9.0
pretty badTypical Repair Cost:
$480.00
Average Mileage:
68,956 miles
Total Complaints:
12 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (7 reports)
- replace on board computer (3 reports)
- required a new ecm (1 reports)
- reset/reprogram computer (1 reports)
electrical problem
Helpful Websites About 2003 Dodge Caravan stops running/ unable to restart
2009Dec 08
Caravan SXT 3.3L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 106,000 miles
I have 2003 Dodge Caravan we bought it new, we have had no problems until now. Yesterday my husband went outside to warm it up, came back in and then when he went out again the van had shut off. So then he then left maybe drove about 2 miles and the van stalled while he was driving about 30mph. He sat there for about 5 mins and then it started again. He came back home and turned off van. Well it would not crank again. It had all power but would not turn over, so we called a mobile mechanic. He came out we bypassed stuff, and the starter would turn over, checked all relays and fuses all were good. He hooked it up to see what code it was putting out, but it did not put one out. So the mechanic left like I dont know what is wrong with this van. Also there is no fire either. So now it is sitting at a shop, I believe it is the PCM. I am just so pissed because after researching this there are thousands of complaints of this happening. Come on Dodge if the part is on back order nation wide don't you think, this is your problem to fix. I hope people will go to the National Highway saftey site and start putting in their complaints on this. As soon as I get my van back from shop I am going to do it. I have bought dodges my whole life, but with two dodge cars breaking down on me in a month the next car I buy will not be from them.
2004Nov 24
Caravan SE V6
- Automatic transmission
- 2,500 miles
This vehicle was purchased for my wife from Archer Dodge in Texas. 3 months into owning the vehicle we are driving home on a very hot day and it started to rain. We got home after driving a distance of about 5 miles or less, shut the vehicle off and went in the house. After about an hour we went back out to go somewhere and the van just would not start. No noise, nothing. We then called the dealer to come and pick it up as we had, according to the dearer who sold us this brand new van, we had the best warranty you could have. They sent a tow truck to get the van and when he showed up, he raised the vehicle about 30 degrees onto the tow truck and towed it about 8 miles. I am sharing this information as it's very important to remember. It was also noted as one of the hottest days in Houston, Texas history. Again, I am noting this as it's very important to know when you hear the claim that Chryslter and the Dealer made about what happened to our van. The next day, I get a phone call from the dealer telling me that the problem was with the PCM computer. They claim, and this is the part you need to remember, they claimed that it was flooded. Now if you look online at any almanac, there was not flood on planet earth within a week of this happening. The dealer also claimed that they had pictures of standing water on the engine block. I am just a simple mechanical engineer and don't understand the physics behind this, but how is it possible for there to be standing water on an engine block that was elevated and towed 8 miles in 110 degree plus temperature. I am contacting Ripley's Believe it or not over this one. Anyway, I asked the dealer for a copy of this picture of standing water and to this day, have never seen it. I fought with both the dealer and Chryster for about 2 weeks over this to no end. Finally, I told the dealer, "Dodge designed the vehicle, Dogde manufactured the vehicle, Dodge warrantied the vehicle that they will not cover and most importantly, Dodge financed the vehicle. So tell Dodge and Chryslter Financial to go screw themselves. I went out that week and bought my wife a new vehicle. Now it gets real good! Chrysler then repossessed the vehicle and sold it. When they sold it, they never disclosed to the new owner that this was a flooded vehicle. By law they are required to. This tells me one of two possible things for sure. Either I was lied to or the new purchaser and owner of this vehicle was lied to. Now, 4 years later after receiving about 500 calls from Chrysler trying to get me to pay for their piece of garbage that they would not cover. My credit shows this and it's affecting my credit score. I called Chrysler and spoke with a man there that looked up the vehicles complete history from the VIN number I supplied him with and he told me, Mr. Martin, something here is not right. You have been lied to. There is nothing on the vehicles history report that indicates it's ever been in a flood. I then called the dealer, Archer