2006 Dodge Grand Caravan Engine Problems
18 owner-reported engine complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (18)
Your engine experienced warning lights (oil pressure and an unknown indicator) when braking at 45 mph, which couldn't be reproduced by a mechanic. Later, while accelerating at 55 mph, your vehicle suddenly lost power and wouldn't accelerate, the steering became hard to turn, and the van became immobile on the road. A mechanic diagnosed an oil leak in the engine and indicated the engine would need replacement.
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Your 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan was missing its EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valve when you purchased it. You experienced poor acceleration, rough idling, jerking, and stalling while driving, with the check engine light coming on. The dealership confirmed the EGR valve was missing, which caused diagnostic trouble codes P0403 and P0404. Replacing or installing the missing EGR valve should resolve these drivability issues.
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Your gas pump nozzle keeps clicking off when you try to refuel, even though your gas gauge works fine. The fuel pump was replaced twice at a repair shop, but Dodge/Chrysler says the issue is actually a faulty breather tube that's preventing proper fuel tank ventilation during fueling. The repair will likely involve inspecting and replacing the fuel tank breather tube to allow air to escape while the tank fills.
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,000.
AFTER FILLING FUEL TANK, PULLED INTO TRAFFIC AND THE VAN STALLED 30 SECONDS LATER. WAS ABLE TO PULL OUT OF TRAFFIC AND RESTART. THIS HAPPENS NOW EVERY TIME THE FUEL TANK IS FILLED. WITHIN A MINUTE OR TWO OF LEAVING THE GAS STATION, THE ENGINE WILL AT LEAST HESITATE AND MANY TIMES STALLS COMPLETELY. *TR
AFTER FUELING, THE VEHICLE WITH SURGE AND OFTEN STALL WITH NEED FOR RESTART. VERY FREQUENTLY IT DOES THIS WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP SIGN WHICH CAN CAUSE A STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. *TR
AFTER FILLING UP WITH GAS ENGINE STALLED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE FROM THE GAS STATION. HAD TO COAST TO SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT POWER STEERING. PLACED ENGINE IN PARK, TURNED OF KEY AND RESTARTED. ENGINE RAN ROUGH HAD TO DEPRESS ACCELERATOR FOR ADDITIONAL GAS. ONCE RESTARTED ENGINE RAN FINE FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP. THIS SAME PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED IN EARLY JANUARY 1/03/2015 AFTER FILLING UP WITH GAS. NOT ONLY IS THIS AN INCONVENIENCE, BUT VERY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC SCENARIOS. *TR
INVESTIGATION: DP 14-002; PROMPTED BY: DEFECT PETITION; DATE OPENED: 09/05/2014; INVESTIGATOR: [XXX]; REVIEWER: [XXX]; APPROVER: [XXX]; SUBJECT: ENGINE STALL AFTER REFUELING. PLEASE INCLUDE ME IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED COMPLAINT/INVESTIGATION # DP 14-002. AFTER REFUELING, MY ENGINE STALLS ABOUT 1 TO 2 MINUTES AFTER STARTING ALMOST EVERY TIME I FILL-UP WITH FUEL. WHEN THE FUELING NOZZLE TRIPS FOR THE FIRST TIME, I DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE ADDING MORE FUEL AND POSSIBLY OVERFILLING THE FUEL TANK. I HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT TIMES WITH THE ENGINE STALLING AND IT TAKES 2 TO 3 ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! NOW AFTER REFUELING, I PULL AWAY FROM THE PUMPS AND PARK OUT OF THE WAY AND ALLOW THE ENGINE TO STALL. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RESTART SEVERAL TIMES, THE ENGINE WILL MISFIRE FOR ABOUT 30 TO 45 SECONDS, THEN THE ENGINE WILL SMOOTH OUT AND RUN FINE UNTIL THE NEXT REFUELING. I WANT TO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY STALLS SHORTLY AFTER REFUEL. *TR
AFTER FILLING THE TANK WITH GAS, THE VAN ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND THEN STALLS OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST THREE TO FOUR YEARS. WHEN IT HAPPENED ON TUES, OCTOBER 7, 2014, I HAD JUST PULLED OUT OF THE GAS STATION AND WAS GETTING READY TO CROSS A BUSY INTERSECTION WHEN THE CAR STALLED. I HAD TO QUICKLY PUT IT IN TO PARK AND RESTART. SCARED ME TO DEATH. AGAIN, THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST FIFTY TIMES TO ME. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAN NEVER GET THE PROBLEM TO HAPPEN FOR THEM WHICH MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IT IS ONLY GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER REFUELING. *TR
REAR AC EVAPORATOR LEAKING.. I HEARD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS, ESTIMATED COST TO REPLACE IS BETWEEN 850-1000, CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION. *TR
OUR REAR EVAPORATOR DOES NOT WORK. AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT WORK. WE ONLY HAVE 48,000 MILES ON OUR VAN AND I HAVE READ A ALOT OF SIMILAR STORIES REGARDING THIS ISSUE. *TR
I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT CARS- BUT GRAND CARAVANS 05 AND 06 MODELS ARE ALL HAVING REAR EVAPORATOR'S THAT ARE BREAKING DOWN. IN FACT IF YOU PUT IN "REAR EVAPORATOR" INTO GOOGLE THE FIRST LINK IS ABOUT THE GRAND CARAVAN PROBLEM. THAT'S HOW BAD IT IS. IT'S AN EXPENSIVE PART AND THEY AREN'T DOING A RECALL DUE TO BAD CRAFTSMANSHIP. I DON'T THINK THIS CONSTITUTES A SAFETY RECALL BUT AMERICAN CONSUMERS ARE GETTING CHARGED FOR SOMETHING THAT IS A KNOWN DEFECT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE ENGINE BLOWS OUT OF NO WHERE LEAVING THE VAN ALMOST INOPERABLE. I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE 3.8 LITER ENGINES. IT WAS DRIVING FINE AND THEN THERE WAS EXTREMELY LOUD KNOCKING AND A SUDDEN LOSS IN POWER. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO GET PULLED OVER I CHECKED THE OIL AND IT HAD "DISAPPEARED". TO CORRECT THE ISSUE A NEW ENGINE IS NEEDED AND THESE NEWER ENGINES FROM CHRYSLER HAVE A MODIFIED OIL PUMP WHICH TELLS ME THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND ARE CORRECTING IT BUT ONLY AFTER YOU SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE NEW MOTOR. *TR
AIR CONDITIONER. *TR
A/C STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING. *TR
WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY SPLASHING THROUGH WATER, THE VEHICLE SERPENTINE BELT BEGINS TO CHATTER AND THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A BRIEF REDUCTION/LOSS OF POWER. THIS BECOMES PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE STATED THAT THERE IS NO MECHANICAL DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE THAT THEY CAN FIND. THIS HAPPENS ON REPEATED OCCASIONS AND CAN BE REPRODUCED EVEN TODAY. IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR SOME TIME NOW. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING VIBRATED AND THE VEHICLE FELT OUT OF ALIGNMENT. PRECISION ALIGNMENT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNT WAS WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TO DETERMINE IF THE MOTOR MOUNT WAS FAULTY. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.