Total Complaints
13 filings
DODGE DODGE · model year
1997 DODGE DODGE
13 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997DODGEDODGE carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 DODGE is exterior lighting:turn signal with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition:switch (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 1997 DODGE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
13
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20070926EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES
THE ORIGINAL HEAD LIGHTS ARE WARN, DETERIORATED, AND DON'T LAMINATE DRIVING AT NIGHT, HIGH BEAMS ARE EQUAL TO ALL OTHER CARS LOW BEAMS. THE LUMIUNS DON'T GET OUT, BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE LENS COVER. I WAS TOLD THAT ALL CARAVANS AROUND THE DATE OF 1997 HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THEM AT A COST OF AROUND $200.00 EACH. THEY ARE A SAFETY ISSUE AT NIGHT, A REAL HAZARD, AND THEY ARE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. SHOULD BE REPLACED BY CORP/ DEALER. *TR
20070926EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
THE ORIGINAL HEAD LIGHTS ARE WARN, DETERIORATED, AND DON'T LAMINATE DRIVING AT NIGHT, HIGH BEAMS ARE EQUAL TO ALL OTHER CARS LOW BEAMS. THE LUMIUNS DON'T GET OUT, BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE LENS COVER. I WAS TOLD THAT ALL CARAVANS AROUND THE DATE OF 1997 HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THEM AT A COST OF AROUND $200.00 EACH. THEY ARE A SAFETY ISSUE AT NIGHT, A REAL HAZARD, AND THEY ARE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. SHOULD BE REPLACED BY CORP/ DEALER. *TR
20041119CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DODGE CARAVAN 97 MODEL VIN#[XXX]. STAT FARM INSURANCE # [XXX]. THE ABOVE DODGE CARAVAN WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY A SCHOOL BUS ON TUE. 16TH NOV 04 ON ROUTE 516 OLD BRIDGE, NJ 08857. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE UTILITY POLE. *AK THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO WORK. THE DRIVER SEAT AND PASSENGER SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD INSTEAD OF PROTECTING US FROM NECK AND BODY INJURY. THE VEHICLE IS WITH STATEFARM INSURANCE. THEY MAY REMOVE IT FROM ITS TEMPORARY STORAGE IN COUPLE OF DAYS. YOU MAY CONTACT THEM OR THE OLD BRIDGE POLICE IN CASE YOU WANT TO INSPECT THE FAILED SAFETY SYSTEMS. UPDATED 08/03/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
20041119CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
DODGE CARAVAN 97 MODEL VIN#[XXX]. STAT FARM INSURANCE # [XXX]. THE ABOVE DODGE CARAVAN WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY A SCHOOL BUS ON TUE. 16TH NOV 04 ON ROUTE 516 OLD BRIDGE, NJ 08857. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE UTILITY POLE. *AK THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO WORK. THE DRIVER SEAT AND PASSENGER SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD INSTEAD OF PROTECTING US FROM NECK AND BODY INJURY. THE VEHICLE IS WITH STATEFARM INSURANCE. THEY MAY REMOVE IT FROM ITS TEMPORARY STORAGE IN COUPLE OF DAYS. YOU MAY CONTACT THEM OR THE OLD BRIDGE POLICE IN CASE YOU WANT TO INSPECT THE FAILED SAFETY SYSTEMS. UPDATED 08/03/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
20030501UNKNOWN OR OTHER
RICON FLEET DEFECT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. AK SCC ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS******741473
Mileage: 129,209
20000822POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLES WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. DODGE FIXED THE VEHICLE ONCE AND HAD TO REPLACE THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSY. THEY SAID IT WAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM AND DID REPAIRS ON THE REAR AXLE, ASSY. AND BEARING, TRANSMISSION AND OTHER MAJOR PARTS. *AK
20000822POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLES WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. DODGE FIXED THE VEHICLE ONCE AND HAD TO REPLACE THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSY. THEY SAID IT WAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM AND DID REPAIRS ON THE REAR AXLE, ASSY. AND BEARING, TRANSMISSION AND OTHER MAJOR PARTS. *AK
20000822POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLES WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. DODGE FIXED THE VEHICLE ONCE AND HAD TO REPLACE THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSY. THEY SAID IT WAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM AND DID REPAIRS ON THE REAR AXLE, ASSY. AND BEARING, TRANSMISSION AND OTHER MAJOR PARTS. *AK
20000822SUSPENSION:FRONT
THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLES WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. DODGE FIXED THE VEHICLE ONCE AND HAD TO REPLACE THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSY. THEY SAID IT WAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM AND DID REPAIRS ON THE REAR AXLE, ASSY. AND BEARING, TRANSMISSION AND OTHER MAJOR PARTS. *AK
19990101SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKES FAILED @ 35 MPH; REGAINED BRAKES THEREAFTER; EMERGENCY BRAKE STUCK (DEALER CLAIMS NOTHING WRONG).
19990101PARKING BRAKE
BRAKES FAILED @ 35 MPH; REGAINED BRAKES THEREAFTER; EMERGENCY BRAKE STUCK (DEALER CLAIMS NOTHING WRONG).
19981030EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
TURN SIGNAL LEVER FAILED RESULTING IN WIPERS ENGAGING.
19981030ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED RESULTING IN FAILURE OF WINDOWS, A/C AND ABS BRAKES ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
Compare 1997DODGEDODGE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 DODGE DODGE have?▼
The 1997 DODGE DODGE has 13 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 DODGE DODGE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 DODGE DODGE is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1997 DODGE DODGE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.