What 530 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan

ABOUT 11/30 I WENT TO START THE CAR IN THE MORNING., THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ON WHEN I TURNED THE KEY, AND WOULD NOT CHANGE SPEED OR TURN OFF AS MUCH AS I TRIED THE BACK AND THEY WOULD NOT TURN ON. THE RADIO/ CLOCK DID WORK BUT NO LIGHTED INFORMATION AND SAME WITH THE SPEEDOMETER, THE GAS TANK, TEMPERATURE WARNING AND TACHOMETER LIGHTING. THE CAR STARTED, AND RESTARTED SEVERAL TIME WELL ENOUGH BUT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND THE WIPERS DID NOT CHANGE. I TRIED TURNING THE KEY ON AND OFF WITHOUT STARTING THE CAR A NUMBER OF TIMES WITH DIFFERENT NUMBER OF TRIES BEFORE RESTARTING AS A POSSIBLE RESETTING WITH NO CHANGE. EVENTHOUGH IT HAD NO WORKING SPEEDOMATER I DROVE THE CAR FIRST AROUND THE BLOCK SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN TO MY LOCAL MECHANEC. I TALKED TO HIM HE DID NOT HAVE THE CORRECT EQUIPMENT FOR TESTING REQUIRED TO FIND THE PROBLEM. HE SUGGESTED I GO TO THE DEALER AND 1) SEE IF THEY HAD ANY RECALL OR UNPUBLISHED ISSUED REPAIR NOTICES ETC 2) GET AN ESTIMATE OF THE POSSIBLE COSTS AND TIMES FOR REPAIR. I THANKED HIM AND WAS IN MY CAR AGAIN WITHIN 15 MINUTES AND THE TOTAL PROBLEMS WENT AWAY, FRONT WIPERS OFF AND ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WORKED. THE CAR WORKED FOR 4 MORE TRIPS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ON DEC 3RD 2020, I STARTED THE CAR JUST FINE WENT ON THE EXPRESS WAY FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR A ABOUT 35 MINUTES TRIP. ABOUT 8 MINUTES INTO THE EXPRESSWAY DRIVE THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT AND THE WIPER WENT ON FOR ABOUT 1.5 MINUTES, BUT BEFORE I COULD EXIT THE EXPRESSWAY THEY WENT BACK ON AND I COULD TURN OFF THE WIPERS, A FEW MINUTES THEY WENT OUT AGAIN AND JUST AS SUDDENLY IN 2 MINUTES THEY WERE WORKING AGAIN. THERE WAS A THIRD TIME BEFORE MY EXIT THAT LASTED ONLY ABOUT 1 MINUTE. WHEN I GOT OFF AT THE USUAL EXIT I PARKED & TRIED TO SEE THE PROBLEM AGAIN FOR NEARLY 20 MINUTES WITH NO LUCK, I CONTINUED THE TRIP AND IT WAS UNEVENTFUL AS DRIVE BACK & SINCE NO PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11378553

DRIVING VAN IN TOWN 35 MPH WIPERS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES AND STAYED ON SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION INFORMATION PANEL GOES OUT ALONG WITH SPEEDOMETER, TACH, AND GAGES VAN RUNS LIKE NORMAL. CHANGED TIPM NO CORRECTION FAILURE HAPPENED AT 156000 THOUSAND MILES

