2013 Dodge GRAND CARAVAN

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Dodge GRAND CARAVAN has 656 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 8.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (39% of all complaints), specifically: i purchased this auto on 8/12/2013. according to the dodge website the car has an outstanding recall on it (safety recall n44 / nhtsa 13v-283 reprogram occupant restraint control module). i specifically asked the dealer when i bought the car if there were any recalls on it and was told "no." . ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 18 crash reports 28 injuries

656

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

8.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

254 complaints

39%

• I PURCHASED THIS AUTO ON 8/12/2013. ACCORDING TO THE DODGE WEBSITE THE CAR HAS AN OUTSTANDING RECALL ON IT (SAFETY RECALL N44 / NHTSA 13V-283 REPROGRAM OCCUPANT RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE). I SPECIFICALLY ASKED THE DEALER WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON IT AND WAS TOLD "NO."
• 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN PASSENGER SLIDING DOORS WILL RANDOMLY SHUT AFTER BEING OPENED AND REACHING THE FULL OPEN POSITION. VIDEO DEMONSTRATION WILL BE POSTED SOON ON YOUTUBE WITH THE PREVIOUS SENTENCE AS SEARCH TITLE. OCCURS WHEN ANY BUTTON IN THE CAR, REMOTE, OR MANUAL HANDLE IS USED TO ACTIVATE A
• 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING SYSTEM. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHILE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS STILL IN THE OFF POSITION. ANY TIME THE DASH LIGHTS WERE ON, MANY DRIVERS ASSUMED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON TOO. HO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“I PURCHASED THIS AUTO ON 8/12/2013. ACCORDING TO THE DODGE WEBSITE THE CAR HAS AN OUTSTANDING RECALL ON IT (SAFETY RECALL N44 / NHTSA 13V-283 REPROGRAM OCCUPANT RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE). I SPECIFICALLY ASKED THE DEALER WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON IT AND WAS TOLD "NO." ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

72 complaints

11%

• AT TIMES WHEN YOU TURN THE AIR ON HOT AIR COMES OUT OR WHEN YOU TURN THE HEAT ON COLD AIR WILL COME ON EVEN AFTER TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON OR SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF.THE SUSPENSION RATTLES A LOT WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS.THE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND IDLES ROUGH USUALLY WHEN IT IS COLD OUT OR RAINY BUT NOT
• WAS DRIVING DOWN BUSY CITY EXPRESSWAY FRONTAGE ROAD AT APPROX 40 MPH. ACCELERATED AND PASSED THE SLOWER-MOVING VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME....UPON CLEARING THE VEHICLE I WAS PASSING, RELEASED MY FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR, BUT VEHICLE FAILED TO RETURN TO PRIOR PASS SPEED AND INSTEAD CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE FAS
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE REVVED FROM 4 TO 5 RPMS. THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 40 MPH INDEPENDENTLY, THE AIR CONDITIONING FAILED, AND THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE ENGINE,

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

“AT TIMES WHEN YOU TURN THE AIR ON HOT AIR COMES OUT OR WHEN YOU TURN THE HEAT ON COLD AIR WILL COME ON EVEN AFTER TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON OR SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF.THE SUSPENSION RATTLES A LOT WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS.THE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND IDLES ROUGH USUALLY WHEN IT IS COLD OUT OR RAINY BUT NOT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

60 complaints

• WAS DRIVING DOWN BUSY CITY EXPRESSWAY FRONTAGE ROAD AT APPROX 40 MPH. ACCELERATED AND PASSED THE SLOWER-MOVING VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME....UPON CLEARING THE VEHICLE I WAS PASSING, RELEASED MY FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR, BUT VEHICLE FAILED TO RETURN TO PRIOR PASS SPEED AND INSTEAD CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE FAS
• BOUGHT CAR 2013 MAY, TOOK BACK TWICE TO DEALER DUE TO VAN STUTTERING, CAR STAYING ON SAME SPEED,( I'M NOT PRESSING THE PEDAL) CAR TURNING OFF WHEN I USE AUTOMATIC STARTER AND PLACE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AND TOLD ME IT MUST HAVE BEEN A FLUKE. A WHILE LATER WE MOV
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE CO

