If you’re thinking about buying a Dodge Caravan, it’s likely that you’re looking for a large family vehicle. A Caravan offers plenty of room for up to seven passengers, making it a solid family choice. That said, many drivers have reported problems with the starter in their Dodge Caravan.
Are starting problems common with the Dodge Caravan?
Yes — here’s what potential Dodge Caravan owners need to know:
- Battery may become loose; fails to start
- Key may get stuck in ignition
- Starter may work intermittently
- Car may stall while driving; will not restart
Thankfully, we’ll cover the starting issues with the Dodge Caravan in this article, giving you all the information, you need to know to make an informed purchase decision. We’ll also talk about how to continue the research process to ensure that you’re making the right choice.
How Does the Dodge Caravan Starter Work?
To understand the starting issues with the Dodge Caravan, it can be helpful to understand how the starting process in a car, truck or van works. Take a look at this video to get a visual as to how a vehicle makes the change from “Off” to “On”.
There are many moving parts within the starting process, and it’s easy to see how something could go wrong. Next, we’ll take a look at the specific problems that drivers have reported with the Dodge Caravan starting process.
Four Common Issues with Starting the Dodge Caravan
Battery Becomes Loose; Car Fails to Start
Some Dodge Caravan drivers have filed complaints that the car fails to start. Upon further inspection, this issue is due to the battery becoming loose on the vehicle. A mechanic can fix this issue by tightening the battery connections, but this issue may recur.
Key Gets Stuck in Ignition
Dodge Caravan owners sometimes experience the frustrating situation of their key becoming stuck in the ignition. Pulling too hard on the key can cause damage to the starting system, so it’s vital to have a mechanic work on the vehicle when this happens (which may require towing the vehicle to the shop).
A mechanic can remove the key and may need to replace parts on the starting system to stop the issue from happening again.
Starter Works Intermittently
NHTSA Complaint ID: 11057094
Some Dodge Caravan owners have found that the starter only works intermittently, with seemingly no cause. This can be dangerous as it can leave drivers stranded. A mechanic can replace the starter to remedy the issue, but this may not be a long-term fix.
Car Stalls While Driving; Will Not Restart
NHTSA Complaint ID: 11024176
The Dodge Caravan may stall while in motion, posing a danger to both the people in the vehicle and the others are on the road.
Drivers experience a complete shutdown of the vehicle, followed by an inability to start the vehicle again. The fix for the issue will depend on the exact cause. Portions of the starting system may need to be replaced.
