2012 Dodge Grand Caravan — Known Issues & Recalls

Your overhead console caught fire while your parked van was turned off, with flames spreading to the front seats. The fire department determined the fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring. This is a serious fire hazard that requires immediate inspection of the vehicle's wiring harness and overhead console electrical connections.

Your car's electrical system is shutting down while you're driving, especially on highways, which causes your engine to stall and makes your power steering and brakes extremely hard to operate. The problem happens intermittently, sometimes triggered by touching the ignition switch or jiggling your keys, and causes your dashboard lights to flicker on and off rapidly. When this happens at highway speeds in heavy traffic, you lose power steering, braking assist, and signal lights all at once, making it extremely dangerous to safely pull over. The issue appears to be related to a defective ignition switch in the steering column that needs replacement.

Your van's TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module) failed, causing the engine to shut off while driving. You also noticed the power door locks stopped working and the fuel pump kept running even when the ignition was turned off. The TIPM is the main electrical control module that manages multiple vehicle systems, so replacing it should restore normal operation.

Your car stalls without warning and doesn't display a check engine light, happening randomly at any speed or while parked. The interior lights sometimes stay on unexpectedly. You can usually restart the engine immediately, but not always. You've already replaced the battery and starter, but the problem continues. The issue may be related to the ignition control module or electrical distribution system.

Your van is shutting off completely while you're driving, with all lights going out. You can restart it by shifting to neutral and turning the ignition back on, but this is happening more frequently. The problem also occurred while idling, which is a safety concern since it could happen while picking up passengers.

Your engine shut off unexpectedly while driving 70 mph on the highway, and your power steering stopped working at the same time. After you pulled over safely and restarted the vehicle, the problem got worse and eventually your car wouldn't start anymore, with several warning lights flashing on the dashboard. The issue started around 130,000 miles. Diagnosing this will likely require a dealer scan tool to read the engine and electrical fault codes.

Your car is producing smoke from the corner of the hood near the antenna, and fumes are coming from the vents that irritate your eyes and throat. You've already replaced the oil, power steering fluid, and radiator, but the problem persists and you're concerned about a potential fire risk. The source of the smoke and fumes needs to be identified through a professional diagnostic inspection to rule out dangerous conditions like coolant leaks, oil leaks, or electrical issues.

Your van is stalling (shutting off completely) while you're driving, and it's happening more frequently. This is a serious safety issue since it's caused near-miss accidents and leaves you without power steering or brakes. Your mechanic hasn't been able to identify the cause yet. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the engine's fuel, ignition, or sensor systems to find why the engine is shutting down unexpectedly.

Your engine stalls shortly after you start driving, though the dashboard lights remain on. You're able to restart the engine without difficulty by turning the key off and back to ignition. This problem occurs unpredictably—sometimes weeks apart, sometimes months apart. The issue may involve the fuel system, ignition system, or engine sensors that need diagnosis and possible replacement.

Your airbag recall was completed incorrectly at the dealership. Instead of properly installing a full protective sleeve around exposed wiring as required by the recall, the technician cut the sleeve short to fit around a retaining clip, leaving some wiring unprotected. This means your driver's side airbag assembly cannot be safely reinstalled, and your horn (which is part of that assembly) is also not functional. The dealership has not scheduled a follow-up appointment to redo the work properly.

Your driver's seat headrest suddenly deployed while your wife was driving, hitting her in the back of the head without any accident occurring. An inspection found that the internal plastic latch mechanism in the headrest is broken, which caused it to deploy on its own. This unexpected deployment could cause a distraction or accident in the future, and the headrest latch mechanism will need to be replaced.

While driving at 30 mph, your van suddenly shut down completely with no warning lights. When this happened, you lost both power steering and power brakes, making the vehicle very difficult to control with children in the car. After coasting to a stop, everything restarted on its own a few minutes later and worked normally, but this sudden loss of critical systems created a serious safety risk.

Your key fob sits loosely in the ignition, causing it to lose connection while you're driving. When this happens, your car stalls out, even on the freeway, and it occurs every time you drive. The ignition switch likely needs to be replaced or adjusted to hold the key securely.

Your vehicle periodically shuts down and loses all power while driving, especially when hitting bumps or dips in the road. This happens at various speeds (30-70 mph) and can be temporarily fixed by shifting to neutral and restarting, but this is unsafe on the highway. The loss of power is a serious safety concern that has occurred multiple times over several years.

Your engine stalled and cut out while driving on the freeway, making it hard to restart. You discovered the problem was your TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module), which is the same component that was recalled in other Fiat Chrysler vehicles for fuel pump relay issues, but your Grand Caravan was not included in that recall. You're concerned that the same defective part is in your vehicle and poses the same safety risk as the recalled models. Fixing this typically involves replacing the TIPM unit.

Your engine randomly shuts off when you turn on the high beam headlights, causing all dashboard lights to flash on as if you just turned the key. This cuts power to your steering and brakes temporarily, which is dangerous in traffic or on dark highways. The problem returned after the T33 recall was performed last year, suggesting it may not have been fully fixed.

Your car has stalled about 20 times in two weeks without warning while driving — the engine shuts off completely, power steering fails, and dash lights go dark, creating a serious safety hazard. You're also experiencing erratic headlights and horn, the engine running in limp mode (sluggish acceleration above 20 mph), difficulty starting, and rapid battery drain even when parked. A mechanic has identified that the TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module) needs replacement, which is a complex electrical control unit that manages multiple vehicle systems.

Your van has shut down suddenly twice — once in a parking lot and once on a street — with complete loss of power steering and engine power. The vehicle restarted after each incident, but this sudden stalling is a serious safety concern. A mechanic will need to diagnose the electrical and engine systems to find what's causing the unexpected shutdowns.

Your fuel pump runs continuously even when the van is off, and while driving, your engine shuts down unexpectedly. A mechanic determined the TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module) is faulty and needs replacement to restore proper fuel pump control and engine operation.

Your engine stalls or nearly dies when you come to a stop during long drives, especially in heavy traffic or at red lights. You have to keep your foot on the accelerator or shift to neutral to keep the engine running. Sometimes restarting the engine helps, but not always. This creates a safety risk of being rear-ended or stalling when trying to merge back into traffic.