Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
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 the vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who replaced the motor mounts and transmission. Five months later, the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle began driving roughly. The PCM update was completed by another local dealer, but the failure recurred. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The transmission was shifting through the gears erratically. The vehicle was not drivable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The coil packs and spark plugs were replaced at an independent mechanic. Several days later the RPM was fluctuating, and the vehicle lost motive power while driving up an incline. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the failure was due to the torque converter failing. …
My vehicle caught fire on 10-14 after being parked for 2.5 hours. Three weeks prior I had bumped into a light pole while backing up and my airbag light triggered on. The airbag did not deploy and nothing seemed wrong with the van. Then my battery died so I had to have it jumped. It died 3-4 times before I replaced it with a fresh battery 10-7. I did smell heat, but I attributed it to my oil leak, but I think I was smelling wires, not oil. I went by an autoparts store and they read my old battery temp and it was at 173 and didn't say it was hot or anything. I don't think that was safe to put a new battery in when there was obviously a problem. The airbag light consistently dinged off and on but since the airbag didn't deploy I didn't think it was any problem. …
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jolted and hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Upon further inspection, the contact became aware of excessive white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the transmission and catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 199,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated while exiting a parking lot the vehicle lost motive power and stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle was able to operate normally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the spark plugs were replaced. On another occasion the failure reoccurred, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic again and the mechanic stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was 125,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was uncertain if there were any warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted soon after the failure. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic however, the mechanic was unable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer and an estimate was provided for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front driver's seat headrest deployed independently without impact. The check engine and TPMS warning lights were illuminated. No injuries were sustained, and no medical attention was received. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the lost motive power and stalled. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact indicated that during the failure, the RPM's would suddenly increase as the vehicle lost motive power and decelerated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet notified. The failure mileage was 141,700
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at 60-65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the dealer; however, no failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,000.
It is unknown at this time what is wrong with the vehicle. The problem started two weeks ago. Initially after driving sustained highway speeds, the van will hesitate to brake when driving through town. When approaching a stop it would stutter to a stop and then stutter to drive again when pressing the gas, the delay was about 2-3 seconds. In two weeks time with approximately 200 miles driven, it started stalling at stops. Once at a traffic light and also at a stop sign. These incidents happened in the same day and since then, it had not been driven due to it being a major safety concern. It has been taken to an auto shop that has run the full diagnostics on it and the computer system is not catching any issues, there are no lights are on the dash. After the engine stalls, it runs if it is turned off and back on again. …
The vehicle randomly and dangerously stalls while driving at various speeds and locations. The vehicle will not restart until battery is disconnected and then reconnected. It then starts right up and runs fine until the next episode of stalling. This has been addressed by NHTSA campaign # 19V813 recall for bad fuel pump relay but my VIN # has not been included in this recall even though the vehicle is in the same year as the other vans covered under the recall. This is a very dangerous condition that keeps happening even after leaving the van with the Chrysler dealer for a week to diagnose and they say they don't have a definitive fix for it but offered to replace the entire TIPM for $1700 without a guarantee that the problem will be permanently fixed! The faulty fuel pump relay is well known and has been addressed with an external fuel pump relay kit covered by this recall. …
Engine complaints in other Grand Caravan years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan?
NHTSA has 73 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan, 15% of the model year's 472 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › emission control › catalytic convertor (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling 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 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 98,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.