Your vehicle report
1999 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
- 555
- Received Mar 1995 to Aug 2022
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Horn fails with airbag warning light51 complaints · 9.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Serpentine belt breaks or slips off33 complaints · 5.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Frame rusts and corrodes through32 complaints · 5.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #04V480000On certain minivans, the driver's air bag may become disabled due to a failure of the clockspring, which is located in the hub of the steering wheel.
- Recall #02V076000On certain minivans, some trim material can loosen and drop into the rear outboard seat belt assembly, causing the seat belt to become inoperative.
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: 46 crashes, 14 fires, 38 people injured, 0 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
1 more problem
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
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 | 1 |
| 1996 | 0 |
| 1997 | 0 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 26 |
| 2000 | 43 |
| 2001 | 57 |
| 2002 | 66 |
| 2003 | 103 |
| 2004 | 98 |
| 2005 | 43 |
| 2006 | 14 |
| 2007 | 21 |
| 2008 | 18 |
| 2009 | 14 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 16 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 555 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 51 | 9.2% | – | NHTSA recall #04V480000 |
| Serpentine belt breaks or slips off | 33 | 5.9% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 32 | 5.8% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 29 | 5.2% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 24 | 4.3% | – | NHTSA recall #01V119000, #02V076000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 24 | 4.3% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 18 | 3.2% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 17 | 3.1% | – | NHTSA recall #04V480000 |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 17 | 3.1% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 16 | 2.9% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 15 | 2.7% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 13 | 2.3% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 12 | 2.2% | – | NHTSA recall #00V268000 |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 12 | 2.2% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 11 | 2.0% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 10 | 1.8% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 9 | 1.6% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 8 | 1.4% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 6 | 1.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 6 | 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 #04V480000October 6, 2004955,344 vehicles affected
air bags
On certain minivans, the driver's air bag may become disabled due to a failure of the clockspring, which is located in the hub of the steering wheel.
This condition will manifest itself through illumination of the air bag warning lamp, and could eventually result in a driver's air bag open circuit, if the part is not replaced in a reasonable amount of time.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly on all covered vehicles with 70,000 miles or less. For those vehicles with more than 70,000 miles, daimlerchrysler will offer an extended lifetime warranty under which it will replace the clockspring at no charge if it fails. Daimlerchrysler will also reimburse owners who have paid to have the clockspring replaced on their vehicles. The recall began on october 12, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #02V076000March 8, 2002545,311 vehicles affected
seat belts: rear/other
On certain minivans, some trim material Can loosen and drop into the rear outboard seat belt assembly, causing the seat belt to become inoperative.
In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the trim with foam blockers and inspect and replace all 3RD row seat belt assemblies. Owner notification began june 3, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #01V119000April 11, 2001161,682 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: retractor
Vehicle description: certain van, wagon, pickup trucks, passenger and sport utility vehicles, fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." the front seat belt retractor may not comply with the requirements of the standard.
If the retractor does not work properly, it will not adequately protect occupants in the event of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the seat belt retractor. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #00V268000September 13, 20001,163,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
Vehicle description: mini vans built with 3.3L and 3.8L engines have fuel rails with nitrole rubber o-ring seals that Can degrade over time. Fuel leakage from the underhood fuel injection fuel rail could result, increasing the likelihood of a vehicle fire.
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source Can result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install a seal on the vehicle fuel rails to prevent external leakage of fuel from the fuel rail crossover tube, should the existing o-rings continue to degrade. Owner notification began on january 25, 2002. Due to the large quantity of vehicles involved in this campaign, the owner notification will be phased over the next several months. However, if a vehicle is leaking fuel from the o-rings, the vehicle should be taken into a dealer to have this repaired as soon as possible. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #99V116000May 6, 19991,635 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights
Vehicle description: mini vans built for fleet sales only. The headlamp module does not identify the park lamp as "drl" as requirement of FMVSS 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
These vehicles do not comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 108.
Remedy
All fleet owners/operators will be mailed non-removable decals with the required "drl" letters.
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 1999 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