2011 Dodge Caravan Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2011 Dodge Caravan report mostly electrical problems, above all failures of the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM), the fuse and relay box that many of the complaints link to intermittent no-starts, stalling while driving and battery drain. Reports arrive from very low mileage up to well past 150,000 miles, and many owners describe repeated dealer visits, replaced batteries or fuel pumps, and long waits for parts.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   TIPM failure: no-start, stalling, battery drain

   • 33 complaints (42%)
   • median 72,725 mi at 5.0 yrs old (26 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2021

   Complaints describe a van that will not crank, sometimes only after several attempts, sometimes after shutting off at a light or while driving. Several owners say a dealer or independent shop traced the problem to the Totally Integrated Power Module and quoted a replacement, and some report the problem returned afterward. Others describe the fuel pump running on after the engine was shut off, a dead battery the next morning, or windows and sliding doors operating on their own. A number of owners had already paid for a battery or fuel pump before the module was identified. Spread from under 40,000 miles to beyond 150,000 miles, with most reports in the 40,000-140,000 mile range.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the TIPM has ever been replaced and whether the fuel pump relay has been bypassed; check for a battery that goes flat overnight and for the fuel pump continuing to run after shutdown. A pre-purchase electrical inspection with a scan tool is worth the cost.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The engine would only start after multiple attempts. I took it to the dealer and was advised that the tipm would need to be replaced. The tipm controls many of the systems -including the starting system and other safety systems. We were fortunate not to have the engine/power systems fail while the vehicle was being driven. This is a design/manufacturing issue that should be recalled. The vehicle no longer starts. We are waiting on the tipm to be backordered. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10678561, filed 2015-01, 56,000 miles

   “I towed my car to my local garage & they ran a diagnostic and said I had a faulty tipm. They could not fix it because it had to be programmed at a dealership. I took my car to summit Dodge and they said there were updates available to fix the tipm for $207. That did not work and the next day my car would not start again. They then replaced the tipm for an additional $1130. This part was recalled in the durangos and the jeep grand cherokee, but not the Caravan. It's the same part!! …”

   NHTSA complaint #10823975, filed 2016-02, 77,700 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Intermittent no-start, sometimes with stalling

   Mentioned in 10 of 60 sampled complaints

   Many complaints describe the van refusing to start at random, with no warning light, then starting fine after several tries or after a wait. Some owners report the engine dying while driving or idling and needing to be restarted. Dealers often replaced the battery first, or reported that the fault could not be reproduced, and in several cases an ignition or fuse issue or the power module was later named as the cause. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 135,000 miles; often described as random and weather- or temperature-independent.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Start the van several times cold and warm during a test drive, and ask for any service records showing what was replaced for a no-start. A service bulletin covers intermittent no-crank diagnosis, so ask whether that procedure was ever performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When the alternator is bad the car will go off in the midst of driving in motion on a city street. I was unable to use the hazard light or tell the cars behind me that I was in trouble, the key gets stuck in the ignition. You are just stopped wherever you are. My family could have died it cut off in the middle of the street.”

   NHTSA complaint #10873797, filed 2016-06, 125,000 miles

   “Vehicle would not start, tried checking battery and jumping vehicle still would not start. Vehicle finally started after about 20 minutes right before I was about call a tow truck. I have taken and had it looked at by two different service centers who both told me that nothing was wrong. It has done this several times since and I am concerned that I will be left stranded due to this problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10651611, filed 2014-10, 72,450 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine stalling or quitting while driving

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out at speed or while idling, sometimes restarting and sometimes not. Owners report diagnosis pointing to the power module, the powertrain control module or the alternator, and some describe repeat occurrences after repairs. One owner reports a shop saying the engine itself needed replacement after a stall and no-restart. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 120,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for any history of stall-related repairs, including module or alternator replacement, and have charging system output and stored fault codes checked before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Caravan. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle lost power and stalled. The contact mentioned it was difficult to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 67,100.”

   NHTSA complaint #10630418, filed 2014-09, 67,100 miles

   “The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Caravan. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the steering wheel seized and the vehicle lost acceleration, the contact coasted to the side of the road, waited a few minutes, and attempted to start the engine. The engine failed to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10957532, filed 2017-02, 116,000 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brakes and rotors needing repeated replacement

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe early or repeated brake work: pulsation and shaking through the steering wheel when braking, squealing or grinding from the rear, and in one case brakes that became extremely hot and smoked during a drive. Several say rotors and pads were replaced more than once within a short mileage span, and one report notes front calipers and hoses seizing. Reported from around 18,000 miles to about 100,000 miles, with several owners describing repeat work inside a few thousand miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look at pad and rotor thickness and condition on all four corners, ask how recently the brakes were done, and check for brake pedal pulsation or vibration during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving home from work while stopping on the freeway my steering wheel is shaking. Ironically this is just south of the chrysler technical center, which I pass every day as I work just a few miles from it. This is only occurring when the brakes are applied so I already dreaded the thought, it must be the front brakes/rotors need replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10644766, filed 2014-10, 70,000 miles

   “Driving and start smelling burning stop and my brakes are smoking to the point it's almost on fire and so hot can't touch or will be burnt. Worried for safety of my kids happened about 10 times now if not more. Got it checked out said nothing is wrong don't know why it's doing it. And have changed my rotors 3 times and brakes 5 times.”

   NHTSA complaint #10649635, filed 2014-10, 18,000 miles
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Rear quarter window switch recall parts unavailable

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Several owners describe being notified of a recall for the rear quarter vent window switch and then being unable to get it done, with the dealer disconnecting the windows because the replacement part was not available. Some report the windows remained unusable for months after the visit, and some connect the same recall to a switch described as a fire risk in the notice. Reports cluster in 2015-2016, typically with low mileage or mileage not stated.

   What to check: Ask whether the rear quarter window recall was completed and whether both rear windows still open and close normally; check for disconnected window motors or wiring.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have been sent several recall notices and have contacted dealer 4 times. They disconnected the rear quarter window but did not have part to repair. This last time I contacted they still do not have the (green light) part required to correct the problem. Seems to be a problem getting the part. They emailed an order to me for the part but they just did that. It has been months waiting on this part and I cannot recall the first time I received the first notification. I would really like to get this repaired so I can use the window. Thanx”

   NHTSA complaint #10703758, filed 2015-04, 46,000 miles

   “It has been about 2 years when I contacted the car dealer with the notice you sent me. All they did was disconnected the rear windows but never connected them back. Still now they are disconnected. The dealer told me that they where going to call me as soon as the parts came in it is august 25, 2015 and still no answer from them. The last time I called them was in january left a messages but got no return call. What can I do since it is august and the rear windows are still disconnected. I have not been able to use them. They do not work. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10759203, filed 2015-08

Buying note. The main thing to verify on this model year is the electrical system: ask for documentation of any power module replacement and whether open recalls were completed, and budget for a thorough electrical inspection. Brake and stall repairs also come up often, so service records showing what has already been replaced are more useful here than mileage alone.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.