Faults:

Front Brake pads for $100.00

Loose Shock absorber bolt re-tightened for $5.00 (not the vans fault)

General Comments:

I hoped it would be reliable to own when I purchased it, but this is ridiculous. Who has ever heard of spending $100.00 per year on repairs?!?!

It is smooth, quiet, rides nicer than a Cadillac. It handles well and accelerates good.

The 3.3 is a hard working reliable engine.

Gas mileage about 27 mpg. on the highway.

I am switching to a K and N filter and Synthetic oil which will bring it up about 10%.

I have been so thrilled with it I have spoiled it with toys: New 17" mag wheels, alarm, hitch, command start, key-less entry and ignition immobilizer.

It is fully loaded the only thing it lacks that my last one had is drivers power seat, but I knew this when I bought it.

Regarding transmission failures. I bought my last one with 157,000 klm on it and sold it at 247,000 klm--no tran problems. This one has had none either.

The most reliable vehicle of the 32 I have owned to date.

Faults:

The only thing I have done to this vehicle in the year I have owned it is to replace the Front Brake pads. It was only $100.00.

Then a bolt for a rear shock disappeared. My mechanic replaced it for free.

So for one year of driving I have spent $100.00 on repairs. Unbelievable!

General Comments:

This is a great van. I looked at these Platinum editions when they were new and loved them. I found this one on a lot with only 50,000 Klm in March 2005.

It is fully equipped missing only the Power Seat option.

I added an alarm, command start, hitch and some after market 17" Rims and tires. It looks great and turns heads.

I highly recommend these vehicles. It has certainly performed well and exceeded my expectations.

Faults:

Power steering pump (reservoir rusted).

L & R tie rod ends.

Serp. Belt Tensioner

Blower motor resistor.

Power Lock Solenoid (warranty work)

Input & Output Transmission Sensors.

General Comments:

OK...I have had to replace just a few items on this Grand Caravan. In general it has been trouble free. No real problems to speak of. I chalk the tie rods up as maintenance items.

The transmission sensors...it's a fact of life with the A-604 transmission family. As far as the pump and the belt tensioner... just a part of owning a car. The blower resistor was done by myself...10 bucks I think at AUTOZONE. The kids ruined a door lock solenoid by playing 'lets click the button as fast as we can.' Repaired by dealer without complaint.

Overall, a great value. I would buy one again.

Faults:

I have had two recalls on this van. One for fuel rails, and one for the air bags.

I also have replaced the front sway bar bushings, due to an awful, embarrassing squeak.

Last spring I drove through a puddle and lost my steering when turning onto a busy street. (I am disabled on my right side, due to surgery in my arm pit, when diagnosed with Breast Cancer.) My serpentine belt came off. It terrified me, especially with having my daughter in the van with me.

Every Dodge Caravan we see, we hear it first, all the serpentine belts squeak, including ours.

Today we were on our way to a Family Christmas Dinner, and the highway we were traveling on had snow drifts that were blowing across the road. As we decided to take another road to go back home my husband had trouble steering, he could barely turn the steering wheel to get turned.

As I looked over, I noticed that the temperature gage was at the highest temperature it could possibly be. It was again, the belt that had come off, with us going through snow drifts.

The weather was terrible, the winds must of been 70 - 80 miles an hour, the snow was blowing so bad I could not see the farm down the road at times. We were glad we had pulled off of the busy highway to turn around.

We were stuck on the side of the road for 3 hours and it was so cold. The worst of it all was my husband just had back surgery less than 4 weeks ago, and could not bend over to try to get it back on.

When these serpentine belts come off, they are so hard to get back on.

Another friend of ours had the same van and the only way he could get this belt back on was to remove the front tire. He ended up selling it because he was afraid to have his kids in the vehicle with him when the belt fell off. The dealer told him to buy a winterizing kit.

Now, I know people pay a lot money for these caravans, this problem should be a recall.

My husband has been off of work for 9 months with his herniated disk, due to a workplace accident (recurring injury) and there is no way we can afford to buy and winterizing kit.

I have just spent over $250, on this van, and Christmas is just 3 weeks away. As soon as my husband gets back to work we are trading it in, and it will not be a Dodge Van, or any van, or a Chrysler product.