1998 Dodge Grand Caravan
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Dodge › Grand Caravan › 1998
These records cover every 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
6 recalls name the 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. Newest first.
Certain curved tempered replacement glass manufactured by hangzhou safety glass ltd and supplied to safelite by auto temp inc., identified as dot-430, and sold for use on certain domestic and foreign vehicles may not break into small pieces as expected of tempered glass and fails to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 205, "glazing…
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant(s) may be seriously injured by shattered glass.
Remedy
Safelite will notify its retail customers and replace the glass free of charge. Retail customers can contact safelite toll free at 1-888-843-2906. Safelite will notify its wholesale customers and reimburse wholesale customers for current inventory and at a specified rate for replacing their customer's glass. Wholesale customers can contact safelite's wholesale division, service autoglass toll free at 1-888-246-6298. The recall began on january 15, 2008.
Certain airtex fuel pump modules, p/nos. E7089m, e7094m, e7113m, and e7129m, manufactured between june 1 and september 24, 2006. these fuel pump modules were sold as aftermarket for use in certain daimlerchrysler vehicles listed above. silicone material used in manufacture of the flapper valve was out-of-specification, leading to excess swell of the…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Fuel restriction could result in loss of power and/or engine stall, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Airtex will notify owners and replace the defective fuel pump modules free of charge. the recall began on october 18, 2006. owners may contact airtex toll-free at 1-866-867-3759.
On certain minivans, the driver's air bag may become disabled due to a failure of the clockspring, which IS located in the hub of the steering wheel.
Risk and remedy
Risk
This condition will manifest itself through illumination of the air bag warning lamp, and could eventually result in a driver's air bag open circuit, if the part IS not replaced in a reasonable amount of time.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly on all covered vehicles with 70,000 miles or less. for those vehicles with more than 70,000 miles, daimlerchrysler will offer an extended lifetime warranty under which it will replace the clockspring at no charge if it fails. daimlerchrysler will also reimburse owners who have paid to have the clockspring replaced on their vehicles. the recall began on october 12, 2004. owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
On certain MINI vans, the clockspring assembly may have been wound incorrectly during the vehicle assembly process.
Risk and remedy
Risk
This condition will manifest itself through illumination of the air bag warning lamp, and could eventually result in a driver's air bag open circuit, if the part IS not replaced in a reasonable amount of time.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly on all vehicles with 70,000 miles or less. an extended lifetime warranty will also be placed on this component for all affected vehicles, regardless of mileage. daimlerchrysler will also reimburse owners who have paid to have the clockspring replaced on their vehicles. owner notification began november 18, 2002. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
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.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install a seal on the vehicle fuel rails to prevent external leakage of fuel from the fuel rail crossover tube, should the existing o-rings continue to degrade. owner notification began on january 25, 2002. due to the large quantity of vehicles involved in this campaign, the owner notification will be phased over the next several months. however, if a vehicle IS leaking fuel from the o-rings, the vehicle should be taken into a dealer to have this repaired as soon as possible. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Vehicle description: passenger minivans equipped with integrated child seats. the shoulder harness restraint webbing was incorrectly routed around the metal reinforcement bar on these seats.
Risk and remedy
Risk
The child seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a collision.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the routing of the shoulder belt webbing and any found incorrect will be properly routed.
Owner complaints
559 complaints41 involved a crash20 involved a fire35 injuries1 deaths
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Electrical system › Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer · Steering
The contact owns a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist and then stalled. Additionally, the odometer failed to display the correct mileage and the speedometer failed to…
The contact owns a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist and then stalled. Additionally, the odometer failed to display the correct mileage and the speedometer failed to display the correct speed of the vehicle while the engine revved. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.
- Air bags · Unknown or other
The driver's horn does not work and hasn't since it was taken in to replace the clock spring assembly. This was done as per a recall issued by nhtsa and daimlerchrystler corporation relating to driver's airbag by the original owner. He also did not have the original paperwork on the van. I am…
The driver's horn does not work and hasn't since it was taken in to replace the clock spring assembly. This was done as per a recall issued by nhtsa and daimlerchrystler corporation relating to driver's airbag by the original owner. He also did not have the original paperwork on the van. I am the second owner and when I discovered the horn did not work. After researching and subscribing to the the nhtsa recall alerts I determined that this may have been caused by the clock spring replacement. I was also told that the replacement clock spring could have been defective as well, because it was done so soon after the recall was issued. I took it to a local dealership where I live and they confirmed that there had been a recall issued and they were sorry, but they couldn't replace it again. They suggested that I take it back to the dealership where it was purchased. I explained to them that I was not the original owner and didn't know where it was purchased from originally. even when I told them that I would pay the cost of the repair, they were not interested. I took it to a local mechanic and he didn't want to touch it because there was so much involved in the steering column that could go wrong and he didn't have the expertise to do it. the vehicle IS not safe and hasn't been since before and after I purchased it. My concern IS if the horn doesn't work'then how can I be sure the airbag does. I'm still driving this vehicle because I can't sell it to someone else in this condition. IS there no recourse if the vehicle as not repaired as per the nhtsa's recall? This vehicle only has 91054 miles on it as of this date.
