Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The car instrument gauges became erratic along with the instrument lights. The care jerked as though it lost its electrical power to the ignition but returned to normal and then quit in front of traffic. We could have been killed by a semi-truck. I got the car over and re-started it and it ran fine until later it started to die out again after starting to run. I had to accelerate the engine to get the car moving but the car jerked and went dead again. The car will start and run fine at times and shift well at times and then starts to repeat the same problems over and over. I only know that this situation could have gotten someone killed and I do not want it to be my children or wife or me. I only have one way to go now and have no way to have it looked at because I have been told a thousand things it could be and cannot afford non-sense like this. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan. While making a right or left turn using the turn signal, the lights on the instrument panel failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, but the technician could not locate the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,936.
Dodge gc 2001 stalled while in motion with no warning during a very heavily traveled area in a school zone with many potential hazards. Luckily I was only going about 10 mphs and coming to a stop. I interrupted flow of traffic at time of failure and when the tow truck came. A police officer helped direct traffic. Mechanic said leak detection pump went out which caused the PCM (power train control module) to short out. This PCM controls many electrical elements. The engine light is on, the speedometer and passenger window doesnt work and I am told that several systems could fail but it is driveable. I have searched many dealerships in many states with all the same answer. The part I need, the PCM, is on national back order. There are none available in the us. This is the only vehicle I have to transport my children. …
We were on our way from florida to pennsylvania when we were told that one of our headlights were out. We purchased new bulbs and replaced them, then after further investigation realized that when the daylights were on, one light was on and one off, when we turned on the headlights the opposite light came on and the one that was on for daylights went out, then when the high beams were turned on the light that worked switched sides again. The new bulbs did not fix it, so we had to continue to drive home with one light, once in awhile both lights would come on for a few minutes. When we arrived home we took it to the Dodge dealer and found out that the control module needed replaced. The worst part was that the control module had been replaced 14 months prior because of a similar problem (worse, the whole dashboard went out and the wipers didn't work along with the headlights!)! …
1) events leading up to failure: each time this has occurred after or during a summer vacation trip that included 700+ miles. Use of the ac usually continues on low fan speeds (1 or 2). 2) failure and consequences: first failure would be the power windows would begin not to work. Second a relay fuse would go bad. Then the switch that controls the fan speeds would short out only allowing for high fan speed only. 3)have not be able to fix the switches due to dealer charging high rates just to look for the electrical failure with no guarantee they would be able to find the fault and still wanting $70+/hour before any repair work is started. We have owned a 1996 Caravan and 2001 gr Caravan and this problem has happened on both vehicles.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan. When the vehicle was started, all of the interior lights, exterior lights, and lights on the instrument panel flashed and stayed on. The contact was able to stop the flashing by turning the headlights on and keeping them illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop and a diagnostic test indicated that the automatic adjusting front seats and automatic adjusting mirrors were the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle did not have auto adjusting seats or mirrors. The dealer stated that the body control modular needed to be replaced. The VIN was unavailable at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were approximately 87,000.
Tl*- the contact stated had ignition problems with the 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan. When he tried to start the vehicle couldn't get the key to turn in the ignition on a number of occasions. He contacted the local dealership, and was informed that there had been a number of calls on the same problem with the same vehicle. The contact was informed to take something heavy and tap on the key so that the cylinder could connect with the key. The contact called the manufacturer, and they urged him to call NHTSA. The current mileage was 59800 ,and the failure mileage was 59700.
When starting my car, the automatic headlights come on, however only the passenger headlight works. When I turn on the lights the passenger lights stay on and the driver side remains off. When I turn my lights onto a bright setting, the driver side lights work and the passenger side goes out. I have replaced both headlights and this still occurs. I have researched this problem online and have noticed hundreds of people experiencing the same problem. Because lights are a safety issue, I strongly believe daimler-chrystler must do a safety recall and fix this problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that the air bag warning light continuously illuminated. Also, the contact mentioned that the buttons on the steering wheel would not work. The dealer stated that the failure might be due to a defective clock spring. If a crash occurred, the air bag could potentially not deploy. The vehicle had not been repaired and the manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 138,000.
Sitting idle at a stop light and my van stalled. While I tried to start it again, it began to accelerate on its own. It will stall while driving and lose all power and the steering/ brakes get hard. It will begin to accelerate on its own while the brake is pushed. I had it diagnosed yesterday and it is a melted wiring fuel rail harness that was placed right above the exhaust manifold. It can melt and catch fire. This is a known problem with this year and model. Please help!
NHTSA investigations
Headlight malfunction
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation after receiving reports from consumers that their headlights would malfunction in various ways from flickering to complete non-illumination.headlight operation is monitored by the vehicle's body control module (BCM) and front control module (fcm).odi is upgrading this preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis (ea05-009) to further examine…
Headlight malfunction
Owner reports indicate allegations of improper headlight operation of one or both headlights.some report intermittent outage or dimming.many report that the condition is random; it sometimes does not repeat and lasts for a very short duration.
Electrical complaints in other Grand Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the electrical system of the 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan, 12% of the model year's 298 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › interior/under dash (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan, though it has 3 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 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to electrical system 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.