Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the vehicle surged forward and crashed into a night light post. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but the failure was not determined and the crash damages were repaired. The manufacture was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 172,000.
The tmpi on a 20008 Dodge Grand Caravan needs to be recalled. Used car lots are disconnecting the horn and selling the 20008 Grand Caravan for up to 10,000 dollars to customers who are unaware that any time the Caravan will become disabled while driving on any street or highway because the tmpi is faulty and Caravan wipers will spray continuously wiper fluid on windshield. ( the horn will blow continuously if not tampered with and disabled. As in this situation with the 20008 Dodge Grand Caravan. Resource '. Customer reviews and complaints filed against Dodge Chrysler corporations) Caravan will not excel over 30 miles an hour. When Caravan is finally parked the engine will not turn off. Caravan will not go into drive or reverse. Engine continuously idles while on the back of the wrecker/flatbed with the keys removed and then finally shuts its self off. Another issue.... …
While driving the van shuts off and looses all power to include power brakes and steering. Also the traction control light comes on. The following has been completed to fix the problem without the problem being resolved: replacement of battery and check of battery cables, recall complete of win module, replacement of o2 sensors and EGR valve, and check of all fuses and wiring. After all of the aforementioned repairs the van still shuts off while driving. When the van shuts off the check engine light does not come on and there are no codes present for the mechanic to diagnose problem. This issue is an extreme safety issue and it appears there are numerous reports I have been able to locate on the internet. My wife will not drive the van not because of the problem. When the van shuts off you can place it in park and restart the van and continue to drive. …
Tl contact owned a Dodge Grand Caravan xlt. While the vehicle was parked the contact noticed white smoke coming out of the hood of the vehicle near the windshield. A passenger attempted to move the vehicle and black smoke was on the outside and inside of the vehicle. Fire was on the ground and the flames were 5 feet tall. She was able to extinguish the flames with cans of soda. The consumers husband jumped in the vehicle to back it up and as he did, the vehicle lost all power. The passenger stated that four trees and the grass caught fire. The fire department was called and the vehicle exploded. A neighbor extinguished the fire in the trees and grass; however, the vehicle continued to burn. A sheriff and fire department report were filed. The contact stated that no one was injured. Since she had a heart condition, a paramedic came and gave her oxygen. The vehicle was destroyed. …
While driving the van at 65 MPH while on rt.23 on my way to findlay, ohio, the windshield wipers cycled a couple times, the gauges went to zero, the radio turned off and the warning alarm went off a couple times. This occured twice while I was driving to findlay and twice on my way back home. Each time, the van continued to run. At the time both hands were on the steering wheel. I know the date because I was headed to my son's soccer game at the university of findlay. It was a very un-nerving experience. On other dates the wipers have run by themselves and even sprayed windshield cleaner for a brief period. I have noticed that other people have reported the same behavior on their vans. I wanted to make sure my experience was noted. It appears the situation can become much worse.
Vehicle automatically downshifts from drive to 2nd gear above 35 MPH and from drive to 1st gear below 35 MPH. Causing dangerous deceleration. This is not a once in a while situation but happens constantly. Once you start the car and shift from park to drive, it will shift down while stopped or as described above within ten seconds. Dangerous driving conditions. Chrysler says not covered by lifetime powertrain warranty and say it can be fixed at my expense. Unfortunately, it can happen anytime to anyone and should be a safety recall on all vehicles similarly equipped.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the pedal traveled to the floorboard. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated independently to 60 MPH. The contact also stated that the brake pedal was depressed, which disengaged the accelerator pedal. The failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Driving down the freeway, cruise control shut off and every light on the dashboard lit up. After turning off the car for a while, things went back to normal. On a later date, I pulled into a parking lot turned off the ignition and removed the key--but the car was still running. The car finally turned off after four or five attempts to reinsert the key, turn back to run, back to off, etc., shifting from park to drive and back. Researching online, it appears that these issues are symptoms of a faulty TIPM.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. While in a parking lot, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact had to depress the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact felt the accelerator pedal moving. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
TIPM electrical problems ? (1)the engine stalling while driving,dash flashing, EPS/bas light and (ABS) light coming on with traction control light too then van dies or shuts off.also mileage and prnd display blinks rapidly.this happens when sitting still or driving.seem's to happen even when engine is cold or hot on the city streets or highway.(2)my van has had 4 or 5 battery's that have went bad,also sometimes it wont start,I get a jump start,go get the battery tested at auto zone but there's nothing wrong with the battery,(3)horn works but if you need to honk more than 2 times it stops working but later it works,sometimes it wont start and you take the key out and open the door then close the door and you can start it. Also lately it has been harder to start.also you can't play the radio without the motor running it will run the battery down? …
Acceleration complaints in other Grand Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, 2% of the model year's 1,293 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, though it has 8 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 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles, and 19% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 injuries to speed control & acceleration 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.