1989 Dodge Caravan Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe transmission trouble (erratic or delayed shifting, repeated failures) and rear liftgate and sliding-door problems, including latches that pop open and gas struts that no longer hold the gate up. Engine stalling and a few engine-compartment fires, seat-belt anchor and retractor failures, and paint peeling also come up. Most complaints carry no mileage figure, but the few that do are high (roughly 140,000 to 230,000 miles), so these reports reflect older, well-used vehicles.

1. 1
   Latches, locks and linkages

   Rear liftgate latch pops open or will not stay shut

   • 34 complaints (18%)
   • typically at 6.4 yrs old
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–1997

   Complaints describe the rear liftgate latch releasing on its own, sometimes while driving, and requiring repeated closings to stay shut. Owners also report latch hardware loosening so the gate rattles, and electronic release or key fob functions working only intermittently. Several say parts were unavailable for a recall repair and that repeated attempts did not resolve it. Reported across many model years of use; the sample gives no consistent mileage, and one owner reported the problem around 230,000 miles.

   What to check: Open and close the liftgate several times and check that the latch catches firmly and sits flush. Ask whether any liftgate latch recall work was completed and whether the electronic release works reliably.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Electronic latch release; owner has contacted manufacturer for over a year about recall to replace latch.tt consumer has contacted dealer numerous times to try and get the liftgate replaced under their recall, consumer keeps being told that it will take several months before parts are available.”

   NHTSA complaint #978887, filed 1996-02

   “Rear hatch/liftgate opens while driving, repeated closings to close liftgate. Short in electrical system causing side panel door not properly open or lock. Tt”

   NHTSA complaint #963311, filed 1995-04
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission shifting trouble and failure

   • 33 complaints (17%)
   • typically at 6.5 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2002

   Owners describe the automatic transmission shifting at the wrong time, hunting between gears, staying locked in second gear, or failing to engage a gear from a stop. Some report the transmission being replaced and the same symptoms returning within a short time, and a few say the dealer declined to cover the repair. One complaint mentions an earlier investigation into automatic transmission failure on this model. Complaints do not consistently list mileage; those that do mention replacements around 60,000 miles and continued problems about 12,000 miles later.

   What to check: Drive the van through all gears, including reverse, and feel for slipping, delayed engagement, or hunting between gears. Ask for transmission service records and whether the unit has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driver cannot shift into reverse, and sometimes truck will get stuck in gear. Other times driver cannot shift into another gear, and there are times when the driver steps on the gas pedal the truck will go forward. This has been an ongoing problem for several different incidents. There was an investigation for automatic transmission failure dp98- 003.”

   NHTSA complaint #823277, filed 1998-05

   “Valve cover gasket just started leaking 1 week after we purchased the van. 2. Transmission went out on sept. 24, 1999 2nd time in less than a year. The whole thing needs replacing once again.”

   NHTSA complaint #714884, filed 1999-11
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalling and engine-compartment fires

   • 19 complaints (10%)
   • typically at 8.0 yrs old
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2003

   Owners report the engine cutting out without warning, sometimes at low speed or after long drives, and one owner cites a service bulletin covering start-stall and deceleration die-out addressed by replacing the engine controller. Other complaints describe oil leaking from the valve cover gasket and, in a few cases, fire starting in the engine compartment or ignition wiring while driving or shortly after parking. Reported at a range of ages and mileages; several fire reports involve vehicles in ordinary use rather than a specific mileage band.

   Recall 89V237000

   What to check: Check for oil residue around the valve cover and smell for fuel under the hood. Ask whether the valve cover gasket recall was performed and have the ignition wiring and fuel lines inspected.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were driving on rt 1 in smrna delaware and it felt like the engine lost compression. I pulled to the side of the road turned off the van got out and saw fire under the hood. This incident happened on 3/17/2002 at 8/30 pm within minutes the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames.”

   NHTSA complaint #759811, filed 2002-03

   “There is a technical service bulletin out on this issue(#18-31-90, NHTSA item # sb022436). It reads as follows: start-stall and/or decel dieout during low speed maneuvers-repair involves replacement of origingal engine controller(smec) with revised unit-all 1989/90 Dodge caravans. Our van did this on several occasions before it finnally died on the highway. It was a lucky thing that we were only going about 30 MPH at the time and had a place to pull over. …”

   NHTSA complaint #714578, filed 1999-11
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Liftgate struts will not hold the gate open

   Mentioned in 5 of 55 sampled complaints

   Owners report that the hydraulic cylinders supporting the rear hatch no longer hold it up, so the gate drops on its own and must be held manually while loading. In some complaints the hinge or mounting area is tearing the body panel and leaving exposed metal. Dealers were reported as saying the condition had not been reported before or that no liability applied. Described in complaints from vehicles well into their service life; the sample provides little mileage detail.

   What to check: Raise the liftgate fully and see whether it stays up on its own. Inspect the strut mounts and the body panel around the hinges for cracks, tearing, or exposed metal.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The right lift on the tailgate is tearing the body material and leaving jagged metal exposed. I have talked to the manufacturer and they say they have no liability in this matter and that it has not been reported before.”

   NHTSA complaint #734011, filed 2000-10

   “The hatchback hydraulic cylinder which supports the the lift does not hold the hatch back, resulting in the hatachback falling on the occupant. Transmission failed.”

   NHTSA complaint #813526, filed 1997-06
5. 5
   Seat belts

   Seat-belt buckle, anchor or retractor failure

   • 14 complaints (7%)
   • typically at 7.3 yrs old
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2001

   Complaints describe buckle straps that split, belt anchors separating from the floor or chassis, and retractors that no longer pull the belt back in. Several owners mention belts not holding occupants in a collision. A recall covering the inboard front buckle strap assembly exists for this model year. No consistent mileage in the sample; reports span normal use and collision situations.

   Recall 91V053000

   What to check: Pull each belt out fully and check that it retracts smoothly, the buckle latches securely, and the anchor bolts are tight and free of rust or cracking. Ask whether the seat-belt buckle recall was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While traveling at 20 MPH passenger's side seatbelt did not hold passenger when vehicle rear ended another vehicle. Passenger side seat belt spring inside of the mechanism broke, this spring stopped seatbelt from coming out of seatbelt retractor in collision. Passenger was thrown against windshield, and injured neck and head. Consumer has contacted dealer.”

   NHTSA complaint #891384, filed 2001-06

   “Upon impact, during a frontal crash, at approx. 15mph, the metal bolt which anchors seat belt to floor broke and detached, allowed driver to hit steering column”

   NHTSA complaint #963309, filed 1995-04

Buying note. This is a high-mileage older van, so service history matters more than anything else: confirm transmission work, seat-belt recall completion, and liftgate latch repairs, and have a mechanic check for oil leaks, wiring condition, and stalling behavior before buying.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 55 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.