Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary, the driver's side sliding door independently opened without warning. The failure continued after the contact manually closed the sliding door. As the failure persisted, the door eventually failed to open electronically or manually. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Over the time we have owned this vehicle the sliding side doors have stopped working & then started. Recently both doors lost power completely . I have read that this is a very common problem with these Vans but the doors when power is lost can not be opened at all from the inside making the passengers crawl out the windows, front doors, or back hatch. If this were a fire, wreck, or emergency this would be a death trap. When calling dealerships to attempt to find a fix or help we have been told time and time again that this is a common problem in these vans.
I was at a stop sign on the corner of ferry and eighth in niles, mi getting ready to turn northbound; a truck was going southbound and it was blizzard and icy conditions out, he was going to fast and when I turned right, he hit me on the drivers side spun my vehicle around twice and ended up hitting both sides of the vehicle in the front of the van taking the whole front end off. Neither air bags went off and my granddaughter was also in the front passenger seat. He was going fast enough that I ended up northbound kitty corner across the road and he ended up in a telephone pole. Both of his airbags went off in his truck upon impact. The bumper, headlights, frame was bent, the hood, the whole front end was smashed, (over $8000 of damage), but no airbags. I could feel the impact from the crash and ended up having to have physical therapy and my granddaughter had to go to the er.. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that her grandson closed the automatic passenger side sliding door while the contact was leaning through the door. The door failed to retract and struck the contact. The contact sustained bruising to the left forearm that did not require medical attention. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact spoke to mullane motors inc (6200 s transit rd, lockport, ny 14094) who advised her to call NHTSA. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000. Updated 07/13/17 updated 10/11/2017
The drivers seat belt does not retract and hangs limp today. The problem happend a couple times, but seatbelt retracted and then I notified dealer in late December after another occurrance in which thay determined the seatbelt was defective.by not retracting and they ordered a replacement seat belt. The seat belt is in and it is just a matter of getting to service, but in the meantime, I experienced a rear collision when parked with defective seat belt on and wish I had a non-defective seat belt on. I will ask for the seat belt part back if you would like to examine it. I need a bumper too but they can keep that!
Rear drivers sliding door buzzes and remains in a locked position. This happens when using the fob too. The van automatically locks when you reach about 25 MPH. Most of the time I get a loud buzzing from that door when it does. Sometimes you can manually unlock it but most times not. I have read more people than me are having this issue with a range of years for the Dodge Caravan. I have my grandson with me most of the time and that is the seat he is in. My concern is if there is an accident and the door can be unlocked then what? I truly there is a big safety issue going on with these vehicles. Please investigate.
The driver side rear sliding door cannot be opened manually or electrically. The door will not unlock electrically or manually, so the interior and exterior opening handles cannot be operated. Using the key fob or interior buttons to open the door cause a message to display on the dash information area saying "unlock door to operate." this poses a risk if there is an accident and my children need to exit or be removed from the vehicle, especially if other doors are blocked or damaged due to an accident. The vehicle has been stationary. I have not tried to open the door while in motion.
Power sliding door frozen in locked position. Will not open using inside or outside door handle, key fob, center control consle switch or side pillar switch. Manual door lock slide in inside handle not moving. Completely unable to use door to enter or exit vehicle. Potential for trapping rear passengers inside vehicle in case of crash or fire. Gas tank cover door closed so it is not keeping the left side door from opening. Car was parked when problem appeared. No physical damage to door either interior or exterior.
The driver's side passenger sliding door is stuck closed and in the locked position. I cannot unlock the door in anyway possible not the remote, over head button, driver's door button or manually with my finger. I have five children and I feel this is a complete safety hazzard I have searched the web for diy info and found at least 60 other people with the exact same problem. I feel with the risk of children being stuck in the vehicle this should be a safety recall. The locking mechanism is faulty
Driver's side rear passenger automatic door will not open. The locking mechanism seems to be frozen and I cannot open it using the key fob, manually, or with the button in the driver's area. I cannot access my children from the exterior of the car unless I use the other side door. This is a serious safety hazard, especially if we were in a vehicle accident any rear passenger could get trapped inside. This is apparently a known common problem and should be addressed with a safety recall.
Body complaints in other Grand Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the body & structure of the 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan, 6% of the model year's 472 complaints. The component named most often is body (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan, though it has 4 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 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 19% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries to body & structure 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.