1996 Dodge Caravan: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 1996 Dodge Caravan. The newest campaign is 02V293000. NHTSA received the report on 7 Nov 2002. The NHTSA record gives the component Air Bags / Frontal. NHTSA has 1,402 complaints on file for this model year. 14 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 02V293000, in the NHTSA record

Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly on all vehicles with 70,000 miles or less. An extended lifetime warranty will also be placed on this component for all affected vehicles, regardless of mileage. Daimlerchrysler will also reimburse owners who have paid to have the clockspring replaced on their vehicles. Owner notification began november 18, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 15 May 2019. Recall file through 29 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

9 campaigns, newest first. 3,861,190 units in total.

02V2930007 Nov 2002Air Bags / Frontal
00V26800013 Sep 2000Fuel System, Gasoline / Fuel Injection System
99V2160009 Aug 1999Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Fuel Pump
98V1850006 Aug 1998Child Seat
96V13600018 Jul 1996Seat Belts / Integrated Child Seat
96V00200016 Jan 1996Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap
96V00600011 Jan 1996Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine / Gasoline
95V2360008 Dec 1995Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
95V22500028 Nov 1995Seats

02V293000Received 7 Nov 2002. 1,500,521 units.
Air Bags / Frontal
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain mini vans, the clockspring assembly may have been wound incorrectly during the vehicle assembly process.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This condition will manifest itself through illumination of the air bag warning lamp, and could eventually result in a driver's air bag open circuit, if the part is not replaced in a reasonable amount of time.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly on all vehicles with 70,000 miles or less. An extended lifetime warranty will also be placed on this component for all affected vehicles, regardless of mileage. Daimlerchrysler will also reimburse owners who have paid to have the clockspring replaced on their vehicles. Owner notification began november 18, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Report filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION. Manufacturer campaign number B24. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 18 Nov 2002.
00V268000Received 13 Sep 2000. 1,163,000 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Fuel Injection System
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: mini vans built with 3.3l and 3.8l engines have fuel rails with nitrole rubber o-ring seals that can degrade over time. Fuel leakage from the underhood fuel injection fuel rail could result, increasing the likelihood of a vehicle fire.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will install a seal on the vehicle fuel rails to prevent external leakage of fuel from the fuel rail crossover tube, should the existing o-rings continue to degrade. Owner notification began on january 25, 2002. Due to the large quantity of vehicles involved in this campaign, the owner notification will be phased over the next several months. However, if a vehicle is leaking fuel from the o-rings, the vehicle should be taken into a dealer to have this repaired as soon as possible. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Report filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION. Manufacturer campaign number 895. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 25 Jan 2002.
99V216000Received 9 Aug 1999. 635,469 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Fuel Pump
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: minivans. Fuel can leak from the fuel tank at the interface of the fuel pump module attachment.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If a fuel leak occurs in the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module attaching nut with a nut that includes tighter design tolerances. The sealing o-ring will also be replaced.
Report filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION. Manufacturer campaign number 845. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 9 Jan 2000.
98V185000Received 6 Aug 1998. 157,000 units.
Child Seat
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: mini vans equipped with integrated child seats. The shoulder harness restraint on the integrated child seat can become difficult to extract when the safety belt latch plate becomes contaminated.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This can cause difficulty in releasing a child from the restraint.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will clean the latch mechanism. An extender will be added to the emergency release anchor for the child seat safety belts so that the release clips are more visible and accessible to the operator in the event that the retractor mechanism can not be unlocked. In addition, an instructional owner's manual supplement card will be provided.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 30 Nov 1998.
96V136000Received 18 Jul 1996. 200 units.
Seat Belts / Integrated Child Seat
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The bolts which secure the integrated child seat modules to the seat frame can break.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
In the event of a vehicle accident, the child seat may not provide adequate protection to the occupant.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the integrated child seat module bolts.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 27 Aug 1996.
96V002000Received 16 Jan 1996. 265,000 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap
Defect, in the NHTSA record
A static electric charge can build up on the ungrounded metal section of the fuel filler tube.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This condition could cause a spark to occur when fueling the vehicle and possibly ignite the fuel vapors.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will install a ground strap for the fuel filler tube.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 16 Feb 1996.
96V006000Received 11 Jan 1996. 40,000 units.
Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine / Gasoline
Defect, in the NHTSA record
In certain vehicles, the engine cylinder head oil galley plug does not seal properly and engine cylinder head oil is not adequately retained.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Inadequate sealing and retention of the plug can result in oil leakage which could cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will install an expansion plug and retaining bracket over the cylinder head oil galley plug.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 22 Apr 1996.
95V236000Received 8 Dec 1995. 80,000 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The fuel tank rollover valve can allow fuel to pass into the vapor canister resulting in the potential for fuel leakage.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Fuel leakage increases the potential for a vehicle fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the fuel tank filler tube with a filler tube that has an additional rollover valve. The associated rollover valve vapor hoses will be rerouted.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 2 Jan 1996.
95V225000Received 28 Nov 1995. 20,000 units.
Seats
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The bolts which secure the rear bench seats to the seat risers may be embrittled and fracture.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
In case of an accident, the bolt may fail and can cause the seat to break away from the seat risers, which increases the potentialof injury to its occupants.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the rear bench seat to riser bolts.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 12 Feb 1996.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

1,402 complaints, 2,177 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

1996 Dodge Caravan
All 1996 vehicles

1996 Dodge Caravan: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	1996 Caravan	All 1996 vehicles	Caravan, all years	Mentions
Engine and Engine Cooling	119.4	141.4	94.4	260
Air Bags	117.1	66.6	89.6	255
Fuel System, Gasoline	107.9	51.6	39.2	235
Electrical System	107.5	83.8	103	234
Power Train	91.9	98.2	103.8	200
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	80.4	121.3	114.4	175
Visibility	60.2	59.2	40.7	131
Vehicle Speed Control	53.7	41.9	27.9	117
Steering	33.1	48.9	53.7	72
Structure	29.4	39.4	57.5	64

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 26.

Complaints that report a crash: 57
Complaints that report a fire: 47
Injuries in the complaints: 67
Deaths in the complaints: 9
Date of the newest complaint: 8 Jun 2015

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1996 Dodge Caravan, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 2000, with 207 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1996 Dodge Caravan
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
EA01007	Engineering analysis	AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING	Electrical System	21 Feb 2001	22 Nov 2002	02V293000
PE00032	Preliminary evaluation	AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING	Air Bags	8 Aug 2000	21 Feb 2001	02V293000
RQ00008	Recall query	DC MINIVAN FUEL INJECTOR RAIL LEAK	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	9 Mar 2000	18 Mar 2002	00V268000
EA99013	Engineering analysis	POST COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM	Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap	11 Jun 1999	10 Aug 2001
PE99010	Preliminary evaluation	POST-COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY	Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap	3 Feb 1999	11 Jun 1999
EA97003	Engineering analysis	INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP	Child Seat	31 Jan 1997	19 Aug 1998	97I001000
EA97002	Engineering analysis	FUEL TANK LEAKS	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	31 Jan 1997	10 Feb 1998
DP96014	Defect petition	DEFECTIVE AIR BAG CRASH SENSOR	Air Bags / Frontal / Sensor/Control Module-Inactive	14 Nov 1996	Open
EA96025	Engineering analysis	SLIDING DOOR LATCH FAILURE	Structure	15 Oct 1996	30 Jul 1998
SQ96016	Safety query	INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP	Seat Belts / Integrated Child Seat	18 Sep 1996	4 Feb 1997
PE96051	Preliminary evaluation	FUEL LEAKS FROM THE GAS TANK	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	19 Aug 1996	31 Jan 1997	99V216000
PE96038	Preliminary evaluation	SLIDING DOOR LATCH FAILURE	Structure	16 May 1996	15 Oct 1996
PE96008	Preliminary evaluation	SAFETY BLT LATCH OPERATION	Seat Belts	25 Jan 1996	28 Jun 1996
PE95053	Preliminary evaluation	FUEL LEAKEAGE FROM ROLLOVER VALVE	Engine and Engine Cooling / Exhaust System / Emission Control	25 Oct 1995	22 Dec 1995	95V236000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1996 Dodge CaravanThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1996 Dodge Caravan: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/dodge/caravan/1996/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 15 May 2019
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1996 Dodge Caravan?: 3,861,190 units in 9 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Dodge Caravan have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 56 recall campaigns for the Dodge Caravan, model years 1984 to 2017. 9 of them name the 1996 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1996 Dodge Caravan name most often?: Engine and Engine Cooling: 260 of 2,177 component mentions, or 119.4 per 1,000. For all 1996 vehicles the figure is 141.4 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1996 Dodge Caravan open?: 1 investigation has no closing date in the NHTSA file, of 14 that name this model year.