Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that the power door locks failed to operate as needed, without warning. The contact also stated that the driver's side door was the only door that could be opened manually with the key. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that upon disconnecting the battery, the system would reset and resume normal operation. The contact attempted the procedure twice however, the failure resumed soon after the reset. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer nor independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. While driving 25 MPH, the passenger side sliding door opened without warning. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and attempted to close the door automatically by depressing the sliding door button; however, it failed to close the door. The contact had to close the door manually. The vehicle was taken to titusville Chrysler Jeep Dodge (5600 U.S. 1, titusville, fl 32780, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the motor switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 163,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. After exiting the vehicle, the contact attempted to lock the doors and the locks failed to engage. The contact had to remove the I.o.d fuse from the fuse box and reset the computer in order for the locks to engage. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that the entire door latching system failed and the steering wheel emitted a loud whining noise. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer stated the door latches needed to be reprogrammed and the power steering fluid needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,000. Updated 6/24/15 updated 10/12/2017
On Dodge 2005 Grand caravans there is design flaw in the electric door locks that causes the electric door locks to quit working. The only alternative left to access the car from the outside is the driver side key or the tailgate key. The only alternative left from the inside is to manually push or lift the lock stem on each door. This is a serious problem for children and elderly passengers as they are not able to do manage the locks from the inside. From the outside a person must open the driver door with a key, then crawl to the passenger door to unlock it,if you can grasp the stem an pull it up. In an emergency situation this limited access could result in delayed entrance which could lead to injury or death. There is no way to know if the door locks or working or not. …
Multiple electrical failures. Backup lights, door locks, interior lights, right side power window, and sliding side doors. The items do not function on our van. Upon pulling the battery terminal these items will work for a short period of time and then cease to function again. After extensive research on the internet and several hundred dollar in dealer "repairs" I have discovered that this is due to a software problem with the body control module on the 2005 Dodge Grand caravans. The fix is supposed to be a firmware update to the BCM provided by Dodge. The issue I have is that if this is a software/firmware update to the van's computer why should the dealer expect me to pay $70 so my vehicle will function properly the same as it did when purchased. No modifications have been made to the van and it currently has just over 60K mileage. …
The auto locking mechanism stopped working on my 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. The auto lock now only works on the back hatch door. There are only two manual key holes, one on the driver's side and one on the back hatch. The doors do not lock automatically at 20 MPH, pressing the interior lock button does nothing, using the key fob lock button does nothing. The first time it happened, we changed the relay switch, and that seemed to fix the problem, but now it is occurring again. I checked out this problem and it seems to be pervasive on this model, therefore, I believe this to be a manufacturing defect and should either be covered by the warranty or a recall issued for the computer upgrade that is needed. Consumers should not be forced to compensate for Chrysler's lack of quality in this area. …
Hello, I unfortunately own a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan sxt. Although I love the way the vehicle drives, I can't say that it has been dependable at all. All the failures are common amongst other owners, but one noteworthy one is the problem with the door lock that I would like to bring to your attention. After 44K miles all the power door locks on this vehicle will fail simultaneously. The only door that has a manual key lock is the driver's door. The doors will not function with they remote door opener or by the switches within the vehicle. This failure is commonplace with all late model Dodge caravans. Please see this web link as an example; http://autoforum.classifieds1000.com/Dodge-grand_caravan/power_locks_will_not_lock_or_unlock this problem is related to a software/firmware issue with the onboard computer. Attempts to repair this issue seem to be temporary. …
Door locks on 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan quit working, have spoke w/many on internet and it's a common problem. There is a TSB about this but Dodge will not repair without charging $100-$250.00 your door locks are controlled by the body control module (BCM). The BCM monitors the current draw on the lock and unlock circuits, and when it goes across a threshold it will disable the locks to preserve itself from damage. If a circuit was shorted to ground and the BCM kept trying to drive the locks it would damage itself. The original BCM software on the 2005 vans was a little sensitive to this, and over time when the lock solenoids in each door start to naturally use a little more current, the BCM can set a fault code and disable the locks a little prematurely. The BCM software was revised to make it more fault tolerant to stop this from happening prematurely. …
2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. VIN [redacted]. Power door locks will not function at all. Can only lock each door manually and separately. Beginning in 2007, I took the vehicle to the dealer on four separate occasions to have the problem corrected. Dealer followed guidelines each time and told me the problem was corrected. Each time the problem returned within a few days. I can neither lock or unlock the doors of the vehicle using the key fob or the door lock switch inside the vehicle. I searched online to see if others were having this same problem, and I immediately found that the door lock issue was the most reported problem for the 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. There seems to be no "fix" for the problem when taking the vehicle to the dealer. Many customers have reported the same experience that I encountered. …
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Grand Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan?
NHTSA has 338 complaints about the locks & latches of the 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan, 34% of the model year's 996 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (34 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for the 2005 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 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to locks & latches 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.