Your vehicle report
1994 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
- 644
- Received Jan 1995 to Sep 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes59 complaints · 9.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine suddenly shuts off while driving48 complaints · 7.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Tailgate or trunk latch fails46 complaints · 7.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #00V305000Vehicle description: mini vans equipped with 2-SPOKE luxury wheels manufactured july 1992 through june 1993; or equipped with 4-SPOKE sport wheels manufactured from july 1992 through september 1993. The steering wheel armature stamping can crack and separate from the center hub attachment to the steering column.
- Recall #99V213000Vehicle description: mini vans. The bolts used to attach the strut to the body and the rear liftgate can accumulate fatigue damage if three factors combine. If the bolt is loose, the gas strut is over-pressurized, and the frequency of opening and closing cycles is higher than for the average customer, the bolt can fail.
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: 91 crashes, 6 fires, 102 people injured, 3 deaths.
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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
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
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 | 145 |
| 1996 | 106 |
| 1997 | 63 |
| 1998 | 51 |
| 1999 | 93 |
| 2000 | 83 |
| 2001 | 37 |
| 2002 | 31 |
| 2003 | 17 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 644 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 59 | 9.2% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 48 | 7.4% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 46 | 7.1% | – | NHTSA recall #99V213000 |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 45 | 7.0% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 40 | 6.2% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 40 | 6.2% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 33 | 5.1% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 24 | 3.7% | – | |
| Serpentine belt breaks or slips off | 23 | 3.6% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 18 | 2.8% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 17 | 2.6% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 17 | 2.6% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 9 | 1.4% | – | NHTSA recall #99V113000 |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 9 | 1.4% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 9 | 1.4% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 8 | 1.2% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 7 | 1.1% | – | |
| Power steering rack leaks fluid | 7 | 1.1% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 7 | 1.1% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 6 | 0.9% | – |
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 #00V305000October 12, 2000679,000 vehicles affected
steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Vehicle description: mini vans equipped with 2-SPOKE luxury wheels manufactured july 1992 through june 1993; or equipped with 4-SPOKE sport wheels manufactured from july 1992 through september 1993. The steering wheel armature stamping Can crack and separate from the center hub attachment to the steering column.
If the steering wheel separates from the center hub attachment to the steering column, loss of control Can occur increasing the risk of an accident.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the steering wheel for cracks and any wheels with cracks will be replaced. All other vehicles will have a reinforcement plate installed to prevent steering wheel separation in the event cracking occurs.
NHTSA recall #99V213000September 2, 19991,318,189 vehicles affected
structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments
Vehicle description: mini vans. The bolts used to attach the strut to the body and the rear liftgate Can accumulate fatigue damage if three factors combine. If the bolt is loose, the gas strut is over-pressurized, and the frequency of opening and closing cycles is higher than for the average customer, the bolt Can fail.
Personal injury could occur if the bolts break allowing the liftgate to fall suddenly.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect for loose fasteners, if the fasteners are loose, the strut (and integral bolts) will be replaced. If the bolt shows evidence of torque, the bolt will be removed, larger washers will replace the existing washer and the bolt will be reinstalled and hand tightened to the target torqued.
NHTSA recall #99V113000May 6, 1999736,824 vehicles affected
air bags
Vehicle description: mini vans. The wiring that initiates the driver and/or passenger air bag could electrically short circuit to ground. A short circuit to ground that exists immediately after turning the ignition key to the "on" or "start" position Can cause the air bag(s) to inadvertently deploy.
Inadvertent air bag deployment Can injure a front seat occupant.
Remedy
Dealers will perform an electronic diagnostic check. Any short circuits identified in either the driver's or passenger side air bag initiator wire circuit will be repaired.
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 1994 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