1997 Dodge Grand Caravan ES review from North America
"The 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan ES will cost some money, but meet your needs"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The transmission failed twice, but I guess the first time was expected, and the second time was due to improper reassembly.
The clockspring failed and we lost our cruise, horn and airbag light came on - Chrysler replaced free of charge.
Traction control malfunctioned and ruined our brake pads and rotors. This time we footed the bill.
The fuel rail started leaking gas all over the engine; had to carry a fire extinguisher with us to dealer where once again, repairs were paid by Chrysler.
The fuel pump failed and left us stranded.
Purge canister failed causing check engine light to come on.
Strange electrical problem keeps turning on the check engine light claiming something is wrong with the auto shutdown circuits.
Front windshield washer supply line came apart... easily corrected by reattaching and wrapping joint with high quality tape.
CV axle boot came off.
Replaced both tie rod ends.
Transmission input speed sensor failed.
Strange burned oil smell annoys us and baffles mechanics.
Rear passenger door fails to unlock sporadically.
Rear lift gate supports failed.
Rear fan control became inoperative from dash mounted switch.
Flip up seat became extremely hard to operate for no apparent reason.
Fuel injector o-ring failed, and once again we were riding around with a fire extinguisher.
General comments?
The top of the line Caravan is still my preference in minivans of this era. I believe we happened to get a lemon, and maybe one with lower mileage would serve us better.
It's comfortable on trips and has a truly logical layout of controls, cup holders, armrests etc. Everything is where you think it should be.
It has very poor headlights, and I believe it is due to their very small size.
It has a heavy road feel and does not corner well or ride like anything special, with a lot of interior noise from the road and wind.
Looks better than anything else in its class, and has far more family friendly features in my opinion.
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| 1997 - Grand Caravan 3.0 Litre V6 The Dodge Grand Caravan falls far short in quality, a ticking time bomb that will break your wallet |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1997 |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 1 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 150000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 178000 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota Tercel |
| Date of Entry | 4th October, 2007 |