2003 Dodge Grand Caravan

Typical pattern

9.2% of complaints about the 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2003 vehicle — around the middle of the 228 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 3.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is steering (45 complaints), typically at 4.1 yr or about 40,000 miles.

Complaints: 282
Median age at failure: 3.8 yr
Median mileage: 50,000 n=223
Crash / fire / tow: 11% of reports
Safety recalls: 3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Steering

45 reports · 40,000 mi

4.1 yr

Electrical system

31 reports · 90,000 mi

6.3 yr

9.7%

Power train

28 reports · 26,000 mi

2.5 yr

3.6%

Air bags

24 reports · 90,000 mi

8.1 yr

25%

Exterior lighting

17 reports · 54,550 mi

3.7 yr

Service brakes, hydraulic

16 reports · 32,711 mi

2.9 yr

6.2%

Structure

16 reports · 98,000 mi

4.2 yr

18.8%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

04V386000 2004-08-05

Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH 3.3 OR 3.8L V-6 ENGINE, THE UPPER POWER STEERING COOLER HOSE MAY SPLIT AND CAUSE A FLUID LEAK.

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN AN UNDER HOOD FIRE.

03E053000 2003-10-24

Fuel system

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, MODELS WIX FILTER PART NUMBERS 33576, 33577, 33734; NAPA FILTER PART NUMBERS 3576, 3577, 3734; AND CARQUEST FILTER PART NUMBERS 86576, 86577, 86734 USED ON 1996-2000 DAIMLERCHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY, DODGE CARAVAN, AND PLYMOUTH VOYAGER VEHICLES, CAN CAUSE THE FUEL LINES TO LEAK.

A POSSIBLE FIRE CAN OCCUR IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE.

03V094000 2003-03-07

Structure

CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCK, VAN, AND MINI VAN CONVERSIONS EQUIPPED WITH SOUTHERN COMFORT BUILT RUNNING BOARDS THAT CONTAIN CERTAIN COURTESY LIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS, INC. THESE UNITS CONTAIN A COURTESY LIGHT OR LIGHTS THAT MIGHT OVERHEAT WHEN THE WIRE HARNESS IS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AND ROAD SALT.

THIS OVERHEATING CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE RUNNING BOARD TO MELT OR CAUSE A FIRE.

In owners’ own words

Service brakes, hydraulic 1,001 mi 4 mo in service

CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW ON 12/20/02. ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDICATING THE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING CHECKED BY DEALER. TS

Service brakes, hydraulic 200 mi 1.2 yr in service

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AT 200 MILES DEALER REPLACED BRAKES AND DIFFERENTIAL. AT 900 MILES DEALER REPLACED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *AK

Service brakes, hydraulic 3,000 mi 10 mo in service

WHEN THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS GETS MOIST IT CAUSES THE ABS LIGHT TO STAY ON ,AND THE ABS BRAKES TO MALFUNCTION. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENSIX TIMES IN TWO YEARS. *AK

Power train 8,965 mi 8 mo in service

TRANSMISSION FAILURE - RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR WARRANTY SERVICE. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM, REMOVED TRANSMISSION, AND OVERHAULED THE TRANSMISSION REPLACING THE FRONT PUMP, SEALS AND FLUID. *TT

Other Grand Caravan model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.