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#BS-1997-DODCAR-D2BA

1997 Dodge CaravanProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 1,028 owners and 15 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 30, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026

Complaints
1,028
Crashes
51
Fires
62
Recalls
15
TSBs
136
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,028 complaints, 51 crashes, 62 fires, and 15 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

dash gauges and wipers stopped working

4 complaints • Severity 7/10

$X,XXX
2

runs roughly

4 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

transmission failure

4 complaints • Severity 9/10

$X,XXX
4

interior lights go on and off rapidly

3 complaints • Severity 6.7/10

$X,XXX
5

cranks but wont start

3 complaints • Severity 7.3/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Power Train:automatic TransmissionHIGH

107 owners reported power train:automatic transmission issues — failures commonly reported around 92K miles.

!Inspect the AirbagsMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

11
0–30K
24
30–60K
36
60–90K
38
90–120K
19
120–150K
22
150K+

Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (38 reports) • Median: 92K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Power Train:automatic Transmission (107 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Power Train:automatic Transmission107 (10%)
Airbags102 (10%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline52 (5%)
Electrical System:horn44 (4%)
Air Bags:frontal42 (4%)
Speed Control38 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine30 (3%)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer29 (3%)

1997 Dodge Caravan: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Caravan, with 107 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 92,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 92K-mile mark.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Caravan, with 102 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Caravan, with 52 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical System:horn Issues

Electrical System:horn complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Caravan, with 44 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:horn-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

130
00
183
01
222
02
109
03
57
04
27
05
14
06
10
07
11
08
5
09
7
10
6
11
6
12
3
13
3
14
1
16
2
22

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1997 Dodge Caravan. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (15 recalls)

00V268000Jan 2002

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS BUILT WITH 3.3L AND 3.8L ENGINES HAVE FUEL RAILS WITH NITROLE RUBBER O-RING SEALS THAT CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME. FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE UNDERHOOD FUEL INJECTION FUEL RAIL COULD RESULT, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A VEHICLE FIRE.

02V076000Jun 2002

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, SOME TRIM MATERIAL CAN LOOSEN AND DROP INTO THE REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.

02V293000Nov 2002

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN WOUND INCORRECTLY DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.

03E045000

EQUIPMENT

AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 17, 2002, AND JANUARY 20, 2003, SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES LISTED ABOVE. THE FILTER MAY EXPERIENCE MALFUNCTION OF THE QUICK CONNECTOR EITHER BLOCKING FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE OR CAUSING A FUEL LEAK. THIS DOES NOT INVOLVE ANY PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED BY THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP. NOR ANY DAILMERCHRYSLER DEALERS.

03E053000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, MODELS WIX FILTER PART NUMBERS 33576, 33577, 33734; NAPA FILTER PART NUMBERS 3576, 3577, 3734; AND CARQUEST FILTER PART NUMBERS 86576, 86577, 86734 USED ON 1996-2000 DAIMLERCHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY, DODGE CARAVAN, AND PLYMOUTH VOYAGER VEHICLES, CAN CAUSE THE FUEL LINES TO LEAK.

+ 10 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

NHTSA Defect Investigations (7)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

EA01007ClosedOpened Feb 2001 · closed Nov 2002

AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

EA97003ClosedOpened Jan 1997 · closed Aug 1998

INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP

CHILD SEAT

EA99013ClosedOpened Jun 1999 · closed Aug 2001

POST COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

PE02004ClosedOpened Jan 2002 · closed Mar 2002

REAR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

PE99010ClosedOpened Feb 1999 · closed Jun 1999

POST-COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

+ 2 more in the full report

The worst model year for the Dodge Caravan is the 2002 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,028 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 15 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 30, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 28, 2026.

Other Dodge Caravan Model Years

200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984
View all Dodge Caravan years →

1997 Dodge Caravan: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Dodge Caravan?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1997 Dodge Caravan is related to the power train:automatic transmission, with 107 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1997 Dodge Caravan reliable?
The 1997 Dodge Caravan has 1,028 complaints, 51 crash reports, and 62 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1997 Dodge Caravan problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1997 Dodge Caravan have any recalls?
Yes, the 1997 Dodge Caravan has 15 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Dodge Caravan problems start?
Based on 150 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 92,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 1997 Dodge Caravan data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 30, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 28, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,028 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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