- Engine
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. While operating the vehicle, a knocking noise was heard coming from the engine and the vehicle hesitated when accelerating. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the failure was due to low oil pressure caused by…
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. While operating the vehicle, a knocking noise was heard coming from the engine and the vehicle hesitated when accelerating. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the failure was due to low oil pressure caused by faulty engine connecting rods. The vehicle was not repaired. Swantys dodge (2494 south hwy 95, bullhead city, az) and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was 261,000.
- Electrical system
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. While driving 60 mph, all the warning indicators illuminated and the horn, speedometer, fuel gauge, and cruise control failed to function. The contact called stew hansen dodge RAM chrysler jeep at (515) 331-2900 (located at 12103 hickman rd…
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. While driving 60 mph, all the warning indicators illuminated and the horn, speedometer, fuel gauge, and cruise control failed to function. The contact called stew hansen dodge RAM chrysler jeep at (515) 331-2900 (located at 12103 hickman rd, urbandale, ia 50323) and was informed that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 165,000.
- Service brakes
Service brake failure while driving, diagnosed by repair shop as a ruptured brake line. inspection of other brake lines showed heavy corrosion. vehicle was in motion (straight line) on a city street and retained minimal braking. I was able to stop at a stop light (no collision) and 'limp' to the repair shop. repairs consisted of replacing the hydraulic brake lines.
- Air bags · Seat belts · Seats
TL* the contact owned a 1998 dodge grand caravan. While the contact's wife was driving 45 mph, another vehicle traveling approximately 70 mph struck the rear of the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The front passenger seat (the contact's seat) separated from the seat track. The…
TL* the contact owned a 1998 dodge grand caravan. While the contact's wife was driving 45 mph, another vehicle traveling approximately 70 mph struck the rear of the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The front passenger seat (the contact's seat) separated from the seat track. The contact struck the side door and was thrown into the rear of the vehicle. The seat belt failed to restrain the contact and he was then struck by the seat. The contact sustained injuries to the neck and back. Three occupants in the other vehicle were also injured, as the front passenger's feet went through the windshield and two of the occupants suffered whiplash. Medical attention was required for all the injured occupants. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene and the contact's insurance company confirmed that the vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer and dealer were not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000. See also 11004763. *Dsy ..updated 08/04/17 *bf updated 10/11/2017*js *js *js
- Seats
I was involved in a rear end crash and the front passenger seat incas in came apart at the adjuster tracks. This caused me to be thrown into the rear of the van making my injures much worse. see also 11004775. *Dsy
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and associated pulleys
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. Without warning, the serpentine belt detached out of place. The contact replaced the serpentine belts and the pulleys, but the failure continued. The dealer indicated that there was no service campaign and recall to provide a solution. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. Updated 05/30/17*lj updated 09/25/2017*js
- Air bags · Electrical system
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v373000 (air bags, electrical system) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
- Electrical system · Fuel/propulsion system
The car just stopped working it would't start any more
- Electrical system › Wiring · Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe · Fuel/propulsion system
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. While driving at 60 mph, the vehicle's muffler became louder and the engine stalled. The vehicle could not restart. The contact stated that the vehicle had an abnormal fuel odor prior to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic…
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. While driving at 60 mph, the vehicle's muffler became louder and the engine stalled. The vehicle could not restart. The contact stated that the vehicle had an abnormal fuel odor prior to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the muffler, fuel tank, and wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The vin was unavailable. The failure mileage was 156,563.
- Air bags · Service brakes
I approached a red light hit the brakes. the car did not stop. I hit two cars and the median. the passenger air bag deployed nut not the driver side. I had major injuries including broken ankle, hand, ribs and breathing. I spent 3 months in the hospital. *tr
- Air bags · Fuel/propulsion system · Visibility/wiper
There are at least 4 recall items listed for this vehicle. I have never been contacted by the manufacturer. should I be concerned? If yes, what should I do? *tr
- Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
The instrument cluster loses the electricity and the gauges completely die off. this IS not safe and I have no way of fixing this. *tr
- Electrical system
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated that while starting the ignition the air bag warning indicator illuminated as the entire instrument panel failed to function. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000. The vin was unavailable.
