1998 Dodge Caravan Base review from North America

What hasn't gone wrong with this thing? First to go was the little strap on the seat backs. Minor, I know, but annoying. Then the engine barfed its valve cover gasket at 30,000 miles. It did this again at only 45,000 miles! Finally, Chrysler redesigned the valve cover for this engine. Finding the spark plug seals around here is a nightmare- it's a common item that has a lot of demand! Oh yeah, you must replace the manifold gaskets each time!

The coil packs quit working around 70,000 miles. The computer decided to shut the van off and on intermittently, while driving, around this time. Not the engine, mind you, but everything else on the van, including the map lights! The engine continued to run, though nothing else did.

The head gasket went bye bye at 80,000 miles, and another valve cover gasket decided to depart at 100,000 miles. But I'm getting ahead of myself. The plug wires were changed according to normal maintenance. It was at this time the water pump fell off! Not that it started to squeal, nor did it decide to leak, it came apart! Pieces! What a horrible thing to happen on a trip, hundreds of miles from home!

One of the cam lobes was partially wiped off. When it was discovered during the next valve cover gasket interchange, I learned that one of the cam retainers was not bolted down! There was a good quarter inch between the bolt head and the retainer. It had been like that since it left the factory.

The transmission fell apart soon after. Once repaired, a few months later the linkage fell apart. I've replaced almost every sensor on the thing, along with the cat converters, but the service engine light comes back on for one reason or another each time I get it reset.

Right front speaker quit working.

Cheap purchase price, but what a horribly underpowered vehicle. Handles well, comfortable on trips, great utility, and looks nice. But the howling wind noise, shoddy workmanship, horrible engine and transmission, and poor body fit have chased me away from Dodge. Even worse, the dealership here is horrible! The service manager told me to "get used to it" when I took it in, under warranty, for a ticking noise. One oil pump later I was on the road again when I went to another dealership.

Ironically, once the bugs were ironed out (around 130,000 miles) the thing has been rock solid reliable. But the stigma remains. I've spent enough to get it that way to have bought a second car.