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2016 Dodge Grand Caravan
Common Problems

Ranked from 593 federal NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.

5
Safety
4
High severity
5
Medium
2
Low
5 problems on this vehicle involve a crash, fire, or injury risk. If you are experiencing one, stop driving and have it inspected.

16 Common Problems

Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.

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  1. 1

    Engine misfire and power loss

    297complaints
    Safety riskEngine

    The engine misfires and experiences power loss, particularly on highways, leading to reduced performance and potential accidents.

    $200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 14 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  2. 2

    Sliding Door Actuator Failure

    214complaints
    Safety riskElectrical

    The sliding door actuator fails to function properly, causing the door to become stuck in the locked or unlocked position.

  3. 3

    Driver's side sliding door actuator failure

    91complaints
    Safety riskElectrical

    The driver's side sliding door actuator fails to unlock or open, posing a safety hazard.

  4. 4

    Driver Side Sliding Door Lock Malfunction

    58complaints
    Safety riskElectrical

    The driver side sliding door lock mechanism is stuck in the locked position, preventing the door from opening.

    $200–$600est. door lock/latch repair · 12.5 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  5. 5

    Transmission Pump Failure

    16complaints
    High severityTransmission

    The transmission pump failed, causing the torque converter to fail and potentially leading to a loss of power and an unsafe driving condition.

    $200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 18 hrs labor
    Get local quotes

    Related recall: 16V461000

  6. 6

    Door Lock Mechanism Failure

    11complaints
    High severityElectrical

    The door lock mechanism fails to operate correctly, preventing the doors from locking or unlocking properly.

    $200–$600est. door lock/latch repair · 12.5 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  7. 7

    Sliding Door Malfunction

    11complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    Driver and passenger side sliding doors fail to open or lock properly, posing a safety risk during emergencies.

  8. 8

    Engine Cylinder Failure

    8complaints
    Medium severityEngine

    The sixth cylinder fails, leading to engine performance issues and potential engine damage.

  9. 9

    Door Locking Actuator Buzzing

    5complaints
    Low severityElectrical

    The door locking actuators produce loud buzzing noises when locking or unlocking, which can be distracting while driving.

    $200–$600est. door lock/latch repair · 12.5 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  10. 10

    Transmission Issues

    5complaints
    Medium severityTransmission

    The transmission experiences failures such as whining sounds, stalling, and loss of power, requiring frequent repairs.

    $200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 18 hrs labor
    Get local quotes

    Related recall: 16V461000

  11. 11

    Random Vehicle Shutdown

    3complaints
    Medium severityOther

    The vehicle randomly shuts down while driving, often requiring multiple attempts to restart, posing a safety risk.

    $150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 15 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  12. 12

    Vehicle rolling away while parked

    3complaints
    High severityOther

    The vehicle unexpectedly rolls back while parked, posing a safety risk.

  13. 13

    Airbag Deployment Failure

    2complaints
    Safety riskElectrical

    The side curtain airbags deploy but the driver and passenger airbags fail to deploy during a collision.

  14. 14

    Headrest Deployment Issues

    2complaints
    High severityOther

    Headrests unexpectedly deploy without an accident, posing a safety risk to passengers.

  15. 15

    Seat/Mirror Control Failure

    2complaints
    Low severityElectrical

    The seat and mirror controls stop working intermittently, causing inconvenience and potential distraction while driving.

  16. 16

    Unreliable TIPM (Transmission Interface Power Module)

    2complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    The TIPM frequently fails, causing the transmission to malfunction and requiring replacement.

    $500–$1,600est. power-distribution / bcm module replacement · 1.55 hrs labor
    Get local quotes

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.