- Suspension
I've have this 1998 dodge grand caravan, the strut mount housing IS rusted so bad I'm afraid to even drive it anymore. The metal IS almost completely rusted away. There IS one rusted ring that holds the strut to the body. It started about 5 years ago with a small rust hole on both side. I thought…
I've have this 1998 dodge grand caravan, the strut mount housing IS rusted so bad I'm afraid to even drive it anymore. The metal IS almost completely rusted away. There IS one rusted ring that holds the strut to the body. It started about 5 years ago with a small rust hole on both side. I thought it was just rust from the bad winters we get in the midwest. When moving at a slow speed (15-20mph) the van feels like your on a pitted dirt trail and nothing but side to side shaking. This has to be a major safety issue for both the driver and the people on the road. I see these vans all over the place and they all have the same problem!
- Electrical system · Engine
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver as the battery warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. The mechanic stated that the…
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver as the battery warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. The mechanic stated that the serpentine belt had become detached from the vehicle. a splash guard was installed to prevent the failure but the failure three times as the contact was driving in rainy weather. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vin was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. *tr
- Fuel/propulsion system
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated that whenever he started the vehicle, fuel fumes were emitted into the vehicle. After inspecting the vehicle he noticed that fuel was leaking from the fuel rail. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 200,000 and the current mileage was 201,000.
- Steering
The belt came up after hitting a puddle. this has happened several times since. *tr
- Engine
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated that the serpentine belt became detached numerous times when the vehicle was being driven in inclement weather, causing the vehicle to stall. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The serpentine belt was replaced five…
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated that the serpentine belt became detached numerous times when the vehicle was being driven in inclement weather, causing the vehicle to stall. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The serpentine belt was replaced five times however, the failure was not corrected. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,000 and the current mileage was 160,000.
- Air bags · Air bags › Frontal
1998 dodge grand caravan. consumer writes in regards to unsatisfactory service on vehicle. *smd the consumer stated a few weeks ago, the air bag light illuminated, and the horn and cruise control stopped working, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, along with a copy of the safety…
1998 dodge grand caravan. consumer writes in regards to unsatisfactory service on vehicle. *smd the consumer stated a few weeks ago, the air bag light illuminated, and the horn and cruise control stopped working, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, along with a copy of the safety recall letter regarding problems with the clockspring. After an hour, the dealership informed the consumer the problem was with the electrical system, not the clockspring and that it would take more than two hours to troubleshoot the electrical problem, and there would be a charge to diagnose the problem, plus the repair charges. The consumer refused their offer. A few days later, the consumer took the vehicle to another establishment, where the mechanic's first reaction was the clockspring. An hour later, the clockspring was replaced and all of the lost functionalities were restored.
- Engine
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph over a puddle of water, there was a complete loss of power steering. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road where the contact discovered that the serpentine belt had become…
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph over a puddle of water, there was a complete loss of power steering. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road where the contact discovered that the serpentine belt had become detached without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent auto shop where the serpentine belt was replaced. The failure recurred four times and the serpentine belt was either re-attached or replaced with a new one. The manufacturer was not notified of the recurring problem. The failure mileage was unavailable.
- Electrical system · Engine
When my van IS in stop and go traffic the radiator fan fails to turn on to cool the engine to help it cool. Also it overheats at random in hot weather. My van uses a lot of coolant/antifreeze because of this. I have had the radiator replaced and pretty much everything else that IS associated with…
When my van IS in stop and go traffic the radiator fan fails to turn on to cool the engine to help it cool. Also it overheats at random in hot weather. My van uses a lot of coolant/antifreeze because of this. I have had the radiator replaced and pretty much everything else that IS associated with the cooling system in an effort to fix this, but to no avail. Because of this I don't drive much as if it overheats I am stranded. *tr
- Structure › Body · Suspension
Strut tower assembly corrosion (struts assembly could collapse) I am proud owner of dodge vehicles for many years and drive a 98 grand caravan. When the vehicle was taken for a strut repair the mechanic refused to replace the struts as he found the corrosion and said its a safety issue.to my…
Strut tower assembly corrosion (struts assembly could collapse) I am proud owner of dodge vehicles for many years and drive a 98 grand caravan. When the vehicle was taken for a strut repair the mechanic refused to replace the struts as he found the corrosion and said its a safety issue.to my surprise this IS a very important safety issue for many american families who own a similar model minivan. I want the safety authorities to look into this matter immediately. All the vehicles with a similar problem should be recalled immediately before someone IS injured or god forbidden looses their loved one in an accident. Came to know that this has been a common issue in these minivans and surprise the inspite of knowing the issue there was never a recall ???. I am a family person and cannot purchase another car in these trouble time and request the authorities take this to the right people and get a recall out. Hopefully this may save someone. I think have done my job and it IS your turn now. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. the contact stated that while attempting to make a right turn, the steering wheel would refuse to turn. a local mechanic replaced the serpentine belt but after a month the belt failed. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was notified…
TL* the contact owns a 1998 dodge grand caravan. the contact stated that while attempting to make a right turn, the steering wheel would refuse to turn. a local mechanic replaced the serpentine belt but after a month the belt failed. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was notified of the failure, but denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure and the current mileage was approximately 118,000.
