1987 Dodge Caravan Problems

What owners report

Owners of this 1987 model year most often describe rear hatch or liftgate latch failures, including hatches that do not latch and hatches that open during a collision. A smaller set of electrical faults and underhood fires also appears, while the remaining complaints are scattered across tires, brakes, seats, steering, and other parts. Most sampled complaints do not record mileage, so the timing of these problems is hard to judge.

1. 1
   Latches, locks and linkages

   Rear hatch or liftgate latch failures

   • 14 complaints (20%)
   • typically at 8.2 yrs old
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–1996

   Owners describe rear hatches or liftgates that will not latch when closed, letting cargo fall out while driving. Other complaints describe the hatch or liftgate opening during a rollover, a collision, or a rear impact, with cargo or occupants thrown out. Mileage is not recorded in these complaints, which describe failures during ordinary driving as well as in crashes.

   What to check: Test that the rear hatch or liftgate latches fully when closed and stays shut over bumps. Ask the seller whether the latch or its striker has been inspected or replaced.

   An excerpt from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Thomas schuler:above no: rear liftgate came open upon rear impact; 6 and 4 year old occupants were ejected out of rear door; 6 year old killed; speed 60 MPH.”

   NHTSA complaint #974157, filed 1995-10
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults and underhood fires

   • 8 complaints (12%)
   • typically at 9.0 yrs old
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–1997

   Owners describe electrical faults, such as a short that overcharges the battery and leads to power loss, and fires that start under the hood or behind the dash. Some complaints say smoke appeared near the ignition after the engine was left running, and the fire then spread through the engine compartment. Another describes flames from under the hood after the car stalled and the lights failed, and a fire department reportedly pointed to a wiring problem. Another describes an engine that kept running after the key was turned off, followed by the vehicle bursting into flames. Mileage is not recorded in these complaints; the fires are described as starting while the engine was running or after a stall.

   What to check: Ask whether the battery and charging system have been tested, and look for melted insulation, a burnt smell, or corroded wiring near the ignition and under the hood. Ask whether any engine compartment or dash wiring has been repaired.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving vehicle w/cruise control on, vehicle stalled; all lights failed. Got to side of road ,popped hood; flames shot up & out; fire started behind battery cable. Fire dept arrived to put flames out; said it was electrical wiring problem. Vehicle at dealer's.”

   NHTSA complaint #812476, filed 1997-05

   “Upon starting, left engine running, then walked away a few minutes, upon returning opened door and found black smoke coming from behind steering wheel near ignition on dash area, then fire started to spread thoughout engine compartment, vehicle was totalled.”

   NHTSA complaint #808017, filed 1997-03

Buying note. For a buyer considering this model year, check that the rear hatch or liftgate latches and stays closed, and ask whether the battery and charging wiring have been inspected. Because the sample is small and the complaints are scattered, a pre-purchase inspection and a review of the repair history are practical steps.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 20 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.