10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
92,427 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Dodge Grand Caravan brakes problems

brakes problem

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2008 Dodge Grand Caravan Owner Comments (Page 2 of 2)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #19

Oct 102015

Grand Caravan

  • 95,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving down the highway, engine stalled, horn was blaring with no way to turn it off, wipers at full speed and couldn't stop them, car wouldn't start back up. Engine light and gas light(not empty) are now on.

- Fulton, NY, USA

problem #18

Mar 022013

Grand Caravan

  • miles
A need a recall on tipm part which controls the engine which turns it on and off. Now a recall is due>becauase it is the issue with vehicle because now the ealerships are saying it is the issue or what is causing it to turn off.as a Dodge owner of a Grand Caravan, from the time I brought the vehicle there were issues. First it started with the vehicle turning itself off and did start back. So the dealership fix it. Then it was the brakes and rotors on the front end. Fix, repair, issues again, then issues again. So many other issues with this van later on. But I decided not to complain to Dodge company.. boy do I regret it now..it's been almost 4 years now, I still have issues with the engine cutting off while driving. This has gone on for awhile, then recall come out saying it's the engine switch, so now we are waiting on the it, still... when I have did some research and ask some people with computer knowledge on vehicles and they say by the engine cutting off while driving can cause issues with the tipm part (computer). I have taken it so many times to the dealership for this reason for the engine shutting it self off, they would brush it off it's the battery, got new battery then it happen again. Then took it back again, no engine light on, then they can't diagnose any issues. Now warranty is out.. still no part for the recall engine switch.... 2015. Now that the engine is still shutting it self off, dealership is now saying its the tipm part which is 1200. Or more... I believe it has been the issue the whole time, so Dodge needs to have a recall on this part before someone is kill... I worry about it happening to my family.I have three children. It's our only vehicle.. as of today still no part available.call Dodge - no help from them. They need to have a recall on the tipm part before its to late.

- Elizabethton, TN, USA

problem #17

Mar 242015

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 82,000 miles
My wife was driving the minivan today around 6:45 am. She was dropping off our daughter to school. Her speed limit was 25 mph. 2 times, the traction stability control lit up in the dashboard. The engine stopped, brake was not working and steering wheel cannot be moved. Both times, she was able to turn on the hazard light to alert any vehicles behind her. Luckily she was not traveling fast and the vehicles behind her were slow. Both times she had to remove the key and reinsert it and restart the minivan. She was able to restart the minivan. This is the 2nd time that this happened. Our dealer have open appointments 6 days from now. This is a dangerous situation that others are also experiencing. Below is a link of complaints... www.carcomplaints.com/Dodge/grand_caravan/2008/brakes/electronic_stability_control.shtml.

- Gainesville, GA, USA

problem #16

Sep 252014

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine shut off complete and hard to control the steering wheel and the brakes don't response at all and Chrysler group llc don't do nothing to fix the problem at all and I have over 5 month still paying the van and I can't drive at all.

- Vista, CA, USA

problem #15

Aug 292014

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 102,000 miles
My 18yr son was driving the van at highway speeds (65 mph) when he described a sudden inability to control the vehicle. The steering became hard to control and the brakes here hard to push. He thought the brakes had failed. Due to the inability to control the van he drifted into the passing lane where a car to the rear of him struck his rear quarter panel, causing his van to spin out of control. The vehicle spun and came to rest in the meridian. The police report stated" no evidence of brakes locking up" as there was no skid marks in the road way until the vehicle was leaving the road sideways. The air bags did not deploy. The damage to the vehicle includes substantial front, side and rear panel damage the front and rear tires are out of alignment, exhaust pushed up into rear quarter panel and the force caused the battery to slide out of place. The engine warning lights were all on to include the air bag light. We called Chrysler because we saw the recall on line. Meanwhile 5 days after the accident we received the recall notice in the mail stating it was fine to drive the can until the recall was performed.they sent an investigation team to examine the van and determined the brakes were at fault. However the brakes were new including rotors 2 weeks prior and upon having my own inspection done the brakes were found in working order, no warped rotors or burnt pads that would suggest a brake lock up at 65mph, tires(snow tires as my son was heading to college in northern Maine ) are in good condition with no evidence of flat areas (as one might expect with brakes locking up) we had engine diagnostics checked and found an yaw warning at the time of the accident with no other engine codes noted. All engine lights were lit up at the time of the accident much like what happens when you shut the ignition off while the vehicle is in motion only to reset upon normal restart.

- Dedham , ME, USA

problem #14

May 052014

Grand Caravan

  • 89,352 miles
Wife was driving around 40 mph when traction control light came on and she lost power steering and brakes. She was finally able to stop in the middle of the intersection, luckily there was no car coming. She then turned the van off and restarted and everything was fine. She said she is never driving it again because it is unsafe. Last year we had the tipm replaced after the seemingly common problem of horn honking, windshield wipers going and solvent spraying randomly several times. Not sure how Chrysler can get away with having all of these life endangering issues without having recalls and fixing them. But what I do know is we will never buy a Chrysler product again.

- Burt, MI, USA

problem #13

Apr 162014

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 108,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On occasion the vehicle will set of a signal alarm and display esp bas brake ABS and the esp symbol will illuminate - also the panel lights will flicker. I will also feel a very slight hesitation on my forward motion. It does not always happen - but always while vehicle was just starting to heat up.

- Greenacres, FL, USA

problem #12

Feb 282014

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 133,000 miles
As I was driving on the interstate in atlanta, my vehicle ABS eps bas and esp light came on. At this time I was unable to use cruise control. Now it comes on intermittently and slows my vehicle down at odd times. I have taken it to the mechanic and they say they don't see anything wrong with it. I travel a lot and would hate for this to happen to me again especially with my children with me.

- Eastman, GA, USA

problem #11

May 182012

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
While driving down the road the car loses complete power--steering, brakes. Electronic stability/traction control light comes on. Very scary/dangerous situation. I am usually able wrestle it to side of road without any power steering or power brakes. After getting the van to a stop and shutting off the ignition, the van will fire right up and not have any problems for a few days. Then it happens again. I have had it in the shop numerous times to try and diagnosis. No luck.....I've replaced batteries, wheel bearings, you name it. Any advice"????"

- Terre Haute, IN, USA

problem #10

Nov 012013

Grand Caravan

  • 28,400 miles
Electronic stability control turns itself off and on at random. Warning light esp/bas illuminates and esp is turned off automatically. This light turns on and off at seemingly random times. Dealer is not sure why wants to charge me to start changing parts it is not sure are broken.

- Mukwonago, WI, USA

problem #9

Oct 252013

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 108,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving down the highway and my vehicle headlights turned off as well as the engine. The windshield wipers turned on high even though they were in the off position. The car horn was engaged and I had no control over the function of the systems. I was able to start the car but the light would not come on etc. Even with the key removed and the exiting the wipers, horn, hazard lights still were engaged. The car started to spray windshield wiper fluid as well. The locks would unlock and lock as well. Eventually approximately 10 minutes it stopped. I was able to stared the car and moved it to a safe location. I took video of the incident. I am highly concerned as this seems to be a recurring problem based on my research and there definitely could have be a fatality last night!

- Ellicott City, MD, USA

problem #8

May 282013

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 109,200 miles
After accelerating from a stop light to a speed of approximately to 40 mph, the electronic stability control light illuminated on the dash board. The vehicle lost acceleration power and would not go over 20 mph. After loss of power, driver noticed power steering and brakes were inoperable. Driver was able to turn off busy road without incident and glided to a stop. Driver turned off vehicle and restarted. After restarting vehicle, it appeared to operate normal. Vehicle was driven to dealer immediately for diagnosis and repair.

- Woodridge, IL, USA

problem #7

Dec 182012

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 130,000 miles
I am experiencing electrical problems with the 2008 Grand Caravan. The van cuts off while moving. The lights blink. The radio suddenly turns on. Sometimes the doors will not unlock. The problems all appear to be related to the computer malfunctioning in the van. The may cause an accident if the van loses power and control while driving.

- Advance, NC, USA

problem #6

Nov 052012

Grand Caravan

  • miles
Received "safety recall L01" to replace the occupant restraint controller module (orc). The L01 recall was performed at Dodge dealership in daytona auto mall, daytona beach Florida where the vehicle was originally purchased. According to the procedure to replace the orc, the electronic stability dynamic sensor (esp) had to be removed and re-installed as part of the replacement for the orc. Vehicle was picked up and driven home that day. The next day the vehicle was started and the esp, bake assist sensor (bas), and traction control sensor lights appeared on the dash. Returned vehicle to Dodge dealer to verify that this was not caused by the recall procedure. Dodge dealer checked ABS codes and said the steering angle control /clock spring sensor was defective, and would cost $500 plus to fix. All these components are connected to the ABS system. I just cannot believe that one day after the L01 recall was done, that another component of the ABS system failed.