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

“WAS DRIVING DOWN BUSY CITY EXPRESSWAY FRONTAGE ROAD AT APPROX 40 MPH. ACCELERATED AND PASSED THE SLOWER-MOVING VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME....UPON CLEARING THE VEHICLE I WAS PASSING, RELEASED MY FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR, BUT VEHICLE FAILED TO RETURN TO PRIOR PASS SPEED AND INSTEAD CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE FAS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

48 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN AN OCCUPANT WAS PRESENT IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SENOR WOULD NOT FUNCTION UNLESS THE OCCUP
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HIS REAR, CAUSING HIM TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF A PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONTACT. THE AIR BAGS ALSO FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WER
• THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AND HANGS LIMP TODAY. THE PROBLEM HAPPEND A COUPLE TIMES, BUT SEATBELT RETRACTED AND THEN I NOTIFIED DEALER IN LATE DECEMBER AFTER ANOTHER OCCURRANCE IN WHICH THAY DETERMINED THE SEATBELT WAS DEFECTIVE.BY NOT RETRACTING AND THEY ORDERED A REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN AN OCCUPANT WAS PRESENT IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SENOR WOULD NOT FUNCTION UNLESS THE OCCUP”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

40 complaints

• MY WIFE WAS DRIVING EARLY MORNING, WHILE ENTERING THE FREEWAY, SHE ACCELERATED AND CROSSED LANES. WHEN SHE REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR, THE VAN KEPT ACCELERATING. SHE WAS BETWEEN TWO SEMI TRUCKS SO SHE TAPPED THE BRAKES AND STARTED HITTING THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS. THE VAN KEPT ACCELERA
• ON JULY 20, 2014, WE FILLED UP THE VAN AND TRAVELED APPROX 120 MILES OUT OF TOWN. LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, WHEN TRYING TO PULL FORWARD FROM A DEAD STOP AT RED LIGHT, THE VAN STALLED. AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS, WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WAITED A FEW MOMENTS. WE WER
• AFTER FUELING VAN COMPLETELY THE ENGINE STALLS NUMEROUS TIME UNTIL THE FUEL GAUGE DROPS DOWN ABOUT 1/8TH BELOW THE FULL MARK. THIS HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN THE LAST SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS AND IT ALWAYS HAPPENS RIGHT AFTER FUELING TO COMPLETELY FULL. THIS HAPPENED MOST RECENTLY IN A BUSY INTE

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

“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING EARLY MORNING, WHILE ENTERING THE FREEWAY, SHE ACCELERATED AND CROSSED LANES. WHEN SHE REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR, THE VAN KEPT ACCELERATING. SHE WAS BETWEEN TWO SEMI TRUCKS SO SHE TAPPED THE BRAKES AND STARTED HITTING THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS. THE VAN KEPT ACCELERA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 656 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: I PURCHASED THIS AUTO ON 8/12/2013. ACCORDING TO THE DODGE WEBSITE THE CAR HAS AN OUTSTANDING RECALL ON IT (SAFETY RECALL N44 / NHTSA 13V-283 REPROGRAM OCCUPANT RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE). I SPECIFICALLY ASKED THE DEALER WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON IT AND WAS TOLD "NO."
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: AT TIMES WHEN YOU TURN THE AIR ON HOT AIR COMES OUT OR WHEN YOU TURN THE HEAT ON COLD AIR WILL COME ON EVEN AFTER TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON OR SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF.THE SUSPENSION RATTLES A LOT WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS.THE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND IDLES ROUGH USUALLY WHEN IT IS COLD OUT OR RAINY BUT NOT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WAS DRIVING DOWN BUSY CITY EXPRESSWAY FRONTAGE ROAD AT APPROX 40 MPH. ACCELERATED AND PASSED THE SLOWER-MOVING VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME....UPON CLEARING THE VEHICLE I WAS PASSING, RELEASED MY FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR, BUT VEHICLE FAILED TO RETURN TO PRIOR PASS SPEED AND INSTEAD CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE FAS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SEATS/RESTRAINTS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN AN OCCUPANT WAS PRESENT IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SENOR WOULD NOT FUNCTION UNLESS THE OCCUP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)