2015 Dodge Grand Caravan Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2015 Grand Caravan most often describe two things: front head restraints that deploy without a crash, and transmission trouble that shows up as revving, hesitation or loss of power. Transmission complaints tend to arrive at higher mileage, while head restraint reports come in across a wide mileage range and often while parked or at low speed. Remaining reports cover power sliding door locks and latches, engine and charging faults, and airbag warning lights.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission revving, hesitation and loss of power

   • 83 complaints (30%)
   • median 92,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (51 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $4,500 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2015–2026

   Owners describe the engine revving high while the van barely accelerates, hard jerks between gears, whining or grinding noises, and in some cases a complete loss of drive. Shops and dealers often diagnosed a failed transmission pump or torque converter and recommended a transmission replacement; some owners were told their VIN was not covered by the transmission pump recall. A few reported the problem returning after replacement. Mostly reported between about 34,000 and 190,000 miles, often while accelerating or driving at highway speed.

   Recall 16V4610004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the transmission pump recall 16V461000 was performed on this VIN and request service records for any transmission work. On a test drive, watch for high revs without corresponding acceleration, delayed engagement from park to drive, and whining or grinding.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I changed my battery in my van and now the AC doesn't work and it seems like I smell coolant burning and when I'm driving between 40 to 50 it's very sluggish. And I had to have an auto shop check my transmission fluid cuz it felt like my transmission was slipping. And when they checked it they said I was really low on transmission fluid but they don't know where the transmission fluid going.”

   NHTSA complaint #11318166, filed 2020-03, 86,000 miles

   “While driving my van, the RPM's would increase, but there was no power coming from the engine. I was unable to accelerate. I pulled over, tried to put the van in park, the engine shifted extremely rough before going into park. The auto body shop is quoting me for over $5,000.00 to repair the transmission.”

   NHTSA complaint #11412802, filed 2021-04, 80,080 miles
2. 2
   Seats

   Front head restraint deploys without a crash

   • 62 complaints (22%)
   • median 66,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (49 state mileage)
   • 12 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $900 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Drivers and passengers describe the front head restraint suddenly popping open and striking the back of the head, usually while the vehicle is parked, idling or moving slowly, with no impact involved. Several owners say the plastic brackets or tabs inside the headrest break, and some report minor neck or head discomfort afterward. According to the complaints, dealers quoted several hundred dollars for replacement and in some cases said no recall applied. Reported from roughly 38,000 to 153,000 miles, often with the vehicle stationary or at low speed.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Sit in both front seats and press on the head restraint to see whether it has already deployed or feels loose, and ask whether either headrest has been replaced. A warranty bulletin covers sliding door lock actuators on this generation rather than the headrests, so ask for the repair history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The headrest on the passenger seat popped open while I was driving, scared me. Now I am afraid, my drivers side will do the same while I am driving causing a terrible hazard for me. I went to dealership and they said not their problem and wanted to charge me $900 to fix it. This should be recalled. I did not have them do it due to the cost to me.”

   NHTSA complaint #11340823, filed 2020-07, 38,000 miles

   “I was sitting in my parked car, engine off, waiting for someone. The driver's side headrest popped open suddenly. I cannot put it back in position because the plastic tabs inside are broken. I am thankful I was leaning forward reading a book and that I was not driving as this could have been painful and/or dangerous.”

   NHTSA complaint #11400050, filed 2021-03, 94,312 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Engine and charging faults, stalling and no-start