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Driver air bag clockspring failure
The driver air bag clockspring can develop an open-circuit condition resulting in nonfunctional driver-side frontal air bag, horn, cruise control (if equipped), and/or steering wheel radio control (if equipped).in its october 5, 2004 letter to nhtsa, daimlerchrysler stated that it will conduct a safety recall and…
The driver air bag clockspring can develop an open-circuit condition resulting in nonfunctional driver-side frontal air bag, horn, cruise control (if equipped), and/or steering wheel radio control (if equipped).in its october 5, 2004 letter to nhtsa, daimlerchrysler stated that it will conduct a safety recall and replace the clockspring assembly on all my 1998.5-2000 daimlerchrysler minivans, built between march 1998 and august 2000, with 70,000 miles or less.it will also provide a lifetime warranty for this component on my 1998.5-2000 minivans, regardless of mileage.the details of the corrective action are described in daimlerchrysler's letter (see recall no. 04V-480).the agency believes that further expenditure of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists with respect to those vehicles covered only by the lifetime warranty.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see page 2 for additional information.
- Driver air bag clockspring failure
Complaints report air bag warning light illuminates, and this may be accompanied with a non-functioning horn and/or cruise control (if equipped).this IS indicative of an open-circuit clockspring failure (results in non-functioning driver's air bag), similar to the failure condition that was the subject of…
Complaints report air bag warning light illuminates, and this may be accompanied with a non-functioning horn and/or cruise control (if equipped).this IS indicative of an open-circuit clockspring failure (results in non-functioning driver's air bag), similar to the failure condition that was the subject of daimlerchrysler's recall of model year 1996-1998.5 minivans (recall no. 02V-293).this recall query has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea04-013).
- Air bag clockspring
There is no summary currently available
- Dc minivan fuel injector rail leak
There is no summary currently available
- Post collision fuel system
- Post-collision fuel system integrity
There is no summary currently available
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10229256KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.
- 10223854Service - Four Piece Oil Pan Gasket All Cummins Equipped Vehicles ONLY - The replacement oil pan gasket can be a four piece gasket rather than a single piece gasket. This applies to Cummins 5.9L and 6.7L engines only. Installation: 1. Clean the oil pan T-joints.~ 2. Fill the T-joint between the pan rail/gear housing and pan rail/rear seal retainer with sealant. Use Mopar Silicone Rubber Adhesive Sealant or equivalent. 3. Apply a 2-mm [0.063-in] bead of Mopar Engine Sealant RTV Silicone Rubber Adhesive, to the oil pan flange.~ 4. The four piece gasket will need to be assembled to make a complete oil pan gasket. 5. Lay the oil pan gasket(s) onto the oil pan flange.~ 6. Ensure the oil pan gasket segment joints are properly aligned. 7. Apply a 2-mm [0.063-in] bead of Mopar Engine Sealant RTV Silicone Rubber Adhesive, to the top of the oil pan gasket.~ 8. Install the oil pan. Starting from the center and working outward, tighten the oil pan bolts to 28 Nm [21 ft. lbs.].
- 10221686KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.
- 10220101Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
- 10220099Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
- 10220097Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
- 10191460Valve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
- 10175735Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery replacements are necessary.
- 10169249Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
- 10169247Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
- 10169245Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
- 6088540Owner's manual addendum providing additional information on how to identify thos eminivans that can be operated on ethonol (E85) fuel.
- 604819Emissions recall -- vehicle emission control information (veci) label replacement.
- 601474The radiator fan relay may not turn on the radiator cooling fans, causing engine to overheat.
- 600306Various information on veci label replacement.
Every Dodge Grand Caravan model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.