Dodge Grand Caravan 2001–2007
4th generation (RS)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20263,204 complaints, 2,592 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 2,592
- Median of reported failures
- 64,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Electrical system (14.1%)
- Recalls
- 4
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 38,300 and 97,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Dodge Grand Caravan 2001–2007 · 2,592 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 145 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 41 complaints (1.6%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 18,000
- 25%
- 38,300
- Median
- 64,000
- 75%
- 97,000
- 90%
- 132,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 105 | 4.1% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 59 | 2.3% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 48 | 1.9% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 67 | 2.6% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 80 | 3.1% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 80 | 3.1% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 106 | 4.1% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 128 | 4.9% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 135 | 5.2% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 126 | 4.9% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 145 | 5.6% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 98 | 3.8% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 132 | 5.1% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 102 | 3.9% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 122 | 4.7% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 101 | 3.9% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 102 | 3.9% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 95 | 3.7% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 66 | 2.5% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 96 | 3.7% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 68 | 2.6% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 53 | 2.0% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 58 | 2.2% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 41 | 1.6% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 59 | 2.3% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 25 | 1.0% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 45 | 1.7% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 30 | 1.2% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 28 | 1.1% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 18 | 0.7% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 35 | 1.4% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 21 | 0.8% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 18 | 0.7% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 16 | 0.6% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 16 | 0.6% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 9 | 0.3% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 4 | 0.2% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 4 | 0.2% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 4 | 0.2% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 6 | 0.2% |
| 200,000+ | 41 | 1.6% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 3,204 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001–2007 Dodge Grand Caravan, and 2,592 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 38,300 and 97,000 miles. The median is 64,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the electrical system (14.1% of complaints, typically around 75,000 miles), latches and locks (12.5% of complaints, typically around 60,000 miles), the airbag system (9.9% of complaints, typically around 60,000 miles).
4 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2001–2007 Dodge Grand Caravan last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2001–2007 Dodge Grand Caravan were filed by 64,000 miles and 90% by 132,000 miles — figures drawn from 2,592 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
41 reports (1.6%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a Grand Caravan reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2001–2007 Grand Caravan: the 3-minute check
Generated from 2,592 mileage-tagged complaints, 4 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 4 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check transmission. 41TE automatic failures continue as the leading complaint category.
- Check body / doors. Power sliding door motor, cable and latch failures — doors that fail to latch, open on their own, or jam.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 38,000 and 97,000 miles, with a median of 64,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the electrical system and latches and locks are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Latches and locks in particular shows a median failure mileage of 60,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Dodge Grand Caravan 2001–2007
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Steering293 reports45,00030,000–73,000Steering: 293 reports, median 45,000 miles, middle half 30,000 to 73,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline164 reports48,00021,000–65,000Transmission and driveline: 164 reports, median 48,000 miles, middle half 21,000 to 65,000 miles.
- Latches and locks402 reports60,00045,000–80,000Latches and locks: 402 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 45,000 to 80,000 miles.
- Airbag system317 reports60,00040,000–93,000Airbag system: 317 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 93,000 miles.
- Body structure169 reports74,00048,000–104,000Body structure: 169 reports, median 74,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 104,000 miles.
- Electrical system453 reports75,00050,000–104,000Electrical system: 453 reports, median 75,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 104,000 miles.
- Exterior lighting291 reports77,00052,000–105,000Exterior lighting: 291 reports, median 77,000 miles, middle half 52,000 to 105,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 453 | 14.1% | 75,000 | 50,000–104,000 |
| Latches and locks | 402 | 12.5% | 60,000 | 45,000–80,000 |
| Airbag system | 317 | 9.9% | 60,000 | 40,000–93,000 |
| Steering | 293 | 9.1% | 45,000 | 30,000–73,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 291 | 9.1% | 77,000 | 52,000–105,000 |
| Body structure | 169 | 5.3% | 74,000 | 48,000–104,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 164 | 5.1% | 48,000 | 21,000–65,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 146 | 4.6% | 105,000 | 80,000–130,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 139 | 4.3% | 28,000 | 18,000–55,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 111 | 3.5% | 50,000 | 36,000–85,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Dodge Grand Caravan 2001–2007 · 2,592 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 45% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 71% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 85% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 98%: the remaining 1.6% of reports (41) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
45% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Electrical system — middle half 50,000–104,000 mi
- Latches and locks — middle half 45,000–80,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 40,000–93,000 mi
- Steering — middle half 30,000–73,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — middle half 52,000–105,000 mi
- Body structure — middle half 48,000–104,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 21,000–65,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
71% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Latches and locks — median 60,000 mi
- Steering — median 45,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 48,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Electrical system — middle half 50,000–104,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 40,000–93,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — middle half 52,000–105,000 mi
- Body structure — middle half 48,000–104,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
85% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Electrical system — median 75,000 mi
- Latches and locks — median 60,000 mi
- Airbag system — median 60,000 mi
- Steering — median 45,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — median 77,000 mi
- Body structure — median 74,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 48,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 64,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 14.1% of complaints (453 reports, 386 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 75,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 104,000 miles.