   Mentioned in 11 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the engine quitting while driving with no warning, a van that cranks but does not start after sitting, check engine lights with rough running and loss of power, and headlights that dim and brighten at night. Several point to battery sensor, module or fuse box problems; one dealer could not reproduce the stall. A bulletin describes charging warning lamps and battery sensor diagnostic codes on this platform. Broadly from about 29,000 to 175,000 miles, with several reports in the 50,000 to 100,000 mile range.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have the battery, charging system and stored diagnostic codes checked before buying, and ask whether the intelligent battery sensor bulletin was applied. Ask about any history of stalling, slow cranking or repeated no-starts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My HVAC system is not working properly. We checked to see if the HVAC recall was performed and my dealership ship says it was a minor part that was fixed, but everything I read on the 2016 recall says a huge recall was performed on the HVAC system. My dealership says the recall isn't warranty applicable and therefore I have to pay out of pocket! My AC is blowing hot and it continuously will change from AC to recirculate to no AC on its own. It's all apart of the program that is supposed to be warrantied. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11337571, filed 2020-07, 65,000 miles

   “I just made this same report but with my son's Dodge 06 VIN number. Ignore that report!! For my Dodge 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan here is my report: passenger side air bag exploded. Luckily no injury. Vehicle was not moving. I didn't even know it could do that! I'd like this fixed. Also, two leaks in engine. Oil leak/transmission leak. Is this normal? Leaks are ongoing. Another thing: noticing headlights getting slightly dimmer, then brighter, at night as if some sort of electrical problem? This happens during driving and not driving.”

   NHTSA complaint #11416720, filed 2021-05, 110,000 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Power sliding door stuck, locks failing

   • 51 complaints (18%)
   • median 65,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (27 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2026

   Complaints describe sliding doors that will not open or will not stay locked, doors that open on their own while the van is parked, and loud clicking or abnormal noises when locking or unlocking. Some owners found the door stuck in the locked position and could not free it with the button, key fob or manual handle. Dealers in several cases did not diagnose the problem. Reported from roughly 47,000 to about 150,000 miles, often noticed when the van had been parked.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Work both sliding doors through several open and close cycles from the handle, the button and the fob, and check that the locks hold. Warranty bulletin D-21-15 covers sliding door power lock actuators on this model, so ask whether that work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The passenger sliding door is stuck in the locked position out of nowhere. It cannot be unlocked with the buttons on the door, manually, or with the key fob. It was parked in the driveway overnight, the next morning I went to load up my kids, and it wouldn't work.”

   NHTSA complaint #11383189, filed 2020-12, 80,000 miles

   “The driver side sliding door is stuck shut! It don't work any more. Huge safety concern!!!!!!! It stopped working after I drove it. I can't even unlock the door or manually open it..”

   NHTSA complaint #11348964, filed 2020-08, 47,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light and unexpected airbag deployment

   • 19 complaints (7%)
   • median 93,164 mi at 5.5 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2015–2026

   Owners describe the passenger-side airbag warning light staying on, with dealers diagnosing a passenger airbag that needed replacement. Others report airbag deployment in vehicles that were parked or in a low-speed situation without a crash, including a converted mobility van. Some owners also raised concerns about whether the other airbags might deploy unexpectedly. Reported from about 48,000 to 114,000 miles, including while parked and while driving at low speed.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Turn the key on and confirm the passenger airbag and system warning lights behave normally, and ask whether any airbag module or sensor has been replaced. On converted mobility vans, ask the converter about the restraint system work performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I took my car in for service to fix air conditioner not working they fixed the front and rear evaporators . I picked up from dealer drove t mins down the road and while driving both the driver and passenger head ready air bags deployed . Almost caused an accident not to mention hit me in the back of head while driving down major hwy 41 in fla . …”

   NHTSA complaint #11331269, filed 2020-06, 55,000 miles

   “The electric controls are going haywire when van is turned on nothing will function than the rear defroster comes on nothing else works then the air comes on and cool air on drivers side heat on passenger side then some cool then heat and I have a lighting bolt simble on the dash and van was hit head on while park and the air bags did not deploy”

   NHTSA complaint #11325881, filed 2020-05, 54,800 miles

Buying note. Check the front head restraints and both sliding doors carefully, and get transmission service history plus recall status for 16V461000 by VIN before buying. A pre-purchase scan for stored codes and a charging system test are worth the cost on this model year.

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.