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#BS-1997-DODGRA-2C57

1997 Dodge Grand Caravan

Based on reports from 857 owners and 6 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
857
Crashes
40
Fires
68
Recalls
6
TSBs
8
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 857 complaints, 40 crashes, 68 fires, and 6 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

transmission failure

5 complaints • Severity 8.8/10

$X,XXX
2

ac doesnt work properly

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

premature brake wear

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the AirbagsHIGH

84 owners reported airbags issues — failures commonly reported around 105K miles.

!Inspect the Power Train:automatic TransmissionMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

6
0–30K
10
30–60K
43
60–90K
49
90–120K
41
120–150K
33
150K+

Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (49 reports) • Median: 105K 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: Airbags (84 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

Airbags84 (10%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission61 (7%)
Electrical System:horn47 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline46 (5%)
Speed Control46 (5%)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer41 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:belts And Associated Pulleys36 (4%)
Electrical24 (3%)

1997 Dodge Grand Caravan: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan, with 84 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 105,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 105K-mile mark.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan, with 61 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical System:horn Issues

Electrical System:horn complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan, with 47 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:horn-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 Grand Caravan, with 46 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.

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

82
00
177
01
171
02
53
03
54
04
30
05
22
06
8
07
22
08
5
09
9
10
5
11
5
12
1
13
9
14
13
15
2
16
3
19
3
20

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

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

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Recall History (6 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.

02V293000Nov 2002

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

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

96V215000Apr 1997

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

THE MASTER CYLINDER REAR SEAL, BETWEEN THE HYDRAULIC FLUID AND THE VACUUM RESERVOIR, MAY NOT SEAL ADEQUATELY ALLOWING HYDRAULIC FLUID TO BE DRAWN INTO THE POWER ASSIST VACUUM RESERVOIR.

97I001000

SEAT BELTS:INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRAL CHILD SEATS. THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. ON THE INTEGRAL CHILD SEAT, THE SHOULDER BELTS RESTRAINING THE CHILD RETRACT AND LOCK IN PLACE AFTER THE BELT BUCKLE IS CONNECTED TO THE LATCH PLATE. THE LATCH PLATE MOVEMENT LOCKS THE BELTS TO MAKE SURE THE CHILD IS RESTRAINED IN THE CASE OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

97V200000Jan 1998

TIRES:BEAD

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH P215/65R15 GOODYEAR CONQUEST TIRES MOUNTED ON STEEL WHEEL. THE TIRES CAN EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN AIR PRESSURE LOSS WITHOUT WARNING.

+ 1 more recall 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.

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The worst model year for the Dodge Grand Caravan is the 2011 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is electrical.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 857 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 6 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

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

Other Dodge Grand Caravan Model Years

2020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984
View all Dodge Grand Caravan years →

1997 Dodge Grand Caravan: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan is related to the airbags, with 84 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan reliable?
The 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan has 857 complaints, 40 crash reports, and 68 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 Grand 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 Grand Caravan have any recalls?
Yes, the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan has 6 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Dodge Grand Caravan problems start?
Based on 182 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 105,000 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.
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 857 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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