NHTSA ODI 11349765

I BOUGHT MY 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN CREW IN FEB 2018. IN MARCH MY TIRE SENSORS STARTING GOING OFF, WE REPLACED ALL OF THEM WITH NO LUCK, THE GAUGES WOULD STILL READ THEY WERE OUT. IN APRIL, THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR WENT OUT WHILE WE WERE ON VACATION, AND WE REPLACED IT, IN FLORIDA. IN MAY THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR WENT OUT AGAIN, SHORTLY AFTER HAVING IT REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME, BUT GUESS WHAT? IT HAPPENED A 3RD TIME! ONLY A WEEK LATER!!!! SO YET AGAIN, IT WAS REPLACED. OUR VAN WOULD START ACTING POSSESSED. WIPERS WOULD GO OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD & WHILE THEY WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. THE LOCKS WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK BY THEMSELVES WHILE DRIVING, SEEMED LIKE EVERY TIME IT RAINED OUT WINDOWS WOULD ROLL DOWN BY THEMSELVES OVER NIGHT OR WHILE WE WERE IN A STORE WHILE THE VAN WAS SHUT OFF. IN JUNE THE VAN STARTED STALLING WHILE WE WOULD DRIVE IT. IT WOULD RANDOMLY DIE WHILE IDLING. IN JULY/AUG I HAD MY OIL CHANGED, THE FOLLOWING DAY MY VAN WOULDN'T START. WHILE IN THE MOMENT I THOUGHT THE SHOP HAD DONE SOMETHING TO IT, SINCE I HAD GOTTEN FRUSTRATED WITH THEM THERE, (POOR FELLAS) THAT CLEARLY WAS NOT THE CASE. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION MY FUEL PUMP HAD WENT OUT, SO I PAID TO HAVE THAT REPLACED. AROUND SEPT THE VAN WOULDN'T START. IT WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START. MY FUEL PUMP WOULD TURN ON, AFTER TURNING THE KEY ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES. IN OCT THE FUEL PUMP WOULD RUN WHILE THE VAN WAS OFF, WE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE POSITIVE ON THE BATTERY SO IT WOULDN'T BURN UP. AT THIS POINT, MY VAN WOULDN'T START AT ALL, AND THE VAN ACTED LIKE IT WAS DEAD. I WENT AND BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY, DAY AFTER I REPLACED THAT, MY VAN NEEDED TO BE JUMPED EACH TIME I WANTED TO START IT. TODAY ON OCT 22- IS MY LAST STRAW. THANKS FCA, A MOTHER AND HER TWO YOUNG CHILDREN HAD TO FIND A RIDE HOME BECAUSE IT STALLED AND SHUT DOWN WHILE SITTING IN A DRIVE THRU.

NHTSA ODI 11141966

WHEN THE KEY FOB IS PLACED IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED TO ACCESSORY NO GAUGES WORK AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND WILL NOT SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WILL START BUT THE TACH, SPEEDOMETER, GAS GAUGE AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CONTINUE TURN RUN EVEN THOUGH THE SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION.

NHTSA ODI 11118073

STARTED VAN ONE MORNING AND LEFT RUNNING TO WARM UP, CAME BACK OUTSIDE AND IT HAD DIED. THE WIPERS WERE MID-WINDSHIELD. TURNED THE KEY AND DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VAN WOULD NOT START BUT MADE A TICKING NOISE UPON TURNING THE KEY. 2 DAYS LATER I STOPPED TO GET FUEL IN THE VAN. IT HESITATED TO START, BUT DID START. HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM AND FADED IN AND OUT. PUT A CODE READER ON THE COMPUTER AND IT THREW A LOW BATTERY VOLTAGE CODE. PUT A VOLTMETER ON THE BATTERY AND IT READ ABOUT 10 VOLTS WHILE THE VAN WAS NOT RUNNING. WHILE THE VAN WAS RUNNING THE VOLTMETER READ ABOUT 14 VOLTS SO IT IS CHARGING. HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE POWER WINDOWS WOULD NOT WORK OR POWER DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN AND HAD TO BE MANUALLY OPENED.

NHTSA ODI 11073852

I PARKED MY VAN IN THE DRIVEWAY AT 10:30 A.M. LEFT TO GO PICK UP KIDS AT 2:20 AND THE LEFT REAR WINDOW WAS ALL SHATTERED ON THE GROUND AND INSIDE. I SAW NOTHING OF FOUL PLAY. NO ROCKS, BB'S OR ANY OTHER OBJECTS. IT JUST EXPLODED. NO ONE WAS AROUND BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORS DOGS WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING WILD. THE WEATHER WAS RAINY AND ABOUT 55 DEGREES SO IT WASN'T THE HEAT.

