1997 Dodge Grand Caravan Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 71about this part
- Share
- 12%of 583 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 122,500miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 71 complaints about the brakes of the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan, 12% of the 583 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 122,500 miles. 3 of these say a crash was involved and 3 a fire, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Vehicle had been parked for 48 hours when I was informed that it was on fire. The vehicle engine area was completely engulfed in flames, it had not been started or used at all since it was parked. Vehicle was a total loss. Our county arson task force investigator concluded it was caused by a faulty anti-lock brake system.”
NHTSA complaint #10016542, filed 2003-04, 68,300 miles“While driving our 97 Dodge Grand Caravan le to drop off a visitor, halfway through the trip, I had to stop at a light and all of a sudden the brake pedal just went all the way to firewall. Since caravan has a foot brake, I managed to drive vehicle with hazard lights on using the foot brake. There was a smell of brake fluid that instant so I figured a leak had occurred somewhere. After getting home, I checked area where leak was coming from and saw it on the stainless steel braid connection underneath driver seat near the ABS module.”
NHTSA complaint #10404453, filed 2011-06, 163,955 miles“The transmission does not shift gears if the air conditioner is on. The air conditioner turned all the way up will blow out air as if it was on mid way. The wind shield wipers come on when the turn signal is activated, which causes me to buy blades more often. The brakes seem to lock up when the ground is wet. You can hear metal hitting together, and the car continues to roll. My sister-in-law, and one of my daycare moms had the same problem, but they were not as lucky as I was it caused them to rear end another vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #10070637, filed 2004-01, 100,000 miles“The battery light came on in my 1997 Grand Caravan and a couple of minutes later the ABS light came on. When I got to work I cut the car off and tried to restart it. It did start but the cut off. Then it would not start at all. No dash lights anything. I waited about 3 hours and tried to start it again and nothing happened. When the tow truck came and the driver got in and tried to start it, again it was totally dead. He left the key in the on position while we talked and then about a minute later the dash light came on and he started it. The dealer could not find anything wrong with it. …”
NHTSA complaint #10162109, filed 2006-07, 131,000 miles“Sudden brake failure when departing my home. Pedal went fully to the floor. Later inspection revealed heavy corrosion at the brake line joints with the short section of flexible brake line just rear of the ABS box. No significant corrosion aside from the vicinity of the flex line. One of the corroded brake lines had a pinhole leak that triggered the brake failure.”
NHTSA complaint #10261049, filed 2009-03, 210,000 milesRelated recalls
- 96V215000Oct 29, 1996The master cylinder rear seal, between the hydraulic fluid and the vacuum reservoir, may not seal adequately allowing hydraulic fluid to be drawn into the…Covers: Dodge Grand Caravan 1997, Caravan 1997, Chrysler Town And Country 1997
Brakes: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 10 | 4% |
| 2018 | 11 | 4% |
| 2017 | 7 | 2% |
| 2016 | 13 | 1% |
| 2015 | 7 | 2% |
| 2014 | 11 | 3% |
| 2013 | 20 | 4% |
| 2012 | 38 | 7% |
| 2011 | 27 | 5% |
| 2010 | 88 | 10% |
| 2009 | 64 | 12% |
| 2008 | 212 | 16% |
| 2007 | 10 | 5% |
| 2006 | 14 | 5% |
| 2005 | 40 | 4% |
| 2004 | 15 | 13% |
| 2003 | 17 | 8% |
| 2002 | 36 | 12% |
| 2001 | 19 | 6% |
| 2000 | 45 | 10% |
| 1999 | 54 | 13% |
| 1998 | 44 | 8% |
| 1997 | 71 | 12% |
| 1996 | 106 | 9% |
| 1995 | 5 | 5% |
| 1994 | 19 | 10% |
| 1993 | 97 | 34% |
| 1992 | 65 | 25% |
| 1991 | 34 | 26% |
| 1990 | 5 | 9% |
| 1988 | 2 | 20% |
Other parts of the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan
107 complaintsElectrical system
104 complaintsEngine cooling
102 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
81 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
61 complaintsVehicle speed control
48 complaintsFuel system
38 complaintsSteering
35 complaintsExterior lighting
20 complaintsSuspension
20 complaintsBody and structure
18 complaintsOther or unknown
17 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology