10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
7 / 6
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 1
Average Mileage:
44,212 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 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2008 Dodge Grand Caravan Owner Comments (Page 1 of 41)

problem #807

Jul 222022

Grand Caravan

  • miles

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

Shift lever placed in to park will not release key fob, keeping the vehicle in accessory mode and draining battery. Occassionally shifting back and forth from 'park' to other positions and back to 'park' will cause the ignition to release key fob as normal. Eventually found on forums that flicking the shifter button once in park will help depress microswitch and allow ignition to turn off, thus releaseing fob. Eventually this stopped working as well. My first fix was removing the dash and bending the microswitch leg so that more firm contact was made by shift arm when placed in 'park.' This eventually stopped working again. I finally removed dash and displaced microswitch so that it protrudes through ignition ring and hangs out near the key fob. Now when I park, I manually press the microswitch and the iginition releases the fob fully every time! otherwise you're stuck replacing the entire shift assembly for over $200 for parts and more for whatever labor is charged! all for a $2 microswitch that is positioned wrong.

- Kingwood, TX, USA

problem #806

Jul 222021

Grand Caravan

  • miles
The vehicle entered "limp home" mode on a busy highway. After a little research, I found out that this could be caused by a short in wiring. There was already a recall on this vehicle related to the wiring harnesses in the rear sliding doors. At the time, we were experiencing no issues, but took it anyway where we were told that everything was OK and as far as I know, no work was done to correct the potential defect. Subsequently that assembly has fallen apart on both sides and now we're left with a vehicle that repeatedly enters limp home mode often at very inconvenient times, triggering the wipers, as well as all the lights on the dashboard. We'd really like to know that this known issue can be fixed and that Chrysler/Dodge didn't actually put an expiration date on safety.

- Upper Chichester, PA, USA

problem #805

Apr 082021

Grand Caravan

  • miles
My vehicles rear doors and back windows have stopped opening I'm afraid if something happen like an accident me and my 7 children will not be able to escape the vehicle I'm a single mother of 7 I have no way of repairing it myself when the pandemic. Hit I lost everything please help

- Wilmington , DE, USA

problem #804

Jun 122021

Grand Caravan

  • miles

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

You will be driving this vehicle and all of the sudden the wipers will start going off, all the dash lights go on and off, all of the gages will move and it will start dinging at you that something is wrong. sometimes it happens once and stops and other times it will happen for 5-10 minutes without stopping and then all of the sudden it just stops. We have had it looked at so many times and have repaired different wires and such but nothing seems to work. Now I have found out that the TIPM is bad and you have to wait weeks to get it and then it could happen again.

- Sibley, IA, USA

problem #803

Mar 312021

Grand Caravan

  • 148,000 miles
Driver's side sliding door made buzzing sound for a few days now stuck shut and locked. Will not unlock at all. Can not open.

- Chilhowee, MO, USA

problem #802

Feb 142021

Grand Caravan

  • 120,000 miles
The car would shut off while driving on multiple occasions. The dashboard lights would come on and the car would shut off simultaneously. This has happened while driving on the streets and on the freeway. This is very dangerous because there are no warnings it just shuts off.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #801

Feb 022021

Grand Caravan

  • 55,000 miles

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

The tipm goes out quite frequently in these. My van electrical system goes nuts on me, my headlights flash while I'm driving down the road, and it will just off while driving. When it shuts off I have no way to warn other vehicles because none of the lights work. I'm afraid I'm going to get into an accident because of this and it's a very costly fix.

- Hampton, FL, USA

problem #800

Sep 022020

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • 130,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving 6 mph and making a right turn, the vehicle loss motive power and stalled without warning. The vehicle was restarted and operated as intended. The vehicle was taken to crystal super center (3477 commercial way, spring hill, fl 34606) and was diagnosed that the win module and two keys needed to be replaced. The vehicle was in the processes of been repaired. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 14V373000 (electrical system, air bags) at ferman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of new port richey (4023 us-19, new port richey, fl 34652) however, the repair failed to prevent the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

- Aripeka, FL, USA

problem #799

Nov 022020

Grand Caravan

  • 5 miles
I have an intermittent crank, no crank issue. Often while driving the vehicle power just cuts off in the middle of the road. The ac also cuts off while driving on its own while the vehicle is running. I have 2 minors wich I drive to school daily and I'm very concerned about our safety. Car has been taken to several mechanics, we have changed the starter, alternator and two new batteries and the loss of power issue remains.

- Kissiimmee, FL, USA

problem #798

Oct 092020

Grand Caravan

  • 157,485 miles
2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT driver side sliding door is stuck I locked position. It will not respond to any of the dedicated buttons like the fob, the master door unlock, the overhead door opener or even manually.