NHTSA ODI 10985875

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED. THE INSPECTOR DID NOT FIND A DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO INSPECTED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE WAS A DEFECT IN THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 10959579

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ROLL DOWN AND THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA ODI 10927824

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SWITCH CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SENT A FIRE INSPECTOR TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

NHTSA ODI 10723357

THE PROBLEMS BEGAN WITH THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. SOMETIMES IT TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO TURN OVER. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON FOR NO REASON AND WON'T SHUT OFF FOR A WHILE. SOMETIMES THE FUEL PUMP CONTINUES TO RUN EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DRAINED COMPLETELY AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10691390

REAR QUARTER VENT WINDOW, SWITCH WAS RECALLED I TOOK IT TO MY DODGE DEALER THEY DISCONNECTED THE SWITCH AND SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE IT . I HAVE CALLED FOUR TIMES NOW AND EVERY TIME I TOLD THEY HAVE NO PARTS TO REPLACE IT . I ASKED HOW LONG IT WOULD BE THEY DON'T KNOW COULD BE 6 MORE MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10671107

THE CONTACT HAS NOTICED THAT THE DISPLAY ON THE BACKUP DISPLAY IS VERY DARK DURING THE DAY MAKING IT VERY HARD TO SEE ANYTHING, SOMETIMES NOTHING AT ALL. ALSO THE CONTACT HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW SWITCH NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY, SOMETIMES IT WORKS SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT. ALSO THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DISPLAY FOR HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM, IT WILL ADJUST ITSELF WITH THE TEMPERATURE AND FAN, IT WILL BE ON FRONT AND BACK THEN GO TO JUST THE FRONT WITH A DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE AND FAN SETTING, IT WILL ALSO CHANGE SETTINGS GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. IT DOES THIS WHEN THERE IS EXTREME TEMPERATURE CHANGES OR WHEN THERE IS ANY TYPE OF MOISTURE IN THE AIR, IT WILL BE FLICKER BACK AND FORTH CONSTANTLY NOT ALLOWING FOR MANUAL CHANGES OF TEMPERATURE OR FAN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10594820

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE HEAT IN THE VEHICLE BUT IT ONLY EMITTED COOL AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 10559188

CONTINUED ISSUES REGARDING VEHICLE PERFORMANCE INCLUDING FRONT TIRES, TRANSMISSION, WINDOW SWITCH, SLIDING PASS. DOORS. FINANCED A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ON JAN 25 2013, VIN # [XXX]. UPON DELIVERY I HAD ISSUES WITH CAR AND RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP THE NEX DAY. ISSUES INCLUDED HARD SHIFTING, CAR VEERING OFF THE ROAD AND SOME NOISES AND NO MANUALS OR PAPERWORK FOR WARRANTY. NUMEROUS REPAIRS WERE MADE ON CAR THROUGHOUT PAST 6 MONTHS SOME OF WHICH MADE ON CAR, SOME OF WHICH CAUSED OTHER ISSUES TO COME UP WITH REPAIRS INCLUDING FAILURE TO PROPERLY REPAIR THE CAR, BRAKE ISSUES, ALIGNMENT AND STEERING WHEEL, FRONT TIRES, SLIDING DOOR SCRAPING, TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND MORE. NUMEROUS UNSUCCESSFUL REPAIRS AND OTHER PROBLEMS NOT ADDRESSED OR UNWILLING. FRONT TIRES/ REAR NEVER MATCHED AND WERE SUPPOSE TO BE REPLACE PER SALES AND NEVER HAPPEN CAUSING TREADS TO SHOW AND STILL DOES, TRANSMISSION JERKS AND HESITATES, DOORS RIP PAINT OFF SIDE OF CAR AND SCRAPE. OTHER ISSUES INCLUDE PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW SWITCH AND PICKUP. ** 2 CHRYSLER CASES CREATED AGAINST DEALER TO FIX ISSUES. CASE # [XXX] CASE # [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10546699

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE DOOR LOCKS ACTIVATED AND DISENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WINDOWS OPENED AND CLOSED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MASTER SWITCH HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 34,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10510504

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REARVIEW BACKUP CAMERA WOULD NOT DISPLAY A BRIGHT ILLUMINATION ON THE NAVIGATIONAL SCREEN DURING THE DAY AND NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17.

NHTSA ODI 10400607