1996 Dodge Grand Caravan SE review from North America
What things have gone wrong with the car?
On board computer problem. Causing instruments to malfunction. Such as interior lamps, sliding doors would not unlock, front and rear wipers turns on by itself.
Transmission gear slipping, not shifting gears.
Air conditioning compressor went bad.
Sliding door seal leaks. rain water penetrated cabin and wet carpet.
Roof exterior paint peeling off.
Belt tensioner went bad, tensioner bearing locked.
Engine started making knocking noise at 25K miles.
General comments?
The Dodge Grand Caravan SE design is award winning design. The ride comfort and interior design is also great.
However, mechanical components and the manufacturer assembly quality for this product are very very poor.
Many documented visits to the Dodge dealer for repair, most repair where repeat's, many inconvenience to my employer, and hundreds spent out of my own pocket. Most of the repairs where under warranty, however when I asked Chrysler Customer Service to buy back the van under The Lemon Law, Chrysler refused.
As much as I hate to admit that I made a wrong decision in purchasing a Dodge/Chrysler product. I really thought that problems my father had way back in the '70s with Dodge product have been corrected. "I stand corrected".
Recommended reviews
| 1996 - Grand Caravan LE 3.3 V6 Bad year for an OK mini van |
|
| A high maintanance headache |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 1998 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 2 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 14 miles |
| Most recent distance | 30000 miles |
| Previous car | Nissan Pathfinder |
| Date of Entry | 14th August, 2002 |