Latches and locks account for 12.5% of complaints (402 reports, 352 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 80,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 9.9% of complaints (317 reports, 262 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 93,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 9.1% of complaints (293 reports, 247 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 45,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 30,000 and 73,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 9.1% of complaints (291 reports, 233 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 77,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 52,000 and 105,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 5.3% of complaints (169 reports, 134 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,000 and 104,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2005 model year drew the most — 1,341 complaints — while 2004 drew the fewest at 144. The median year sits at 362.
That makes 2005 an outlier: roughly 3.7 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 4 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around seats (2), equipment adaptive/mobility (1), the airbag system (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 3,204 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 116 (3.6%)
- Fires
- 63
- Injury reports
- 107
- Fatality reports
- 2
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Transmission
41TE automatic failures continue as the leading complaint category.
Body / Doors
Power sliding door motor, cable and latch failures — doors that fail to latch, open on their own, or jam.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 362 | 242 |
| 2002 | 417 | 273 |
| 2003 | 289 | 226 |
| 2004 | 144 | 115 |
| 2005 | 1,341 | 1,151 |
| 2006 | 378 | 338 |
| 2007 | 273 | 247 |
Recalls (4) — is your car included?
Jul 2010 · 2006–2007 · SeatsThe seat occupant may be injured if the seat base pin were to break.
The defect. Driving specialties ltd is recalling 2 model year 2006 and 2007 conversion vans equipped with vmi/ricon 6-way power seat bases. There is a possibility of a defective weld at the joint between the pivoting plate and the pivoting plate pin.
What can happen. The seat occupant may be injured if the seat base pin were to break.
The free fix. Driving specialties will notify owners and the vehicles will be repaired free of charge. The safety recall began on july 28, 2010. Owners may contact driving specialties at 1-707-553-1515.
Jun 2010 · 2005 · Equipment Adaptive/MobilityThe seat occupant may be injured if the seat base pin were to break.
The defect. All in one mobility is recalling certain model year 1997 through 2008 conversion vans equipped with vmi/ricon 6-way power seat bases. There is a possibility of a defective weld at the joint between the pivoting plate and the pivoting plate pin.
What can happen. The seat occupant may be injured if the seat base pin were to break.
The free fix. All in one mobility will notify owners and the vehicles will be repaired free of charge. The safety recall began on june 22, 2010. Owners may contact all in one mobility at 1-503-255-5005.
Jun 2010 · 2005–2007 · SeatsThe seat occupant may be injured if the seat base pin were to break.
The defect. Arizona mobility products (amp) is recalling one 2005 and one 2007 conversion vans built on Dodge Grand Caravan chassis equipped with vmi/ricon 6-way power seat bases. There is a possibility of a defective weld at the joint between the pivoting plate and the pivoting plate pin.
What can happen. The seat occupant may be injured if the seat base pin were to break.
The free fix. Amp will notify owners and repair vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on june 10, 2010. Owners may contact amp at 1-602-385-5988.
Apr 2010 · 2005–2006 · Air BagsIf the front crash sensors become inoperative, the driver is immediately alerted by illumination of the…
The defect. Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 Dodge caravan, Grand Caravan and Chrysler town & country vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, massachusetts, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, missouri, nebraska, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, north dakota, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, tennessee, utah, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin, alaska and the district of columbia. The front crash sensors may crack under certain environmental conditions and allow w
What can happen. If the front crash sensors become inoperative, the driver is immediately alerted by illumination of the airbag warning light and the vehicle should be promptly serviced. Until the vehicle is repaired, the airbags may not provide the enhanced protection in the event of a crash.
The free fix. Chrysler will replace the front airbag sensors with a new design. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety improvement campaign will begin during june 2010. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
What owners reported
the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan. Ever since june 1, 2001 when the vehicle was purchased, the air bag light illuminates intermittently. Within the last six months, the speed control has become inoperative and shortly afterwards, the horn began to malfunction. Through online research, the contact discovered…
2001 · 57 miles · Airbag system
the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that the instrument panel lights illuminate intermittently. The vehicle has been to the dealer on three occasions for this failure. She stated that her radio and ABS light are currently experiencing the same failure. The ABS light is constantly…
2001 · 300 miles · Airbag system
Dt: 2001 Grand Caravan sport, consumer says headlights flickered unpredictably. Engine ran rough, and battery light came on. This happened at night at least once a month. Took vehicle to dealer, who checked the van but could not duplicate the problem, no fault codes found in computer, updated PCM. Vehicle was serviced…
2001 · 9,500 miles · Transmission and driveline
Today, while driving our Dodge Grand Caravan, my wife applied the brakes. They made a grinding noise, and the ABS light came on. The car has slightly over 16,000 miles and this is the third time that this has occurred. The first was when the vehicle was 9 months old with 5 600 miles on it. The second was when the…
2001 · 16,000 miles · Hydraulic brake circuit
Built from 2,592 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page