2019 Dodge Grand Caravan — Known Issues & Recalls

Your van rolled backward down a slight incline after you shifted to Park, even though you believed the transmission was in Park. You were unable to stop the vehicle and were injured while trying to regain control. The issue may involve the transmission not properly engaging Park, the parking brake not being secure, or both systems failing to hold the vehicle on an incline. A dealer inspection of the transmission Park pawl, parking brake system, and related components would be needed to diagnose the problem.

While driving 55 MPH on your 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan, the engine didn't respond when you pressed the accelerator pedal, forcing you to coast to the shoulder and then to a nearby parking lot. As you coasted into the lot, the vehicle jerked and bucked abnormally. This happened at 59,000 miles, and your transmission has been replaced three times within 107,000 miles total. The dealer said the repair wasn't covered under warranty. The issue likely involves the transmission or engine control system and may require professional diagnosis and repair.

Your check engine light came on after two weeks of ownership, and a mechanic's computer scan indicated transmission problems. You discovered the dealer may have reset the computer to hide the issue before selling you the van, which voided your warranty. A transmission replacement will likely be needed to resolve this problem.

After you had your transmission fluid and filter changed at the dealership in July 2025, your automatic transmission started slipping and hesitating in 2nd and 3rd gears. A transmission shop found the fluid was burnt and discovered internal damage requiring a $6,700 rebuild — far more than the $1,500 diagnostic fee. At 92,000 miles, you believe the transmission failed prematurely, possibly due to the service performed at the dealership. The repair will likely involve a complete transmission rebuild or replacement to restore proper shifting and power delivery.

Your transmission suddenly stopped working while you were driving on the freeway with your family, leaving you stranded. This happened despite regular maintenance and a recent inspection. The transmission will likely need professional diagnosis and repair, which could range from a fluid change and filter service to a complete transmission rebuild or replacement.

Your van's doors and trunk are opening on their own without warning, and the alarm is activating unexpectedly and locking you inside—sometimes taking up to 30 minutes to get out. The van also stalled on the highway, creating a dangerous situation. When you parked at a store, all doors and the trunk opened simultaneously while the alarm screamed, causing your pet to escape and hide in fear. This has been happening since you purchased the van, creating serious safety concerns for your family and pets.

Your sliding door lock actuator froze and stopped working. Although Dodge offered an extended warranty covering this part for 10 years or 100,000 miles, yours failed at 129,000 miles—beyond the warranty coverage. The repair will likely involve replacing the lock actuator mechanism.

Your backup camera displays an inverted image on the screen, showing everything upside down. Other 2019 Dodge vehicles have a known recall (NHTSA 25E052) for this exact issue, but your Grand Caravan wasn't included. The fix would likely involve a camera firmware update or recalibration of the camera module.

Your sliding doors and trunk may unlock and open on their own while driving or parked. A mechanic identified a faulty door lock actuator as the cause. While Dodge has extended the warranty to cover this repair, the self-opening doors pose a safety risk, especially for passengers. Fixing this will require replacing the faulty door lock actuators.

Your passenger-side sliding door is stuck in the locked position and won't unlock using the key fob, overhead panel buttons, or manual unlock. The door lock isn't responding to any unlocking attempts, which could prevent rear passengers from exiting the vehicle in an emergency.

Your engine is losing power and failing to accelerate properly, and you've experienced sudden forward lurches when stopped. Both a dealership and independent shop diagnosed this as a failure in Cylinder 2, which requires replacing the cylinder head—a significant repair costing around $6,500.

During a routine oil change, a technician discovered you had a severe oil leak from your engine oil cooler, even though you hadn't noticed any warning signs like an oil pressure light, spots under your car, or burning smells. The leak was significant enough to cover everything under the housing. According to the technician, this is a widespread issue affecting over 30,000 Chrysler and Dodge vehicles, and the part isn't covered by your warranty, making the repair expensive. Replacing the engine oil cooler will be necessary to stop the leak.

Your front passenger seat headrest unexpectedly detached while driving. The dealer diagnosed that the headrest restraint mechanism had failed. This is a safety concern since the headrest helps protect your neck in a crash. The fix will involve replacing the headrest restraint assembly.

Your bucket seats won't lower into the stowed position when you try to fold them down to load items in the van. This prevents you from using the extra cargo space that the folding seats normally provide. The issue likely involves the seat mechanism or latch that controls the lowering motion.

Your transmission failed completely at 47,000 miles without warning, causing your van to lurch forward at a stop light and then stall, requiring a tow and a $6,000+ replacement. Your power sliding rear doors malfunction intermittently and have nearly closed on you and your children, with the door not stopping even when meeting resistance from your body. Your driver's side headrest suddenly shattered into pieces while parked with nothing touching it, creating a serious safety hazard that could have caused injury if the van had been in motion.

Your engine has defective parts including the second cylinder head, exhaust valve, intake manifold, and oil filter housing adapter. These components may cause engine performance issues or oil leaks. Replacing these defective parts will likely require removing and rebuilding sections of your engine's upper components.

Your passenger sliding door stopped working and is now stuck in the locked position, preventing it from opening. This could be caused by an electrical failure in the door's locking mechanism or motor system. The door may need to be manually unlocked and the electrical components inspected or replaced.

Your backup camera is not working reliably. It takes too long to activate when you shift into reverse, and sometimes the image displays upside down instead of right-side up. This makes it harder to see behind your vehicle safely when backing up. The camera or its wiring connections may need to be inspected and repaired.

Your van is experiencing multiple electrical and drivetrain issues after a coolant temperature sensor replacement. Your transmission is shifting hard at speeds above 40 mph, your heater stopped working after the sensor was replaced, and you're also having problems with the back sliding door locks, tire pressure sensor, and radio not functioning—but no diagnostic codes are appearing. The issues may be related to electrical connections or a faulty sensor installation, and a mechanic should inspect the sensor replacement work and scan for electrical faults more thoroughly.

Your driver's side sliding door makes clicking and buzzing sounds when closing, and your passenger's side sliding door won't open properly. The dealer diagnosed that both sliding door actuators need replacement. Even though Dodge issued a warranty extension for this exact problem, your vehicle was denied coverage because it exceeded the mileage limit (your car has 130,234 miles), despite the failure occurring at 96,000 miles. Fixing this will require replacing the power lock actuators on both sliding doors.