- Port Orange, FL, USA

problem #5

Jun 072012

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 69,962 miles
June 2012, while driving the vehicle from a restaurant from dinner, the vehicle suffered a power failure which immediately caused the vehicle to power down while driving on the highway. I was forced to make a best attempt to pull over to the side of the road, which was made difficult by the fact that the brakes were powered by the electrical systems as was the steering. I subsequently called a mechanic who came and checked out the minivan but, no work was performed because when the mechanic arrived, the car started and drove perfectly and all of the voltages for the electrical systems tested okay. A month later, after arriving home and parking my car, I noticed that the cooling fan was still operating although the vehicle has been shut off. I then immediately started the car and did every check possible to make sure that I had not left anything on. After checking under the hood and closing the hood itself, the fan shut off on its on.within a matter of weeks, this same problem began repeating itself and would only stop once the battery ran down. I eventually had the fan relay/starter replaced after a mechanic suggested that this was the issue. I have subsequently found that the fan no longer stays on. However, the vehicle continues to either shut down while driving with no apparent cause and I am still experiencing problems with the vehicle's battery draining, although nothing appears to have been left on. The electrical problems have continued to get worse and increasingly dangerous and I have called several Dodge dealerships to speak with mechanics. To generalize, a majority of the mechanics have dealt with other consumers who have experience some or all of the same issues and suggest that the tipm is faulty and that this is a common issue on Chrysler and Dodge minivans of the same year and being that this is the case that they expect to see a recall issued.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #4

Sep 042012

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 35,850 miles
While driving to the market my wife experienced a sudden shudder in the steering/brakes pulling the vehicle out of the driving lane towards the shoulder. She brought the vehicle to a stop of the shoulder. She noticed the esp/bas warning light and the slippery road/traction control warning light had both activated on the dash/instrument panel. We brought the vehicle to the dealer who informed us the steering angle/clockspring sensor which activates the drivers airbag had failed and needs replacement. According to the dealer the item is not covered under warranty and repair would cost a total of $508. Dodge recalled Caravan 1996-2000 for a similar issue. We have already had to replace all the brakes, for what was termed premature whereout, at approx 22,000 miles. We had to replace the electronic keys which both crumbled after the 3rd year. What's next"??" any help in this situation would be much appreciated.

- Houma, LA, USA

problem #3

Apr 222011

Grand Caravan

  • 63,000 miles
This is an on going problem with our mini van. The vehicle shuts itself off for no apparent reason while in gear. We have the win module replaced as has been recalled in new models, but this did not fix the problem. As a family we are concerned for our safety while driving this vehicle. Internet research has turned up clues that Chrysler knows there is a problem and is refusing to act on a solution.

- Holt, MI, USA

problem #2

Mar 302010

Grand Caravan

  • 17,000 miles
Vehicle: 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, in use for 20 months, 17000 miles. Uneven brake pad wear. I believe this is a significant safety problem rather than a routine maintenance issue is based on what could have happened and what did happen. Here are my observations and experiences (1) if the malfunctioning rear wheel brake calipers are unexpectedly locking up the wheel the operation of the antilock brake system (ABS) and electronic stability program (esp) safety systems will be compromised since the control computers cannot fully unlock the rear wheels on slippery roads; (2) the rotational drag from locking rear wheels caused the vehicle to exhibit very poor starting traction and control on snow and a strong propensity to get stuck especially if the rear wheels were on a less slippery surface than the front wheels, it was not possible to 'rock' or push the vehicle free, turning off the esp as recommended in the operators manual for stuck situations did not help to free the vehicle; (3) the dragging rotor could overheat, reduce braking performance and cause unanticipated damage to brake system components, my rear brake components show signs of what looks to me to be excessive heating; (4) the failure occurred about 5 months and 5000 miles after factory service inspected the brake system and did not find any problems or excessive wear, this is well under Chrysler's 12 month or 12,000 mile inspection interval recommendation for brakes, this is also under my more stringent 6 month tire rotation and brake inspection interval; (5) none of the onboard diagnostics for the ABS or esp indicated a problem with the systems, no audible warning chirping devices sounded, the grinding noise of the irreparably damaged rotor and caliper on the left rear wheel was the first indication of brake system failure. I am trying to get Chrysler to inspect and repair this safety defect under warranty outside of the standard 12 month 12000 mile brake warranty.

- Norton, OH, USA

problem #1

Apr 092008

Grand Caravan

  • 20,000 miles
Details: Uneven brake wear. Rear brake calipers, do not retract evenly. Caliper piston hangs up on one side. One side will be worn down all the way to metal and the pads on the opposite wheel will be barely touched. Dealer says nothing is wrong. Parts department says they are replacing many calipers due to this problem. Stability control masks the problem so it goes undetected until the sound of metal to metal contact is heard. Vehicle is inspected every 3 months and pads replaced when necessary. This is a manufacturing defect and should be covered under warranty. The dealer says after 12,000 miles they are not responsible.

- Fitchburg, WI, USA

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