Your vehicle report
1990 Dodge Caravan
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 278
- Received Jan 1995 to Feb 2009
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Tailgate or trunk latch fails49 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Transmission fails or loses power while driving37 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Seat belt fails to latch or retract26 complaints · 9.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #91V053000Inboard front seat belt buckle assembly straps can suffer fatigue failure of the strap near its anchor position.
- Recall #90V145000Incorrect screws may have been used in installing the load sensing brake proportioning valve to its bracket causing the clamping load to be less than intended.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 13 crashes, 7 fires, 10 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 19 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 148 |
| 1996 | 39 |
| 1997 | 19 |
| 1998 | 23 |
| 1999 | 15 |
| 2000 | 16 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 278 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 49 | 18% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 37 | 13% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 26 | 9.3% | – | NHTSA recall #91V053000 |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 23 | 8.3% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 23 | 8.3% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 10 | 3.6% | – | |
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 10 | 3.6% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 8 | 2.9% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 6 | 2.2% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 2.2% | – | |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 6 | 2.2% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 6 | 2.2% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 6 | 2.2% | – | NHTSA recall #90V145000 |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 5 | 1.8% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Serpentine belt breaks or slips off | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 3 | 1.1% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 1.1% | – | |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 3 | 1.1% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #91V053000April 10, 1991640,000 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: buckle assembly
Inboard front seat belt buckle assembly straps Can suffer fatigue failure of the strap near its anchor position.
Fatigue failure of safety belts in a sudden stop oraccident condition results in increased likelihood of injury to seat occupant.
Remedy
Replace fatigued straps or retrofit straps with a reinforcement plate and removal of an antirotation tab to prevent fatigue failure.
NHTSA recall #90V145000August 10, 1990100 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: differential proportional valve
Incorrect screws may have been used in installing the load sensing brake proportioning valve to its bracket causing the clamping load to be less than intended.
This could result in inconsistent front to rear brakebalance with potential for rear brake skid under heavy braking conditions.
Remedy
Replace proportioning valve to bracket screws with proper length screws.
NHTSA recall #89V237000December 27, 1989634,000 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: engine
The engine valve cover gasket may dislocate and allow an engine oil leak at the gasket.
The leakage of oil in the engine compartment could causea fire.
Remedy
Replace gasket cover with revised cover, and rtv sealant will be applied in place of a gasket.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1990 Dodge Caravan.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN