2011 Dodge GRAND CARAVAN

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Dodge GRAND CARAVAN has 821 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 10.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (40% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2011 dodge grand caravan. the contact stated that the check engine light was illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised that there was an electrical issue and they reset the system. later, while driving at highway speeds the vehicle suddenly decelerat. ⚠️ 20 fire reports filed.

20 fire reports 2 crash reports 12 injuries

821

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

10.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

332 complaints

40%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND THEY RESET THE SYSTEM. LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERAT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THE DEALER TOLD HER THAT CHRYSLER WOULD ONLY PROVIDE ONE PART PER WEEK FOR NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V139000(ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION SWITCH). THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS ON A WAITING LIST WITH THE DEALER FOR SIX WEEKS.
• BACKUP CAMERA DISPLAY IS NOT VISIBLE IN DAYTIME. DISPLAY IS TOO DIM TO SEE. DANGER OF BACKING OVER SOMETHING OR SOMEONE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 13 fire reports

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND THEY RESET THE SYSTEM. LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERAT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

137 complaints

17%

• WHILE OPENING THE BACK DOOR OF THE MINIVAN, I NOTICED A HISSING SOUND COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE AND SON BOTH NOTICED IT A FEW MINUTES PRIOR TO ME OPENING THE DOOR. ABOUT 15 SECONDS AFTER I HAD OPENED IT, I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE ENTIRE GAS STRUT EXPLODED AT THE BASE AND SENT BR
• I HAVE A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH ABOUT 52,000 MILES ON IT. ON DAY THE RADIO JUST WENT OFF AND THEN TURNED BACK ON. IT DID THIS MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE WE SENT IT IN TO THE SHOP. THEN ONE DAY IT WOULD NOT START. IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT WOULD NOT FIRE UNTIL I TRIED IT 6 TO 10 TIMES AND THEN IT WOU
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. ONCE STARTED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TOTALLY IN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“WHILE OPENING THE BACK DOOR OF THE MINIVAN, I NOTICED A HISSING SOUND COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE AND SON BOTH NOTICED IT A FEW MINUTES PRIOR TO ME OPENING THE DOOR. ABOUT 15 SECONDS AFTER I HAD OPENED IT, I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE ENTIRE GAS STRUT EXPLODED AT THE BASE AND SENT BR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

97 complaints

12%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND THEY RESET THE SYSTEM. LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERAT
• CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN EARLY DECEMBER. DEALER RESET THE ERROR CODE AND SAID IT WAS PROBABLY NOTHING. LIGHT CAME BACK ON A FEW DAYS LATER SO WE BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER - THE CONSULTED WITH CHRYSLER AND REPLACED THE CAM PHASERS AND SAID THAT SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS
• WHEN STARTING, THE ENGINE OCCASIONALLY MAKES A RATTLING NOISE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND AFTER STATING THAT NO CODES WERE CAPTURED, THEY CLEARED THE CODE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN SO I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY REPLACED THE CAM POSITION SENSOR, WHICH THEY

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

43 complaints

• TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DOWN SHIFT AND LUNGE FORWARD. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY DOES NOT INCREASE IN SPEED. THE CONTACT HAD TO QUICKLY REACT BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC BEHIND THE
• WHILE ENTERING A INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, OUR NEW 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (LESS THAN 100 MILES) STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER. AFTER ALMOST BEING REAR ENDED DUE TO LACK OF POWER AND DUE TO HER SKILLED DRIVING, MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VAN WAS UNABLE TO RESTART AND HAD
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK FOLLOWED BY AN ABNORMAL ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES BU

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DOWN SHIFT AND LUNGE FORWARD. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY DOES NOT INCREASE IN SPEED. THE CONTACT HAD TO QUICKLY REACT BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC BEHIND THE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

42 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE
• SMOKE COMING FROM DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE. PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED. COMING FROM BRAKE. REMOVED TIRE AND SAW THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS A ACTIVATED DUE TO A SPRING HAD BROKE. I HAVE P SPRING WAS RUSTED. WE HAVE HAD SIMILAR HEATING PROBLRMS IN THE PAST WITH BOTH REAR WHEELS.I HAVE PICTURES OF SP
• IN MY 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, WHILE TURNING THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION TO START THE CAR THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE STARTING/ON POSITION MAKING THE CAR NOT TURN OVER BUT MAKE NOISE AS IF IM TRYING TO START THE CAR, WHILE ITS ALREADY STARTED & IT'S NOT. I PHYSICALLY HAVE TO TURN THE KEY BACK TO THE O

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 821 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND THEY RESET THE SYSTEM. LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERAT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: WHILE OPENING THE BACK DOOR OF THE MINIVAN, I NOTICED A HISSING SOUND COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE AND SON BOTH NOTICED IT A FEW MINUTES PRIOR TO ME OPENING THE DOOR. ABOUT 15 SECONDS AFTER I HAD OPENED IT, I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE ENTIRE GAS STRUT EXPLODED AT THE BASE AND SENT BR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND THEY RESET THE SYSTEM. LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERAT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DOWN SHIFT AND LUNGE FORWARD. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY DOES NOT INCREASE IN SPEED. THE CONTACT HAD TO QUICKLY REACT BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC BEHIND THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)