master cylinder leaks) I picked up my van up on Friday evening after work. Saturday morning I ran a couple of errands around town and at 12:30 p.m. Began to back out of a parking spot and heard a loud noise. …
Transmission failure at 42,000 miles. Problems with transmission shudder, TSB 18-05-94. I had brought the transmission shudder to the dealers attention starting at around 32,000 miles. Dealer said they could not find anything wrong. They re-flashed the computer, etc. Van was brought back to dealer twice before 36,000 mile warranty expired. Brought the van back at 37,000 miles to complain again and dealer proceeded to tell us that they have no records of any prior complaint regarding the transmission, therefore they would have to charge us to re-flash the transmission. (I will never lose or throw away any warranty related receipts again). After going back and forth and getting nowhere we paid the re-flash fee and once again the they told us there was nothing wrong. Then at about 42,000 miles the transmission blew. …
(1)driving along at normal highway speed when with no warning vehicle shifted into "limp" mode. Check engine light came on and would not shift out of 2nd gear. Vehicle has been maintained exactly as called for in service manual. (2)towed to repair shop and was informed that transmission needed to be replaced. Cost would be $2000 to $2500. Informed that the real problem was that there was a backlog on ordering a rebuilt transmission. Wait could be as long as 6 months. If this is not a serious problem, then why is there such a backlog in obtaining a replacement? Also at the time of purchase I was aware of the problems Chrysler had in the past with Caravan transmissions so I asked the salesman about the problem. Was informed that Chrysler had fixed the problem. …
Transmission failure - when placed into drive the gears failed to engage (especially when cold). This van is 2+years old with ~62,000 miles. Fixed at smith brothers in old saybrook, ct and required new part due to the failure of the clutch hub imput which broke down sending metal parts throughout the transmission. (very expensive for a car this new!). I caught this problem early enough to avoid the potential disaster of a high speed failure. In addition, this vehicle does not appear to be able to maintain it's front end alignment. Since purchase the front end has been aligned twice. On 12/20/00 the front 2 tires had to be replaced ant the front end aligned (national tire, niantic ct). This past summer (I don't have the exact date handy) the front end had to be realigned again and I was told that the driver side was way out (auto service of old saybrook, 4 jade court, old saybrook, ct). …
Automatic transaxle: within the first 5, 000 miles I complained to the dealer about a "jump" in the tranmission. I was advised by the salesperson and service department that is was normal. After driving other 2000 Grand caravans, I noticed it to be the same.within the following 10, 000 miles the jump still existed and progressively got worse. I again returned to the dealer and again was advised it was normal. After a total of 36, 000 miles, the transmission died. I now have to pay out of pocket for reapirs and want other consumers to know that the transmission sensors and powertrain control modules (PCM) are faulty and could cause injuries if not checked or replaced. A "jumpy" transmission could cause a vehicle to accel or decel out of control. My neighbor's 2000 Grand Caravan transmission sensor powertrain control module (PCM) went out after 15, 000 miles and had to get it replaced. …
Tl contact owns a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan. While checking the transmission under the hood with the engine running, the contact's granddaughter was able to shift from neutral to drive. The engine revved and the vehicle moved forward, knocking the contact underneath the vehicle. When the vehicle suddenly stopped, she managed to get up from under the vehicle and turn off the engine. The contact was the only one injured. The paramedics had been called and the fire department filed a report. She was then transported to the hospital. Chrysler stated that it was impossible for the gear to be moved out of position without depressing the brake pedal. They offered no assistance and the contact is concerned that the failure May recur. The failure mileage was 124,000 and current mileage was 124,784.updated 05/13/08.
My car just died in the middle nowhere on route 42 on the way to work. Only to find out that the transmission needs to be replaced. The Caravan I own has only 42,000 miles on it. I do not even own it for 2 years. It was a buy back from the dealer. The warranty was only for 3 years of 36,000 miles. I was told by the mechanic from the dealer I purchased the vehicle from that this should not have happened. Now I am forced to pay over $1100 for a new transmission. I was told that they have agreed to split the bill of approximately $2200. I feel I should not have to pay anything as this should never have happened and is a defect from the Chrysler manufacturer. I am not the only one complaining. There is a whole web site dedicated to complaints by consumers which I have down loaded and is over 11 pages long.
Transmission complaints in other Grand Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan?
NHTSA has 95 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan, 21% of the model year's 442 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (60 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 51,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.