- Highlands Ranch, CO, USA

problem #797

May 152019

Grand Caravan

  • 73,000 miles

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

The driver side sliding door does not operate properly. It does not open automatically with the remote if the door is manually locked. If the sliding door is left unlocked it will open with the remote. A safety concern of mine is that when the van is in motion lets say 60mph on the highway, someone can pull on the open door latch and the door will open, because the safety system in place does not lock the door when in motion. I did notice that wires on the sliding track harness on this side of the sliding door are broken. Just got off the phone talking to Chrysler and mentioned the wire harness issue with them, told them of the safety concern this could have on my and many other families out there that own these vans. Imagine going 60mph or 70 mph on the highway and the door opens, well Chrysler does not seem to care about my family or others, they told me it's out of the warranty period, guess I'm going to have T fix it myself.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #796

Feb 262020

Grand Caravan

  • 86,000 miles
Electric door locks and air bag system have stopped functioning normally. When you first start driving, the electric door locks are supposed to lock at 15 mph. Sometimes they will not lock until you are going 30 mph or 45 mph. Note that all three speeds are multiples of 15. After the doors eventually lock themselves, all of the door locks in the vehicle will unlock without warning as you are driving. This can happen at any speed - 20 mph, 70 mph, whatever. Once they unlock, the vehicle will continue "unlocking" the doors repeatedly every 5- 10 seconds continuously. The front doors can be manually locked by pushing down the door lock button located at the top rear section of the door. As soon as you manually lock the doors, they will unlock again and continue to unlock the doors every 5 - 10 seconds as you are driving the car. In addition, the air bag warning light in the dash lights up when you start the car and stays continuously lit as you are driving it. I consider these dangerous defects. It is unsafe to drive, and my Dodge dealership told me there no "open recalls" for my vehicle. This vehicle has only 86,000 miles on it.

- Grandview, MO, USA

problem #795

Nov 222019

Grand Caravan

  • 151,500 miles
The van will did while I'm driving, very randomly. It also does when putting it in gear, also randomly. It doesn't happen every day or every time I drive. It happens in the middle of making a turn so I lose power steering. It's been happening for months now and is getting worse. I don't do much highway driving but it happens on city streets in stop and go traffic

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #794

May 102019

Grand Caravan

  • 131,588 miles
Vehicle wipers, wiper fluid, and horn operate separately and independently from human operator input with no response to operators attempts to disengage their operations. Incidents happen intermittently at rest or in motion, situations are not able to be anticipated.

- Afton, IA, USA

problem #793

May 112019

Grand Caravan 6-cyl

  • miles
Spontaneous fire in the rear driver side after parked for hours. Consumer stated the wires around the fuses weren't burnt. It's all in the back. Around the back hatch and driver side in the trunk. It melted the back hatch so that you can't even open it. I'm guessing where it was locking and unlocking on its own it shorted out back there. Consumer sold the parts.

- Branchland, WV, USA

problem #792

Aug 182014

Grand Caravan

  • 134,000 miles
They did not open in 3 van wreaks - the faulty tipm fuse boxes were put in at the factory (reconditioned fuse boxes) Dodge has admitted to this in the Dodge durango's. there are many many more models in the Chrysler/Dodge group of cars and trucks with this same problem but they are making money hand over fist at their repair shops so why fix it there is a easy fix they are not telling you about, the capacitors in your car, van or truck are over loading to fix all you have to do is disconnect the battery both the negative and positive sides for 24 the fist time, then 3 hours, then again each time for 1 hour when you see a faulty light come on or lights on you dash panel flashing or your engine shuts off while driving.this should clear up after 3 times of doing this.this worked for me my van does not shut off anymore, no more dash lights flashing.you may have to do this more than 3 times ?.but it works has been over a year now. Happen while driving and sitting still.

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #791

Mar 192019

Grand Caravan

  • 147,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to new carlisle Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram (580 N main St, new carlisle, oh 45344, (937) 845-1700) where it was diagnosed that the key fob needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred while it was still at the dealer. After further diagnostic testing, the contact was informed that the shifter needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 147,000.

- Tipp City, OH, USA

problem #790

Jan 082019

Grand Caravan

  • 103,000 miles
Horn goes off windshield wipers start moving car shuts off while driving key doesn't have to be in the ignition for horn to go off and wipers to wipe driving on the road and car shuts off

- Hampton, GA, USA

problem #789

Nov 012018

Grand Caravan

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. While the vehicle was turned off, the battery would drain and the vehicle could not be started. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the computer software was faulty, which caused the radio to remain activated after the vehicle was turned off and drained the battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer (Jeep Dodge Chrysler of teterboro, 469 us highway 46, little ferry, NJ) were notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 140,000.

- Edge Water, NJ, USA

problem #788

Aug 112018

Grand Caravan

  • 114,000 miles
Vehicle stalled intermittently going down road, dash lights flicker on and off, windshield wipers turn on intermittently, radio not owrking, windows not working, locks not working, all dash lights now not on, gas gage not working, RPM not working. Vehicle is currently not driveable.

- Homer, NY, USA

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