Dodge and spoke to one of the owners son's and he tells me after looking up the vehicles history that yes I had in fact been wronged and lied to in this and he suspects it's Chryslter that lied. He told me that the vehicle has been sold by Chryslter as a fleet vehicle and nothing on the vehicle history shows it was ever in a flood. No, the vehicle was never in a flood, which is exactly what I told them from the start of this. However they denied to fix my car that should have been covered by this warranty that's so good money could not buy. They refused to pay for the damage because they claimed it was flooded and now I find out they sold the vehicle to a new owner and never told them it was a flooded vehicle. Again, if they refused my warranty because it was flooded, they, by law are required to inform the new owner it was a flooded vehicle. So, to make a long story short, someone, either Chrysler or the Dealer, Archer Dodge has lied and committed fraud. If not to me, to the person who purchased this vehicle. Now here is the ironic part to all of this. After Chrysler refuses to take care of this problem and repossess my van, they turn around and ask, for a second time, for my tax paying dollars to bail them out of a bad financial problem. I don't understand this. How is it possible for a company to do business like this in the United States of America. They are a bunch of crooks and the government is empowering them to steal from more people by giving them debt relief that they, Chryslter refuses to give to it's customers themselves. Think about it!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2008Nov 05
Caravan Sport 3.3L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 96,000 miles
Car would not start or turn over. Towed to local dodge dealer. Told me they had to replace the PCM (computer). $1100. They charged me $200 for diagnostics test. I said thanks, but I will replace it myself. Took the car off and purchased a new PCM for $200 and installed it and it would not crank. Took the car back to the same dealer and told them that the problem was not with the PCM. They said that I gave them the wrong PCM. So I went out and purchased another one for $300. took ot over and installed it and then they said it was another wrong one. I had the folks who sold it to me to get on the phone with the dealer and they were straighten out. Then the dealer finally said that it was the BCM computer not the PCM computer and to replace it new would be $525.00. I said no thanks and then took to to another dodge dealer who is now working on it and I took them a rebuilt BCM and paid only $99.00 for it. I am waiting for this new dealer to give me their bad news. So far, this stupid dealer would have charged me $1100 for a part that was never broken. If I had not challenged their work, I would have been out over $1600 for this fix when all it needed was a $99.00 part installed.
2008Aug 22
Caravan SXT 3.3L
- Automatic transmission
- 99,419 miles
Van would from time to time refuse to start. I would get instrumentation working but nothing from the starter. If I fooled around with for some time it would eventually start. Gradually this issue got worse until left me stranded on vacation. It was determined that my on board comp died and needed to be replaced...................... $800 later!
2008Aug 08
Caravan SXT 3.3L
- Automatic transmission
- 70,000 miles
Vehicle would not start after running fine. Tried to jump start the vehicle with no luck. Let it sit about 4 hours, came back and it started. Thought the starter was going out but I only wish I were so lucky. Turned out to be the computer. The part itself is listed on the Dodge website at $300 but it is behind the left front light and requires the dealership program for your vehicle. Local mechanic can not complete without going to dealership. Second major issue with the vehicle out of warranty. It's a goner and I will not be purchasing another Dodge.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2007Jul 25
(reported on)Caravan 3.3L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 61,500 miles
Was in 90 plus degree temperature. Pulled in and parked to pick up wife and when I tried to start it there was nothing - no solenoid clicking, no grinding, nothing... it was dead. Then I waited a while (went to find mechanic - with no luck!!), Came back and tried it again and it started. Drove a few blocks and it died in traffic. Waited about 15 minutes trying with no response or anything. Then it started again like nothing was wrong. Started driving again and it died in traffic again!! Again, after about 20 minutes it came back to life again. This time as I was able to get some air moving through I finally made it back to the house.
Need to get some direction where to look for the problem!!! It doesn't show on the computer readout!!
