1999 Dodge Caravan 3.0

Summary:

Questionable

Faults:

Serpentine belt very squeaky and slips off.

General Comments:

Whether it's the serpentine belt or the pulley, it is very loud and squeaky. WD40 used to help for a while, but not as much anymore, and the noise is worse on rainy days.

The belt slipped off for the first time the other day when I drove through a water hole to come to a stop in median. The hole was nothing out of the ordinary, but I figured it jarred the belt off. The wd40 problem helped that too. I was able to get the belt back on with my hands. If you start at the bottom pulleys and then slip over the tensioner, saving the idler for last, it's the only way I could get it on without tools.

It is still on after a week of normal driving, but still very loud. The belt did not look worn, but then again I know it's not new, so will replace it and save the old one. If the belt decides to keep coming off, it will change my mind about the reliability of a Dodge Caravan.

The belt issue should have been taken care of at factory; inexperienced drivers who lose control of power steering and continue to drive, jeopardize their engine over a belt.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 24th September, 2009

25th Sep 2009, 13:07

If your serpentine belt slips off while you are driving, and your van is still drivable and you pull over on the highway, you are jeopardizing your life and all the occupants of the van. Is an engine worth possible injury? Is it worth a possible accident?

26th Sep 2009, 20:16

Not if you know what to do when your car breaks down. You're supposed to pull over and GET OUT AND AWAY from the vehicle, that way if it gets hit, you should be okay. Not to mention, if you drive without your serpentine belt, it will jeopardize the engine, which will INCREASE your chances of breaking down farther down the road.

29th Sep 2009, 14:58

I'm amazed that you got 225,000 miles out of a Caravan.

1999 Dodge Caravan Gran 3.3

Summary:

Good mini van, nice design, a little more maintenance than normal

Faults:

Head gasket repalcement and manifold cracked at 115,000.

Strut Tower Rust out at 111,000 miles. Chrysler refuses to repair rusted strut towers.

General Comments:

Overall I have been happy with the Caravan. I have owned three but this will be my last Caravan after this incident with the strut towers.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 21st August, 2008

1st Aug 2009, 14:59

Please define 'normal'.

7th Mar 2013, 18:24

What is up with the tower?

1999 Dodge Caravan SE 3.3

Summary:

One durable, comfortable, well designed van!

Faults:

Almost nothing!

Starter went out at 135K miles.

Water Pump / belt / belt tensioner was replaced at 138K miles.

General Comments:

This van has been a great vehicle!

I have pulled a 2000 lb camper cross country several times and never had any problems. I can't believe the fuel efficiency while pulling the camper. It typically got 22-24 MPG on the highway and with the camper 22 MPG.

Still has the original struts!

The ride is very comfortable.

Steering is a bit slow, but I expect that from a van. Since this was used as a travel car, I preferred a softer ride over quicker response in the steering.

I really can't say enough positive things about my experience with this van... I only hope my next car is this good!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th July, 2008

1999 Dodge Caravan Base 3.3L FFV V6

Summary:

Reliable, if not somewhat quirky

Faults:

Serpentine belts and tensioners seem to last about 1 year or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. Unfortunately, they seem to go right outside of the Mopar part warranty, and Chrysler refuses to stand behind such an obvious defect.

Wobble in front suspension has come back several times. Have been told it's the tires and have installed two new tires on the front each time.

Reclining mechanism in driver's seat broke. Now it's stuck.

Replaced headlight and wiring harness broke in my hands. I wasn't being rough with it... it was just brittle insulation that snapped, taking wiring with it. Cheap materials at work here.

Brakes seem painfully small for the weight of the vehicle. Aggressive braking at all will cause brakes to prematurely wear (luckily I have developed better braking patterns for this reason, and as a side effect I have gotten better gas mileage).

Sway bar bushings made a creaking sound around 110K miles. Sound is starting to return intermittently. I've been told it's a weakness on these cars.

Plastic straps that keep the glove box from spilling it's contents to the floor snapped a couple of times. Luckily they're cheap from the dealer and easy to replace yourself, as long as you don't mind salt residue on your registration and insurance information.

Rear window vent motor went out around 120K. Bought the part online and replaced it myself. Not a big deal as long as you're somewhat mechanically inclined.

General Comments:

Despite a lot of these small issues, it has never quit on me and has been a fairly reliable car. Just expensive to maintain. Much more expensive than my 1992 Plymouth Voyager with 220,000 miles on it. I do enjoy the ability to roll the seats out and have a really versatile vehicle at the drop of a hat. It's a very comfortable vehicle, especially for long trips. Mileage isn't too bad for a big vehicle, I got about 19-20 MPG with my normal driving. However, I decided to move on and recently purchased a 2004 Dodge Stratus.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 29th January, 2008