2008Feb 05
Caravan
- Automatic transmission
- 43,496 miles
My problem is intermittent. The engine will just stop while driving while everything else appears to be ok. Sometimes it won't start. All the lights and accessories come on but there is nothing from the engine - no cranking - not even a click. It is not the battery.
2007Sep 07
(reported on)Caravan SXT 3.3L
- Automatic transmission
- 86,000 miles
Van will not start after turning off . It has all power, all lights but motor will not turn over. A P shows up in odom. then shows the word DONE and will start. But then dies again, I crossed the starter sol. over and engine turns over but wont start. I also noticed when I turn on the switch, if I hear a humming noise under the hood the van will start. But if no hum, no start. THIS IS A PAIN IN THE ASSPRIN, AND HAS LEFT MYSELF AND KIDS STRANDED. NO MORE DODGE. I GIVE UP. BOUGHT A CHEVY, BUT STILL STUCK WITH D*M VAN, WARRANTY OVER GO FIGURE
2007Aug 01
(reported on)Caravan
- Automatic transmission
- 56,432 miles
The first time it wouldn't start back up after having it off for 5 minutes. Once it was towed it started right back up (about an hour later, in the dealership parking lot).
The next day after driving it about 10 miles two different times and having it shut off numerous times and then having it parked for about 45 minutes, I got in and started it no problem. Two blocks later it died completely. About 1/2 hour later when the tow truck showed up, it started without any issues.
Weird thing is the lights, ac and everything else work just fine!! It doesn't even seem as if there is a drain on them. When I turn the ignition, it doesn't do anything, no clicks, no "starting", nothing!!!
Also both times it wouldn't start/stalled, it was on an incline. The first time was in a drive way where the front was up higher and the second time was going down a hill. And when it was started it was on a flat surface.
It has been at the dealership since last night and of course it is not happening there. They did hook it up to the machine since my check engine light came on last night when it died, but there were not any messages that came out.
2007Jun 19
(reported on)Caravan Sport 3.3L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 79,127 miles
What the vehicle does is: It will start fine (sometimes) when it is cold. Drive it for a while, then turn it off - and it won't restart. There is nothing - no solenoid clicking, no grinding, nothing... it is like it died. Then you wait a while, sometimes a few hours, and then try it again and it will start. It has also died while driving, and that is really annoying, and can be very dangerous. I am having a mechanic look at it now, and he is pretty baffled. We'll have to see what the outcome is. Stay tuned...
2007Mar 29
(reported on)Caravan
- Automatic transmission
- 60,000 miles
I AM MAD, AUTO SHOP RAN DIAG., AND PROBLEM DOESN'T SHOW UP, THIS VAN IS UNRELIABLE, I CAN NOT KEEP HAVING IT TOWED. THE B.... ABOUT THE WHOLE THING IS IT STOPS RUNNING I HAVE IT TOWED.. THEY TRY THE SAME DAY TO START DA.. THING DOESN'T START THAT DAY, BUTTTTTTTT THE NEXT DAY IT STARTS UP AND RUNS LIKE NOTHING WRONG THEY DO ANOTHER DIAG., AND STILL NO PROBLEM SHOWS UP... WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH IT.................................
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2010Jan 02
Caravan SE 3.3L V6
After I read all of the complaints here about the same problem that I experienced I decide to check a little further because I remembered resetting the computer on a 1990 Chrysler TC that I owned a few years ago. What I discovered was that the computer on the Caravan can be reset very easily saving you tons of money. Step 1 - disconnect the negative battery cable. Step 2 - while it is disconnected turn the ignition key to the start position and hold for 30 seconds. Step 3 - reconnect the cable and the car should start. Step 4 - drive the car for 25-50 miles while the computer reprograms itself. In my case some of the dash lights were doing crazy stuff for a while but eventually, while driving, they came back to normal.
All of this happened because the kid that installed my new battery at Sears was not aware that the computer should be reprogrammed and for that matter neither did I.
realpaine
Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
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